4 
194 Preface to The Natural History 
in these researches, it may be then proclaimed, that the darkness 
is past, and that the glorious light of science is rising upon the 
mineral horizon. 
Great and rapid progress will then be made in this branch of 
natural knowledge, and the mineral kingdom will soon be un- 
derstood as well as the animal and vegetable kingdoms. But’ 
the importance of these studies should be preferred to the plea- 
sure of them in this mining, manufacturing, and commercial 
country, where it may be supposed there are but few landed 
estates that do not contain some mine or mineral fossil or other, 
which may contribute to the public good, and to private emolu- 
ment; and, therefore, I wish to excite a lively sense of the im~- 
portance of increasing mineral knowledge. 
In such a country as this, young gentlemen of Janded property 
should be initiated in the principles of mineralogy, and such 
youth as aim at professional abilities in mineral lines of business, 
should have it im their power to lay an early foundation of know- 
ledge in this branch of natural history, which is the best way to 
arrive at eminence in the stations they are intended to All. 
I have, in the following sheets, contributed a small moiety 
towards the acquisition of knowledge in mineral science. 
I have treated pretty fully of the natural history of the strata 
of coal, and of such other strata as are found to accompany coal ; 
I have treated fully and distinctly of the appearances, indica- 
tions, and symptoms of coal; and I have been very careful to 
distinguish the real and certain appearances from such as are 
either false or doubtful. 
In this part of my subject I have taken due pains to investi- 
gate and explain every thing that I thought would throw light 
upon, and communicate useful information, relating to a subject 
ef so much importance to society; and I am persuaded that my 
treatise upon coal will be of use to landed gentlemen, towards 
facilitating the progress of youth in the knowledge of this branch 
of natural history, and as an index for the young coal-master. 
The second subject treated of in this work is the Natural His- 
tory of Mineral Veins, and of ‘the other beds and repositories of 
the precious and useful metals. I did not at first intend to publish 
my treatise concerning metallic mines at this time, because it is 
not completed; but when the first part of my work was put in 
the press, I reflected that this second part contains a number of 
particulars which may be useful to landed gentlemen ard young 
miners ; and as it is very uncertain whether I shall proceed any 
further in these mineral essays than the two volumes now pub- 
lished, I thought it was better to offer this in its present imper- 
fect state, than to suppress it altogether. 
The history and description of mineral veins is perhaps m 
u 
. 
