4148 Remarks on Professor Eaton’s Communication. 
learn these names, but also to learn that their literal 
meaning is false; whereas, were things correctly named, 
the literal meaning might help, instead of retarding him, 
in his progress. How striking an instance of the impor- 
tance of this principle, is presented to us in the reforma- 
tion that has taken place within a few years in chemica 
nomenclature! Yet we by no means suppose this abuse 
of terms to be great enough, in all the sciences, to justify 
any sudden and general changes, since the evils of sucha 
revolution would be greater than those which would be 
thereby remedied. But there is a very great difference 
in different cases, in the magnitude of the evil here 
In I 
real or fancied object, (as is the fact in all or nearly all 
those cases mentioned by Mr. Eaton,) a change would be 
of little importance, since the name itself is not supposed 
to describe the thing. But in some instances the hypo- 
thetical views on which a name is founded, constitute the 
t 
and we very much doubt whether any distinctive chat 
acters can be found in nature, that would definit oe 
describe it to the student. On this point we are har y in 
quoting the opinion of one of the ablest and most judic 
geologists living. ‘1 shall now, perhaps,” says Dr. Ma 
Cullock, “‘ be expected to assign a place to this rock, ene 
stone,) in the usual division of primary, transition, and 
floetz, distinctions which | am inclined to think are more 
easily made in the closet than in the field. In the present — 
state of geological science, it would appear a safer prac- 
ice in this case, as in many others, to describe that which 
actually exists, without the use of hypothetical tras 
which only serve to perplex the observer, and to mislead 
the student, who either boldly pronounces on the characte 
which suits his. cee creed, or modestly supposes 
