42 THE WERNERIAN SOCIETY, 



celsus, or of Arnoldus de Villa Nova. It would 

 be a fruitless and unprofitable task to give even a 

 sketch of these whimsical, though often ingenious, 

 fancies. 



The individual to whom mineralogy is most deep- 

 ly indebted, is the well-known Werner of Frey- 

 berg. He has taught the vast importance of ac- 

 curate observation, and patient investigation. He 

 has shown, that in this science, as in every other, 

 facts should not be made to bend to hypothesis ; but 

 that every man who wishes to obtain accurate views, 

 should begin his career unfettered by theory — and 

 that the result must be a more accurate and exten- 

 sive acquaintance with the materials of this globe. 



While this illustrious man was silently pursuing 

 his useful career in Germany, other philosophers in 

 this country, of high talent, boldly struck out gene- 

 ral views, which, though not remarkable for accu- 

 racy^ entitled their authors to the character of ge- 

 nius and of fancy. Dr Hutton of Edinburgh took 

 a decided lead in this matter ; and, had he studied 

 nature, and then theorized, his genius would, in all 

 probability, have illustrated many difficult points ; 

 but it is obvious, from his own works, that he has 

 frequently reversed this order of proceeding. 



While these dazzling speculations allured the vo- 

 taries of Hutton, the present Professor of Natural 

 History in the University of Edinburgh first became 

 known to the world as a scientific man, by his Mi- 

 neralogy of Arran and Shetland, published in 17^8, 



