F28 On the most proper Means of [Aug. 



Posterity will give the name of philosophic mineralogists to 

 Haiiy and Werner. The name of philosophical geognost will 

 be given to Werner, the creator of geognosy; and posterity will 

 not refuse a place hy his side to the companion of my travels, 

 the immortal Dolomieu. 



It is difficult to establish a good mineralogical nomenclature ; 

 because the name given to a mineral often occasions false ideas, 

 and makes us ascribe to it exclusive characters which it never 

 possessed. We are greatly obliged to the philosophic Haiiy, 

 whose friendship does me as much honour as it has been useful 

 to me, and to other distinguished mineralogists who have re- 

 cently endeavoured to banish from the science as much as pos- 

 sible all names drawn in a great measure from localities and 

 colours. When the name is drawn from the locality we are 

 induced to suppose that the mineral exists only in the place or 

 country indicated by the name. We find the same substance in 

 different places, and then the name no longer applies. The 

 mineral called Hauyjie got the name of Latiolite, because it had 

 been discovered in the mountains of Latium, and because it was 

 conceived that it existed nowhere else. Time lias already proved 

 the contrary, for it has been found in Vesuvius. It is even pro- 

 bable that the borders of the Rhine, and the mountains of Au- 

 vergne will one day claim the privilege of being classed among 

 the localities of a substance, the name of which seems to have 

 inspired the interest at present bestowed upon it. 



Names drawn from colour are still worse. The infinite number 

 of shades which accompany the different colours, obliges us 

 often to search in vain among a great number of specimens for 

 the colour from which the name is derived. It is so easy to find 

 an example that I do not think it necessary to cite one. Almost 

 all the names drawn from colour might serve to confirm the 

 truth of this observation. If the introduction of new names 

 more analogous to the object appears painful to the memory, 

 which was charged with another name for the same substance, 

 these changes will not fail at least to be very useful to those who 

 follow us in the mineralogical career. They will not be obliged, 

 like us, to charge their memory with a series of insignificant 

 names. 



We ought not to be always occupied with ourselves, we ought 

 to think of posterity. It is sometimes as pernicious to follow 

 blindly those who have preceded us in any science, as it is hurtful 

 to wish to make every thing over again without distinguishing the 

 good from the bad. That we have not ourselves done a thing is 

 no sufficient reason for altering it. Those who will hereafter 

 reap advantage from our labours will find names much more 

 easily remembered, which indicate some striking property, geo- 

 metrical, chemical, or physical, or which recall to our recollec- 

 tion the name of some person to whom science is under great 

 obligations. 



