Mineralogy. 219 



We step first into the lowest vestibule of this 

 temple, the mineral kingdom. 



While design is manifested in single objects, it 

 is mainly in the relation of objects to each other 

 that seems to have special reference to the 



mind of man.* Wherever contrivance appears thai 

 has no possible reference to the welfare of the ob- 

 ject itself, as beauty of sculpture, or where objects 

 au hidden from the world, like the pearl or diamond, 

 until brought to light by man, who is capable of ap- 

 preciating and taking delight in their beauty; or 

 where we find <>! >und together by mathrm 



cal or physical relations, so that they are brought 

 within the ready grasp of mind, and this principle 

 running through the whole sweep of the three 

 kingdoms, we see a more direct and far-reaching 

 provision for the mental than for the physical con- 

 stitution of man. 



Chemistry has revealed to us more than sixty 

 kinds of matter. All these elements occurring in 

 a simple state, and their compounds existing as 

 natural products, belong to the lowest department 

 of Natural History, mineralogy. It is the same kind 

 of matter as is found in the higher departments, 

 but it is combined and controlled by inferior forces, 

 chemical affinity being the highest force ever mani- 

 fested in a mineral. We have in the mineral king- 

 dom hundreds of substances making up the earth's 

 crust, mingled in seeming confusion, and many of 

 them of protean form. These are to be sought 

 out and their true nature discovered under their 



