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MINERALOGY, &c. 



THE Doctrine of Minerals ; the Natural His- 

 tory of the Mineral Kingdom. The Science 

 which brings us acquainted with the various 

 relations under which Minerals are discovered. 

 It comprises the Study of all Solid Inorganic 

 Substances found naturally in the Earth or on 

 its Surface. 



Systems of Mineralogy. 



Notwithstanding the labour and talents that have 

 been employed to form systems of mineralogy con- 

 formable to natural and fixed principles of arrange- 

 ment, it must be confessed much remains that is 

 arbitrary and uncertain in them all* Writers are 

 not agreed as to the principles on which a mineralo- 

 gical system should be constructed, whether on the 

 external character, or the chemical composition ; nor 

 do they even agree in the definition of the essential 

 characters which constitute mineral species. 



The Three Kingdoms. 



Linnaeus says, " minerals grow, vegetables grow 

 and live, animals grow, live, and move." 



Minerals. 



All minerals are probably only saline compounds. 

 Except gray, green is the most abundant colour in 



