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geologist finds constituting the mountains, hills, val- 

 leys, and plains of the entire earth, the mineralogist 

 has before him, within the narrow compass of his 

 own cabinet. Thus, although apparently separate, 

 these sciences have a close affinity to each other. 



As sciences, mineralogy and geology are both of 

 modern origin. They date from the latter half of 

 the last century, and, although so young, have al- 

 ready assumed their position among the most exalt- 

 ed of older origin, and are deemed equally worthy 

 to occupy the attention of the profoundest minds. 

 From the days of Werner, (1773,) mineralogy has 

 advanced rapidly, and is now generally and deserved- 

 ly a popular study. In most of the leading institu- 

 tions in this and other countries, it constitutes a por- 

 tion of the regular course of instruction; collections 

 are distributed over our own country, and many pri- 

 vate citizens exhibit great zeal in this pursuit. To 

 the arts and manufactures mineralogy contributes 

 many necessary and useful materials. The painter 

 owes to it many of his pigments ; the dyer many of 

 his colors; the jeweller looks to it for the discovery 

 of his most precious gems ; the chemist for many of 

 his compounds; the mason for his cements. The 

 smelter learns through it to detect his ores, the pot- 

 ter his clays, and the architect would often have 

 saved himself the chagrin of seeing his finest works 

 passing into premature and hopeless decay, had he 

 been guided by it in the selection of his materials of 

 construction. 



There is still something wanting to give to the 

 science of mineralogy that further practical useful- 



