THE CABINET OF MINERALS. 283 



preface to a new edition, following my first, he quotes from 

 me the remark that I had adopted his book as being one 

 that " my pupils would be willing to read and able to un- 

 derstand," and he justly regarded this as a high recommen- 

 dation. Such was his feeling of personal and scientific 

 independence that he held himself aloof from the aristoc- 

 racy of science, and he even declined the proffered honor 

 of membership in the Royal Society, after he had, almost 

 alone, vindicated his claims to rank among the most emi- 

 nent geologists of the day. His travels among the Alps 

 added to his reputation, (" Travels in the Tarentaise and 

 Grecian and Pennine Alps, and in Switzerland and Au- 

 vergne, in the years 1820, 1821, and 1822, by R. Bakewell 

 Esq.") Dr. Man tell was his warm and constant friend. 



I received a French collection from Mr. Alexander 

 Brongniart of Paris. The specimens related chiefly to the 

 tertiary and chalk formations of the basin of Paris, and 

 the collection included also miscellaneous specimens from 

 many other places. Mr. Brongniart forwarded to me his 

 work on the mineral and paleontological history and struc- 

 ture of the basin of Paris. At a later period I received 

 also from him the revised and improved edition of his 

 work, a great work indeed. He sent to me also a suite 

 of specimens illustrating the materials and the manufacture 

 of porcelain, especially as it is carried on at the Royal 

 Manufactory of Sevres, six miles, or two leagues, from 

 Paris, of which Mr. Brongniart was superintendent. This 

 collection I left in the laboratory of Yale College, with the 

 catalogue and description of the process in the handwriting 

 of Mr. Brongniart. His letters to me were highly instruc- 

 tive and very friendly. He corresponded with me also on 

 the subject of a collection which he was forming to illustrate 

 the art of pottery in all ages and countries. It was in my 

 power to aid his design in a small degree, by specimens of 

 aboriginal pottery of the American Indians, and by the 

 products of our advancing arts in common ware and in 



