MINERALOGICAL ARRANGEMENT. 441 



the specimens, and must be, regulated by their size 

 and character, according- to the taste of the possessor. 



But the views of those collectors by whom the 

 greater number of cabinets are formed, are, probably, 

 to derive from their specimens, an acquaintance with 

 those general external characters of minerals , by 

 which they are commonly discriminated from each 

 other. 



I would recommend to this class of collectors, an 

 arrangement of their cabinets in nearly an alphabetical 

 order., which, as it will greatly facilitate the reference 

 to particular specimens, will afford them more ready 

 means of comparing different specimens with each 

 other ; and every new substance that occurs, to which 

 a name has been assigned, will also find an immediate 

 place in the collection under its proper letter, if its 

 precise station under any other leading name has not 

 been previously determined. 



The alphabetical series here recommended, is that 

 which is distinguished by roman capitals in the alpha- 

 betical list which follows this section. 



In this list I have endeavoured to collect and 

 arrange all the mineral species at present known, 

 with such of their synonyms as are not merely trans- 

 lations out of one language into another; and with 

 the addition of such of the primary forms of those 

 which are regularly crystallised, as appear to be accu- 

 rately known. 



Most of these forms have been determined from an 

 examination of the substances themselves, and their 

 angles have been measured, principally by the reflec- 

 tive goniometer, both by Mr. W. Phillips and myself ; 

 but from Mr. Phillips's greater precision in the use 

 of that instrument, I have generally relied on his 

 measurements where they have differed from my own ; 

 and in several instances, I have been indebted to 



3 K 



