348 NOMENCLATURE. . 231. 



but it really becomes an impediment, to remove which, the 

 trivial nomenclature (. 241.), has been resorted to. 



In most of the mineral systems, the species has as yet 

 not been correctly determined. In these systems, therefore, 

 neither a name nor a denomination appertains to a well determin- 

 ed species. 



Such systems contain names and denominations of single 

 varieties of a species ; as, for instance, Rock-crystal, 

 Flint, Chrysoprase, &c. ; Common Quartz, Conchoidal 

 Hornstone, &c. ; but neither a name nor a denomination 

 exists for the whole species of rhombohedral Quartz, to 

 which all these varieties belong. 



If it be necessary to denominate a newly discovered spe- 

 cies, it is still more necessary to provide a species with a 

 new denomination, which has been corrected, because none 

 of the old ones will express it, and because it is impos- 

 sible to apply all of them at once. The same mode of rea- 

 soning must be applied, if a species has not been cor- 

 rectly determined, and contains varieties of several natural- 

 historical species. 



In a scientific treatment of Mineralogy, this becomes 

 again a new and urging reason for altering the nomencla- 

 ture ; and it could not be forgiven, if, under these circum- 

 stances, we should not at the same time endeavour to give 

 the new nomenclature a systematical arrangement. 



The object of nomenclature in general, and more particu- 

 larly that of the systematic nomenclature, is to express ly 

 words, or to denominate those things or bodies (the species), 

 of which other sciences, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, 

 Geology, &c., afford more detailed and particular informa- 

 tion. This is effected by substituting names and denomi- 

 nations, instead of the characters and the general descrip- 

 tions of the species. These names and denominations, there- 

 fore, must possess such properties as will enable us to find 

 them out, or to recognise them, whenever the characters 

 or natural-historical properties of a natural production are 

 given. This is effected by means of the Characteristic, to 

 be explained hereafter. If they be meant to excite, or to 



