. 234. NOMENCLATURE. 353 



systematic nomenclature. Thus it becomes necessary to 

 fix the name upon the order. Only a trifling advan- 

 tage, indeed, would be gained, if in Mineralogy the genus 

 should be fixed upon as the unity of classification which 

 has to bear the name, since most of the genera contain 

 comparatively only very few species. The systematic 

 nomenclature would thus not find room to shew its useful. 

 ness, and to yield the services required by Natural His. 

 tory. 



The higher the degree of classification is, upon which 

 we may fix the name, the more we shall be enabled to ex- 

 press, in the denomination of the species, the extent of the 

 connexion among the classified objects. This, however, 

 must have its limits, and should not be carried on so far that 

 it ceases to be either useful or convenient. It is very useful 

 to express the order in the Natural History of the Mineral 

 Kingdom ; and this may be effected without any inconve- 

 nience. But if we would endeavour also to express the 

 class, this would be both, of little utility, in as much as 

 there are only three classes in the natural-historical system 

 of Mineralogy ; and very inconvenient, because,, in order 

 to denominate a species, this would require four different 

 words. Moreover, the last of these words being in most 

 cases the same, the constant repetition would produce at 

 least a very disagreeable monotony. 



It has been considered as a rule in Natural History, that 

 the genus should bear the name. This rule, as we have 

 seen above, is not a general one. We may consider it, 

 however, as a general rule, that the systematic nomencla- 

 ture should unite as much as possible all the advantages, 

 and render all those services which Natural History rea- 

 sonably can expect. The name, therefore, should be so 

 placed, as best to fulfil these demands. From the rea- 

 sons developed, and under the circumstances above men- 

 tioned, this really takes place, if in Botany it is the genus, 

 if in Mineralogy it is the order which bears the name. For 

 the sake of a greater conformity, however, with the method 

 received in Botany, a compound name is fixed in Minera- 



voi>. i. 7. 



