306 NOMENCLATURE. . 24 1 . 



Together with the knowledge of the bodies themselves, 

 the trivial nomenclature likewise supposes that of the con- 

 nexion in which they are with others. Hence it supposes 

 the systematical nomenclature ; and it is evident, there- 

 fore, that although it may exist beside it, yet it never can, 

 instead of it, fulfil the demands of Natural History. 



The properties requisite in trivial names, may be very 

 easily inferred from the preceding observations. Their 

 chief recommendation consists in their simplicity ; they 

 must be simple names (. 232.). For a compound name ex- 

 presses a connexion or a relation with other objects, with 

 which trivial nomenclature has nothing to do, and refers 

 to a system, which does not exist, at least not in respect to 

 the trivial nomenclature. The names, Spinel, for dodeca- 

 hedral Corundum ; Eudas, for prismatic Emerald ; Rutik, 

 for peritomous Titanium-ore, are excellent trivial names. 

 The name Hornblende, if applied to a species, supposes a 

 genus Blende, which does not exist in any of the systems 

 in which that name has been used ; if it be supposed to re- 

 fer to one or to several varieties, it will suppose the exist- 

 ence of a species Blende ; to which, however, in these sys- 

 tems, hornblende does not belong. Examples of this kind, 

 of which a great many more might be quoted, are calculat- 

 ed to shew, that there exist rules even in respect to the tri- 

 vial nomenclature, which it is indispensable to observe, if 

 we intend not to confound those ideas, which it is the pur- 

 pose of the system to explain, and the purpose of nomen- 

 clature to preserve in their purity. Compound trivial 

 names, moreover, without either the necessity or the advan- 

 tage, produce all the difficulties of a systematic nomencla- 

 ture. And yet, the only motive of introducing a trivial 

 nomenclature is to avoid these difficulties ; hence it appears 

 that compound trivial names are entirely to be rejected. 



It requires' but a limited knowledge of the object to un- 

 derstand, that the difficulties, connected with the construc- 

 tion of a good trivial nomenclature, possessing the required 

 properties, by far surpass those which attend the construc- 

 tion of a systematic nomenclature. Many names contain. 



