REFORM OF MINERALOGICAL SYSTEMS. 275 



On these grounds, then, I conceive, that the bold 

 attempts of Mohs and of Berzelius to give new 

 forms to mineralogy, cannot be deemed successful m 

 the manner in which their authors aspired to suc- 

 ceed. Neither of them can be marked as a perma- 

 nent reformation of the science. I shall not inquire 

 how far they have been accepted by men of science, 

 for I conceive that their greatest effect has been to 

 point out improvements which might be made in 

 mineralogy without going the whole length either 

 of the pure chemical, or of the pure natural-history 

 system. 



Sect. 4. Return to Mixed Systems with 

 Improvements. 



IN spite of the efforts of the purists, mineralogists 

 returned to mixed systems of classification; but 

 these systems are much better than they were be- 

 fore such efforts were made. 



The Second System of Berzelius, though not 

 tenable in its rigorous form, approaches far nearer 

 than any previous system to a complete character, 

 bringing together like substances in a large portion 

 of its extent. The system of Mohs also, whether or 

 not unconsciously swayed by chemical doctrines, 

 forms orders which have a community of chemical 

 character ; thus, the minerals of the order Haloide 

 are salts of oxides, and those of the order Pyrites 

 are sulphurets of metals. Thus the two methods 

 appear to be converging to a common center ; and 



T2 



