30 



illustrations of Mr. Sowerby, Mr. Donovan, the scientific pub- 

 lications of Dr. Shaw and the ingenious lectures on Comparative 

 Anatomy by Mr. Macartney ; not to particularise the numerous 

 interesting observations of Mr. Home, Mr. Corse, and various other 

 ardent admirers of natural history. The science then, the study of 

 which is here intended to be promoted, and which not only deserves 

 to be considered as supplementary to zoology and mineralogy ; but 

 as the medium by which the one may be connected with the other, 

 cannot surely but participate in the attention which they obtain^ 



LETTER IV. 



OPINIONS RESPECTING THE ORIGIN OF THESE BODIES.... PLASTIC 

 POWER.. ..TRANSLATION OF SEMINAL PRINCIPLES. ...GROWTH OF 

 STONES.. ..TERMS. ...FIGURED STONES. ...DILUVIAN STONES.. ..FOS- 

 SILS, EXTRANEOUS OR ADVENTITIOUS. ...NEW TERMS PROPOSED 

 ....SECONDARY FOSSILS, VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL. ...FOSSILIA 

 VULGO DICTA.. ..IMPRESSIONS CASTS.. ..FIGURED STONES. 



1 o stumble at the very threshold, is, I acknowledge, rather un- 

 graceful, and not very promising ; but remember, that sometimes, 

 the blame may lay in the stumbling block, and not in the man. 

 This, I trust, will prove to be the case, in the present instance. I 

 have to speak of substances, which, in my opinion, have never yet 

 been designated by appropriate terms ; and to treat of a science, 

 which has hardly yet acquired a peculiar name. 



