98 ONTOLOGY. 



tion of nitrogen, in the oxyde, binoxyde gases and 

 nitric acid. Hitherto it was not known what a mineral 

 species might be ; Physio-philosophy has been the first 

 to introduce clearness to these conceptions. 



485. A stochiometric mixture in the earth-element is 

 an individual. 



486. Individuals only are the object of natural history, 

 and thus neither water, air, nor fire. This also was 

 not known previous to Physio-philosophy it is, however, 

 gradually acknowledged also by empirics. 



487. The crystalline form is merely an external cha- 

 racter for the species, and therefore the same nuclei may 

 occur in the different orders. 



488. Kinds or varieties are different conditions of 

 cohesion. They are therefore not determined by the 

 form of the secondary crystal, since the aberration of 

 forms results only from a stoppage upon their part half 

 way or from the quantitative energy of the polar radii or 

 polar axes. 



489. While aether, air, and water, as being general 

 matters, do not belong to the mineral system, what have 

 been called artificial salts must on the contrary be ad- 

 mitted therein, because they are no works of art. The 

 chemist only brings bodies together which do not 

 come together accidentally in nature. It is a true mis- 

 apprehension of nature's products if those substances 

 only, that adhere to the earth, are recognized as such; 

 surely this definition is perfectly ridiculous. 



490. Two kinds or modes of division are possible, a 

 chemical, and a genetic or philosophical. 



491. The chemical principle of division of the earth 

 are the elemental bodies. The philosophical or naturo- 

 historical principles of division are the elements. 



492. In reference to the chemical bodies four 

 combinations only are possible. 1. Carbon, repre- 

 sented as perfectly pure, may be regarded as Metal. 

 2. Carbon united with hydrogen, is manifested in the 

 Inflammables. 3. Carbon with oxygen makes its ap- 

 pearance in the Earths. 4. Carbon with oxygen and 



