26 ON THE STUDY OF 



vegetation ; and the principles upon which seeds 

 roots, and plants are to be preserved. From the 

 same source, the physician is supplied with 

 some of his best instruments with which to prac- 

 tice his art; the philosopher finds a pursuit which 

 opens to him the whole fabric of nature, and 

 makes him familiar with its most minute pheno- 

 mena; while the private individual derives from 

 it many instructive lessons and occupations, 

 which serve to fill up the taedium of life, and to 

 contribute to his intellectual improvement. 



Having endeavoured to explain to you the na- 

 ture of the science and practice of chemistry as 

 preparatory to our observations on mineralogy, 

 we shall now be the better qualified to enter 

 upon that subject. 



If we take a hasty view of those inanimate 

 substances of which the globe is composed, we 

 shall naturally be led to attach little importance 

 to their use. A rude mass of earth and stones 

 without any obvious arrangement or capabilities, 

 all thrown together in apparent confusion and dis- 

 order, is not at first sight calculated to awaken 

 our curiosity, or to impress us with a very dig- 

 nified opinion of the uses for which they were 

 created. But when we come to examine them 

 more minutely, and to ascertain their qualities 

 when we practically see the application of most, 

 if not all, of those substances to the arts in gene- 

 ral, to medicine, and to the most common wants 

 and conveniences of our nature and when we 



