t 



■44 C U. Shepard's Reply to F. A, Gentli. 



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tlie subject more fully, on page 400 of my Mineralogy ; and will 

 now only add, that I verified tlie coincidence of the mineral with 

 lanthanite, in crystalline form, hardness, blowpipe properties and H 

 solubility with effervescence in nitric acid, while at the mine, and 

 in the presence of my friend. Rev. W- R Harris. Moreover, speci- 

 mens still remaining, may be inspected by any one, who visits my 

 cabinet. I would hope that these statements will inspire a de- 

 . gree of confidence in my determination, in the minds of those, 

 who may have been led to doubt its correctness, from the con- 

 sideration that Dr. Genth was unable to procure a specimen of 

 the substance, and "did not succeed in finding any mdications 

 of minerals containing cerium or lanthana, from the decompo- 

 sition of Avhicli, the lanthanite could have been formed." 



In conclusion, I have only to observe, that although it is much 

 to be desired, in notices of new minerals and new localities, that 

 the greatest circumspection should be observed, still something 

 perhaps may not unreasonably be allowed in mitigation of a 

 certain amount of inadequacy and imperfection in these first an- 

 nouncements, since it is better to publish, occasionally, novelties 

 in science, than to retain specimens upon the shelves of our 

 cabinets for too long a time, unexamined and undescribed: for 

 even a hint on the road to discovery will often stimulate to 

 research and bring new inquirers into the field, whereby the 

 ends of true science are sure to be promoted, although it may 

 now and then prove less satisfactory to the ambition of the first 

 observer, who fails in monopolizing the undivided merit of a 

 discovery. But a little humility and love of truth will ever be 

 a sufiicient compensation for such trifling losses. 



The time has come n^oreover, when to establish a species in 

 mineralogy on a perfectly secure basis, is attended with greater 

 difTiculty than formerly. The easily recognized species have 

 long ago been described. Accident, it is true, may from time to 

 time, develop those which are as well pronounced as any; but 

 it will not be strange if many minerals, really distinct in nature, 

 will demand the most thorough sifting on the part of many ob- 

 servers, in order to brin^ out their characteristic differences, 

 or one, I shall ever hold myself ready to engage in any such 

 researches, whatever may be their ultimate success; though I 

 may perhaps be pardoned for hoping, that they may meet a 

 juster appreciation than my late attempts in this way have bad 

 the good fortune to experience. 



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