Biography of Johann Nepomuk von Fuchs. 99 
views of Fuchs on geological changes and his reaction 
Plutonism. It reads—“ Since, according to the foregoing o 
ations, silica and alumina together, are a means of precipitating 
the fixed alkalies from their solutions, we have a way of explain- 
ing how potash and soda could be removed from the waters of 
the ancient world, and enter into the composition of feldspar, 
mica, &c., a consideration that would be very important to the 
geologist.” 
Fuchs always devoted great attention to blowpipe experiments, 
and to him we owe the characteristic reaction of phosphates; 
crystallography, and reminded how the chemist is often obliged 
ing alum. As thus, the physical properties of bodies serve the 
chemist, soin a much eater degree, the chemical characters 
assist the mineralogist. Fuchs asked—what would mineralogy 
be without chemistry ? and replied—without chemistry, miner- 
alogy would be, but a chaos. She could never have assumed a 
rm at all satisfactory or consistent with just expectations. 
Only a glance at the history of mineralogy 1s needful to see that 
it has not become what it now is by innate strength; it never 
could have learned the whole rm ef the Be dpeerore of 
crystallography, even but by the help of chemistry. I am con- 
vinced, faye We that ame the latter science we should to-day 
‘ seeking to find specific distinctions for minerals in the confu- 
Sion of accidental forms and egations, in ani 
egrees of transparency, &c. Minerals of crystalline, massive and 
