Letters of Mr. Brongniart, with remarks. 223 



which I shall perhaps be able, at some future time, to give 

 you the exact name. 



"I had intended to adopt a more exact order, in the min- 

 erals and specimens which I send you, but I have made up 

 the box by little and little, and it would require too much 

 time to commence it anew. You can easily arrange the 

 rocks and minerals from the environs of Paris, by means of 

 the numbers transmitted by me; the same as those that Mr. 

 Cuvier and myself have published in the Geology of this 

 country, which work you will find in the case. 



"I am afraid that I may have included in this box, many 

 things which you already have, but, being without any thing 

 to direct me in my selection, I have preferred sending 

 some useless pieces, rather than omit any thing which I im- 

 agined might interest you. 



"If you should entertain the intention of sending me 

 some minerals and rocks of your country, I will take the 

 liberty of indicating my wishes more particularly. 



" Every thing that relates to the secondary formations 

 and to the fossil organized bodies which they contain, spe- 

 cimens from the formations west of the mountains, and es- 

 pecially from the hmestones, of all formations, with their 

 petrifactions, from the coal strata with their impressions — 

 of these I am particularly desirous. 



" I perceive that your position will not allow you, in per- 

 son, to collect specimens of these rocks, which in general 

 appear to be very remote from your residence ; but I sup- 

 pose that by means of your pupils and correspondents, you 

 can procui'e some of the objects so useful in my geological 

 researches." 



" I ought not sir, to make all these demands of you if I 

 had not received proofs of your civility, and were I not aware 

 of your zeal for the progress of natural science. I am de- 

 sirous, in return, to render you similar services here, and I 

 beg of you to make use of my good will in this respect." 



In a subsequent letter from the same gentleman, dated 

 Nov. 3, 1820 — There are remarks relating both to Europe 

 and this country, which we are not disposed to withhold from 

 our readers. 



"I have been performing a tour, exclusively geological, 

 through the whole of Italy, for the purpose of examining 



