204 T. S. Hunt on the objects and method of Mineralogy. 
membered, is not like that of an artificial system, to serve the 
purpose of determining _— or the convenience of the stu- 
dent, but so to arrange bodies in genera, orders, and species as to 
satisfy most thoroughly natural affinities. Such a classification 
ists have already nearly attained for the vegetable and anima 
kingdoms. 
Oken saw the necessity of thus enlarging the bounds of min- 
y, and in his Physiophilosophy, attempted a mineralogical 
Classification; but it is based on fanciful and false analogies, wit 
but little reference either to physical or chemical characters, and 
in the present state of our knowledge is valueless, except as an 
effort in the right direction, and an attempt to give to mineral- 
ural system of mineralogi 
Their application may be illustrated by a few points drawn from 
the history of certain natural families. 
The variable relations to space of the empirical equivalents of 
non-gaseous species, or in other words, the varying equivalent 
volume, (obtained by dividing their empirical equivalent weights 
by the specific gravity,) shows that there exist in different spe 
cies very unlike degrees of condensation. At the same time we 
are led to the conclusion that the molecular constitution of gems, 
spars, and ores, is such that those bodies must be represented by 
formulas not less complex, and with equivalent weights far more 
| 
