2 A SYSTEM OF 



Thefc words, circulation of fluids^ are to be 

 confidered as a confequence of what is before fup- 

 pofed, viz. that the mineral bodies are formed un- 

 der the fur face of our earth : and by this particular 

 they are diftinguifhed from the fubjects of the 

 vegetable kingdom ; with which, however, they 

 have fome refemblance, forne foflils being ftill 

 produced nearly in the fame manner, at leaft ac- 

 cording to our imagination. The clefts, fiffures, 

 and countries *, in the rocks, and in the ftrata 

 of the earth, may be looked upon as anfwering to 

 the tubes in vegetables, and the water as the fluid 

 common to them both. Fire, of whofe nature 

 we ftill know fo little, and which we can hardly 

 determine, whether it belongs to the earth any far- 

 ther than it exifts, and even muft exifl, within a 

 iblar fyftem, may, perhaps, be an auxiliary equal- 

 ly neceffary to all the three kingdoms of nature. 



On the other hand, we know with a kind of 

 certainty, that if the mineral kingdom is allowed 

 to have exifted before the other two, and to have 

 furnifhed them with materials for their exifcence, 

 it is at the fame time deprived of thofe wonder- 

 ful and incomprehenftble qualities of life and ve- 

 getation, the properties of the animal and vege- 

 table kingdoms. 



• The defcriptions of minerals cannot be extend- 

 ed farther, in a Treatife of Mineralogy, than to 



whole extent of this knowledge can hardly be expected from 

 one man, it may perhaps be executed to more advantage 

 by different peribns : in the mean time, we muft be content 

 with definitions, if they give tolerable ideas of the fubftances 

 oefcribed, though they mould not perfectly coincide with the 

 drift rules of logicians. This being premifed, I mall endea- 

 vour in the Text to give forne explanation of my own Effay. 



* Countries, an Englifh mine-term for the fides or inclo- 

 fures of a vein or load of ore, e. g, ihc country of the load is 

 lime-Hone, killas, &c> &c. D, C. 



the 



