GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



113 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE TREATISE OF MINERALOGY OF 

 MR. C. U. SHEPARD, WITH THE TRANSLATION OF "THE 

 CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CLASSES AND ORDERS OF BREI- 

 THAUPT." By Andres Del Rio, Professor of Mineralogy in the School of 

 Mines of Mexico ; Pres. of the Geolog. Soc. of Penn. &c. 



Read June 1834. 



The mere attempt to solve a difficult problem is, in 

 itself, worthy of praise, although the method be com- 

 plicated, because it can be subsequently simplified. 

 " The problem of determining from books the names 

 of the minerals, is frequently to be solved, and little 

 benefit is to be enjoyed in the task from the scientific 

 process by which the botanist and zoologist are guided 

 to the names of objects in their respective depart- 

 ments." , 



Accordingly Mr. Shepard in his treatise of mi- 

 neralogy, 1832, has imagined an analytical method, in- 

 vented solely to conduct to the names of minerals, " in- 

 dependently of personal instruction, and the advanta- 

 ges of a completely arranged cabinet." He declares 

 it, at the same time, as " inapplicable to the arrangement 

 of a cabinet of specimens, and its preservation, after 

 knowing the names, would be like preserving the sta- 

 ging of an edifice, after its construction was complete." 



This is a solid objection indeed, since by the method 

 of Moh's and Breithaupt it is not necessary to des- 

 troy the bridge, after having crossed the river. 



Vol. I.— P 



