TO 



BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, LL.D., 



PBOFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY, AND GEOLOGT, 



IN YALE COLLEGE : 



WHOSE ENLIGHTENED ZEAL AND PERSEVERING 

 LABOURS 



HAVE LARGELY CONTRIBUTED 



TO DEVELOPE THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF 



OUR country; 



TO ELEVATE THE CHARACTER, 

 AMELIORATE THE CONDITION, 



AND 



INCREASE THE HAPPINESS, 

 OF THE 



AMERICAN PEOPLE, 



THESE PAGES 

 ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED. 



