126 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



REVIEWS. 



Cours Elementaire d'Histoire Naturelle. Mineralogie et 

 Geologic, 2Jar F. S. Beudant^ \2'mo. Paris, Langlois et Cie. 

 For tin, Masson et Cie. 1841. 



This work is one of a series published under the sanction 

 of the Paris University, and edited by MM. Beudant_y de 

 Jussieu and Milne Edwards, and is consequently drawn up 

 in conformity with the regulations observed at that Institu- 

 tion, of which a copy is prefixed to the work. 



Like every introduction to the science of Mineralogy, a 

 great portion of the work is devoted to an examination of the 

 characters of mineral substances, their physical properties 

 and crystallization, which latter department is certainly 

 treated in the most ample and satisfactory manner, but the 

 ground being already well trodden and the plan of this 

 portion presenting nothing new, we do not consider it es- 

 sential to include a lengthened notice. 



The most interesting portion relates to a classification of 

 minerals on a chemical system, which, although not com- 

 pletely noveJ, presents the subject under a very different 

 aspect to that advocated by any other author, and to follow 

 up in this instance the plan which we have adopted with 

 regard to Reviews generally, we will give a tabular view of 

 the arrangement in its proper place. We cannot say that 

 w^e enter completely into the author's views on this subject, 

 because we have always entertained an opinion, that the 

 predominant constituent should contribute to the arrangement 

 in most cases, the exceptions being confined to those minerals 

 only, the peculiar characters of which are attributable to 

 some qualifying component part, detracting from the power 

 which w^ould otherwise be exercised by the predominant 

 component. The peculiar aptitude which substantives in 

 the French language offer for conversion into adjectives, 



