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fame principle, the regular polyedrous figure of 

 all thofe bodies, called Chryjlals^ ading upon them 

 during their fufpenfion in an aqueous menllruum ^ 

 and this he conceived to be equally the cafe, 

 whether thefe bodies are what we ufually call fa- 

 line^ or whether they are lapidofe^ pyriticofe^ or 

 arfenical\ or finally, whether they are fuch as are 

 termed metallic falts. Hence arofe his arrange- 

 ment of figured Spars ^ Selenite^ quartzofe Chryfials^ 

 including all the gems under that genus of fait, to 

 which their agreement in figure entitled them to a 

 place. This opinion gave fo much offence to mi- 

 neralogifts, that, moft probably, it rendered his 

 Syftem in the mineral kingdom, much lefs accept- 

 able than the other parts of that work had been. 

 In this paper lapidofe chvy^dih only are confidered ; 

 many of which are figured, and defcribed, and 

 referred to the feveral falts with which they agree 

 in figure. Linn^eus's idea on this fubjed has 

 been lately taken up, and purfued in a very ex- 

 tenfive manner, by M. de Rome de Ltjle^ in an 

 Effay printed at P^ym, in 1772. It muft be con- 

 fefied, however, that the greateft difficulties attend 

 the folution of this matter : how far the further 

 confideration of the volcanic fyftem, which is gain- 

 ing ground in the minds of fome philofophers and 

 mineralogifts, may elucidate the origin of certain 

 figured bodies, which are faid to have a chryftaU 

 line or vitreous bafis, time only muft fhew ; hi- 

 therto it feems to bid fairer towards folving fomq 

 difficulties, than any foregoing hypothefis. 



I^. SURINAMENSIA 



