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XXIII,— General Observations on Geology and 
Geognosy, and the Natw^e of these respective 
Studies. 
By the Rev. James GriersoNj M. D. 
{Read 1th February 
HOME have thought that, in studying the sciences, the 
ancient Greeks had a considerable advantage over us mo- 
derns, on account of the pecuUar terms by which scientific 
ideas are expressed, being mostly taken from their own 
language instead of a foreign one, and consequently more 
familiar to them. Thus the words Geology, Geognosy, 
Geography, Astronomy, Astrology, for example, are all 
we may say Greek, and would be as easily understood by 
a Greek novice when entering on the study of any one of 
those sciences, as Discourse of the Earth, Knowledge of the 
Earth, Delineation of the Earth, Laws of the Stars, Speech 
of the Stars, would be by an Englishman when he is enter- 
ing on the same study. Now, whatever be in this (and we 
do apprehend there is not much in it), no doubt can be 
entertained, that the multiplication of terms unnecessarily, 
VOL. V. c c 
