ON GEOLOGY AND GEOGNOSY. 407 
no evidence can I perceive that the materials go farther. 
The first principles, therefore, of this theory are, hke those 
of the others at which we have been looking, in my opinion^ 
purely gratuitous. 
Werneji, as I have already hinted, and as is well known 
and acknowledged, was the first to introduce into this sub- 
ject what may be called the truly inductive method. He 
taught us, that, before drawing conclusions, we should look 
at the objects before us, and should make ourselves ac- 
quainted with their distinguishing properties, before we 
attempt to explain their formation: in short, that we 
should become mineralogists before becoming geologistSj 
or know of what the earth is made, before we pretend to 
tell how it was made. On these principles of true and 
legitimate mineralogical philosophy, so happily introduced 
by him, and now so generally acted upon by his numerous, 
I had almost said innumerable, pupils throughout the 
world, the science is making such unprecedented and rapid 
advances, as that it may be expected soon to comprehend 
a pretty complete knowledge of the unorganised kingdom, 
at least as far as this ever can come under our observation. 
Nowhere, however, I think I may, without an approach to 
flattery, say, have the Wernerian, or truly scientific me- 
thods of investigation in this department of nature, been 
followed with more ability, and attended with greater suc- 
cess, than in our own country ; and when I say so, no one 
can fail to perceive that I allude to our President. But 
though Werner and he, and the immediate successor of 
Werner, not to mention any more, have indisputably put 
us on the right road, and also conducted us a great way 
along it, surely it would be rash to affirm that every thing 
has been accounted for, and that the science of mineralogy 
is already perfect. Certainly no. Many things, after all 
that has been achieved, still remain unexplained, and there 
