Corundum Stone from Asia . 423 
merit. Louis Bourguet of Neufchatel, in his Lettres sur la 
Formation des Sets et des Crystaux. Amst. 1729, 12 0 , connect- 
ed, by observation and measure, triangular and rhomboidal, 
and cubic and pyramidal tetraedal molecules, for all different 
substances. His contemporary, Maurice Antoine Capel- 
ler,* attempted to deduce a system from geometrical prin- 
ciples; and in this state did Linnaeus find the subject, when he 
attempted to reduce the science of minerals to external cha- 
racters, and crystallized bodies to salts. 
None of the observations of Linnaeus will prove useless to 
science ; but his system alarmed the chemists and mineralo- 
gists, who rejected every other criterion than internal charac- 
ter from analysis, and the system of Cronstedt was preferred 
by general assent. By this means, a spirit of controversy de- 
prived the chemist and lythologist of mutual assistance ; and 
the general opinion was correct, on the supposition that a 
mixed system of chemical and external characters would be 
irreconcileable ; but it has been admitted, even by those who 
most decidedly opposed Linnaeus's system, that the best sys- 
tem of mineralogy should be founded on external and internal 
characters combined.-)* Among the few who ventured to pro- 
fess their obligations, at the same time, to Linnaeus and to 
Cronstedt, was Baron Born, whose abilities and character, 
in addition to his distinction as one of the counsellors of mines 
* Prodromus Crystallographic, 8 cc. and Litter c ad Scheuzerum, de Crystallorum 
Generatione. Act . Nat. Cur. Vol. IV. Append, p. 9. 
f Nullum itaque est dubium, quin hujusmodi methodus mixta, quae notis charac- 
teristicis tam extrinsecis quam intrinsecis simul combinatis, est superstructa, proxime 
ad naturalem accedens, maximam indicans symmetriam, reliquis sit praeferenda metho- 
dis. J. G. W aleerius, de Systemate Mineralogico rite condendo, §. 102, 
