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various important subjects in Mineralogy . 
the individuals themselves before our eyes , if we wish to arrive 
at the representation of them. The characteristic is only useful 
when we have the mineral in our hands ; it would, therefore, be 
an erroneous idea, conducive to nothing but loss of time, were 
we to study it, in order to obtain some knowledge of the mine- 
rals themselves. 
The characters are not calculated to produce representations or 
images of the objects to which they refer ; neither those of the 
individuals which are perfectly determined by single character- 
istics, nor those of the species, the genus, &c. which do not ad- 
mit of a similar determination. For this end, we therefore re- 
quire another contrivance, which forms the fifth and last depart- 
ment of Natural History. It is perfectly correct, that, for an 
individual, a description, which consists of the indication of all 
its properties, is quite sufficient ; but even this would be of no 
considerable utility, partly because it would be indispensable to 
describe every one of the number as individuals of the species, 
partly also, because, in this case, immediate inspection may be 
placed instead of the description, to which it is always prefer- 
able. The description, properly so called, will, therefore, be ap- 
plicable only if we intend to convey the idea of some particular 
individual. 
The actual or original representation of the species cannot 
evidently be produced by the indication of single properties : it 
cannot be described. For it does not contain any determined 
characteristic properties, but series of ail, which, in these repre- 
sentations, take the place of the single marks, but do not belong 
more particularly to any of the single objects described. The 
employment of these series is perfectly illustrated, and rendered 
evident, by the series of crystallization, which, on that account, 
obtain a yet higher degree of importance. The species should, 
therefore, be exhibited in a kind of tabular view, by a general 
description, in which we consider the species itself as the object, 
whose characteristic marks are the series in the natural-historical 
properties. The original representation of the species must ne- 
cessarily be derived from nature. The object of the general 
description, is to produce it, without immediately referring to na- 
ture ; because every person has not the command of so much 
time, opportunity, and other necessary circumstances, as are re- 
quired for it. The general description must be arranged in such 
