S20 
Mohs’ System of Crystallography 
whole, and dividing or breaking it in pieces does not make it 
cease to be what it was. 
3. Reason of the mistake. — Misled by the false idea of dis- 
tinct concretions, mineralogists have considered the fragment of 
granular limestone as a fragment of an individual. They have 
sought this individual on the great scale and taken for it the 
bed or mountain-mass, from which the fragment was taken. 
This is not correct : The fragment is a cotijunction or com- 
hination several perhaps a great number of individuals^ 
every one of which being a real crystal.^ and as such a whole, 
is by itself an object of contemplation for the mineralogist, when 
the smallness of its bulk does not prevent examination. 
4. Individuality does not require regularity of form . — 
The form of those crystals (3.) is not indeed regular ; but this 
cannot alter the truth of our proposition. They would have 
been regular if the space had allowed an undisturbed formation. 
Each of them at least, is an independent crystalline formation.^ 
and as such an individual. 
5. Distinct concretions are individuals^ if not farther com- 
pounded. — Hence any single distinct concretion^ as we name it, 
is an individual, whatever be the form of that portion, pro- 
vided only it is not farther combined. The magnitude of such 
portions has no influence on the result ; they may diminish 
even to evanescence. A fragment of compact limestone is, 
therefore a combination of several individuals, just as really 
as a fragment of granular limestone. 
6. Examples. — In hematite, the individuals are those line- 
like particles, named fracture parts of the fibrous fracture. In 
the balls of radiated pyrites, the individuals are those bodies 
that proceed from the centre towards the circumference, at 
which they frequently end in regularly formed points. In 
peastone, the individuals are the similar particles of which the 
spherical laminae (the concavo-convex detached portions) con- 
sist. From these examples all minerals, in respect of their in- 
dividuality, may be j udged of. No solid bodies are without 
individuality. 
7. Simple mineral. — A mineral which consists of one single 
individual is called a simple mineral. Simple minerals are all 
