3S9 
and Mineralogy. 
example, mineralogists have been accustomed to consider the 
productions of inorganic nature in a state of mutual connection ; 
and after experiencing the attractive qualities of this method, one 
cannot, without difficulty, determine to acquiesce in an arti- 
ficial system, which must be nothing more than a simple re- 
gister. 
34. Basis of the natural historical connection in Werner'^s 
system. — The connection alluded to rests upon the mineralogical 
similarity^ which has already (32.) been exhibited as the basis 
of a natural system. It will be necessary to consider this re- 
lation more closely. 
35. D^erent degrees qf natural historical similarity. — Natu- 
ral historical similarity is susceptible of different degrees. If the 
species are considered as wholes (the proper unity in classifica- 
tion,) some of them are found to be more, some less, similar to 
each other. It is evident, that native gold is more similar to 
native silver than to calcareous-spar, — calcareous-spar more simi- 
lar to arragonite than to felspar, and so forth. 
36. Fortuitous nature of this relation. — This relation is not a 
necessary one. It is conceivable, that species might stand in 
equal relations of similarity, might bear to each other, for ex- 
ample, the relation of calcareous-spar and arragonite, of horn- 
blende and augite, of garnet and vesuvian. In that case, the 
combination of species, jointly similar to one and the same^ 
would exhaust the contents of the mineral kingdom ; that is to 
say, the conception originating from this conception, would be 
of equal compass with the conception of the mineral kingdom, 
which latter would be nothing else than a collection of species 
similar one to another in the same degree. 
37. Continuation. — But it is likewise conceivable, that, of all 
the species in the mineral kingdom, no two might bear to each 
other the same degree of similarity with any other two. Of 
this nature are the following: calcareous-spar, heavy-spar, fel- 
spar, garnet, iron-glance, native gold, and others. Heavy-spar 
is plainly more similar to calcareous-spar than felspar is ; fel- 
spar than garnet ; garnet than iron-glance ; iron-glance than na- 
tive gold ; and so on alternately. The consequence of this 
must be, that there would exist no two species which could 
