r a7(5 3 
having more opportunities of getting new fpecl- 
mens, were moft of them not fo communicative 
to the latter as they ought to have been. Some 
of thefe, fond of the number, were wholly taken 
up in gathering together immenfe heaps of things, 
feeniing almoft refolved to get the whole of Nature 
into their cabinets, without having regard to any 
true order ; while others, purpofing to correct 
this inconveniency, v/ould pretend to fome in- 
terior knov/ledge, as if that had been a confe- 
quence of their colle6lion ; and by that fell into 
another iliil greater extravagancy. 
All this certainly hindered the mineralifts from 
improving much in the fcience ; but, happily^ 
thofe times are paft. The world is grown more 
reafonable at prefent, and Mineralogy feems more 
and more to be encouraged. 
The great utility of the mineral bodies already 
known, promifes us a greater advantage from the 
ftudy of this fcience, than only the pleafure of col- 
lefclng. But, in order to come at this advantage, 
we ought to fearch into, the very principles of 
thefe bodies, that we may be certain of not de^ 
fciving ourfelves in our judgment about theiti„ 
SECT. IIL 
A.s the principal end of cultivating Mineralogy 
is to find out the a^conomical ufe of the minerals, 
it is neceilary to know every' occurrent mineral 
pody in regard to all its efxecls ^ from them to 
determine the bell ufe it might be put to, A 
Syftern of Mineralogy thus founded on the effedts 
of its iiibjeTs, miiil be more fcieiitifical, fince it 
always has in view that real point, their application 
to CoriVr.on Life Ancl fince it is natural to tlm 
imman iiiind to adapt every thing to its owm ad- 
vantage^ 
