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Of Claffification. 45 S E C T I O N IV. An Idea of the ClaJJißcation of Earths and Stones. On the moft general view of an indifcrimi- nate heap of earths and ftones, we may readily perceive that fome have an homogeneous afpe<5t; none of the parts of which their volaine conlifts bearing the appcarance of being cornpofed dit- ferently one from the other. Others on the contrary vifibly involve two or niore heterogcneous fubftances, cither adhenng to, or inhering one in the other: thefe are called AGGREGAl ES. Laftly, others feem to participate of the na- ture of two (or perhaps more) heterogeneous foffils, without hotvever any vifible feparation of one from the other : thefe I call dkriv atives. Thus we have three primary divifions of earths or ftones. In reducing each of thefe into minuter divi* fions, we naturally begin with the homogeneous as the mcft fimple. 1 he Classification of earths and ftones con- fifts in their arrangement in a certain ordcr rcla- tively to each other. Order, when not arbitrary, necefiarily fup- pofes both dißinlhm and rcftmblance. Without chßinbiion all the bodies to be arranged would be equ.dly entitled to the lame place in the feries. Without rcjembiance no realon could be afligned x why