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XVI PREFACE. lowed and taught ; it has been introduced into France by an able mineralogift M. Brochanr; and Kirwan, one of the mod illuftiious of Britilhphilofo- phers was the firft who made it known in England *. Several * In 1800 Brunner publifhed a treatife entitled Verfuch einei Newen Syftems der Mineralogie, &c. It is founded folely on the external characters. It is divided' as ufual into four clafles, viz. earthy, faline, inflammable, and metallic. The firft clafs is fubdivided into feven orders: the firft order contains all earthy minerals which “ have an earthy “ fra&ure, and are dull and opaque.” 2d, Having a fine fcaly fra&ure. 3d, Having a foliated fra&ure. 4th, Having a radi ated fra&ure. 5th, Fibrous fracture. 6th, Fine grained foli ated fracture. 7 th, Diftin& compa& fra&ure. The fecond clafs contains eight orders : I ft, Having a fourifti aftringent tafte. id, Sweetifh aftringent tafte. 3d, A rather difagreeable faltifh cooling tafte. 4th, Pure faline tafte. 5th, Pungent faline cool ing tafte. 6th, Bitter tafte. 7 th, Weak foapy tafte. 8th, Sharp alkaline tafte. The third clafs contains three orders : 1 ft, Bituminous. 2d, Coaly. 3d, Sooty. The fourth clafs is fub divided into eight orders: ift, Earthy fra&ure, dull, or faintly c-limmering. 2d, Compact fra&ure, common, frequently a little metallic, luftre. 3d, Common luftre, and foliated fra&ure. 4th, Common luftre and radiated fra&ure. 5th, Common luftre and fibrous fra&ure. 6th, Metalli- luftre and in loofe fcales. 7th, Metallic luftre and fluid. 8th, Metallic luftre and folid. In his fyftem the mod difiimilar minerals arc aflociated toge ther ; thofe that evidently belong to the fame natural family are feparated ; and in no inftance is there fuch a defcription of the fpecies given as to enable us to diftinguilh them from one ano ther. To exemplify this we may mention, I ft, That wood tin, fibrous malachite, red ore of antimony, cobalt bloom, and feathe- rofc antimony, are placed in the fame order. 2d, Mica, felenite, potftone, hornblende, felfpar, diamond fpar, calc fpar, heavy,