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for though they are ignorant of the na-tural Causes of Things, and cannot givea Reason why such and such a Sign is pro-mising or otherwise, and through this De-ficiency are not capable of delivering theirAccounts in a regular methodical Manner,yet we may be able to order them to ourAdvantage, and deduce the rational ofthem to our Improvement: Having thusfar arrived, we must next proceed to thatpart called Minerology.

This some take to be the first Rudiment,and grand Basis, or Ground-Work, onwhich the Art of Mining chiefly depends,* be that as it will, I conceive this Sciencewill be more easily comprehended, afterhaving acquired a iufficient Knowledge ofwhat I have proposed in the above Para-graph. Therefore, that no one may be ata Loss to know what Minerology is, I willdefine it to be a Science, which teaches usthe Principles of Minerals, and learns usto distinguish the several Kinds of Ores.from each other; this Science I will heredivide into two Parts, about the First ourSenses alone are employed • we are there-fore diligently to examine all Fossils andMinerals, as they appear to the naked Eye,when fresh collected, whether in a perfectsolid State, wssich then go under the Name

of

* Vid. Dr. Zimmermen’s Preface to Dr. HenkePsDefier Mineroiogv, published in the Germqn Language,