Abstract
I. THE realm of Nature has been recognised from time immemorial as consisting of three kingdoms: dealing with the affairs of these three kingdoms, respectively, there have grown up side by side three departments of natural knowledge—zoology, botany, and mineralogy. But in recent years new and, I cannot help thinking, regrettable relations have sprung up between these sister sciences. Zoology and botany, having developed a method, a classification, and a nomenclature, based on common principles, have been drawn together by bonds so close and firm that many regard them as indissolubly one—the science of biology. Mineralogy, thus isolated, has been driven to seek new and unnatural alliances—with chemistry, with physics, or with the mathematical sciences. For my own part I confess that I regard this threatened “Repeal of the Union” of the natural sciences as alike a misfortune and a mistake.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
The Relations Between Geology and the Mineralogical Sciences 1 . Nature 35, 392–396 (1887). https://doi.org/10.1038/035392d0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/035392d0