6. The example of chemistry has shown that we have in the terminations of words a resource of which great use may be made in indicating the relations of certain classes of objects: as sulphur_ous_ and sulphur_ic_ acids; sulph_ates_, sulph_ites_, and sulph_urets_. Since the introduction of the artifice by the Lavoisierian school, it has been extended to some new cases. The Chlor_ine_, Fluor_ine_, Brom_ine_, Iod_ine_, had their names put into that shape in consequence of their supposed analogy: and for the same reason have been termed Chlore, {340} Phlore, Brome, Iode, by French chemists. In like manner, the names of metals in their Latin form have been made to end in _um_, as Osmium, Palladium; and hence it is better to say Platin_um_, Molybden_um_, than Platin_a_, Molybden_a_. It has been proposed to term the basis of Boracic acid Bor_on_; and those who conceive that the basis of Silica has an analogy with Boron have proposed to term it Silic_on_, while those who look upon it as a metal would name it Silic_ium_. Seleni_um_ was so named when it was supposed to be a metal: as its analogies are now acknowledged to be of another kind, it would be desirable, if the change were not too startling, to term it Sel_en_, as it is in German. Phosph_orus_ in like manner might be Phosph_ur_, which would indicate its analogy with Sulph_ur_. The resource which terminations offer has been applied in other cases. The names of many species of minerals end in _lite_, or _ite_, as Stauro_lite_, Aug_ite_. Hence Adolphe Brongniart, in order to form a name for a genus of fossil plants, has given this termination to the name of the recent genus which they nearly resemble, as Zam_ites_, from Zamia, Lycopod_ites_ from Lycopodium. Names of different genera which differ in termination only are properly condemned by Linnæus[58\4]; as _Alsine_, _Alsinoides_, _Alsinella_, _Alsinastrum_; for there is no definite relation marked by those terminations. Linnæus gives to such genera distinct names, _Alsine_, _Bufonia_, _Sagina_, _Elatine_. [Note 58\4: _Phil. Bot._ 231.]