(Born: 1817; Died: 1889) English geologist.

Bristow was educated at King's College, London, and upon graduation in 1842 he entered into the service of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. He retired in 1888.

Biographical references: BBA: I 148, 133-138. • Boase, Modern English Biography, 1892-1921. • DNB. • Geological Magazine: 6 (1889), 381-4. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 58. • Poggendorff: 3, 196-7 & 4, 187. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, 621. • WBI.

Glossary of Mineralogy, 1861

1. English, 1861.
A | Glossary of Mineralogy. | By | Henry William Bristow, F.G.S. | of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. | [ornament] | London: | Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts. | 1861.

8°: A⁸ a-b⁸ B-Z⁸ Aa-Dd⁸ Ee^{2 2}A-²C^{4 2}D² χ²; 235l.; [i]-xlvii, [1], [1]-420, [2] p. Printer's device on page 420. Page size: 192 x 125 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, "Glossary of Mineralogy," verso "London Printed by Spottiswoode and Co."; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-vi, "Preface"-signed Henry W. Bristow, 1st September 1861."; vii, "The following is a list of the principal books which have been refered to in compiling this work." [27 entries]; [viii], blank.; [ix], "Table of Contents."; [x], Blank.; [xi]-xxviii, "Introduction."; xxix-xliii, "Classification of Minerals."; xliv-xlv, "List of Symbols and Signs made use of in the following work."; xlvi, "Technical Terms used by Jewellers and Lapidaries."; xlvii, "Errata and Addenda."; [1 page], Blank.; [1]-420, "A Glossary of Mineralogy."; [1 pg], Title page advertisement for J. Beete Juke's `The Student's Manual of Geology.'; [1 pg], Blank.

Scarce. In the preface, Bristow writes of his wish to create a work that could be used by those wishing to study the mineral collections of the British Museum and the Museum of Practical Geology. A short technical introduction briefly defines crystallography, physical and chemical properties, mineral classification, and the floor plan of the Museum of Practical Geology of London. The main text is an alphabetical dictionary of hundreds of terms. Many of the definitions are more detailed than a simple explanation by providing historical and locality information.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 168. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 934.

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