OF SAMUEL CROMPTON. 321 



larger dimensions.* Wlien relating this little 

 history to Mr. G. A. Lee and myself, Mr. Lee 

 having observed " it was a pity he had not kept 

 the secret to himself/* he replied, " that a man 

 had a very insecure tenure of a property which 

 another could carry away with his eyes.'* 



In r784 or 5 he made a carding machine, the 

 working of which was a little different from those 

 in common use : the main or large cylinder was 

 made to turn in an opposite direction, thereby 

 carding or combing the cotton downward from 

 the rollers, and of course upwards from the 

 doffing cylinder. His object was, to get an 

 easier egress for the waste or dirt that was in the 

 cotton, and to save the trouble of stripping, &c., 

 but this was not followed up so as to be practi- 

 cally useful. 



About the year 1802, Mr. Lee and myself set 

 on foot a subscription for him, which amounted 

 to about ^500 ; and with this he was enabled to 

 increase his little manufacturing establishment 

 in Bolton, namely of spinning and weaving. 

 He was prevailed upon also to sit to a London 

 artist for his portrait, which is now in my posses- 

 sion. He was left a widower when his children 



• The first Machine consisted of not more than 30 or 40 

 Spindles. 



2 S 



