« Standard of IVe'ight and Meafure. I57 



inches of the barometer, and 60** of the thermometer, which is full as fatisfa£tory, for all 

 praflical purpofes, as if it had been done in vacuo *, which 1 conceive to be nearly impof— 

 fible ; and, having determined the weight of any given bullc of water, compared with this 

 common meafure, I believe it now only remains, to afcertain the proportion of this common 

 meafure and weight, to the commonly-received meafurcs and weights of this kingdom. 



(§• 33") ^' 'S perfeQly true, that if I chofe to indulge in fanciful fpeculation, I might 

 negledt thefe comparifons, as an unphilofophical condefcenfion to modern convenience, or to 

 ancient practice, and might adopt fome more magnificent integer than the Englijh pound or 

 fathom ; fuch as the diameter or circumference of the world, ^c, iSc. and, without much fkill 

 In the learned languages, and with little difficulty, I might ape the barbarifms of the prefent 

 day. But in truth, with much inconvenience, I fee no poflible good in changing the quan- 

 tities, the divifions, or the names of things of fuch conftant recurrence in common life j 1 

 fliould, therefore, humbly fubmit it to the good fenfe of the people of thefe kingdoms at leafl-, 

 to preferve, with the meafures, the language of their forefathers. I would call a yard a yard, 

 and a pound a pound, without any other alteration than what the precifion of our own artifts 

 may obtain for us, or what the lapfe of ages, or the teeth of time, may have required. 



(§. 34,) The difference of the length of the two pendulums, from Mr. Whitehurft's 

 obfervations, appearing to be 59589358 inches, on Mr. Troughton's fcale ; and a cubic inch 

 of diftilled water, in a known ftate of the atmofphere, having been found to weigh 252,587 troy 

 grains according to the weights of the fame arifls, it remains only to determine the proportions 

 of thefe weights and meafures, to thofe that have been ufually, or may be fitly, confidered as 

 the ftandards of this kingdom ; and herein a fmall difcrepancy between themfelves, in thefe 

 authoritative ftandards, will have no influence on the general conclufion I propofe to draw; 

 which is, not fo much to fay what has been the ftandard of Great Britain, as what it Jhall be 

 henceforward, and may be immutablyy« ; and which fliall differ but a very fmall quantity, 

 and that an aflignable one, from thofe that have been in ufe for two of three hundred years 

 paft. By thefe means, no inconvenience would be produced from change of terms, or fubdi- 

 vifions of parts, or from fenfible deviation from ancient pradtice : all that will be done, will 

 be to render that certain and permanent, which has hitherto been fluiStuating, or liable to 

 fluftuation. To give effe£l and energy to thefe fuggeftions, is the province of another 

 power. 



* It is perfeftly tru«, that this fuppofcs the experiment to be made with a.pendulum fimiUr to Mr. White- 

 hurft's. 



(To he concluded in afutuft Number.J 



Vol. III.— July 1799. 



