AET. y. HISTORY OF INVENTIONS HOUGH. 3 



In this paper 41 series are illustrated. The series are intended to 

 lead the reader to the threshold of the inventive period which marks 

 the present day. The modern inventions are thus beyond the scope 

 of this paper and should be taken up in another publication. 



The preparation of the series, with its accompanying literature, 

 is the work of Prof. Otis T. Mason. Prof. W. H. Holmes, and the 

 writer. Hastily gathered together in the press of exposition work, 

 it was scarcely a finished product, and despite careful review and edit- 

 ing for publication no doubt inaccuracies will be found and, it is 

 hoped, condoned. 



It is confidently believed that the publication of this work will 

 greatly extend its usefulness in the educational system of the United 

 States through its stimulation of thought and especially by the 

 simplicity of its teaching. The development of invention is like the 

 unfolding of the human mind. It shows the connection of the present 

 with the past and attains one of the chief objects of science, which is 

 to reveal the structure of our civilization. 



HISTORY OF FIRE MAKING AND ILLUMINATION. 



At some early period man had a knowledge of fire in nature, de- 

 rived from the volcano, from lightning, or from the friction of 

 branches in the wind, but he made no more use of it than did the 

 animals. 



At a later period he began to use fire from some one of these 

 sources, carefully preserving it. Later he discovered that by rub- 

 bing two sticks together fire could be produced at will, and by 

 knocking together pieces of flint and pyrites sparks capable of ignit- 

 ing tinder could be had. In the iron age this became the familiar 

 flint and steel, which gave way, after a number of chemical inven- 

 tions, to matches. The use of fire also marks the beginning of artifi- 

 cial illumination, which has developed along the lines of the torch 

 and the lamp. The beginnings of metallurgy, ceramics, and other 

 arts that have reached a high degree of development in this century 

 are found in this first use of fire. 



SERIES 1. — FIEE MAKING. 



Plates 1 and 2. 



The illustrations of specimens in the United States National Mu- 

 seum show the implements used in making fire through friction of 

 wood, percussion of minerals, compression of air, focusing of the 

 sun's rays, through cliemistry, and terminating with the electric 

 lighter. 



The series is preceded by three drawings, the first two illustrating 

 presumptive sources in nature, namely, the volcano and lightning, 



