344 Mr. T. Pridghi Teale [Feb. 5, 



I was bound to make widely known a discovery which was fraught 

 with such benefit to myself, and was likely to prove a great boon to 

 the public. 



My chief aim hitherto has been to persuade the public to apply 

 the " Economiser " to existing fireplaces. After steady exertions for 

 four years, some impression has been made on the inertia of the 

 public, and extensive trials of the " Economiser " are taking place in 

 many parts of the country. To-day, however, my aims are more 

 complete. It is my wish to advocate not one principle alone, 

 although that is the cardinal one, but to urge all the best principles 

 which enter into the construction of a really effective firei)lace, and 

 to induce those whom it may concern to replace bad by an entirely 

 new construction, right in every point. 



The rules of construction which I shall lay down have been 

 arrived at entirely by my own observation of what appeared to be the 

 best points in various fireplaces. It was, therefore, no less a satisfac- 

 tion to me than a surprise to discover, on reading Eumford's work in 

 preparation for this lecture, that nothing which I have to advocate is 

 new, but that every princij)le, and the " Economiser " is hardly an 

 exception, was advocated no less enthusiastically by him at the very 

 commencement of this century. 



Having considered the principles that should guide us, we are 

 now prepared to lay down strict rules which should be acted upon in 

 the construction of fireplaces. I trust that what I have said has so 

 far commended itself to your judgment that the thirteen rules here 

 drawn up will command your hearty assent, and in due time will win 

 their way into the confidence of our architects, our builders, and 

 the public. 



PiULE I. "As little iron as possihle." — The only parts of a fire- 

 place that are necessarily made of iron are the grid on which the coal 

 rests, and the bars in front. The " Economiser," though usually 

 made of iron, from convenience in construction, might be of earthen- 

 ware, and so would be more perfectly in harmony with this rule. On 

 this point Eumford speaks most emphatically : — " Those (grates) 

 whose construction is the most simple, and which, of course, are the 

 cheapest, are beyond comparison the best, on all accounts. Nothing 

 being wanted in these chimneys but merely a grate for containing 

 coals, and, additional apparatus being not only useless but very 

 pernicious, all complicated and expensive grates should be laid aside, 

 and such as are simple substituted in their stead. In the choice of a 

 grate beauty and elegance may easily be united with perfect simpli- 

 city. Indeed, they are incompatible with everything else." (III. 517.) 

 Again he says, " Iron, and in general metals of all kimjs, are to bo 

 reckoned amongst the very worst materials that it is possible to 

 employ in the construction of a fireplace." 



EuLE II. " The hack and sides of the fireplace slioiild he of 

 hriclc, or firehricJc." — Brick retains, stores, and accumulates heat, and 

 radiates it back into the room, and keeps the fuel hot. Iron lets 



