i 



409 



of each procefs, that concurs to their fabrication, cannot convey folid infor- 

 matioQ, to the mere artifan, and muft prove unintelligible, or, at beft, tire- 

 fome, to the reader, who is not a manufafturer, by profeffion. It was my 

 wifli, to imprefs certain obvious truths, of general utility, on the minds of 

 thofe who poffefs influence in the country, and are likely to have a (hare in 

 the regulation of arts and manufaftures. Were judicious encouragement, 

 on general (winciples, afforded to manufafturers, the manufafturers, them- 

 felves, would regulate the details, to the beft advantage. Legiflators of 

 the land ! encourage manufa£lures, judicious details will follow, of courfe. 

 Details, in a theoretical effay, are merely of value, as they form a baCs for 

 general conclufions. 



I have not attempted a full enumeration of raanufa6lures ; I did not find 

 myfelf called to the talk. Many others, doubtlefs, befides thofe which I 

 have mentioned, 'may be cultivated, with fuccefs, in this country ; but, I 

 v.'ifli to point out thofe, which furnifli the faireft hopes of thriving, and flou- 

 rifliing, and thus becoming fources of public and private opulence, and prof- 

 perity. Commercial invention, and national induftry, may diverge, and ra- 

 mify, into a thoufand rills, and channels ; but many of them, though they 

 may employ a number of hands, and enrich fome individuals, may not much 

 encreafe national profperity. Others may be of too trifling a nature, to de- 

 ferve notice ; or may ferve to draw off induftry, from more important ob- 

 jefts. Travellers into Portugal, aflTert, that a whole town, Coimbra, is oc- 

 cupied in the manufafture of tooth picks. — What think you, reader, of a 

 fedtion on the manufa£lure of tooth picks ? — The Portuguefe makes tooth 

 picks for the Englifliman, while the Englilhman is making clothes for him. 



I have not fpoken of thofe manufaftures, (if they defervc the name) which 

 are wholly converfant about the preparation of provifions ; though they are 

 peculiarly adapted to the natural advantages oi Ireland ; becaufe they do not 

 properly come within the fcope of the queftion propofed, by the Royal 

 Irifli Academy. 



The manufactures within the contemplation of the Academy, were, as I 

 conceive, thofe, where the patriotic care and attention of the community at 



Vol. IX. ( 3 F ) large. 



