£44 



Proceedings of learned Societies. 



notice tVie filk manufafture ; and after, 

 wards that of hard.ware, and others where 

 fire is a principal agent. The principal 

 obflacles to the fucccfs of thefe branches 

 of trade are the want of capital and the 

 want of fuel. In fpe<ilcing of glafs, as 

 one of thofe manufaflures that require 

 a large capital and much fuel, Mr. P. lays, 

 " Glafs IS a fubiiaiice of fuch an unbound- 

 ed variety of ufes ai d forms ; it is capable 

 of being wi ought up to fuch a furprizing 

 degree of br;lliancy ; it not only contri- 

 butes fo much to the embelli(hment of our 

 houfes ?nd tables, but is fo neceffary, in 

 an infinite variety of applications, to the 

 comfort and convenience, the clcanlinefs 

 and htralth of man ; that it muft quickly 

 become an cbj;6l of great corfideration in 

 every country where induftry refides, 

 Confuier the prodigious advantages of 

 glazed windows, in our climate, where the 

 lun i» feklom fo poweiful, that we ftiou'd 

 ■wifti to exclude him, and where the objeft 

 cf rhe architefl muft be to tranfmit as 

 much light as poffible, and, at the fame 

 time, to exclude the damp air. Conlider 

 the variety of ufeful veflels, for common 

 purpofes, that are formed 'of this fub- 

 ft!.nce ; confider its important fervices to 

 fcicnce, particularly in chemiftry, optics, 

 and elcfliicity. It is ro wonder, there- 

 fore, that every country fhould feel the va- 

 lue cf this manutaflure, and wifh to exer- 

 cile the arts of producing its fabrics. In 

 la£l, the exertions of Ireland have been 

 dire£)ed to this branch of induftry ; and 

 her eflays, as far as they have extended, 

 have been more fuccefstul, than in moft 

 ther manufaflures, and refleifed equal 

 credit on the tal^e and application of our 

 workmen." To the manutafture of glalii, 

 Mr. P. recommends as analmoft necefliiry 

 appendage to the linen manufafture that 

 cf paptr. 



The fecond part of this Eflay relates to 

 the encouragement of manufaftures in Ire. 

 land : the confideraiion of this leads the 

 author to notice the general obftacles to the 

 piofperity of trade and manufa6lures ; 

 which are, i. War. 2. Want of tolera- 

 tion, or perl'ecution. 3. Laws indifcrect- 

 ly meddling, to confine, or vex the manu- 

 fafturtr in jiis operations ; fuch are fome 

 of the excife laws. 4. Taxes that check 

 the cjpfumption of a manufa(5lure. 5. 

 Multiplied feftivals. 6. Prejudices re- 

 Ipecling ufury, tending to k^ep money out 

 of circulation. 7. Luxury among manu- 

 facturers, confuming their capital, and 

 cramping their operatinns. Thefe are the 

 obftaclts to the progreCs of trade, and it is 

 affumtd by Mr. P. that much encourage- 



ment of manufaflures muft depend on the 

 operations of moral caufes. " Man,'* 

 fays he, " has been too much confidereJ 

 as a mere machine, afluated only by phy- 

 fical impulfes ; and thus have moft econo- 

 mical writers endeavoured to reduce his 

 exertions, his value and political impor- 

 tance, to abftraft calculations and arith- 

 metical tables. Figures only exprefting 

 quantities can be applied only to objefts, 

 which are fufceptible of addition and fub- 

 tra(51ion ; but when numbers are employ- 

 ed to calculate with exaftnefs national 

 profperity, when they are applied to deve- 

 lope the fecrets of government, and the 

 fprings of human ailion, on which national 

 induftry and exertion depend, they lead to 

 the moft abfurd confequences." 



In treating on the general methods of 

 promoting induftry and the arts, Mr. P. 

 enters at large into a variety of very inter- 

 efting topics ; he fliews the neccflity of ap- 

 plying philofophy and I'cicnce to manuTac- 

 tures, and confiders the effeil which abun- 

 dance of provifions and agriculture have 

 upon them : he confuiers the beneficial 

 conlequences of frugality, and the evils at- 

 tending- upon the prodigality of Ireland. 



•' Pjodigality," fays he, " is the pre- 

 vailing difppfition of the Irilh } their ap- 

 parel, their houfes, their attendants, their 

 tables, their equipages, all are in a ftyle 

 refpeflively beyond their means. This, 

 too generally begins with the higher or- 

 ders ; and goes on, in a regular graduated 

 fcale, down to the loweft clafles. Every 

 one afpires to a rank above his own, aping 

 its manners, and vying with it in dilTipa. 

 tion. The country 'iquire, tired of culti- 

 vating h.s demefne and leading the life of 

 unafTuming eafe and plenty, that his an- 

 ceftors led before him, mortgages part of 

 his edate; buys a feat in parliament; 

 brings his family on the ^azie of Dublin ; 

 rigs himfelf out in clumfy finery, and 

 fecond-hand airs; haunts levees like a 

 ghoft ; befieges the doors of (ecrttaries, 

 and under fecretaries, like a catch-pole i 

 and thinks himfelf well rewarded with k 

 place of five hundred a-year during the 

 continuance of his parliamentary being. 

 Foolifti Man ! he never ftops to confider, 

 that the fum paid for his return for a bo- 

 rough, together with what he mijvht have 

 accumulated by economy and decent fru- 

 gality, would have purchafed the fee Am- 

 ple of an income as great as that, for 

 which he facrifices his independei ce, his 

 quiet, his charafter, and the moral 1 of his 

 family. 



What does themerchantorfliop-keeperf 



He commercL'S bufinefs with pechaos two 



ti (.ulaiid 



