126 On the Rise and Progress 
of agriculture, or domestic avocations; and 
which tended in no small degree to promote 
the general improvements of our manufac- 
tures. 
Those who have been in the habit of su- 
perintending their labour, have noticed, that 
the observations of even the least of the chil- 
dren, have often led to important improve- 
ments, by pointing out what to them was an 
inconvenience. 
Sometimes the children themselves suc- 
ceeded in applying the remedy. More fre- 
quently they prompted others of greater ex- 
perience to find it out ; and it is remarkable that 
these improvements tended, almost invariably, 
to simplify the machines about which the chil- 
dren were employed. 
During a period of ten or fifteen years after 
Mr. Arkwright’s first mill was built (in 1771) 
at Cromford, all the principal works were 
erected on the falls of considerable rivers; 
no other power than water having then been 
found practically useful. There were a few 
exceptions where Newcomen’s and Savary’s 
steam-engines were tried. But the principles 
of these machines being defective, and their 
construction bad, the expence in fuel was 
great, and the loss occasioned by frequent 
stoppages was ruinous. 
