5|t6 influence of taste on rural life, Oet. ^i, 



at length grew intolerable to me, and put me at last 

 upon trying fairly to wind up myself, which, by 

 God's blefsing, and the strength of my understand- 

 ing, I was at last enabled to accomplifh. 



Now, in the midst of so many notable discoveries, 

 relating to machinery, that are daily publiQied for 

 the gratification of the public, and the benefit of 

 trade and manufactures, it may be no ungrateful 

 communicatioij for me to make to you, as my friend, 

 that I have ascertained the primum mobile of a man 

 of faftiion to be fire, and not water. 



These falls of water at the various places of public 

 resort, which I have mentioned, make men and wo- 

 men go, but they cannot wind them up, which I found 

 to my fatal experience ; but after a certain desicca- 

 tion of the human frame, after having been drenched 

 in mineral waters, with the constant difsipation 

 which goes on after the humcfaction, a coldnefs en- 

 sues, which probably arises from the effects of eva- 

 poration. But action and re-action, being equal and 

 contrary^ as has been observed by the great Sir Isaac 

 Newton, a hot fit succeeds, and if no water, or re- 

 dunciancy of any liquid whatsoever, takes place, then, 

 and in that case, an elastic flame is kindled, and tlie 

 regular paces are resumed, and return into their due 

 situations ; which was the thing to be demonstrated. 



Among your multifarious communications, direc- 

 ted towards the improvement of your country, I 

 fhould be sorry to deny you the advantage of this 

 accidental but important discovery of your old and 

 faithful friend ; and I give you my free permifsion to 

 make it generally known to the people, in whatever 



