Kvtices respecting Neiv Books. 277 



nnd other Fornmlce ; iviih an arranged Catalogue of all 

 the Patents granted from the 1st of January ISOO to the 

 present Time. iJ^ John Dyer Collieh. 1803. Long- 

 man and Rees. Royal 8vo. 



It is the principal design of our periodical work to 

 give some account of the progress of science and philoso- 

 phvj and it will not appear to our readers unconnected 

 with this object if we take notice of a jiublication which is 

 the first on the subject, and the professed intention of which 

 is to enable men of superior attainments to reap the pro- 

 duce of their talents. In the 21st of James the statute of 

 monopolies was passed, by which the exclusive privilege of 

 the sale of any important discovery for fourteen years was 

 assigned to the ingenious inventor. To the comments on 

 this act of parliament, and the cases that have been tried 

 vipon it, the essay to which we are now adverting is de- 

 voted ; and fidl instructions are given to enable the candi- 

 tlate for the royal grant to obtain his patent, and to protect 

 himself from the evil consequences of its infringement. 



The list of patents alluded to in the title page shows how 

 extensively the private studies of the philosopher are at this 

 day rendered subservient to the purposes of commerce and 

 the arts, on w hich the wealth and prosperity of the country 

 so essentially depend ; and this important application of 

 the pursuits of the scientific student is in a great degree 

 to be attributed to the reward thus assigned for his la- 

 bours by the wisdom of public institution. Yet he is often 

 tlisappointed of this honourable remuneration from a variety 

 of causes, of which it is extremely material tlut he should 

 be apprised : we shall therefore extract a few observations 

 from this view of the Law of Patents, which will inspire 

 him with caution, and tend to show how material it is to 

 him now and then to descend from the elevated sphere of 

 science to the lower world wc inhabit, ajid the vulgar affairs 

 in which it is conversant :— 



*' It is a melancholy reflection, that of the nuiperous pa- 

 tents which pass the great seal, and, of course, subject the 

 grantee to considerable expense, very few become sufliciently 

 popular and notorious to reward him for the application of 

 his time, labour, and talents. Wc mention this as a cau- 

 tion to men of enterprise ?.nd ability, that the s;uiguine tem- 

 perament to wiiich they are commonly subject may not lead 

 them to colour too highly the remote prospect. A pro- 

 foimd observer of human nature has told us, that before wc 

 arrive at the age of forty we usually make an anticipation 

 t) 3 too 



