Moral and Phyjtcal Ohjlactes to Liiprovenieiits, 2 1 



inventor, a man firongly prejudiced in favour of his leading purfult, together with a 

 moneyed friend, who hopes fpeedily to increafe his capital from the abilities of the other. 

 It is not neceflary in this place to defcribe the ufual confequences of a partnerfhip, where 

 the minds, the views, and the circumftances of both individuals are fo very different, and 

 which may be modified dill more eflentially if either of the parties be deficient in the 

 common principles required to bind men to each other. It is certainly of the higheft im- 

 portance to both, that the circumftances of fucli conneftions fliould be very maturely 

 weighed before they are entered into. 



The commercial difCculties or facilities attendirtg any invention are alfo of great 

 confequence. Every inventor ought to enquire, not only what has been done before, but 

 likewilc into the prefent ftate of the manufa£lure he means to improve. In this way it is 

 afcertained how fmall a part the mere prefs-work conftitutes in the price of a book. He 

 will find that twelve yards of paper-hangings are printed for one penny, in a fingle colour, 

 by hand, which afterwards by the accumulation of price, in paper, colour, duty, and 

 ordinary profit, are fold for three (hillings ; none of which the inventor can pretend to dimi- 

 nifh : and if he could annihilate the whole labour, his advantage would therefore be lefs 

 than three per cent, without reckoning the coft and operation of his machinery. In the 

 callico-printing, with a more expenfive material, dyeing and field procefles, duty and pro- 

 fits of manufafturer and vender, the price of laying the block will turn out to be an obje£l 

 ftiU lefs confiderable. Again : it will be feen that fmall flat blocks coft but little money, iit 

 comparifon with cylinders of fufficient diameter to retain their figure, and long enough to- 

 apply to the whole breadth of the cloth. 



Under thefe and other fimilar points of view, the Inventor, who may confider the fubjeft 

 in a fupcrficial manner, would be ready to abandon his undertaking. But this again ought 

 not to be rafhly done. It is true, that where the great force of capital is employed on ob- 

 je£ts not comprehended within his projeft, the faving, however large in its abfolute amount, 

 or defirable to a manufafturer, will fcarcely come within the reach of the inventor by any 

 bargain he can make ftiort of an aftual partnerfhip. But it may be pollible to fcparate the 

 rcfpeclive departments of a manufa£lory. A fpinner is not necefl'ariiy a weaver, nor a 

 printer a linen-draper or a dealer in paper-hangings. The feveral departments of manufac- 

 ture and commerce are, generally fpeaking, in the hands of acute men, who feldom reafon 

 ill with regard to the advancement of their peculiar intereftsj and thefe departments are 

 continually flu£luating in their arrangement, as convenience, profit, or the accumulation of 

 capital may lead. Experiments are for ever on foot, from day-work to piece-work, and 

 from piece-work to the employ of mafter-workmen with others under them, all fupported. 

 by the capital of the large manufaflurer, who himfelf in many inftances is the mere in- 

 ftrument maintained by the advances or acceptances of the v^archoufcman, the faiflor, or 

 the merchant. An inventor who has not capital may feek for employ on the goods or 

 the capital of others ; and if he has Ikill to maintain his ground agalnft the numerous cntcr- 

 prifes which the activity of oppofitc interefts will raife againft him, he will find that the 

 old order of things will readily alter, as foon as an evident Intereft in favour of the new is. 

 fliewn by aftual and continued proofs in the market. 



Moft of the phyfieal difficulties attendant on any new proccfs are fuch as experience 

 only can (hew. Thus, in the forging of iron by the prcfTurc of rollers inftcad of ham- 

 mers. 



