^5 On iJ:e Orig'm and Progrefs of the 



It is uncertain from what roafons, but Mr. Stiirtcvant tailed 

 in the execution of bis difcoveries upon a large fcalc, and 

 •w-as obliged next year to render up his letters of nionopoly. 



The fecond adventurer in this line we find to Itave been 

 John Ravenfon, F2fq. who, like Sturtcvant, was fnccefsful in 

 obtaining a patent for the new mnnufaiture, but, like him 

 aJfo, was inadequate to the completion of it upon an extenfive 

 fcale. Ravcnfon was alfo enjoined to publifli his difcovcries 

 under the title of his MctaUtca, printed for Thomas Thorp 

 cnno 1613. Several, other adventurers Hepped forth, all of 

 ■whom had the mortification of religning their patents with- 

 out having contri'uutetl to the fuccels of the arduous under- 

 taking. 



in 1619 Dudley obtained his patent, and declared, t})at 

 altiiough he made only at the rate of three tons of pig-iroii 

 wei k y, he made it with profit. The difcovcry was per- 

 fefted at his father's works at I'enfent in WorccrkTlliirc. 

 'i'i/is jicntlcman's fuccefs in the various manufactures of 

 iron with pit-coal had united not only all the proprietors of 

 tike charcoal iron trade, but many new adventurers, who 

 wiflied to fhare in the eniohmients of the new difcovery. 

 Their intereft was fo powerful as to limit Dudley's patent 

 from 31 to 74 years. During the moll of this period he 

 continued to manufacture pig and bar- iron, and various 

 callings, all of which he fold much lower than the charcoal 

 manufadurers. In the article of callings alone he mull have 

 had greatly the ftart of the charcoal foundries, as the quality 

 of carbonated coke pig-iron is far fuperior to that of the 

 charcoal iron of thii* country for the general purpofes of 

 cafting. 



The fuperior genius of Dudley was not always an objcift 

 of paffive iudiifercnce in the narrow ellimation of the lonjj 

 cf-labliflied manufafturers;. The envy occafioncd by his un- 

 con'.mon fuecc^s produced at laft a fpirit of combination, 

 st'iiich terminated in a hoUile attack upon his devoted works. 

 ITiS improved bellows, furnace, forge, &c. all fell a prey to 

 -s fawlefs banditti, betwixt whom and its furious leaders no 

 (iiades of diftinttion were vifible, but thofe of avarice, igno- 

 rance, and the mult contemptible prejudice. 



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