On (be Dij'covery of Seignette's Salt. 1 6j 



March 1719 *. He recommended this fait, which enriched 

 him and rendered his name famous, in fomc fmall treatifes 

 printed, in particular, abdut the year 1672. He called it 

 fcmetimes alkaline fait, lometimesy^/ pakycbr.tfl, and fome- 

 times Rocbelle fait. After his death, his Ion continued to 

 prepare and to vend it with the greatelt fuccefs. 



Manufacturers and mechanics have been often reproached 

 with the jealoufy which they entertain of literary men ; hut, 

 in my opinion, the latter are the caui'e of it. It mnft indeed 

 be confefled, though humiliating tor human knowledge, that 

 the moll ufeful difcoveries have at firft prefented themfelves 

 to the former, while engaged in the various operations 

 which their employments require; but their merit confilts 

 principally in remarking and following phenomena tiil they 

 produce from them fomething ufeful. If thev are fo fortu- 

 nate as to fuccced, they keep their difcoveries fecret in order 

 that they may enjoy a monopoly of them ; hut no fuoner has 

 the man of letters heard of a new difeovcry than he withes 

 to have a (hare in the honour of making it known; and his 

 zeal in this refpect is proportioned to its importance and the 

 care with which it is concealed ; becaufe, in general, he can 

 gain only by rendering it public. The man of letters, how- 

 ever, has a great advantage over the mechanic or manufac- 

 turer, as his exertions never fail to be approved ; becaufe, by 

 endeavouring to diffufe an important benefit, he appears in 

 the character of a patriot, a friend to mankind, and a citizen 

 of the world ; and may thus place the merit of the mechanic 

 or manufacturer in a difadvantageous point ot view. This 

 oppofition of private interelt proves of great utility to the 

 whole i'ociety of which both parties are members. When 

 the mechanic or manufacturer makes difcoveries, they are 

 communicated to the public by the man of letters ; who, bv 

 thefe means, renders them ufeful ; prevents their being hurt- 

 ful by a monopoly; feeures them from dying with the dif- 

 covcrer; and, by inveftigating the principles on which they 



' Some of Seignette's papers are printed in Biblioibeqite Wflorjqm ■'.- 

 ht Ft ance par Ferret ie FotiteUe, Paris 1778, 5 vols. fol. fuchasapapcr 

 taken from Memohes <&> /' Acat/. 170--, p. u- ; aiiJ iljfo \n tlifioire d tu 

 *tcbelle,par XI. /tree .-, Yd. II. p. 414. 



depend, 



