296 Of securing houses and their inhabitants from fire, 
pipes connected with them; each of these reservoirs and pipes being 
filled with warm water; for experience has not directed us to any 
convenient mode of conveying air thus warmed to the different apart- 
ments and passages of a house. Nor is it needful to speak of the 
introduction into our apartments of pipes containing water derived 
from deep and powerful springs, or obtained (as it might be in some 
cases) from running streams; in order to communicate to these 
apartments an inferior, but yet an useful degree of warmth. This 
warmth may indeed suffice for assemblages of active persons, (as in 
manufactories,) or for large collections of persons generally ; but 
eannot furnish that comfortable amount of warmth, satisfactory either 
to individuals, or to small companies quietly seated in large apart- 
ments in cold countries. 
7. It may be curious at least, if not useful, to notice some of the 
methods used by foreigners for warming themselves by means of 
fire.—First, there are braziers, (that is, open metallic pans,) con- 
taining heated materials, which are in use in countries where the cold 
is only occasional ; but these more or less contaminate the air above 
them which is intended for respiration, at the same time that the 
heat from them is furnished in an inconvenient manner. Yet they 
may be of momentary use even in cold climates, when the air is 
chilly or damp; since they may easily be withdrawn, after having 
furnished some warmth to an apartment before its proper fire has 
been well kindled. Accordingly they are not unknown to some per- 
sons in the United States; the vessel containing the hot materials 
being formed of thin sheets of iron, of an oblong shape, open at the 
top, and resting upon slender iron legs; and being consequently ea- 
sily moved _ place to place by means of long handles formed with 
wire.— rman stoves (by the French called fours, or ovens,) 
are large cavities generally made of pottery and brick work, which 
advance through the side of a room, to a given distance into the 
room; being heated from without; and although they admit no 
change of air in the room, yet they seem to produce no great evil on 
this account to those using them ; polluted air (malaria, as we may 
call it,) i in general arising more from vegetable than from animal im- 
purities. A good judge of statistics belonging to this country, is said 
to have discovered one advantage in the employment of these stoves 
among the Germans in Pennsylvania ; namely, that they virtually 
produce an economy of time among these people, which has not 4 
little contributed to their prosperity ; inasmuch, as by the aid of these 
stoves, they are always able to continue at their work within doors, 
