MODERN BLACKSMITHING ii 



people swear by the devil, religious by the saints, 

 but the Swedes (the makers of the best iron) prefer 

 to swear by the smith. The smith was a well-liked 

 j^erson in society, respected and even admired for his 

 skill, his gentlemanly behavior and good language. 

 His stories and wit were the sole entertainment in 

 many a social gathering. Things have changed in the 

 last few decades. Most of the articles formerly made 

 by the smith are now manufactured by machinery, 

 and the respect for the smith is diminished in the same 

 proportion. Not because there is not enough of the 

 trade left to command respect — there is yet more left 

 than any man can successfully learn in a short life- 

 time. But it has made it possible for men with less 

 training and ability to enter the trade and consequently 

 lower the standing of the smith. The result is, that 

 there is a complaint that the smith is not esteemed as 

 formerly, and I have been inclined to join in the 

 lamentation. But instead of doing this I shall ask my 

 brother smiths to unite with me in an effort to elevate 

 the craft. 



THERE ARE SMITHS AND SMITHS 



I have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with 

 a great number of intelligent and respected smiths. 

 People that did not know them would ask: "What is 

 he?" and when informed that he is a blacksmith would 

 say: "He doesn't look it; I thought he was a business 

 man"; another, "He looks like a lawyer or a minis- 



