ON THE GENERAL DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE. 



have now been introduced into every country in 

 Europe. On the principal rivers and seas con 

 nected with the British Isles, and even in the 

 Scottish lakes, these vessels are sweeping along 

 in majestic pomp, against wind and tide, diver 

 sifying the scenery through which they pass, 

 and transporting travellers and parties of plea 

 sure to their destination, with a rapidity unex 

 ampled in former ages. On the Clyde alone 

 more than fifty or sixty steam vessels are con 

 stantly plying. The scenery of the Rhine, the 

 Rhone, the Elbe, the Seine, the Danube, the 

 &quot;VVolsa, the lakes of Constance and Geneva, and 

 of many other rivers and inland seas, isnowen- 

 Jivened by these powerful machines, conveying 

 goods and passengers in every direction. Even 

 the Atlantic ocean, an extent of more than three 

 thousand miles, has been traversed by a steam 

 boat in twenty days ; and the period, we trust, 

 is not far distant, when the Red Sea, the Per 

 sian Gulph, the Bay of Bengal, the Indian 

 Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Euxine, the 

 Gulph of Mexico, and even the wide Pacific, 

 will be traversed by these rapid vehicles, con 

 veying riches, liberty, religion and intelligence 

 to the islands of the ocean, and forming a bond 

 of union among all nations. 



The admirable improvements in the construc 

 tion of steam carriages which are now going for 

 ward, are no less worthy of attention. The 

 rapid movements of these machines, which have 

 been lately introduced on the Liverpool and 

 Manchester railway, and the security and com 

 fort with which they are attended, have excited 

 the astonishment of every beholder. And no 

 wonder, since goods and passengers are now 

 conveyed between these cities, with a velocity 

 of nearly thirty miles an hour! so that it may 

 be said, with the strictest propriety, that the 

 steam engine is the most brilliant present ever 

 made by philosophy to mankind. 



The discovery of carburetted hydrogen gas, 

 and its application to the purpose of illuminating 

 our dwelling-houses, streets, and manufactories, 

 may also be considered in reference to the arts. 

 Every city, and every town of a moderate size, 

 is now enlivened with the splendid brilliancy pro 

 duced from this invisible substance ; pipes for 

 its conveyance have been laid, of many hundred 

 miles in extent, and diverging into numerous 

 ramifications, and thousands of artists are em- 

 oloyed in conducting its manufacture, and form 

 ing tubes and other devices for distributing it in 

 all directions. 



Now, since the inventions to which I am 

 adverting are founded on chymical and mecha 

 nical principles, and on the discoveries of modern 

 science, and since many thousands of mechanics 

 are now employed in constructing the machinery 

 connected with these inventions, and in con 

 ducting its operations both by sea and land, it is 

 of the utmost importance, in order to their being 



fully qualified for their respective departments, 

 that they understand the scientific principles 

 which enter into the construction of such ma 

 chines and engines, the peculiar uses of every 

 part, the manner in which the chymical agents 

 employed operate, and the effects which, in any 

 given circumstance, they must necessarily pro 

 duce. In particular, it is indispensably neces 

 sary, that engine-men, and others employed for 

 directing these machines, when in operation, 

 should be acquainted with every part of their 

 structure, and the principles on which their 

 movements depend ; for the comfort and safety 

 of the public are dependent on the caution and 

 skill with which they are conducted. How could 

 any man be qualified for such an office without 

 some portion of scientific knowledge ? and how 

 could travellers in such vehicles consider their 

 lives and property secure, if they were not 

 guided by men of intelligence and prudence ? 

 To the want of such caution and skill are 

 chiefly to be attributed most of the disasters and 

 fatal accidents, connected with such operations, 

 which have hitherto taken place. 



Besides the agriculturists, manufacturers, me 

 chanics, and artificers alluded to above, there 

 are numerous other classes to which similar 

 remarks will apply. In short, there is scarcely 

 an individual, however obscure, in any depart 

 ment of society, but may derive practical benerit 

 from an acquaintance with science. &quot; The farm- 

 servant or day labourer,&quot; says Lord Brougham, 

 &quot; whether in his master s employ, or tending the 

 concerns of his own cottage, must derive great 

 practical benefit, must be both a better servant, 

 and a more thrifty, and, therefore, comfortable 

 cottager, for knowing something of the nature of 

 soils and manures, which chymistry teaches, and 

 something of the habits of animals, and the qua 

 lities and growth of plants, which he learns 

 from natural history and chymistry together. 

 In truth, though a man is neither a mechanic nor 

 a peasant, but only one having a pot to boil, he 

 is sure to learn from science lessons which will 

 enable him to cook his morsel better, save his 

 fuel, and both vary his dish and improve it. 

 The art of good and cheap cookery is intimately 

 connected with the principles of chymical philo 

 sophy, and has received much, and will yet 

 receive more, improvement from their applica 

 tion.&quot; Nay, even the kitchen maid, the laundry 

 maid, and the mistress of every family, may de 

 rive many useful hints from the researches of 

 science. The whole art of cookery is a chymica. 

 operation, and so are the arts of washing, dres 

 sing, bleaching, and dyeing. By a knowledge 

 of the nature and properties of the acids and 

 other chymical substances, they would learn 

 how to eradicate stains of ink, grease, &c- from 

 cotton, linen, woollen, and silks, in the safest 

 and most effectual manner, and many other pro 

 cesses of great utility in domestic life. Even 



