THE YARD, PENDULUM, AND METRE. 421 



weights, and coinage generally. And to such it will not 

 be amiss to observe in the outset that, the subject being 

 an exceedingly delicate and refined one, they must not 

 be surprised at seeing very minute quantities and very 

 small fractions treated as matters of much greater im- 

 portance than they may have been accustomed to regard 

 them. 



^2.) The general subject of a national system of weights 

 and measures, be it observed, divides itself into two very 

 distinct and separate points of inquiry, viz. : first, What 

 is intrinsically the best and most available unit of linear 

 measure to adopt as a basis : and, secondly, what system 

 of numerical multiplication and aliquot sub-division of 

 such unit for measures of length, and of its derivative 

 units of area, of capacity, and of weight (for these all 

 refer themselves naturally and easily to the unit of linear 

 measure, or at least ought to do so) is most advantage- 

 ous either in a great mercantile community like our 

 own, or for the great mass of mankind in the ordinary 

 transactions of life. And it cannot be too strongly 

 impressed, and too perseveringly borne in mind, that 

 these two questions stand in no natural and necessary 

 relation to each other, but are perfectly independent. 

 We may resolve, with perfect logical consistency, either 

 to toss aside our present system in toto, and adopt the 

 metrical one in preference ; or to retain our fundamental 

 unit (the Imperial foot or yard), and decimalize our 

 system of denominations ; or, lastly, by a slight, and, 

 practically speaking, imperceptible change in our present 

 standard, to bring it into conformity with our views of 



