134 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



purposes ; but he found a large rabbit warren at Soho, 

 about two miles off, which he leased for a lengthened 

 period, and proceeded to erect thereon extensive works. 

 These, soon after, became the home of the condensing 

 steam-engine, and the great mint of British coin. 



Josiah Wedgwood had been in a similar position 

 at Burslein when he proceeded to buy the comparatively 

 barren Kidgehouse estate about two miles off. He, too, 

 converted an unfruitful region into a mine of wealth. 

 While the works at Etruria were in course of erection, 

 no one was better able to advise Wedgwood as to the 

 organised system of details, than Matthew Boulton of 

 Soho. The two friends often met together, and Boulton 

 revealed to Wedgwood the entire series of his operations 

 his bookkeeping, his method of finance, his agencies, 

 his system of accounts, and all the other details of a 

 large and increasing trade. 



Wedgwood had the highest opinion of Boulton's 

 business genius. " He is, I believe," wrote Wedgwood 

 to Bentley, "the first most complete manufacturer of 

 metal in England. He is very ingenious, philosophical, 

 and agreeable." Wedgwood's success had been so great 

 that Boulton told his friend that he admired his vases 

 so much that he almost wished to be a potter. At one 

 time, indeed, he had serious thoughts of beginning the 

 fictile manufacture ; but eventually he was satisfied 

 to mount in metal the vases which Wedgwood had 

 made. 



In view of the probable encounters in pottery, Wedg- 



