138 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



At the beginning of 1770, Wedgwood proposed to 

 Bentley that he should leave the London rooms, and go 

 down to Etruria to learn the secrets of the art of 

 pottery. " I would just mention to you," said Wedg- 

 wood, " that when you have settled matters in the best 

 manner, you can return to London and Chelsea. I 

 could wish you to be at the manufactory awhile to 

 learn the art of potmaking whilst I am able to go 

 through that branch with you, which I shall do with 

 great pleasure, and I hope you will carry on to great 

 perfection those improvements which I have been 

 endeavouring to lay a foundation for, and shall be 

 happy in leaving them with you, my good and worthy 

 friend, who neither wants ability nor spirit to pursue 

 the task, may it be a pleasing and successful one ; 

 indeed I have no doubt but that it will ; and so long as 

 my eyes and my health will permit, I shall gladly 

 assist you in it." 



All the artists were at work, Bacon, Tassie, Mrs. 

 Landre, Mrs. Wilcox from Worcester, and others. 

 Wedgwood was still busy with the improvement of 

 the lathe for manufacturing purposes. He wrote to 

 Bentley : " I believe we shall make an engine lathe or 

 two here, and can do it better than at Liverpool. We 

 have an ingenious and indefatigable Smith amongst us 

 who, ever since engine lathes were first introduced here, 

 has been constantly employed in that business ; and he 

 promises me very faithfully that whatever improve- 

 ments I may instruct him in, he will make them 



