238 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



passed for a painted surface. My visit was a most 

 happy one." 



Bentley, in a friendly way, complained of the length 

 of Wedgwood's letters. They were so elaborate that he 

 proposed to send him a condensing engine. Not less 

 astonished was Mrs. Wedgwood with the enormous 

 increase of his library. " My wife tells me I must buy 

 no more books until I build another house. She also 

 advises me to read some of those I already have, before 

 I buy more," an advice that would suit many other 

 librarians besides the great potter. 



Towards the end of 1779 Wedgwood went to Bolton 

 to bring back one of his boys, whom he had sent to 

 school again. He found the cotton districts in a state 

 of turmoil. The workmen had struck and were going 

 about breaking steam-engines and machinery. At a 

 mill near Chowbent the mob were fired upon, and 

 several were killed, but without much effect. A mob 

 collected again, broke into a mill, and destroyed over 

 10,000 worth of property. There was war abroad and 

 war at home. Wedgwood considered the war with 

 America disgusting. He was in great fear about the 

 invasion of England by the French. " The docks and 

 magazines at Plymouth might be destroyed. We are 

 defenceless," he said. "It is all the fault of the 

 Ministry : they are our worst enemies." 



Nevertheless he stuck to business. At the end of 

 1779 he undertook the manufacture of earthen water- 

 pipes, " first for London, and then for all the world. We 



