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is excusable only considering the age in which he lived. 

 The doctrine that labor saving machines are injurious 

 to community, is the doctrine of despotism. It is the 

 principle that one portion of the human race were 

 formed exclusively for labor, that another class might 

 live in indolence and effeminacy. 



When the power looms for weaving cotton were in- 

 vented and introduced to practice in England, they were 

 at first opposed and put down by the anarchists and 

 infuriate mobs. Who has not heard of the mobs of 

 Birmingham, of Manchester, and of Spitalfields, on 

 every occasion when new and very important machines 

 were invented and attempted to be introduced for the 

 saving of labor. It is otherwise now. Power looms 

 for weaving plain silks, have certainly, years since, been 

 invented in England ; but we believe they are little 

 adopted in practice from this only cause. 



In the single hand ribbon loom, the weaver could 

 make but a piece and a half a week ; but with the engine 

 loom, six pieces in a week are now made. Five shil- 

 lings for each piece of ribbon wove, was paid to the en- 

 gine loom weavers, in the winters of 1831-2, yet it is 

 stated that these looms were not common, owing to the 

 prejudices of the workmen. Nothing, in fact, but the 

 pressure of Swiss competition, has forced this loom into 

 use in England and in France. 



The bar loom for weaving ribbons, was a Swiss in- 

 vention, by two brothers of St. Etienne. For this they 

 were persecuted by the ribbon weavers, and driven with 

 execration to the depths of misery. The last died not 

 long since in an hospital, the victim of abuse and neg- 

 lect. Glad were the weavers of this very district, of late 

 years, to adopt this loom, which has now become their 

 favorite mechanism, and in almost universal use. 



The inventor of the beautiful and famous mechanism 

 called the Jarquard loom, was originally an obscure 

 straw hat manufacturer, M. Jacquard, who had never 

 turned his attention to mechanics. For this he received 



