INDUSTRIAL VILLAGES. 355 



leviathan factories offer great inconveniences, 

 as they cannot rapidly reform their machinery 

 according to the constantly varying demands 

 of the consumers. How many failures of great 

 concerns, too well known in this country to need 

 to be named, were due to this cause during the 

 crisis of 1886-1890. As for the new branches 

 of industry which I have mentioned at the 

 beginning of the previous chapter, they always 

 must make a start on a small scale ; and they 

 can prosper in small towns as well as in big 

 cities, if the smaller agglomerations are pro- 

 vided with institutions stimulating artistic 

 taste and the genius of invention. The prog- 

 ress achieved of late in toy-making, as also the 

 high perfection attained in the fabrication of 

 mathematical and optical instruments, of furni- 

 ture, of small luxury articles, of pottery and so 

 on, are instances in point. Art and science are 

 no longer the monopoly of the great cities, and 

 further progress will be in scattering them 

 over the country. 



The geographical distribution of industries in 

 a given country depends, of course, to a great 

 extent upon a complexus of natural conditions ; 

 it is obvious that there are spots which are 

 best suited for the development of certain 

 industries. The banks of the Clyde and the 

 Tyne are certainly most appropriate for ship- 



