108 Mechanic Arts, [Chap. IX, 



CllAPlER IX. 



MECHANIC ARTS. 



HIE progress of civilised man in the mechanic 

 arts^ during the last hundred years, has been asto-^ 

 nishingly great. To attempt a review, in detail, 

 even of the principal inventions, discoveries, and 

 improvements, which have taken place, during the 

 period in question, in this boundless field for the 

 exertion of genius and enterprise, would swell 

 this section into many volumes. But, happily, the 

 minds of most readers are so conversant with many 

 of the objects which demand attention, in this de- 

 partment of the present work, thai? such minuteness 

 of detail is as unnecessary as it is impossible. 



The modern discoveries in Mecha?iical Philoso- 

 phy have led to great and important improvements 

 in the mechanic arts. The subserviency of those 

 discoveries to the progress of many branches of art 

 ^vill readily appear from the perusal of the chapter 

 which relates to them. That they have contributed, 

 and will probably yet contribute, in a considerable 

 degree, to the abridgment of labour, to the conve- 

 nience and profit of artists, and to the excellence 

 and beauty of manufactures, is too obvious to re- 

 quire particular explanation. 



I he great discoveries which the phiIoso])hers 

 o( the last century made in chemistry, may also 

 bo ropsidcrcd as rendering \ or v dibtinfi:uished ser- 



