OF CHEMISTRY. 13 



economical art, are too extensive to be enumerated, and too noto. 

 rious to want illustration ; it may just be observed, that a variety 

 of manufactnres, by a proper application of chemical principles, 

 might, probably, be wrought at a less expense, and executed in a 

 better manner, than they are at present. But to this improvement 

 there are impediments on every hand, which cannot easily be over, 

 come. Those who by their situations in life are removed from any 

 design or desire of augmenting their fortunes, by making discove. 

 ries in the chemical arts, will hardly be induced to diminish them 

 by engaging in expensive experimental inquiries, which not only re- 

 quire an uninterrupted attention of mind, but are attended with the 

 wearisomeness of bodily labour. It is not enough to employ ope. 

 rators in this business ; a man must blacken his own hands with 

 charcoal, he must sweat over the furnace, and inhale many a noxi- 

 ous vapour, before he can become a chemist. On the other hand, 

 the artists themselves are generally illiterate, timid, and bigoted to 

 particular modes of carrying on their respective operations. Being 

 nnacquainted with the learned, or modern, languages, they seldom 

 know any thing of new discoveries, or of the methods of working 

 practised in other countries. Deterred by the too frequent, but 

 tnuch.to.be lamented examples of those, who, in benefiting the 

 public by projects and experiments, have ruined themselves, they 

 are unwilling to incur the least expense in making trials, which are 

 uncertain with respect to profit. From this apprehension, as well 

 as from the mysterious manner in which most arts, before the inven. 

 tion of printing, and many still continue to be taught, they acquire 

 a certain opini&trete^ which effectually hinders them from making 

 improvements by departing from the ancient traditionary precepts 

 of their art. It cannot be questioned, that the arts of dyeing, 

 painting, brewing, distilling, tanning, of making glass, enamels, 

 porcelain, artificial stone, common salt, sal ammoniac, salt-petre, 

 potash, sugar, and a great variety of others, have received much 

 improvement from chemical inquiry, and are capable of receiving 

 much more. 



Metallurgy in particular, though one of the most ancient branches 

 of chemistry, affords matter enough for new discoveries. There are 

 a great many combinations of metals which have never been made ; 

 many of which, however, might be made, and in such a variety of 

 proportions, as, very probably, would furnish us with metallic 

 mixtures more serviceable than any in use. The method of ex- 



