CHAPTER XV. 



MATERIAL EFFECTS OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. 



Now that we have sketched the sources and march of the 

 sciences, there only remains to describe their outcome ; to 

 their effects then we shall now devote remarks of great 

 importance. 



The benefits accruing to civilisation from the advance of 

 the sciences and their practical applications have been pointed 

 out at pages 285-7 in general terms, but as it may be interesting 

 to the reader to understand how material welfare is promoted 

 either by a scientific discovery or a mechanical invention, it 

 is fitting that several instances of the matter-of-fact increase 

 of prosperity and well-being should be described. 



Let us take the invention of the flour- mill as an 

 example. 



TVfpTi ^ f- a n ^^>r|\r stticf? of social lifs- ihftv^r IM? otbftffl 

 of preparing corn for food, beyond boiling it, than by manual 

 labour. Cgrn is spread on a flat or a hollowed stone, and 

 then crushed by hammering at it with another stone. Each 

 family prepares rnrn in this way for its own consumption, 

 and the work, whether it be done by the head of the family 

 or his wife or children, is slow and roughly done ; the flour 

 resulting from the crushing is coarse and scarcely fit for 

 kneading into dough. AJime comes when a savage of genius 

 conceives the. idea of grinding corn between two heavy flat 

 stones, the upper of which is moved backward and forward 

 or in a circular manner by one or several hands. This 

 manipulation gives finer flour than before and does so in less 



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