MATERIAL EFFECTS OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. 291 



rate price, since the machinery used has reduced the first cost 

 by saving wages to the miller, and certainly far cheaper than 

 if he had to leave off his own pursuit, say, weaving, for a 

 whole day in order to procure corn, grind it himself, make 

 and bake his loaves. The consumer would lose work, wages, 

 and eat dearer and worse bread into the bargain. 6. The 

 consumer has a family, and the whole family benefits by the 

 invention of the water-mill ; 7, the miller, saving hand-labour 

 as he does, nevertheless employs as many or more men than 

 before the new invention, no longer as corn-grinding hands, 

 but as porters, drivers, buyers, sellers, travellers ; 8, the trade 

 thus extended necessitates the making of sacks, hence weavers 

 have more work and more food ; the making of carts, hence 

 wheelwrights, if they do not exist already, are brought into exis- 

 tence ; smiths have more to do ; harness-makers have more 

 work, and in their turn increase the leather trade; this promotes 

 cattle-breeding, and the landowner finds a new source of profit 

 in the improved industry. 9. But the general distribution of 

 benefits does not stop there ; the water-mill has to be built, 

 and its construction gives work, hence wages and food, to a 

 crowd of people : labourers to excavate the soil for the 

 foundations ; wood-cutters to fell trees ; carpenters to prepare 

 and fit the timber ; smiths to make cog-wheels, tires, bolts, 

 nails; mill-stone quarriers and mill-stonecutters; tool-makers 

 to provide implements for all these; brick-makers, brick- 

 layers, tile-makers, and tilers ; an architect or clever artisan 

 to plan, direct, and supervise the building. The new invention 

 thus does good to the whole community, for the general 

 increase of prosperity, on account of the greater purchasing 

 power of the people, improves the clothing and building 

 trades in fact everything. And not material good only 

 has been brought about, but moral good also. Work 

 being easily obtainable, men who, from want, might have 

 been driven into violence and crime, respectably bring up a 

 family, use their natural abilities to improve their social 

 condition, live orderly lives, and benefit the country. Some 

 will even spend their leisure time in mental and mechanical 

 work which may be fruitful of ulterior benefits to all. One 

 thing is clear : crime has decreased, order and discipline have 



u 2 



