82 Our ignorant treatment of great evils. 



of previously giving discoverers the means of finding 

 new principles relating to heat, and to chemical, and 

 electrical action, we ineffectually endeavour by means 

 of invention, to economise fuel. These are the potter- 

 ing, short-sighted, and ignorant ways in which " the 

 great English nation " temporises with great evils, 

 and permits national welfare to be sacrificed to pri- 

 vate gain, instead of employing for the discovery of 

 new knowledge some of that superfluous wealth which 

 in many instances is a curse to its possessors. 



