130 THE WEDGWOODS. 



of his plan as were practicable in a manufactory so dis- 

 similar. The frame and temper of his mind were well 

 suited to such an undertaking. He had now, and retained 

 through life, the habit of a cool and patient investigation o 

 every subject that came before him, and his own previous 

 conviction gave energy to action. His regulations were 

 never introduced, therefore, in a crude or hasty way, but 

 seemed to rise naturally out of the occasion, and stifled 

 opposition by their evident necessity. He felt, too, a sincere 

 and zealous interest in the welfare of his workmen, of which 

 he made them sensible in a thousand ways, and gained over 

 both their judgment and affection to his side. Thus he suc- 

 ceeded in establishing a system of order and management by 

 which, while he held in his own hands the great checks that 

 regulate the general motion, his mind was left at liberty to 

 dwell upon the objects that were to perpetuate the blessing 

 of employment to those he had collected around him, and 

 which have eventually furnished it to many thousands more. 

 He had also other difficulties to encounter, arising from the 

 novelty of his works. The workmanship of the pottery was 

 at that period in a very low state as to style. There were 

 only three professed modellers in the whole manufactory. 

 One of these was brought up under Mr. Wedgwood, at 

 Fenton, and had left him a little before to establish works 

 for himself. The wares he made, however, were all pro- 

 duced for the use of Mr. Wedgwood on an engagement that 

 lasted some years, and they received their last finish at his 

 own manufactory in Burslem. Another of the three was 

 altogether in his employment, and the third was modeller to 

 the country at large. 



" The machinery consisted only of the potter's wheel, 

 known from all antiquity, and the common turning lathe, 

 and their tools were little more than a few cutting knives. 

 His manner of working required more nicety and skill than 

 had been used before, and he was not only obliged to instruct 

 his men individually, and to form them upon his own model, 

 but had also their tools to contrive, and new kilns, drying- 



