746 Proposals for Forming 



est cultivation and refinement, are brought about by 

 the use of machinery in procuring the necessaries, com- 

 forts, and elegancies of life, and that the pre-eminence 

 of any people is, and ought ever to be, estimated by 

 the state of taste, industry, and mechanical improve- 

 ment among them. 



Those among the inhabitants of this happy island 

 who have meditated profoundly on this interesting sub- 

 ject will be very far indeed from being indifferent to 

 the progress of improvement, and will certainly wish 

 well to the success of the plan that is now laid before 

 them ; for they well know how powerfully the vivifying 

 rays of Science, when properly directed, tend to excite 

 the activity, and increase the energy, of an enlightened 

 nation. 



With regard to the relative importance of the differ- 

 ent objects of improvements that are held up to view 

 in these Proposals, nothing absolutely decisive can be 

 determined. They are all very important, and there 

 are, doubtless, many others perhaps equally so, that 

 are not enumerated, that will, of course, in their turns, 

 engage the attention of the Managers of the Institution. 



It will not escape observation that I have placed the 

 management of fire among the very first subjects of 

 useful improvement ; and it is possible that I may be 

 accused of partiality in placing the object of my favour- 

 ite pursuits in that conspicuous situation. But how 

 could I have done otherwise? I have always consid- 

 ered it as being a subject very interesting to mankind ; 

 and it was on that account principally that, at a very 

 early period of my life, I engaged in its investigation ; 

 and the more I have examined it and meditated upon 

 it, the more I have been impressed with its importance. 



