774 Prospectus of the Royal Institution. 



employed in executing any thing that is new. How 

 many useful inventions have been brought into dis- 

 repute by alterations intended and announced as im- 

 provements? It must be allowed, also, that some 

 cause for suspicion naturally arises, to manufacturers 

 and to the world at large, from frequent instances of 

 pretended inventions, destitute of all real value. 



They who propose improvements are commonly sus- 

 pected of being influenced by interested motives ; and 

 this suspicion, which is often but too well founded, 

 occasions little attention to be paid to such proposals 

 by the public. 



Not only suspicion, but jealousy and envy, have too 

 often their share in obstructing the progress of im- 

 provement, and in preventing the adoption of plans 

 calculated to promote the public good. 



The most meritorious exertions in favour of the public 

 prosperity are often viewed with suspicion, and the 

 fair fame that is derived from those exertions with 

 jealousy and envy; and many, who have too much 

 discernment not to perceive the merit of an undertak- 

 ing evidently useful, and too much regard for their 

 reputation not to appear to approve of it, are yet very 

 far from wishing it success. 



This melancholy truth is but too well known, and 

 has more effect in deterring sensible and well-disposed 

 persons from offering to the public their plans for use- 

 ful improvements, than all the trouble and difficulty 

 that would attend the execution of them. 



These are the chief causes which prevent the ad- 

 vancement and reception of valuable inventions already 

 made ; and they operate also against the production 

 of such as might be made by ingenious men, if they 



