MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. 47 



ing power of the quantity magnet might be con- 

 trolled by the intensity combination; 



And finally, the combination of the intensity 

 battery and spool, with a vibrating armature, so 

 arranged as to strike a sounder when the circuit 

 is closed or opened at the sending end, for the 

 purpose of transmitting intelligible messages tele- 

 graphically. 



All these he might have patented in the United 

 States at any time during several years after his 

 discoveries and inventions were made; and he 

 could have held them against the world. That he 

 was the first man to do all these things is not in 

 doubt anywhere. If he had taken such a patent, 

 as late as 1837, he would have controlled the 

 telegraph in this country, certainly until 1851; 

 and unless he had then been adequately rewarded 

 for his great inventions, his term would have been 

 extended till 1858. Imagine the good he would 

 have done to science had the wealth which this 

 would have produced been poured into his purse ! 



But listen to his noble words: " At the time of 

 " making my original experiments in electro- 

 " magnetism in Albany, I was urged by a friend 

 " to take out a patent, both for its application to 

 " machinery, and to the telegraph; but this I de- 

 " clined, on the ground that I did not then consider 

 ' ' it compatible with the dignity of science to confine 



