MACHINE TNrn SHOEMAKERS. ] 57 



(agc> of die machine ; and ilr. Peter Martin, Surgeon, of 

 Tiuborough, wrote aletter toCliarles Taylor, Esq. secretary to 

 the Society", which I have extracted verbatim. 



*' I ani sincerely of opinion, that Thomas Holdcn's inven- Mr. Martin's 

 " tion is a desirable acquisition to men of that profession, ^^^^^j'*^"^^*** *''^ 

 *' especially to those who may be diseased internally, or who 

 " may suffer from stomach weakness and indigestion. These 

 ^' diseases may be aggravated, if not occasioned, by their 

 ^' working in a bent posture. 



" The inventor, about twenty years ago, often applied to Bad state of the 



*' me for relief from a train of bowel complaints, and fre- f^^^^^h of the 



... ,, invtntor from 



*' quently had occasion to take the medicmes usually employ- practising his 



'' c.d for the relief of dyspepsia. i^mployoTeut. 



" I repeatedly informed him, that his employment was the 



*' cause of his disorder, and desired him to relinquish it, or 



** invent some method to do his work standing. This hint;> 



" and his corporeal sufferings, prompted to the invention, 



" That it answers the purpose, I have reason to believe, as he 



'* and others use it," He is now free of complaints, and so Perfectly re- 



*' improved in his corpulence and countenance, that he is not ^^ machine!"^ 



*' like the same man, and for years has had no occasion for 



" medicine." 



Reference to the Engraving of Mr. Holdens Livention for Description of 

 Shoemakers, PI. IV. Fig. 2. '^' '^^'^"''' 



A. The bed for the closing block, and to lay the shoe in 

 whilst sewing. 



B. The closing block. 



C. A loose bed to lay the shoe in whilst stitching ; the lov.'er 

 part of which is here exhibited reversed, to show how it is 

 placed in the o;her bed, A. 



D. The hollow or upper part of the loose bed C, in which 

 the shoe is laisl whilst stitching. 



E. A table on which the to(»ls wanted are to be laid. 



F. An iron semicircle, fixed to each end of the bed A, to 

 allow the bed to be raised or depressed. This half circle 

 moves in the block G. 



IL Another iron semicircle, with notches, which .catch upon 

 e iooth in the centre of the block, to hold the bed in any 



angle 



