120 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



canizing process are produced by means, and in a manner, 

 which would not have been anticipated from any reasoning on 

 the subject, and that they have not yet been satisfactorily ac- 

 counted for, it has been sometimes asked how the inventor came 

 to make the discovery. The answer has already been given. 

 It may be added, that he was many years seeking to accomplish 

 this object, and that he allowed nothing to escape his notice that 

 related to the subject. Like the falling of an apple, it was 

 suggestive of an important fact to one whose mind was previously 

 prepared to draw an inference from any occurrence which 

 might favor the object of his research. While the inventor ad- 

 mits that these discoveries were not the result of scientific 

 chemical investigations, he is not willing to admit that they were 

 the result of what is commonly termed accident; he claims them 

 to be the result of the closest application and observation. 



The discoloring and charring of the specimens proved nothing, 

 and discovered nothing of value, but quite the contrary; for in 

 the first instance, as stated of the acid gas improvement, the 

 specimen acted upon was thrown away as worthless, and left for 

 some time"; in the latter instance, the specimen that was charred 

 was in like manner disregarded by others. 



It may, therefore, be considered as one of those cases where 

 the leading of the Creator providentially aids his creatures by 

 what are termed accidents, to attain those things which are not 

 attainable by the powers of reasoning he has conferred on them. 



The discovery was now made, which, at the present day, is 

 generally regarded as one of the most important improvements 

 of the age, and justly so, when considered in connection with all 

 the other improvements which are constantly being made from 

 it, and depending upon the extraordinary properties of this 

 article for their utility. It might, therefore, have been supposed 

 that the embarrassments of the inventor would be at an end, 

 and that the attention of the public would easily be drawn to the 

 subject. This, however, was not the case. He had yet to wait 

 two years in the most trying circumstances, before he could con- 

 vince any one that a valuable discovery had been made. 



