236 GOODYEAR ON GUM -ELASTIC. 



always a vast amount of labor to be performed, time and money 

 to be spent, and innumerable difficulties and prejudices to be 

 encountered, before the work is accomplished ; so that an in- 

 dividual who performs all that is necessary in these ways to bring 

 an improvement to the notice of the public, and causes them 

 to appreciate and understand it, by dint of perseverance, is on 

 the whole in some countries considered the author of the 

 invention, even though the first idea did not originate with 

 him. It is worthy of remark, that the greatest discoveries 

 usually afford their authors less remuneration than is obtained 

 by others for trivial inventions. The more important the inven- 

 tion, and the more it interferes with previously existing modes 

 of industry, the more are the public interested to dispute the 

 claims, and infringe upon the rights of the inventor. 



It is often repeated that "necessity is the mother of invention." 

 It may with equal truth be said, that inventors are the children 

 of misfortune and want ; probably no class of the community, in 

 any country, receive a smaller compensation for their labors 

 than do inventors. A volume might be written in explanation 

 of the peculiar difficulties and embarrassments to which they are 

 subject, but the whole may be summed up in few words — as a 

 general rule their labors begin, continue, and end in " necessity." 

 Their hard fortune often calls forth the expression of pity and 

 compassion from the public ; while at the same time, there are 

 too many ever ready to encroach upon their inventions, without 

 their knowledge or consent. However valuable and important 

 an improvement may be, it seldom happens that the rightful 

 owners are benefited by it. There is, however, in such cases, 

 one alleviating and consoling reflection to well-disciplined minds, 

 which is this; success has crowned their efforts to do that which 

 they attempted, and they can leave the world better off for their 

 having lived in it. As with other classes of men, the case of 

 one inventor will apply, with some variations, to the whole ; he 

 is impelled by a wish to gratify his inclinations, or driven by 

 necessity to cast about him for some occupation to improve his 

 condition, and fancies he has power of invention, and opportuni- 



