3 i6 NATURAL HISTORY 
to corredl the errors of the modern Cornifh, who, in many parti- 
culars, had greatly degenerated from the orthography of their fore- 
fathers, and wanted a reformer of fuch capacity to chaften and 
reduce their fpeech to the true radical original elements. His 
Grammar will preferve the rudiments of this language as long as 
his works remain, which will be as long as any regard for etymo- 
logy and the ancient hiftory of thefe kingdoms fubfifts. It lays a 
foundation alfo for correcting the M S S we have in this tongue, and 
by diligently examining, collating, and making proper extracts from 
the cleared: parts of them, for perfecting a Cornu-Englifh and an 
Anglo-Cornifh Vocabulary. 
That we may attend it to the grave, This language is now alto- 
gether ceafed, fo as not to be fpoken any where in converfation ; 
but as our ancient towns, caftles, rivers, mountains, manors, feats, 
and families, have their names from the Cornifh tongue, and as 
moffc of the technical names of mining, hufbandry, fifhing, and 
indeed fome terminations of lands are in Cornifh z , it will in all ages 
be entertaining, and upon many occafions ufeful and inftruCtive for 
this county to have as correct and copious a Vocabulary of its 
ancient language, as can be procured from the materials now extant. 
sect. xix. i n difcourfing of the arts now practiced in this county, I intend 
fete of e ?rts not to difplay their perfections, and applaud their late advances, 
in this coun- but to point out their deficiencies, and hint at their improvement. 
About fifty years fince the principles and powers of mechanics 
were but little known among the Cornifh : they generally drew the 
water from their mines by dint of human labour, which was ex- 
tremely expenfive, tedious, and impotent. Within thefe thirty 
years, their hydraulics are greatly improved, their horfe-engines, 
water-wheels, and fire-engines are ftill growing more numerous, 
moft of them now built by the natives, and gradually prevailing 
againft inveterate cuftoms, which are not to be got the better of 
all at once. Thefe engines are ftill capable of farther improvement, 
particularly the horfe-engine, called the Whim, whofe cylinder, 
vulgarly called the Cage, which winds and unwinds the rope, I 
have obferved in moft places of too fmall a diameter, fo that it has 
not the power it is capable of with equal labour : this whole ma- 
chine alfo wants a proper check, fo as that it might be eafily con- 
trolled, or ftop itfelf (as the fire-engine will do when the motion 
becomes too violent), for want of which many fatal accidents 
happen to men as well as horfes. A thorough knowledge of me-* 
chanics is indeed fo neceftary to mining, that one would wonder 
how they could carry on mines here formerly with fo fmall a 
* Antiquities of Cornwall, page 374. 
fhare 
