46 Dr Skene Keith on the Final Report of' the 
frauds, or render them useless. After all, it may be well worth 
considering, whether, as a multitude of provincial standards 
must be laid aside, it wduld not be advisable to take a correct 
and invariable standard from nature, the pendulum that vibrates 
seconds for example ; to divide this decimally, — to establish 
either a cube or a cylinder of its dimensions, filled with distil- 
led water of 40° of heat, or with common water at a moderate 
■temperature, as a standard tun- weight, and also for both dry 
and liquid measures of capacity,— to get w^eights and measures 
made correctly from this standard, — to send them to all tlic 
market-towns, and to put them under the inspection of the Ma- 
gistrates ; but to compel no man to use them unless he choose 
to do so. By dividing the denominations of this standard, not 
into % 4, 8, 16, as at present with some weights ; far less into 
7, 14, S8, 112; but into 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the next inferior deno- 
mination, 24 pieces of metal could weigh out 1,111,110 different 
weights, or three corn measures, with boards of partition having 1 
and 4 tenths of their measure on one side, and 2 and 3 tenths on 
the other, could measure out 1110 different quantities of corn, 
and a merchant’s apprentice could perform an operation in re- 
duction of decimal fractions, merely by measuring or weighing 
his goods. In a short time, the new weights’ and measures, 
tvhicli ought to he called Commercial 07ies, would become famili- 
ar, — Would, from their simplicity and accuracy be gradually in- 
troduced, and would in a few years become general, when they 
might be established. But till that time, no authority higher 
than the influence of fashion and example should be exerted, no 
compulsion, no licenses, no fines should be introduced. These 
things would defeat the object intended to be accomplished ; 
for men will not be dragooned into any public measure, even 
though its adoption were advantageous ; yet if left to themselves, 
they will embrace what will promote their interest. 
I would conclude these observations by relating a fact con- 
sistent with my knowledge. 
A clergyman, with whom 1 was intimately acquainted, had 
a servitude of a footpath which led diagonally through a valu- 
able field, part of his glebe or pai’sonage lands, and along which 
the people as they passed to or from the church could look in, 
both at the front and gable windows of his house. Their week- 
