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124 
humane and impolitic to force from their 
own homes, and render permanently bur- 
denfome to their parith. 
In ftating that the board of directors at 
Shrewibury have been impofed upon by 
their domeftic officers, whom, with falie 
confidence, and trom growing neglect, 
they had entrufted with the management 
of the internal concerns of the houte, and 
that they had in confequence been in- 
volved in increafed expences, Mr. Woop 
has only verified what I long predicted 
would be the inevitable refult. ‘* Thefe 
gentlemen,” I obferved (page 122 of my 
Differtation, &c.), are entitled to a very 
high fhare of praife for their laudable and 
unremitted a¢tivity: but the complicated 
fcheme they are thus enveloped in, I can- 
not recommend to be adopted generally 
throuchout the country. It is not to be 
expecied that a neceffary attention fhould, 
for many years, be paid to fo extenfive a 
eoncern, unlels the parties attending are 
entitled to fome emolument for theirtrou- 
ble. And when once fuch a neceffary at- 
tention is relaxed, or difcontinued, the 
parifb will be involved in a very confider- 
able expence for the purchafe ot new ma- 
terials ; and trom the idlenefs or the frauds 
that will imevitably eniue, the articles fold 
will feldom repay it for the original ex- 
‘pences incurred.” 
The reft of Mr. Wood’s letter has no 
connection whatever with the ditpute be- 
tween us; and appears merely written 
with a view of informing us, that he is 
about to publifh a new edition of his 
pamphlet ; and that he has the happinefs 
of claimmeg a friendfhip with Mr. Voght, 
<* ene of the benevolent founders of the 
Hamburgh inftitution,’ and ‘* who has 
written (an obfervation in which I cor- 
dially acquiefce) an admirable account of 
this eitabiifhment.”’ In both thefe notices, 
indeed, I rejoice moit fincerely, particu- 
Jarly in the former, as he wili -hereby 
have an opportunity of correcting thole 
errors upon which we have neither of us 
any farther controverfy. 
I have now, Sir, only to afk pardon of 
you and the public for having a fecond 
time obtraded mytelf fo largely upon their 
attention. Mr, Wood has talked of my 
fkillas a contraverfialift; I beg it may 
be remembered, however, that this con- 
troverty was firft introduced in your mis- 
cellany by himlelf, and that whatever 
may be this gentleman’s determination 
_upon the fubject, for my own part neither 
my private iiudies, ner thy profefiional 
avocations wall allow me te continue at 
Improvements in Tanning and on Elm Bark. 
[Feb- 
any longer. I admire the warmth with 
which Mr. Wood has embarked in the 
caufe of the poor; and have only to la- 
ment that it fhould occafionally excite fo 
much fever in his language*. 
Joun Mason Goon. 
Caroline-Place, Guiidford-firect, 
February 135 1799+ 
Ee . 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, ' 
i is paying you no compliment to fay, 
that your Magazine is infinitely {u- 
perior to every other mifcellany in all 
matters of elegant entertainment and ufe- 
ful information. ‘Theattention fhewn to 
fubjects connected with medicine, che- 
miftry, and manufaétures, deferves par- 
ticular notice. In the latter clafs you 
have lately admitted fome papers on taz- 
ning, a branch of manufacture, which, 
independent of its general utility, is of 
confiderable importance to our commerce 
and revenue, particularly at this time 
when our active neighbours in France are 
indefatigable in their exertions to rival us 
in this article. It is only within a few 
years that men‘of feience (I do not mean 
{uch fuperficial writers as your corre- 
fpondent C. T. C, page 427) have at- 
tended to the mode of manufacturing 
feather, which is capable of wonderful 
improvement, and which, it is to be 
hoped, the late difcoveries in chemiftry 
will foon bring to perteétion. ‘The great 
{carcity and coniequent high price of 
oak bark, tor fome years pait, with the 
time and expence imcurred m the ufual 
mode of tanning leather, have Jed many 
ingenious perfons to endeavour to fhorten 
the proceis, and to fubf{titute other ar- 
ticles leis expenfive in the room of bark. 
The mineral and vegetable kingdoms 
have been explored for materials, while 
chemifiry and phtlofophy have examined 
their nature, and directed their applica- 
tion. But with all the experience ef 
practical manufacturers, and all the in- 
genuity of {cientific men, I do not find 
that any important difcoveries have been 
made ; that the proceis has been fhortened ; 
Te , 
* Errata in Mr. Weed's loft letter. . Page 2, 
col. 1, line 24, for per Ib. read per buihel ; 
page 2, coi. 2, Jine 14, after ‘© feverity,” 
add ‘*in juch an imputation.” Page 3, col. 4, 
line 17, for 1794, read 1796. Fopiter. 
the 
