THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
No. 91. | 
SEPTEMBER 1, 1802. 
[ No. 2, of Vou. 14. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, ; 
"THOUGH paft the meridian of life, I 
hope I have not yet abfvlutely fallen 
into that chara&ter of age, amere ‘* dau- 
dator temporis afi,” a panegyrilt of the 
good old times, and detractor of every 
thing modern, in thecomparifon. I trutt 
I can fee and acknowledge the many im- 
portant improvements, in art and {cience, 
which have taken place in this country, 
within my own remembrance ; and I may 
affirm, that to contribute my {mall fhare 
towards the propagation of public benefit 
has been an objeé& conftantiy in my view. 
But I confefs, that on taking an unpreju- 
diced furvey of the circumfances which are 
ufually adduced as proofs of our rapid pro- 
gre(s, I am led to fulpeé, that many of them 
are more fpecious than folid; and that fame 
of the molt fplendid among them ought 
vather to be regarded in the light of par- 
tial remedies for growing evils, them- 
delves being alfo evils, than as clear and 
fubftantial advantages. That a great 
number of the proceffes and contrivances 
by which labour is fhortened, and the 
products of human induftry are increafed, 
rank under this clafs, will fearcely, I 
imagine, be denied, by one who confiders 
not only the inevitable bad effects to health 
and morals confequent upon them, but,: 
in many inftances, the manifelt deteriora- 
tion of the commodities thus produced, 
In faé&, our neceffities oblige us, in every 
thing, to confult cheapne{s and celerity 
of execution. With fo many foreign 
rivals and domeftic burdens, it is impoffi- 
ble to fuftain an expert trade, and to 
provide for an alarmingly increafed popu- 
lation, without facrificing every thing to 
thofe leading points. 1 am not-enough 
acquainted with articles of manufacture 
to judge of their aétual deterioration, 
though I hear the charge of it refound on 
all fides ; but I am fully convinced, from 
my own obfervation, that many of the 
things on which the common comforts 
and enjoyments of life depend, moft fen- 
fibly exhibit the progrefs of a neceffity, 
which no longer admits of retaining the 
fame intrinfic worth under the fame names 
and appearances. 
MonTury Mac, No, 9%, 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
Among the heads of matter in your 
ufeful and entertaining Mifcellany, you 
have that of New Patents. Let any one 
examine a feries of thefe, and fee if they 
do not, for the moft part, rank under the 
following divifions :—-1. Subitituticns of 
cheaper and coarfer, for more coftiy and 
finer, materials:—z. Modes of making 
things appear what they are not:—3. 
Proceffes for anticipating the ndifpenfible 
Operation of time:—q. Old and rejected 
inventions revived under new names. It 
would be an eafy tafk, but an invidious 
one, to give ftriking examples of all thefe 
improvements. Some, I fee, have occa- 
fiunally been the fubje&t of controverfies- 
in your publication ; and, taken together, 
they are lefs proofs of prevailing inge- 
nuity, than of invention ranfacked to pro- 
duce fome fpecious novelty, which may 
aniwer the temporary purpofe of the pro- 
jector. 
We hear few things mentioned more 
decifively than improvements in travel- 
ling; but if the alterations which have 
taken place within the laft 30 or 40 years 
are reckoned among them, I muft demur 
to the propriety of the term. It is true 
that no public vehicles at the beginning 
of this period (poft-chaifes excepted) 
made way with the rapidity of mail- 
coaches ; yet I will not {cruple to affirm, 
that the old poft-coaches, carrying four 
paflengers, were much more comfortable 
to travel in, with all reafonable difpatch, 
than any now in ufe, as far as my expe~ + 
rience reaches. I know not whether there 
has been any patent invention “ for 
fqueezing the greateft number of paffen. 
gers into the {malleft poffible fpace,” but 
all our modern coach-mafters feein perfect 
adepts in fucha problem. With refpect to 
the mail-coaches, it was natural that, their . 
purpofe being the conveyance of letters 
and packets, the human freight fhould be 
regarded merely as liwe lumber. To ac~ 
commodate them with knee and etbow- - 
room was thought fuperfluous, as well as 
to pay the leaft attention to their wants 
and cravings in the times of baiting.« 
Other carriages, detiitute of their undue 
advantages, have been obliged to follow 
their plan of conftruétion; and lightnefs 
being the general object, they have uni- 
N veilally 
