essays-1-第48节

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＇13＇　Farther　inquiries　which　have　since　been　made；　have　proved　that　these　suspicions　were　not　without　foundation。

＇14＇　Since　writing　the　above；　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　ascertaining；　in　the　most　decisive　and　satisfactory　manner；　the　facts　relative　to　the　weight　of　Indian　Corn　of　the　growth　of　the　northern　states　of　America。　　A　friend　of　mine；　an　American　gentleman；　resident　in　London；　（George　Erving；　Esq。　of　Great　George　street；　Hanover…square；）　who；　in　common　with　the　rest　of　his　countrymen；　still　retains　a　liking　for　Indian　Corn；　and　imports　it　regularly　every　year　from　America；　has　just　received　a　fresh　supply　of　it；　by　one　of　the　last　ships　which　has　arrived　from　Boston　in　New　England；　and　at　my　desire　he　weighed　a　bushel　of　it；　and　found　it　to　weigh　61　lb。：　It　cost　him　at　Boston　three　shillings　and　sixpence　sterling　the　bushel。

＇15＇　The　price　of　Indian　meal　as　it　here　estimated；（2d。　a　pound；）　is　at　least　twice　as　much　as　it　would　cost　in　Great　Britain　in　common　years；　if　care　was　taken　to　import　it　at　the　cheapest　rate。

＇16＇　Those　who　dislike　trouble；　and　feel　themselves　called　upon　by　duty　and　honor　to　take　an　active　part　in　undertakings　for　the　public　good；　are　extremely　apt　to　endeavour　to　excuse；to　themselves　as　well　as　to　the　world；their　inactivity　and　supineness；　by　representing　the　undertaking　in　question　as　being　so　very　difficult　as　to　make　all　hope　of　success　quite　chimerical　and　ridiculous。

＇17＇　The　Housekeeper　of　my　friend　and　countryman；　Sir　William　Pepperel；　Bart。　of　Upper　Seymour　Street；　Portman　Square。

＇18＇　Molasses　imported　from　the　French　West　India　Islands　into　the　American　States　is　commonly　sold　there　from　12d。　to　14d。　the　gallon。

＇19＇　This　gentleman；　who　is　as　remarkable　for　his　good　fortune　at　sea；　as　he　is　respectable　on　account　of　his　private　character　and　professional　knowledge；　has　crossed　the　Atlantic　Ocean　the　almost　incredible　number　of　ONE　HUNDRED　AND　TEN　TIMES！　and　without　meeting　with　the　smallest　accident。　　He　is　now　on　the　seas　in　his　way　to　North　America；　and　this　voyage；　which　is　his　HUNDRED　AND　ELEVENTH；　he　intends　should　be　his　last。　　May　he　arrive　safe；and　may　he　long　enjoy　in　peace　and　quite　the　well…earned　fruits　of　his　laborious　life！　Who　can　reflect　on　the　innumerable　storms　he　must　have　experienced；　and　perils　he　has　escaped；　without　feeling　much　interested　in　his　preservation　and　happiness？

＇20＇　This　maccaroni　would　not　probably　have　cost　one　quarter　of　that　sum　at　Naples。Common　maccaroni　is　frequently　sold　there　as　low　as　fourteen　grains；　equal　to　five　pence　halfpenny　sterling　the　rottolo；　weighing　twenty…eight　ounces　and　three　quarters　Avoirdupois；　which　is　three　pence　sterling　the　pound　Avoirdupois。　An　inferiour　kind　of　maccaroni；　such　as　is　commonly　sold　at　Naples　to　the　Poor；　costs　not　more　than　two　pence　sterling　the　pound　Avoirdupois。

＇21＇　If　maccaroni　could　be　made　in　this　country　as　cheap　as　it　is　made　in　Naples；　that　is　to　say；　so　as　to　be　afforded　for　three　pence　sterling　the　pound　Avoirdupois；　for　the　best　sort；　（and　I　do　not　see　why　it　should　not；）　as　half　a　pound　of　dry　maccaroni　weighs　when　boiled　very　nearly　two　pounds；　each　pound　of　boiled　maccaroni　would　cost　only　three　farthings；　and　the　cheese　necessary　for　giving　it　a　relish　one　farthing　more；　making　together　one　penny；　which　is　certainly　a　very　moderate　price　for　such　good　and　wholesome　Food。


CONTENTS　of　ESSAY　IV。

of　CHIMNEY　FIRE…PLACES；　with　PROPOSALS　for　improving　them　to　save　FUEL；　to　render　dwelling…houses　more　COMFORTABLE　and　SALUBRIOUS；　and　effectually　to　prevent　CHIMNIES　from　SMOKING。

ADVERTISEMENT

CHAPTER。　I。　　Fire…places　for　burning　coals；　or　wood；　in　an　open　chimney；　　　　are　capable　of　great　improvement。　　Smoking　chimnies　may　in　all　cases　be　completely　cured。　　The　immoderate　size　of　the　throats　of　chimnies　the　principal　　　　cause　of　all　their　imperfections。　　Philosophical　investigation　of　the　subject。　　Remedies　proposed　for　all　the　defects　that　have　been　discovered　　　　in　chimnies　and　their　open　fire…places。　　These　remedies　applicable　to　chimnies　destined　for　burning　　　　wood；　or　turf；　as　well　as　those　constructed　for　burning　coals。

CHAPTER。　II。　　Practical　directions　designed　for　the　use　of　workmen；　showing　　　　how　they　are　to　proceed　in　making　the　alterations　necessary　to　　　　improve　chimney　fire…places；　and　effectually　to　cure　smoking　　　　chimnies。

CHAPTER。　III。　　Of　the　cause　of　the　ascent　of　smoke。　　Illustration　of　the　subject　by　familiar　comparisons　and　　　　experiments。　　Of　chimnies　which　affect　and　cause　each　other　to　smoke。　　Of　chimnies　which　smoke　from　want　of　air。　　Of　the　eddies　of　wind　which　sometimes　blow　down　chimnies；　　　　and　cause　them　to　smoke。　　Explanation　of　the　figures。


ESSAY　IV。

ADVERTISEMENT

The　Author　thinks　it　his　duty　to　explain　the　reasons　which　have　induced　him　to　change　the　order　in　which　the　publication　of　his　Essays　has　been　announced　to　the　Public。Being　suddenly　called　upon　to　send　to　Edinburgh　a　person　acquainted　with　the　method　of　altering　Chimney　Fire…places；　which　has　lately　been　carried　into　execution　in　a　number　of　houses　in　London；　in　order　to　introduce　these　improvements　in　Scotland；　he　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　send　any　person　on　so　important　an　errand　without　more　ample　instruction　than　could　well　be　given　verbally；　and　being　obliged　to　write　on　the　subject；　he　thought　it　best　to　investigate　the　matter　thoroughly；　and　to　publish　such　particular　directions　respecting　the　improvements　in　question　as　may　be　sufficient　to　enable　all　those；　who　may　be　desirous　of　adopting　them；　to　make；　or　direct　the　necessary　alterations　in　their　Fire…places　without　any　further　assistance。

The　following　Letter；　which　the　Author　received　from　Sir　John　Sinclair；　Baronet；　Member　of　Parliament；　and　President　of　the　Board　of　Agriculture；　will　explain　this　matter　more　fully：

You　will　hear　with　pleasure　that　your　mode　of　altering　Chimnies；　so　as　to　prevent　their　smoking；　to　save　fuel；　and　to　augment　heat；　has　answered　not　only　with　me；　but　with　many　of　my　friends　who　have　tried　it；　and　that　the　Lord　Provest　and　Magistrates　of　Edinburgh　have　voted　a　sum　of　money　to　defray　the　expences　of　a　bricklayer；　who　is　to　be　sent　there　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　the　same　plan　in　that　city。　　I　hope　that　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　expedite　your　paper　upon　the　management　of　Heat；　that　the　knowledge　of　so　useful　an　art　may　be　as　rapidly　and　as　extensively　diffused　as　possible。With　my　best　wishes　for　your　success　in　the　various　important　pursuits　in　which　you　are　now　engaged；　believe　me；　with　great　truth　and　regard；　　　　　　　　　　　Your　faithful　and　obedient　servant　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　John　Sinclair　Whitehall；　London；　9th　February　1796。


CHAPTER。　I。

　Fire…places　for　burning　coals；　or　wood；　in　an　open　chimney；　　　　are　capable　of　great　improvement。　　Smoking　chimnies　may　in　all　cases　be　completely　cured。　　The　immoderate　size　of　the　throats　of　chimnies　the　principal　　　　cause　of　all　their　imperfections。　　Philosophical　investigation　of　the　subject。　　Remedies　proposed　for　all　the　defects　that　have　been　discovered　　　　in　chimnies　and　their　open　fire…places。　　These　remedies　applicable　to　chimnies　destined　for　burning　　　　wood；　or　turf；　as　well　as　those　constructed　for　burning　coals。

The　plague　of　a　smoking　Chimney　is　proverbial；　but　there　are　many　other　very　great　defects　in　open　Fire…places；　as　they　are　now　commonly　constructed　in　this　country；　and　indeed　throughout　Europe；　which；　being　less　obvious；　are　seldom　attended　to；　and　there　are　some　of　them　very　fatal　in　their　consequences　to　health；　and；　I　am　persuaded；　cost　the　lives　of　thousands　every　year　in　this　island。

Those　cold　and　chilling　draughts　of　air　on　one　side　of　the　body；　while　the　other　side　is　scorched　by　a　Chimney　Fire；　which　every　one　who　reads　this　must　often　have　felt；　cannot　but　be　highly　detrimental　to　health；　and　in　weak　and　delicate　constitutions　must　often　produce　the　most　fatal　effects。I　have　not　a　doubt　in　my　own　mind　that　thousands　die　in　this　country　every　year　of　consumptions　occasioned　solely　by　this　cause。By　a　cause　which　might　be　so　easily　removed！by　a　cause　whose　removal　would　tend　to　promote　comfort　and　convenience　in　so　many　ways。

Strongly　impressed　as　my　mind　is　with　the　importance　of　this　subject；　it　is　not　possible　for　me　to　remain　silent。The　subject　is　too　nearly　connected　with　many　of　the　most　essential　enjoyments　of　life　not　to　be　highly　interesting　to　all　those　who　feel　pleasure　in　promoting；　or　in　contemplating　the　comfort　and　happiness　of　mankind。And　without　suffering　myself　to　be　deterred；　either　by　the　fear　of　being　thought　to　give　the　subject　a　degree　of　importance　to　which　it　is　not　entitled；　or　by　the　apprehension　of　being　tiresome　to　my　readers　by　the　prolixity　of　my　descriptions；I　shall　proceed　to　investigate　the　subject　in　all　its　parts　and　details　with　the　utmost　care　and　attention。　And　first　with　regard　to　smoking　Chimnies：

There　are　various　causes　by　which　Chimnies　may　be　prevented　from　carrying　smoke；　but　there　are　none　that　may　not　easily　be　discovered　and　completely　removed。This　will　doubtless　be　considered　as　a　bold　assertion；　but　I　trust　I　shall　be　able　to　make　it　appear　in　a　manner　perfectly　satisfactory　to　my　readers　that　I　have