of the Elémens de Chimie proves his title to a large share,) nor should I have taken this public notice of .'s paper, but for the very extraordinary, and I must add illiberal and unjust epithets, which he has thought fit to apply to the objections made by "an English professor of high respectability" (Mr. Davy) to the conclusions drawn by M. Braconnot from his experiments on the "nutrition of vegetables." M. Braconnot's experiments were certainly conducted with great ingenuity and apparent accuracy, and, supposing the facts to be precisely as he imagines, would lead to the extraordinary conclusion, that plants derive no nourishment from any source but water and light, and consequently that all manure is useless, except to enable the soil to retain the necessary quantity of moisture. But although it is probable that charcoal does contain hydrogen, it is by no means proved, nor is the fact at all likely, that charcoal is nothing else but hydrogen in a certain modified form, as M. Braconnot seems to think may be the case: and it is proved by Mr. Davy, and most satisfactorily so, (vide his Bakerian Lecture, Philosophical Transactions, 1807, part i.) that even distilled water commonly contains both saline and metallic impregnations, which would afford much, probably ample, food to the seeds sown by M. Braconnot in his experiments. The sand also, Mr. Davy observes, may contain carbon and various inflammable matters, which the process of washing in weak muriatic acid could not deprive it of: and it is perfectly true, (though perhaps O. may not be aware of it,) that a stone containing carbonate of lime, in very small proportion to the other ingredients, is very slightly acted on by acid. Yet these O. calls "captious and jejune" objections! I cannot but testify my surprise, that expressions so unwarrantable should have found admission into your respectable Magazine; and I am convinced they must have escaped your notice. It is ever the fate of transcendent powers to excite the jealousy of little minds; and I am sorry to say, this is not the only instance in which the author of the glorious discovery of the true nature of the alkalis has experienced a shameful want of candour from self-constituted judges, whose abilities are inadequate inadequate to the task they have allotted themselves, and whose illiberal spirit would draw a veil over that merit, the lustre of which is painful to the blinking eyes of envy and detraction. I say, Mr. Davy's discoveries are glorious-for they were not the result of a parcel of guesses; but (as most justly observed by TRIBUNUS, in the Times of the 5th of this month *,) of a fine train of reasoning, from data of his own. And I am at a loss which to adinire most, the penetration TRIBUNUS, in the article alluded to by PHILALETHES Jun, expresses himself thus::-"The' (Edinburgh) reviewers begin with pouring forth their admiration of the late discoveries which have been made by the agency of Galvanism; and it might have been expected that joy should have produced some feelings of complacency towards the author. But no;-having mentioned the name of Newton, they were seized with a superstitious horror, lest they should have been supposed to compare the living with the dead. In their zeal to expiate this imaginary offence, they treat the author of the Bakerian Lecture with a levity bordering on insolent contempt: they attribute his successes to chance, forgetting that the data on which the late brilliant experiments were founded were supplied by his own previous discoveries. The name of Newton (and be it ever venerated with piety, but without superstition,) still inspires some secret, mysterious feeling of fear: fear leads to injustice, injustice to inconsistency: thus, though they smile at the Royal Institution in one sentence, they exalt it in another; and without allowing the author any other merit than his dexterous manipulations, they attribute to its magnificent apparatus all the honour of his discovery. Finally, with an awkward consciousness, they declare, that they throw out these things from no invidious motive, but merely from a desire to reduce things to their proper level, and just proportions; and to qualify a little of that excesswe admiration which has lately been excited by Mr. Davy's discoveries, not unnaturally, but very extravagantly, and, as usually happens in such cases, to the great detriment of sober inquiry.' That they were actuated by no invidious motive, I am willing to believe; candour scorns to attribute an intention to commit injury, where no such power is found to exist. The authority of criticism extends only to those subjects of which opinion is the arbitress: a mere hypothesis is open to its inquisition, but facts are not alterable by human reasoning: the 'experimental philosopher is equally independent of popular suffrage or lite rary censure: in his works he shall be essayed by time--he shall become the fellow-labourer of posterity: his fame is formed of other elements than the smiles or frowns of cotemporaries: he may receive titles of distinction from men, but his real dignity can alone be derived from truth. Having exonerated the Edinburgh reviewers from all invidious motives, I confess I am at a loss to find any rational explanation of their conduct: it has probably been dictated by solicitude to prevent the excessive admiration inspired by Mr. Davy from exciting visionary speculations in science; it is even possible that it originated in an apprehension that his transcendent success might damp Vol. 32, No. 125. Oct. 1808. the Ε tration of his genius, or his perseverance and accuracy in prosecuting his researches. As you have published O.'s remarks, I trust to your justice to insert these in your Magazine also; and I have the honour to remain, Sir, your obedient servant, Chichester, October 16, 1808. PHILALETHES Jun. IX. Description of a Machine for beating out Hemp-seeds and Flax-seeds; invented by Mr. EZEKIEL CLEALL, of West Coker, Somersetshire*. SIR, I MADE a model of a machine for thrashing out hemp-seed and flax-seed, in the year 1803; and in the year 1805 I had a real machine made after the plan of the model, by Mr. John Wadman, carpenter and hemp-merchant. The said machine has been since tried and approved by many hemp- and flax-merchants. I now send the model for the inspection of the Society, and leave the event thereof to their decision. It does not injure the stalk of the hemp so much as the common mode of thrashing out the seed, and consequently leaves it much better for scaling. I am, sir, your humble servant, West Coker, near Yeovil, Somerset, March 22, 1806. EZEKIEL CLEALL. We whose names are hereunto subscribed, do certify, that we well know Mr. Ezekiel Cleall, of West Coker; that we have many times seen his machine at work, in thrashing out hemp-seed and flax-seed, and think it likely to be of the ardour of other experimentists, and instead of provoking emulation induce despondence. I cannot but lament that any motives, of patriotism or prudence, however amiable or respectable, should have led them to insert a passage so susceptible of misinterpretation, and so obvious to censure.” EDIT. From Transactions of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, for 1807.The sum of 20 guineas was voted by the Society to Mr. Cleall for this communication, and a model is placed in the Society's repository for the inspection of the public. great great public utility; inasmuch as two women, whose wages and allowance never exceed one half of what are allowed to two men, will do as much work in any given time as such two men. That the seeds thrashed by this machine are not so much bruised or injured as by the old or common way, and the hemp and flax are preserved from many injuries which they suffer from the old method. In witness whereof, we have hereunto added our signa- tures. West Coker, Feb. 1807. To C. TAYLOR, M.D. Sec. SIR, JOHN BAKER. JOHN PINNEY. JOHN CHAFFey. THE machine, of which a model was sent to the Society some months ago, must be used with eight flails, two on each arm, for beating out hemp-seed. When required to be used for beating out flax-seed, the above eight flails must be taken out, and four beaters put in their place. The height of the machine from the floor to the top of the board on which the flax or hemp is laid, is two feet; the breadth, two feet ten inches; the length of the board, four feet four inches; the length of each of the arms, from the axis of the machine, is three feet two inches; the flails for the hemp-seed, two feet two inches long; the heights of the uprights, seven feet two inches; the beaters for the flaxseeds are each one foot three inches long, and seven inches broad. The machine will thrash, in one day, as much hemp as grows on an acre of land, and other crops in proportion ; and the work is done with less than half the expense of thrashing in the usual way. Reference to the Engraving of Mr. Cleall's Machine for beating out Hemp-seeds and Flax-seeds. Plate 1. Fig. 1, 2. Fig. 1. Represents the machine for beating out hempseeds, in which A is the table or board on which the hemp is to be placed; B the axis in which the four arms, CCCC, are fixed; DDDD, eight single flails, moving upon four pins near the extremities of the four arms; these flails diverge from the pins on which they move, so that two of them united on each arm are nearly in the form of the letter V. E is the winch or handle by which the machine is put in motion; FF, two upright pieces of wood to sustain the axle of the machine; G, an upper cross piece, to secure the uprights firm; HH, the two bottom pieces or sills, in which the two uprights are mortised, also the two smaller uprights which support the board or table A; II, two lower cross-pieces to secure the machine firmly; KK, two levers on which the table A rests, and by which it may be raised or lowered as thought necessary by iron pins, at K K, passing through these levers and the two uprights. When the machine is used, the hemp must be laid on the table A, and moved about in different directions by the person who holds it, whilst another person turns the machine by the handle E; the flails D of the machine fall in succession on the hemp; as the axis moves round they beat out the seeds as different surfaces of the hemp are exposed on the table; and when the seeds are all beaten out from one parcel of hemp, a fresh quantity is applied upon the table. Fig. 2. Represents one of the flax-beaters, which is made of a solid piece of wood, one of which is attached instead of the two flails, to every arm, when the machine is employed for beating out flax-seeds, as they require more force to separate them from the flax plant. |