PREFACE. 

fortitude to meet the attacks of illiberality and prejudice, determined to yield to nothing but superior reason; resting assured, that every virtuous mind will commend an exertion to remove the rubbish from around the Temple of Truth, even should the undertaking fail. 
	There is also frequently a secret pride which urges many to conceal their speculative inquiries, rather then meet criticism, or not be thought the first in their favorite pursuit; ever anxious to claim the merit of invention, they cannot brook the idea of having their works dissected, and the minute parts attributed to the genius of other men. But in mechanics, I conceive, we should rather consider them improvements than inventions, unless improvement maybe called invention, as the component parts of all new machines may be said to be old; but it is that nice discriminating Judgment, which discovers that a particular arrangement will produce a new and desired effect, that stamps the merit. And this may perhaps, with propriety, be called either invention or improvement ; which certainly exhibits that the artist has that penetration which is usually dignified with the term Genius. Therefore the mechanic should fit down among levers, (crews, wedges, wheels, &c. like a poet among the letters of the alphabet, considering them as the exhibition of his thoughts; in which a new arrangement transmits a new idea to the world. 
	It is for want of this discrimination, that many a worthy man, of easy demeanor, is tormented by the criticism of ignorant insignificance, for men of the least genius are ever the first to depreciate, and the last to command; and, for an obvious reason, they have not sense to know the produce of genius when they see it : But, 
	"Men of true Genius glow with lib’ral spirit,
	And bind a garland round the bust of merit;
	While blockheads, void of wisdom’s grateful light,
	Bury distinction in eternal night."
					Morehead