than a man of science. This was more peculiarly the sort of peril to which self-educated men were exposed in Ferguson's day, when books of any kind were comparatively scarce, and good elementary works scarcely existed on any subject. Much has since been done, and is now doing, to supply that great desideratum; and even already, in many departments, the man who can merely read is provided with the means of instructing himself both at little expense, and with a facility and completeness such as a century, or even half a century ago, were altogether out of the question. Not a little, however, still remains to be accomplished before the good work can be considered as finished; nor, indeed, is it the nature of it ever to be finished, seeing that, even if we should have perfectly arranged and systematized all our present knowledge, time must be constantly adding to our possessions here, and opening new worlds for philosophy to explore and conquer. SAMUEL CROMPTON. SAMUEL CROMPTON was born on the 3d of December, 1753, at Firwood, in Lancashire, where his father held a farm of small extent; and according to the custom of those days, employed a portion of his time in carding, spinning, and weaving. Hall-in-thewood, a picturesque cottage near Bolton, became the residence of the family during the son's infancy, and the memorable scenes of his juvenile inventions. His father died when he was very young The care of his education devolved on his mother, a pious woman, who lived in a retired manner, and imparted her own sincere and contemplative turn of mind to her son. In al is dealings through life, Samuel was strictly honest, patient, and hu ane. When about sixteen years of age, he learned to spin upon a jenny of Hargrave's make, and occasionally wove what he had spun. Being dissatisfied with the quality of his yarn, he began to consider how it might be improved, and was thus naturally led to the construction of his novel spinning-machine. He commenced this task when twenty-one years of age, and devoted five years to its execution. He possessed only such simple tools as his little earnings at the jenny and the loom enabled him to procure, and proceeded but slowly with the construction of his mule, but still in a progressive manner highly creditable to his dexterity and per. severance. Ile often said, what annoyed him most was that he was not allowed to employ his little invention by himself in his garret; for, as he got a better price for his yarn than his neighbors, he was naturally supposed to have mounted some superior mechanism, and hence became an object of the prying curiosity of the country people for miles around; many of whom climbed up at the windows to see him at his work. He erected a screen in order to obstruct their view; but he continued to be so incommoded by crowds of visiters, that he resolved at last to get rid of the vexatious mystery by disclosing the whole contrivance before a number of gentlemen, who chose to subscribe a guinea apiece for the inspection In this way he collected about £50, and hence was enabled to construct another and similar machine upon a better and larger plan. The first contained no more than from thirty to forty spindles. The art of spinning with Crompton's machine, soon became widely known among work people of all descriptions, from the higher wages which it procured above other artisans, such as shoe-makers, joiners, hatters, &c; many of whom were thereby induced to change their employment and become mule spinners. Hence it happened among this motley gang, that if any thing went amiss with their machine, each of them endeavored to supply the deficiency with some expedient borrowed from his former trade ;— the smith introduced a piece of iron,—the shoemaker had recourse to leather, the hatter to felt, &c. &c. whereby valuable suggestions were obtained. When the mule first became known it was called the Hall-in-thewood-wheel, from the place where it was invented, and shortly after, the Muslin-wheel, from its making yarn sufficiently fine for the manufacture of muslin ;-but it ultimately received the name of mule, from combining the principles of the jenny invented by Hargraves and the water frame of Arkwright: "The force of genius could no farther go, To make a third he joined the other two." Being of a retiring and unambitious disposition, and having made no effort to secure by a patent the exclusive enjoyment of his invention, it became public property, and was turned to advantage by more pushing manufacturers. About the year 1802, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Lee of Manchester set on foot a subscription for him, whereby they obtained a sufficient capital for the increase of his small manufactory. As a weaver also he displayed great ingenuity, and erected several looms, for the fancy work of that town. Being fond of music, he built himself an organ, with which he entertained his leisure hours |