Notanefforthasbeenmadebuthashaditsinfluence。Fornohumanlabourisaltogetherlost；someremnantofusefuleffectsurvivingforthebenefitoftherace，ifnotoftheindividual。Evenattemptsapparentlyuselesshavenotreallybeenso，buthaveservedinsomewaytoadvancemantohigherknowledge，skill，ordiscipline。”Thelossofapositiongained，”saysProfessorThomson，”isaneventunknowninthehistoryofman’sstrugglewiththeforcesofinanimatenature。”Asinglestepwongivesafirmerfootholdforfurthereffort。Themanmaydie，buttheracesurvivesandcontinuesthework，——tousethepoet’ssimile，mountingonstepping-stonesofdeadselvestohigherselves。
PhilareteChasles，indeed，holdsthatitistheHumanRacethatisyourtrueinventor：”Asiftouniteallgenerations，”hesays，”andtoshowthatmancanonlyactefficientlybyassociationwithothers，ithasbeenordainedthateachinventorshallonlyinterpretthefirstwordoftheproblemhesetshimselftosolve，andthateverygreatideashallbetheRESUMEofthepastatthesametimethatitisthegermofthefuture。”Andrarelydoesithappenthatanydiscoveryorinventionofimportanceismadebyonemanalone。Thethreadsofinquiryaretakenupandtraced，onelabourersucceedinganother，eachtracingitalittlefurther，oftenwithoutapparentresult。Thisgoesonsometimesforcenturies，untilatlengthsomeman，greaterperhapsthanhisfellows，seekingtofulfiltheneedsofhistime，gathersthevariousthreadstogether，treasuresupthegainofpastsuccessesandfailures，andusesthemasthemeansforsomesolidachievement，ThusNewtondiscoveredthelawofgravitation，andthusJamesWattinventedthesteam-engine。SoalsooftheLocomotive，ofwhichRobertStephensonsaid，”Ithasnotbeentheinventionofanyoneman，butofaraceofmechanicalengineers。”Or，asJosephBramahobserved，inthepreambletohissecondLockpatent，”Amongthenumberofpatentsgrantedtherearecomparativelyfewwhichcanbecalledoriginalsothatitisdifficulttosaywheretheboundaryofoneendsandwherethatofanotherbegins。”
Theartsareindeedrearedbutslowly；anditwasawiseobservationofLordBaconthatwearetooapttopassthoseladdersbywhichtheyhavebeenreared，andreflectthewholemeritonthelastnewperformer。Thus，whatishailedasanoriginalinventionisoftenfoundtobebuttheresultofalongsuccessionoftrialsandexperimentsgraduallyfollowingeachother，whichoughtrathertobeconsideredasacontinuousseriesofachievementsofthehumanmindthanastheconquestofanysingleindividual。Ithassometimestakencenturiesofexperiencetoascertainthevalueofasinglefactinitsvariousbearings。Likemanhimself，experienceisfeebleandapparentlypurposelessinitsinfancy，butacquiresmaturityandstrengthwithage。Experience，however，isnotlimitedtoalifetime，butisthestored-upwealthandpowerofourrace。Evenamidstthedeathofsuccessivegenerationsitisconstantlyadvancingandaccumulating，exhibitingatthesametimetheweaknessandthepower，thelittlenessandthegreatnessofourcommonhumanity。Andnotonlydowewholivesucceedtotheactualresultsofourpredecessors’
labours，——totheirworksoflearningandofart，theirinventionsanddiscoveries，theirtoolsandmachines，theirroads，bridges，canals，andrailways，——buttotheinbornaptitudesofbloodandbrainwhichtheybequeathtous，tothat”educability，”sotospeak，whichhasbeenwonforusbythelaboursofmanygenerations，andformsourrichestnaturalheritage。
Thebeginningofmostinventionsisveryremote。Thefirstidea，bornwithinsomeunknownbrain，passesthenceintoothers，andatlastcomesforthcomplete，afteraparturition，itmaybe，ofcenturies。
Onestartstheidea，anotherdevelopesit，andsoonprogressivelyuntilatlastitiselaboratedandworkedoutinpractice；butthefirstnotlessthanthelastisentitledtohisshareinthemeritoftheinvention，wereitonlypossibletomeasureandapportionitduly。Sometimesagreatoriginalmindstrikesuponsomenewveinofhiddenpower，andgivesapowerfulimpulsetotheinventivefacultiesofman，whichlaststhroughgenerations。Morefrequently，however，inventionsarenotentirelynew，butmodificationsofcontrivancespreviouslyknown，thoughtoafew，andnotyetbroughtintopracticaluse。Glancingbackoverthehistoryofmechanism，weoccasionallyseeaninventionseeminglyfullborn，whensuddenlyitdropsoutofsight，andwehearnomoreofitforcenturies。Itistakenupdenovobysomeinventor，stimulatedbytheneedsofhistime，andfallingagainuponthetrack，herecoverstheoldfootmarks，followsthemup，andcompletesthework。
Thereisalsosuchathingasinventionsbeingbornbeforetheirtime——theadvancedmindofonegenerationprojectingthatwhichcannotbeexecutedforwantoftherequisitemeans；butindueprocessoftime，whenmechanismhasgotabreastoftheoriginalidea，itisatlengthcarriedout；andthusitisthatmoderninventorsareenabledtoeffectmanyobjectswhichtheirpredecessorshadtriedinvaintoaccomplish。AsLouisNapoleonhassaid，”Inventionsbornbeforetheirtimemustremainuselessuntilthelevelofcommonintellectsrisestocomprehendthem。”Forthisreason，misfortuneisoftenthelotoftheinventorbeforehistime，thoughgloryandprofitmaybelongtohissuccessors。Hencethegiftofinventingnotunfrequentlyinvolvesayokeofsorrow。Manyofthegreatestinventorshavelivedneglectedanddiedunrequited，beforetheirmeritscouldberecognisedandestimated。Eveniftheysucceed，theyoftenraiseuphostsofenemiesinthepersonswhosemethodstheyproposetosupersede。Envy，malice，anddetractionmeettheminalltheirforms；theyareassailedbycombinationsofrichandunscrupulouspersonstowrestfromthemtheprofitsoftheiringenuity；andlastandworstofall，thesuccessfulinventoroftenfindshisclaimstooriginalitydecried，andhimselfbrandedasacopyistandapirate。
Amongtheinventionsbornoutoftime，andbeforetheworldcouldmakeadequateuseofthem，wecanonlyfindspacetoalludetoafew，thoughtheyaresomanythatoneisalmostdisposedtoacceptthewordsofChaucerastrue，that”Thereisnothingnewbutwhathasoncebeenold；”or，asanotherwriterputsit，”Thereisnothingnewbutwhathasbeforebeenknownandforgotten；”or，inthewordsofSolomon，”Thethingthathathbeenisthatwhichshallbe，andthereisnonewthingunderthesun。”OneofthemostimportantoftheseistheuseofSteam，whichwaswellknowntotheancients；butthoughitwasusedtogrinddrugs，toturnaspit，andtoexcitethewonderandfearofthecredulous，alongtimeelapsedbeforeitbecameemployedasausefulmotive-power。Theinquiriesandexperimentsonthesubjectextendedthroughmanyages。FriarBacon，whoflourishedinthethirteenthcentury，seemsfullytohaveanticipated，inthefollowingremarkablepassage，nearlyallthatsteamcouldaccomplish，aswellasthehydraulicengineandthediving-bell，thoughtheflyingmachineyetremainstobeinvented：——”Iwillnow，”saystheFriar，”mentionsomeofthewonderfulworksofartandnatureinwhichthereisnothingofmagic，andwhichmagiccouldnotperform。Instrumentsmaybemadebywhichthelargestships，withonlyonemanguidingthem，willbecarriedwithgreatervelocitythaniftheywerefullofsailors。Chariotsmaybeconstructedthatwillmovewithincrediblerapidity，withoutthehelpofanimals。Instrumentsofflyingmaybeformed，inwhichaman，sittingathiseaseandmeditatingonanysubject，maybeattheairwithhisartificialwings，afterthemannerofbirds。Asmallinstrumentmaybemadetoraiseordepressthegreatestweights。Aninstrumentmaybefabricatedbywhichonemanmaydrawathousandmentohimbyforceandagainsttheirwill；asalsomachineswhichwillenablementowalkatthebottomofseasorriverswithoutdanger。”
ItispossiblethatFriarBaconderivedhisknowledgeofthepowerswhichhethusdescribedfromthetraditionshandeddownofformerinventionswhichhadbeenneglectedandallowedtofallintooblivion；forbeforetheinventionofprinting，whichenabledtheresultsofinvestigationandexperiencetobetreasuredupinbooks，therewasgreatriskoftheinventionsofoneagebeinglosttothesucceedinggenerations。YetDisraelitheelderisofopinionthattheRomanshadinventedprintingwithoutbeingawareofit；orperhapsthesenatedreadedtheinconveniencesattendingitsuse，anddidnotcaretodeprivealargebodyofscribesoftheiremployment。Theyevenusedstereotypes，orimmovableprinting-types，tostampimpressionsontheirpottery，specimensofwhichstillexist。InChinatheartofprintingisofgreatantiquity。LithographywaswellknowninGermany，bytheverynamewhichitstillbears，nearlythreehundredyearsbeforeSenefelderreinventedit；andspecimensoftheancientartareyettobeseenintheRoyalMuseumatMunich。*
[footnote……
EDOUARDFOURNIER，Vieux-Neuf，i。339。
Steam-locomotionbyseaandland，hadlongbeendreamtofandattempted。BlascodeGaraymadehisexperimentintheharbourofBarcelonaasearlyas1543；DenisPapinmadeasimilarattemptatCasselin1707；butitwasnotuntilWatthadsolvedtheproblemofthesteam-enginethattheideaofthesteam-boatcouldbedevelopedinpractice，whichwasdonebyMillerofDalswintonin1788。Sagesandpoetshavefrequentlyforeshadowedinventionsofgreatsocialmoment。ThusDr。Darwin’santicipationofthelocomotive，inhisBotanicGarden，publishedin1791，beforeanylocomotivehadbeeninvented，mightalmostberegardedasprophetic：
Soonshallthyarm，unconqueredSteam！afarDragtheslowbarge，anddrivetherapidcar。
DenisPapinfirstthrewouttheideaofatmosphericlocomotion；andGauthey，anotherFrenchman，in1782projectedamethodofconveyingparcelsandmerchandisebysubterraneoustubes，*
[footnote……
Memoiresdel’AcademiedesSciences，6Feb。1826。
afterthemethodrecentlypatentedandbroughtintooperationbytheLondonPneumaticDespatchCompany。TheballoonwasanancientItalianinvention，revivedbyMongolfierlongaftertheoriginalhadbeenforgotten。Eventhereapingmachineisanoldinventionrevived。ThusBarnabeGooge，thetranslatorofabookfromtheGermanentitled’ThewholeArteandTradeofHusbandrie，’publishedin1577，inthereignofElizabeth，speaksofthereaping-machineasaworn-outinvention——athing”whichwaswoonttobeusedinFrance。Thedevicewasalowekindeofcarrewithacoupleofwheeles，andthefruntarmedwithsharpesyckles，whiche，forcedbythebeastethroughthecorne，didcutdownalbeforeit。Thistricke，”saysGooge，”mightbeusedinlevellandchampioncountreys；butwithusitwoldemakebutill-favouredwoorke。”*
[footnote……
Farmer’sMagazine，1817，No。ixxi。291。
TheThamesTunnelwasthoughtanentirelynewmanifestationofengineeringgenius；butthetunnelundertheEuphratesatancientBabylon，andthatunderthewidemouthoftheharbouratMarseillesamuchmoredifficultwork，showthattheancientswerebeforehandwithusintheartoftunnelling。MacadamizedroadsareasoldastheRomanempire；andsuspensionbridges，thoughcomparativelynewinEurope，havebeenknowninChinaforcenturies。
Thereiseveryreasontobelieve——indeeditseemsclearthattheRomansknewofgunpowder，thoughtheyonlyuseditforpurposesoffireworks；whilethesecretofthedestructiveGreekfirehasbeenlostaltogether。Whengunpowdercametobeusedforpurposesofwar，inventionbusieditselfuponinstrumentsofdestruction。WhenrecentlyexaminingtheMuseumoftheArsenalatVenice，weweresurprisedtofindnumerousweaponsofthefifteenthandsixteenthcenturiesembodyingthemostrecentEnglishimprovementsinarms，suchasrevolvingpistols，rifledmuskets，andbreech-loadingcannon。
Thelatter，embodyingSirWilliamArmstrong’smodemidea，thoughinarudeform，hadbeenfishedupfromthebottomoftheAdriatic，wheretheshiparmedwiththemhadbeensunkhundredsofyearsago。EvenPerkins’ssteam-gunwasanoldinventionrevivedbyLeonardodaVinciandbyhimattributedtoArchimedes。*
[footnote……
Vieux-Neuf，i。228；InventaNova-Antiqua，742。
TheCongreverocketissaidtohaveanEasternorigin，SirWilliamCongrevehavingobserveditsdestructiveeffectswhenemployedbytheforcesunderTippooSaibintheMahrattawar，onwhichheadoptedandimprovedthemissile，andbroughtouttheinventionashisown。
Coal-gaswasregularlyusedbytheChineseforlightingpurposeslongbeforeitwasknownamongstus。HydropathywasgenerallypractisedbytheRomans，whoestablishedbathswherevertheywent。Evenchloroformisnonewthing。TheuseofetherasananaestheticwasknowntoAlbertusMagnus，whoflourishedinthethirteenthcentury；andinhisworkshegivesarecipeforitspreparation。In1681DenisPapinpublishedhisTraitedesOperationssansDouleur，showingthathehaddiscoveredmethodsofdeadeningpain。ButtheuseofanaestheticsismucholderthanAlbertusMagnusorPapin；fortheancientshadtheirnepentheandmandragora；theChinesetheirmayo，andtheEgyptianstheirhachischbothpreparationsofCannabisIndica，theeffectsofwhichinagreatmeasureresemblethoseofchloroform。Whatisperhapsstillmoresurprisingisthecircumstancethatoneofthemostelegantofrecentinventions，thatofsun-paintingbythedaguerreotype，wasinthefifteenthcenturyknowntoLeonardodaVinci，*
[footnote……
Vieux-Neuf，i。19。SeealsoInventaNova-Antiqua，803。
whoseskillasanarchitectandengraver，andwhoseaccomplishmentsasachemistandnaturalphilosopher，havebeenalmostentirelyovershadowedbyhisgeniusasapainter。*
[footnote……
Mr。Hallam，inhisIntroductiontotheHistoryofEurope，pronouncesthefollowingremarkableeulogiumonthisextraordinarygenius：——”Ifanydoubtcouldbeharboured，notonlyastotherightofLeonardodaVincitostandas’thefirstnameofthefifteenthcentury，whichisbeyondalldoubt，butastohisoriginalityinsomanydiscoveries，whichprobablynooneman，especiallyinsuchcircumstances，hasevermade，itmustbeonanhypothesisnotveryuntenable，thatsomepartsofphysicalsciencehadalreadyattainedaheightwhichmerebooksdonotrecord。””UnpublishedMSS。byLeonadocontaindiscoveriesandanticipationsofdiscoveries，”saysMr。
Hallam，”withinthecompassofafewpages，soastostrikeuswithsomethingliketheaweofpreternaturalknowledge。”