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。”