essays-1-第68章

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th　water；　and　then　formed　into　balls　of　the　size　of　hens　eggs；　and　thoroughly　dried；　might　be　used　with　great　advantage　instead　of　wood　for　kindling　fires。　　These　kindling　balls　may　be　made　so　inflammable　as　to　take　fire　in　an　instant　and　with　the　smallest　spark；　by　dipping　them　in　a　strong　solution　of　nitre　and　then　drying　them　again；　and　they　would　neither　be　expensive　nor　liable　to　be　spoiled　by　long　keeping。　　Perhaps　a　quantity　of　pure　charcoal　reduced　to　a　very　fine　powder　and　mixed　with　the　solution　of　nitre　in　which　they　are　dipped　would　render　them　still　more　inflammable。

I　have　often　wondered　that　no　attempts　should　have　been　made　to　improve　the　fires　which　are　made　in　the　open　Chimnies　of　elegant　apartments；　by　preparing　the　fuel；　for　nothing　surely　was　ever　more　dirty；　inelegant；　and　disgusting　than　a　common　coal　fire。

Fire　balls　of　the　size　of　goose　eggs；　composed　of　coal　and　charcoal　in　powder；　mixed　up　with　a　due　proportion　of　wet　clay；　and　well　dried；　would　make　a　much　more　cleanly；　and　in　all　respects　a　pleasanter　fire　than　can　be　made　with　crude　coals；　and　I　believe　would　not　be　more　expensive　fuel。　　In　Flanders　and　in　several　parts　of　Germany；　and　particular　in　the　Dutchies　of　Juliers　and　Bergen；　where　coals　are　used　as　fuel；　the　coals　are　always　prepared　before　they　are　used；　by　pounding　them　to　a　powder；　and　mixing　them　up　with　an　equal　weight　of　clay；　and　sufficient　quantity　of　water　to　form　the　whole　into　a　mass　which　is　kneaded　together　and　formed　into　cakes；　which　cakes　are　afterwards　well　dried　and　kept　in　a　dry　place　for　use。　And　it　has　been　found　by　long　experience　that　the　expense　attending　this　preparation　is　amply　repaid　by　the　improvement　of　the　fuel。　　The　coals；　thus　mixed　with　the　clay；　not　only　burn　longer；　but　give　much　more　heat　than　when　they　are　burnt　in　their　crude　state。

It　will　doubtless　appear　extraordinary　to　those　who　have　not　considered　the　subject　with　some　attention；　that　the　quantity　of　heat　produced　in　the　combustion　of　any　quantity　of　coals　should　be　increased　by　mixing　the　coals　with　clay；　which　is　certainly　an　incombustible　body；but　the　phenomenon　may；　I　think；　be　explained　in　a　satisfactory　manner。

The　heat　generated　in　the　combustion　of　any　small　particle　of　coal　existing　under　two　distinct　forms；　namely；　in　that　which　is　COMBINED　with　the　flame　and　smoke　which　rise　from　the　fire；　and　which　if　means　are　not　found　to　stop　it；　goes　off　immediately　by　the　Chimney　and　is　lost；and　the　RADIANT　HEAT　which　is　sent　off　from　the　fire；　in　all　directions　in　right　lines：I　think　it　reasonable　to　conclude；　that　the　particles　of　clay　which　are　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　the　flame　arrest　a　part　at　least　of　the　combined　heat；　and　prevent　its　escape；　and　this　combined　heat；　so　arrested；　heating　the　clay　red　hot；　is　retained　in　it；　and　being　changed　by　this　operation　to　radiant　heat；　is　afterwards　emitted；　and　may　be　directed；　and　employed　to　useful　purposes。

In　composing　fire　balls；　I　think　it　probable　that　a　certain　proportion　of　chaffof　straw　cut　very　fine；　or　even　saw　dust；　might　be　employed　with　great　advantage。　　I　wish　those　who　have　leisure　would　turn　their　thoughts　to　this　subject；　for　I　am　persuaded　that　very　important　improvements　would　result　from　a　thorough　investigation　of　it。


CONTENTS　of　ESSAY　V。

A　SHORT　ACCOUNT　of　SEVERAL　PUBLIC　INSTITUTIONS　Lately　formed　in　Bavaria。　together　with　the　APPENDIX　to　the　FIRST　VOLUME。

Account　I　　A　Short　Account　of　the　military　academy　at　munich

Account　II　　An　account　of　the　means　used　to　improve　the　bread　of　horses；　　　　and　horned　cattle；　in　Bavaria　and　the　Palatinate。

Account　III　　An　account　of　the　measures　adopted　for　putting　an　end　to　usury　at　　　　Munich。

Account　IV　　An　account　of　a　scheme　for　employing　the　soldiery　in　Bavaria　in　　　　repairing　the　highways　and　public　roads。

APPENDIX

No。　I　　Address　and　petition　to　all　inhabitants　and　citizens　of　Munich；　　　　in　the　name　of　the　real　poor　and　distressed。

No。　II　　Subscription　lists　distributed　among　the　inhabitants　of　Munich；　　　in　the　month　of　January　1790；　when　the　establishment　for　the　　　relief　of　the　poor　in　that　city　was　formed。

No。　III　　An　account　of　the　receipts　and　expenditures　of　the　institution　　　　for　the　poor　at　Munich　during　five　years。

No。　IV　　Certificate　relative　to　the　expence　of　fuel　in　the　public　kitchen　　　　of　the　military　workhouse　at　Munich。

No。　V　　Printed　form　for　the　descriptions　of　the　poor。

No。　VI　　Printed　form　for　spin…tickets；　such　as　are　used　at　the　military　　　　workhouse　at　Munich。

No。　VII　　An　Account　of　experiments　made　at　the　bakehouse　of　the　military　　　　workhouse　at　Munich；　November　the　4th　and　5th；　1794。

No。　VIII　　Account　of　the　persons　in　the　house　of　industry　in　Dublin　the　　　　30th　of　April　1796；　and　of　the　details　of　the　manner　and　expence　　　　of　feeding　them。

No。　IX　　An　account　of　an　experiment　made　（under　the　direction　of　the　　　　author；）　in　the　kitchen　of　the　house　of　industry　at　Dublin；　　　　in　cooking　for　the　poor。


ESSAY　V。

A　short　Account　of　the　MILITARY　ACADEMY　at　MUNICH。

Though　it　is　certain　that　too　much　learning　is　rather　disadvantageous　than　otherwise　to　the　lower　classes　of　the　people；that　the　introduction　of　a　spirit　of　philosophical　investigation；literary　amusement；and　metaphysical　speculation　among　those　who　are　destined　by　fortune　to　gain　their　livelihood　by　the　sweat　of　their　brow；　rather　tends　to　make　them　discontented　and　unhappy；　than　to　contribute　any　thing　to　their　real　comfort　and　enjoyments；　yet　there　appears；　now　and　then；　a　native　genius　in　the　most　humble　stations；　which　it　would　be　a　pity　not　to　be　able　to　call　forth　into　activity。　　It　was　principally　with　a　view　to　bring　forward　such　extraordinary　talents；　and　to　employ　them　usefully　in　the　public　service；　that　the　Military　Academy　at　Munich　was　instituted。　This　Academy；　which　consists　of　180　eleves　or　pupils；　is　divided　into　three　classes。　　The　first　class；　which　is　designed　for　the　education　of　orphans　and　other　children　of　the　poorer　class　of　Military　Officers；　and　those　employed　in　the　Civil　Departments　of　the　State；　consists　of　thirty　pupils；　who　are　received　gratis；　from　the　age　of　eleven　to　thirteen　years；　and　who　remain　in　the　Academy　for　years。　　The　second　class；　which　is　designed　to　assist　the　poorer　nobility；　and　less　opulent　among　the　merchants；　citizens；　and　servants　of　government；　in　giving　their　sons　a　good　general　education；　consists　of　sixty　pupils；　who　are　received　from　the　age　of　eleven　to　fifteen　years；　and　who　pay　to　the　Academy　twelve　florins　a　month；　for　which　sum　they　are　fed；　clothed；　and　instructed。　　The　third　class；　consisting　of　ninety　pupils；　from　the　age　of　fifteen　to　twenty　years；　who　are　all　admitted　gratis；　is　designed　to　bring　forward　such　youths　among　the　lower　classes　of　the　people　as　show　evident　signs　of　UNCOMMON　TALENTS　and　genius；　joined　to　a　sound　constitution　of　body；　and　a　good　moral　character。

All　Commanding　Officers　of　regiments；　and　Public　Officers　in　Civil　departments；　and　all　Civil　Magistrates；　are　authorised　and　INVITED　to　recommend　subjects　for　this　class　of　the　Academy；　and　they　are　not　confined　in　their　choice　to　any　particular　ranks　of　society；　but　they　are　allowed　to　recommend　persons　of　the　lowest　extraction；　and　most　obscure　origin。　　Private　soldiers；　and　the　children　of　soldiers；　and　even　the　children　of　the　meanest　mechanics　and　day…labourers；　are　admissible；　provided　they　possess　the　necessary　requisites；　namely；　VERY　EXTRAORDINARY　NATURAL　GENIUS；　a　healthy　constitution；　and　a　good　character；　but　if　the　subject　recommended　should　be　found　wanting　in　any　of　these　requisite　qualifications；　he　would　not　only　be　refused　admittance　into　the　Academy；　but　the　person　who　recommended　him　would　be　very　severely　reprimanded。

The　greatest　severity　is　necessary　upon　these　occasions；　otherwise　it　would　be　impossible　to　prevent　abuses。　　An　establishment；　designed　for　the　encouragement　of　genius；　and　for　calling　forth　into　public　utility　talents　which　would　otherwise　remain　buried　and　lost　in　obscurity；　would　soon　become　a　job　for　providing　for　relations　and　dependants。

One　circumstance；　relative　to　the　internal　arrangement　of　this　Academy；　may；　perhaps；　be　though　not　unworthy　of　be