PREFACE.

I see no more reason why the lowly status original: "sordidness" of some workmen should cause manual operations to be held in contempt, than that the excellent invention of a mill should be despised because a blind horse pulls it. And though the Mechanics In this context, "Mechanics" refers to the manual arts, crafts, and the skilled application of tools, rather than the modern branch of physics. are considered by some to be undignified and shameful, it is very well known that many gentlemen in this nation of high rank and quality are practiced in handy-works. Other nations exceed us in the number of such people. Their minds and bodies find how pleasant and healthy this diversion is, and all serious men may judge how harmless and honest it is.

That geometry, astronomy, perspective, music, navigation, architecture, and so on, are excellent sciences, all who know even their names will confess. Yet for what purpose would geometry serve if it were not to devise rules for handy-works? Or how could astronomy be known to any perfection except by instruments made by hand? What perspective The art of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface to create an illusion of depth. should we have to delight our sight? What music to delight our ears? What navigation to guard and enrich our country? Or what architecture to defend us from the discomforts of different weather without manual operations? Or how wasted and useless would many of the products of this and other countries be if it were not for manufactures?

To dive into the origins of the mechanics is impossible, therefore I shall not attempt it. I shall only say that it is reasonable to think that the mechanics began with man. He is the only creature upon whom nature has imposed the most necessity to use it, whom she has endowed with the greatest reason to devise it, and whom she has equipped with the most suitable limbs original: "Members" (as instruments) to perform it.