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invented a Contrivance for taking an exact Copy of a Sheet of Writing
in an instant, and I then immediately thought of these means of
doing it. Professor Sherber of Mittau, telling me that a man was
getting a Patent for this invention put me upon trying the Experiment.
I have not as yet turned it to any use as I have Irons —
enough in the fire without this. I may perhaps by & by.
Make Anderson have one of his ten Shillings Pressing Machines
made for you.
The Dr Lind who is gone to the East Indies had one of
those Tourmaline Stones set in a Ring. I can't say much
for the beauty of it, but he made a rare shew of it
by heating it with a red hot Poker and then shewing
its repellent property.
Franklyn's method of seasoning Timber has been practised in Holland and
from there communicated to the English as the method practised from May's
Experiment. It is however very different, & inferior in Effect from this last
mentioned method. His experiment like most others in the Navy languished
in England, and then came over to languish still more here in Petersburg.
The use of the length height of tube to force the solution into the Pores is new
to me, tho' analogous to contrivances for similar purposes which
I have had. I shod a priori doubt its effect as I see not how the
Air is to get out without which the solution can not get in, if the
fibres go the whole length it must be at the bottom of the piece
that the air is drawn out.
Don't think of Kruse as a Philosophical man or as one who can be of
the least use to me. He is a good sort of man enough so that I did prevail
upon myself to ask these questions for him thinking you might get them answered
without much trouble and that might also be of use to others of my friends
here. As it happens I am exceedingly glad you have answered them anything
indeed about Agriculture is a treasure but of this more in another
place. Kruse's chief merit is that he is father in Law to one of the best
Sea Officers in Europe, one whom as you may think, wod be a great
loss to his Country, that is if those on whom it depends in his Country
have sense & public Spirit enough to turn his abilities to good account.
Think not that my other friend lessens my attachment, regard &
good will towards this same Sailor. I am in hopes one time or other
to do him some essential Service as far as the good opinion of those out of
power here can be of use to him. I have been the means of his having that in a
greater degree, as to those that in anything said in his favour is but
encreasing the jealousy. I trust to your not letting him think that I forget
him because I don't write to him. No Sea Officer here is mentioned but what I
think & most times speak of him. My friend here, the only one in abilities
could be his rival, he has nothing to fear from . He is so circumstanced as
as not to think of ever being employed at Sea, & is become by any means as
much his friend as I am. To return to Kruse, he has been ill lately &
is gone with his wife, unmarried daughter & Miss Paris to his Estate in
Polish Lietland, & from thence goes to Spa for his health. L's Brother
is here, and has called on me twice, but he is nothing to be
compared to our friend; he had better get into the Land Service
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Identifier: | JB/539/099/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-10-14 |
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539 |
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099 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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