Remarks on the preceding Letters.

The first of the letters which we insert this week, is (like others which have preceded it) deserving of attention, chiefly on account of certain prevailing prejudices which it embodies on the subject of Patents, and which it is desirable to have removed before the proposed appeal is made to the legislature. Many are the persons, who, like "Moderor," set great store upon "the dignity," which a patent confers; some because, in the simplicity of their hearts, they imagine that whatever His Majesty is pleased to honour with his "Royal Letters Patent," must necessarily be possessed of extraordinary merit, and others because they find the mere title so powerful an auxiliary in procuring for an article of pretension, an extensive sale. That such persons should think so useful a 66 nity" worth paying a good deal for, is extremely natural; but it is also obvious, that those are likely to care least about the money it costs, who have no other claim to it than what a heavy purse confers. Neither is it to be expected that individuals who are already in the enjoyment of this said "dignity," should be desirous of seeing it brought, by a diminution in the price, within the reach of every body. The opposition, or at least lukewarm support, of such persons, to any measure for

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reforming the existing system, is to be looked for as a matter of course. But what, in sober truth, is this "dignity" so much vaunted and so much prized? A few words will suffice to shew that it is all moonshine. Patents are granted to any body and for any thing, no mats ter how trivial, absurd, or useless; they are obtained for the asking and paying the customary fees; considerations of merit or utility form no part of the affair; even the originality of an invention is a point never mooted unless there is some rival claimant in the field; all the enquiry which, in nine cases out of ten, you need prepare yourself to answer satisfactorily, is:-"Have you got 315l. 6s. 8d. (or some such sum). "Moderor" assumes that the legislature made the expense of patents so considerable, expressly with a viewof excluding from the benefit of them all "trivial and unimportant inventions," which are "not of sufficient consequence," &c. "Moderor" does the legislature great injustice. His assumption supposes that the legislature was either so unjust as deliberately to make one law for the rich and another for the poor, or so stupid as not to see that there may be rich fools as well as poor ones-men with a million as capable of devising things "trivial and unimportant," as men with but a crucible and lamp for their whole estate. The fact is, that the legislature had nothing to do with fixing the expense of patents. The fees payable on these grants had, like the grants themselves, their source and authority in that royal prerogative, which existed long before parliaments were known, and which parliamentary control has scarcely yet reduced within proper limits. Originate, however, as it may, it is certain that the high expense of patents has never prevented an abundance of "trivial and unimportant" ones from being taken out; the majority of patents in fact are generally of this description. Judg ing, therefore, by the effect which it has had, we are entitled to say, that the security which it is supposed to furnish against an abuse of the

privilege, is of nó manner of use, and furnishes no reason whatever for its continuance.

The general grounds on which the petitioners against these laws will go to Parliament, are at once so simple and so cogent, that one would imagine they only require to be stated, to obtain for them the relief they want. They have to complain, in the first place, that they are taxed in the exercise and enjoyment of their property (for an invention is as much a matter of property as any thing else) beyond what any other individuals taxed; and in the next place, that the nation loses by their being so taxed, a thousand times more than the King's officers gain, (for it is into their pockets, and not into the public chest, the money goes) since the tax is one upon that faculty of invention which is the most fertile of all the sources of national prosperity.

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The suggestion of "Moderor," as to the propriety of holding the proposed meeting in the theatre of the London Mechanics' Institution, will, we doubt not, be adopted. The meeting is, we understand, likely to take place in the course of the ensuing week, and will most probably be announced in the Times of Monday next.

The letter of "Junius" refers to a minor point of grievance-the hazard to which an inventor is exposed between the period of entering a caveat and taking out a patent-but one which it will be well to provide against in any general plan of remodelling the Patent Laws.

We suspect that the best remedy would be, to do away with caveats and probationary periods altogether. We are convinced that much harm is frequently done, by persons entering caveats for things as actually invented, which they only imagine may be invented, or are endeavouring to invent. Somtimes they deter, by such positive announcements, persons far abler than themselves, from prosecuting useful courses of enquiry, or as is more often the case, they contrive, by putting a bold face on their pretensions, when

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the efforts of others have been crowned with success, to come in for a share of inventions to which they could never legitimately have had any claim. The specification should, we think, be lodged at once, and stand for what is its worth. It would of course specify all the claimant knew at the time, and all therefore that he has a right to at the time. Patents would then be on the same footing as copyrights; and the nearer they can be assimilated to these, in all respects, the better.

Erratum.-In last Number, page 327, 2d col. line 19, dele “peaceful." EDITOR.

FEMALE ATTENDANCE ON ANA

TOMICAL LECTURES.

May 22, 1827. Sir,-Friend" Platinum's" piece of information, that Dr. Birkbeck had intimated, that, in his four first lectures on anatomy, "nothing would be introduced that would render the absence of females

necessary," comes rather too late to prevent the severe censure which I believe has been pretty generally passed upon them for their attendance thereat; and moreover, before the circumstance of Dr. Birkbeck's having made this notification can act as an extenuation of their conduct, he must prove that it was known to them before they ventured to

exhibit themselves as listeners to his lectures; till this is done, friend Platinum's attempt stands them in no stead. 1 do not wish, Sir, to occupy unnecessarily any portion of your space, but I must take leave to correct a false statement which Platinum has made with respect to the attendance of women at the third lecture, which he says did not exceed one or two; and upon this assertion he pronounces my inference, or, as he has it, prophecy, to be a very unfortunate one. Now, instead of there being only one or two present, there were nine ;* I counted them (which I am content to suppose P. did not), and am quite certain of the truth of what I say.

Platinum says, that " I obligingly Committee." I can assure him, that I complimented the good sense of the intended no compliment, neither was my "broad bint" levelled at the Commit

tee, but at those females who attended

*T. M. B. and H. Massingham give precisely the same number.-EDIT.

we

[As there seems every probability of the ladies taking the hint given them, it would savour of needless severity to insert any of the other communications to the same effect which we have received on the subject. It is but fair, however, to notice what "one of the sex " offers in extenuation of their conduct"You may be sure," she says, did not go without male attendants (who are, at least, as much to blame as we), and you cannot be sure that we were all told what the Doctor was to lecture about (in which case we were not to blame at all). I can say, for one, that I knew nothing of the subject to be discussed, till I saw it before me; and shall never forgive the stupid fool who invited me to be the spectator of such a spectacle." -EDIT.]

ON M. AMPERE'S THEORY OF ELECTRO-MAGNETISM.

(Concluded from page 244.) Another remarkable property peculiar to electricity and magnetism, is repulsion, which, in the former, takes place between bodies similarly electrified, and, in the latter, between the corresponding poles of magnets:

This repulsion might be satisfactorily accounted for, if we supposed the corresponding poles of magnets to be possessed of similar electricity; but this, it would seem, is not the case: for a magnet, being suspended by a thread, and brought near the prime conductor of an electrical machine, will have both poles equally attracted.

M. Ampère advances, that "all magnetic bodies derive their magnetic properties from currents of electricity continually circulating among the parts of which they are composed;" and that this electri

city is in one pole negative, and in the other positive. But both poles of a magnet are equally attracted, as well by the prime conductor of an electrical machine as by a stick of excited sealing-wax; which would not be the case, if the two poles of a magnet were in a dissimilar state of electricity; for, under such circumstances, one pole would be attracted, and the other repelled.

I shall conclude this paper by stating a few questions, which, perhaps, will be satisfactorily answered by the supporters of the theory of electro-magnetism.

I. Why may not all conductors of electricity be rendered magnetic ?

II. Why is the magnetic attraction not accompanied by any appearance of the "fluid," as is invariably the case in electric attraction ?

III. Why is the attractive power of a magnet not weakened, or destroyed by the exercise of that power? or, whence proceeds the continual supply of the magnetic " fluid?"

Your constant Reader,

A. L. A.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. We have received from G. B., Aquarius, and F. S., three different plans for repairing the disaster which has befallen the Thames Tunnel; but as Mr. Brunel has announced in the newspapers that he has already received more advice on the subject than he has any occasion for, we are afraid it would be to little purpose to insert any of them. We shall, however, look into the subject next week.

"Kitty Curious's" Epistle did not come to hand till the subject to which it refers had been disposed of (see the preceding columns).

W. Dowling-not for some time.'

Communications received from Philippos-Dr. Gregory-Glevum-R. W. A. B. C.-Proposer-A Constant G-A. Z.-Mr. John Davy-W. James

Reader-G. S.

Communications (post paid) to be addressed to the Editor, at the Publishers', KNIGHT and LACEY, 55, Paternoster-Row, London. Printed by Duckworth & Ireland, 76, Fleet-st.