[Illustration: _Sir W. Beechy._ _I. J. Hinchliff._ _James Watt._] A HISTORY OF INVENTIONS, DISCOVERIES, AND ORIGINS. BY JOHN BECKMANN, PROFESSOR OF ŒCONOMY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN, BY WILLIAM JOHNSTON. Fourth Edition, CAREFULLY REVISED AND ENLARGED BY WILLIAM FRANCIS, Ph.D., F.L.S., EDITOR OF THE CHEMICAL GAZETTE; AND J. W. GRIFFITH, M.D., F.L.S., LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. VOL. II. LONDON: HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1846. PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN E. TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. CONTENTS. Page The Steam-Engine, and Discoveries of James Watt v Lending and Pawnbroking 1 Chemical Names of Metals 23 Zinc 32 Carp 46 Camp-mills 55 Mirrors 56 Glass-cutting. Etching on Glass 84 Soap 92 Madder 108 Jugglers, Rope-dancers, Automata, etc. 115 Artificial Ice. Cooling Liquors 142 Hydrometer 161 Lighting of Streets 172 Night-watch 185 Plant-skeletons 195 Bills of Exchange 203 Tin. Tinning 206 Sowing-machines 230 Manganese 235 Prince Rupert’s Drops. Lacrymæ Vitreæ 241 Fire-engines 245 Indigo 258 Vanes. Weathercocks 281 Gilding 290 Fur Dresses 296 Steel 324 Stamping-works 333 Kitchen Vegetables 336 Knitting Nets and Stockings. Stocking-Loom 355 Hops 376 Black Lead 388 Sal-Ammoniac 396 Forks 407 Lottery. Tontine 414