“One Mr. Weld, a rich philosopher, lived in Bloomsbury. He was single, and his house a sort of knick-knack-atary. Most of the ingenious persons about town, sometimes visited him; and, among the rest, (his Lordship) did suit and service there. “His Lordship was once invited to a philosophical meal, at the house of Mr. Evelyn at Deptford. The house was low, but elegantly set off with ornaments and quaint mottos at most turns; but, above all, his garden was exquisite, being all boscoresque. “He had a great value for Sir Jonas Moor, a capital mathematician, knowing well his worth and honesty, ... (he) once invited his Lordship to dine with him in the Tower, and, after dinner, presented Mr. Flamstead ... the star-gazer (who was) invited to come and see him.” He “had another virtuoso acquaintance in the Temple, one Mr. Ball ... one in the list of his Lordship’s ingenious acquaintance.” “And once, upon an invitation, his Lordship dined with Sir Samuel (Morland) at his house; and though his entertainment was exquisite, the greatest pleasure was to observe his devices; for every thing showed art and mechanism, as--1. A fountain in the room.--2. A cistern in his garret--supplying all parts of the house.--3. His coach was most particular.--4. A portable engine, moved by watch-work--it had a fire-place and grate,--cost £30. He took it with him in his own coach, and, at inns, he was his own cook.” These notices afford a glimpse of the early progress of mechanical science. To return to our remarks on the “Century;” two of the articles the Marquis borrowed, No. 21, “A Bucket fountain,” of which he obtained information at Rome; and No. 26, “A to and fro Lever,” which he saw at Venice. A great number refer to Cipher writing and means of holding secret correspondence, many of which contrivances depend on very slight modifications, so that, although only twenty-three are set down, he might very easily have enlarged this one subject tenfold, only to arrive at still more extended conclusions. His engine is noted under the articles Nos. 68, 98, and 100, as, _a fire water-work_; _a semi-omnipotent engine_; and _a stupendous water-work_. So that discarding 2, and reducing these three to one, will leave 96 inventions emanating from the Marquis. But a further reduction might be made, if we strike out the additions made to the list, thus: No. 9 is “a ship destroying engine,” but No. 10 is only the means whereby to fasten it; and No. 11, a mode of preventing the operation of the engine, in the hands of an enemy. Now in strictness the whole can only be considered as one invention. So likewise, in his improvements on Fire-arms; No. 61, is a way for Muskets, No. 62, for Harquebusses, and No. 63, for Sakers, &c. which again can but be taken as representing _one_ invention variously applied. These examples would remove four other inventions from the list, thereby reducing the number of inventions, due to the Marquis of Worcester in the Century, to 92. But this rather