Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/265

208  so easy that a woman could take a ship to Calcutta. He had been fifty years in that service, and largely expatiated on the improvements in navigating since the introduction of timepieces. This was in 1812, and he spoke from an experience of thirty years practice with chronometers.

Some remarks are added, denoting Lieutenant Howe's dissent from Mr. Croker's opinion on the points at issue; who he thinks lays more stress on scientific accomplishments, than on the practical utility that outweighs them.

 

There was a line of demarcation between him and the genius whom he would have demolished, if he could, which he could never approach. Let us hear a contemporary, in some prefatory remarks on Cumming's Elements of Clock and Watchwork.—Many improvements were made both in principles and practice; towards which the ingenious M. Huygens, Dr. Hook, Mr. Tompion, Mr. Graham, and many others greatly contributed [here some improvements are enumerated, and it continues] many curious and ingenious engines, tools, and instruments, were invented for performing various parts of the work with more correctness and expedition; but still numerous defects remained both in principles and practice; and defects ever will remain in all human performances. 