e enough, and, having but two
lenses, one of which is a thin concave, it exhibits the object with
greater brightness, and therefore ought to have been preferred for
this purpose. It seems strange also, that, to ease the operator, it
has never been contrived to exhibit the fixed spectrum on the
principle of a portable camera, so that, without wearying the eye, the
changes of the distant telegraph might have been exhibited on a plain
surface, and seen with both eyes like the leaf of a book. The
application of optical instruments, between a fixed station and fixed
object, ought to have been made in an appropriate manner, and not
influenced by the practices which prevail in regard to moveable
telescopes for various objects.

I have long thought that a system of telegraphs for domestic purposes
would constitute one perfection of civilization in any country.
Multifarious are the occasions in which individual interests require
that events should be communicated with telegraphic celerity. Shipping
concerns alone would keep telegraphs constantly at work, between all
the ports of the kingdom and Lloyd's coffee-house; and commerce would
be essentially served, if, during 'Change-hours at London, Bristol,
Liverpool, Hull, and Glasgow, communications could be interchanged
relative to the state of markets, purchases, sales, and other
transactions of business. How convenient too would be such a rapid
intercourse between London and country bankers, in regard to balances,
advances, and money transactions; how desirable in law business
between London and country practitioners; and how important in cases
of bankruptcy or insolvency! In family concerns, notices of deaths,
births, accidents, progressive sickness, &c. it would often be deeply
interesting. The state of elections, the issues of lawsuits,
determinations of the legislature, questions for answers, and
numberless events of more or less importance, would occur sufficient
to keep telegraphs in constant requisition, and abundantly repay the
cost of maintaining them. A guinea might be paid per hundred miles,
for every five or six words, which, in matters of private concern,
might, by pre-concert, be transmitted in cypher. Instead of sixty-four
telegraphs, we might then require five hundred, and an establishment
costing 100,000_l._ per annum; yet five hundred messages and replies
per day, between different parts of the kingdom, taken at 2_l._ each,
would in two hundred and fifty days p