charge
again upon him (by a person the highest in command) he still declined
it.

From that time he bent his thoughts on studies far more solid and
desirable to him; to views of public benefit: For his mind was ardently
devoted to the pursuit of general improvement. But, as one genius seldom
is adapted to both theory and practice; so in the execution of a variety
of undertakings, the most advantageous in themselves, by some
mismanagement of those concerned with him, he fail'd of the success his
labours merited.

As in particular, in an affair he set on foot about the year 1715, and
was the sole discoverer of, for which he had a patent; the making of an
Oil, as sweet as that from Olives, from the Beech-Nuts: But this being
an undertaking of a great extent, he was obliged to work conjointly with
other men's assistance, and materials; whence arose disputes among them,
which terminated in the overthrowing the advantage then arising from it;
which otherwise might have been great and lasting.

This, has occasioned that affair to be misunderstood by many; it
therefore may not be thought improper, here, to set it in a juster
light; and this cannot more exactly be given, than from his own words,
called, A fair state of the Account, published in the year 1716.

'An impartial state of the case, between the patentee, annuitants, and
sharers, in the Beech-Oil-Company.'--Some part of which is here
recited.

'The disappointments of the Beech-Oil-Company this year have made
abundance of sharers peevish; the natural effect of peevishness is
clamour, and clamour like a tide will work itself a passage, where it
has no right of flowing; some gentlemen, misled by false conceptions
both of the affair and its direction, have driven their discontent
through a mistaken chanel, and inclined abundance who are strangers to
the truth, to accuse the patentee of faults, he is not only absolutely
free from, but by which he is, of all concern'd, the greatest sufferer.

'But, he is not angry with the angry; he considers they must take things
as they hear them represented; he governs all his actions by this
general maxim; never to be moved at a reproach, unless it be a just one.

'In October 1713 the patentee procured a grant for fourteen years, to
him and his assigns, for the Beech-Oil invention.

'Anno 1714, he made and published proposals, for taking a subscription
of 20,000 l. upon the following conditions;

'That every subscriber should r