Notes.—“Of a verity, this is the age of invention.”—Scientific American.
“The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the achievements of any preceding century that it would be affectation of humility not to recognize and speak of them.”—Union Hand-*book, 1870.
“The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions.”—Chicago Republican, March 14, 1872.
“Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind as at the present day.”—Phrenological Journal, April, 1871.
“More has been done, richer and more prolific discoveries have been made, grander achievements have been realized, in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime than in all the previous lifetime of the race.”—London Spectator.
Some of the principal inventions and discoveries of modern times are the following:—
The balloon in 1798.
Gas for lighting purposes in 1798.
Cast-iron plow in 1800.
Steel pen in 1803.