American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-10-22
ADVERTIZING AGENCIES.

DA- We said something last week
about making our paper profoundly
interesting through the winter. Well,
we have mind to begin early /; and as
we have no disposition to dip deep into
politics-the pool is too rank and pu-
trid for our taste--we will try to inter-
est tho community in the matters of
practical, business, every day life
What say you to having history Of
the Patent Right business We have
ample materials here in Morgantown,
for such a history. Suppose we begin
with sketch of the number and kind
Of patents-and then give tho pros and
cons--the profits and losses of the sew
eral inventions-and find out, if We
can, their public utility, &c. Wouldn't
it be Interesting, as we'll as instructiue@
We are led to this train of thought
by reading chapter of work entitled
"a Practical Treatise on Business or
how to get. save, spend, give, lend, and
bequeath Money; with an inquiry into
the chances of success and causes of
failure in business: by e. 7. Freddy.
The chapter referred to, is on "get-
ting money by inventions, patent med
icines," &c, and cannot fail to be read
with interest, if not profit. Hero it
10 -
.It will be perceived that the number
Of patents, compared with the number
of applications, is as three to four,
nearly. / have had occasion to remark,
in previous reports, that the number of
patents cannot increase in proportion
to the number of applications. The
field of invention, in many Of its de-
partments, is limited, and every year
must necessarily circumscribe it still
more narrowly, leaving little to be in.
vented except what has been invented
previously. Although many inventors
are familiar with what has been done
in those branches of the arts to which
their attention has been directed, yet
tho number Of those not thus informed
is very great and as the field becomes
more and moro occupied, this latter
class can do little else than invent what
has been previously known, and their
exortion and sacrifice must finally end
in bitter disappointment. The spirit
of invention, although laudable in the
highest degree, appears to be stimula-
ted, in many cases, beyond a healthy
action; and many are aOaSting their
time and substance in attempts to i'm
prove branches Of the arts, with which,
in their full extent, they are unfsmil-
lar, and, in SO doing, produce what has
long since been exploded, or is already
in extensive use. AS many patentees
have been cminently successful, and as
n happy hit has sometimes brought
wealth and distinction, multit;aes are
induced to follow the example Of their
inventive predecessors, and ultimately
to find themselves less fortunate, if
not less capable, than those whom they
attempted to rival. The evils arising
from want Of information can never
be, in any considerable degree, rcmov-
ed. Something can and should be done
for the dissemination of knowledge !;
but knowledge sufficiently comprchen-
siye and minute to guard against the
reproduction of things old, and guide
uniformly, or generally, to that which
is new and useful, has never been Dos
scssed by Inventors as n class, and nov
or can be possessed except by compar.
atively fcw.'--Patent Office Report,
1S49-50. .a 1..n ~. ..-. .. ....'r
Discoveries in science, and inven.
tons in the arts, are scarcely within
our province. They have, however,
yielded large fortunes to few, are
prosecuted with ardor by many, and
arc looked up to by all as the safety
valve when the pressure Of competition
in. regular trade becomes too great
But theyaro exceptions to business rath-
or than business itself, and should be
regarded as such by all who have a
disposition for experiment. 1t is OK.
ccedingly imprudent for any one to
employ, in invention, any other than
his leisure time, without interference
with his regular pursuits; or to use, in
experiments, any other than his sur.
plus money, no matter how important
thc results, promise to be, IN the event
Of success. The risks arc TOO great
Not one in thousand proves profta.
BILE to tho inventor, and many a noble
Jbrt bay cfrari,I 80, AZ. .,,t