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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Bentham to Dr Roget. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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Bentham to Dr Roget.

“Queen’s Squares Place,Westminster,
Thursday,September 4th, 1800.

“Dear Sir,—

It is with no small satisfaction I avail myself of your obliging permission (received through Mr Romilly) to cast my crudities upon your indulgence. Even in the course of this very letter, I must trust to the same indulgence for tolerating incoherence, the better part of my attention being called aside by matters of superior moment, as well as pressure, and my mind enfeebled by some years of oppression, and ill qualified to sustain these or indeed any other burthens.

“The catch-word (you will find) is Frigidarium, a sort of ice-house, for the purpose of preserving fermentable substances of all sorts, from prejudicial fermentation, by excluding the degree of heat necessary to that process. The commercial plan therein deducible includes, you see, all provisions except grain, with different degrees of advantage.

“In one of the sheets you will see such facts as it has come in my way to collect in a course of casual reading of four or five years.

“That by the means in question, all fermentable substances may be kept from all distinguished species of fermentation, putrefaction included, seems out of all doubt: but whether from all changes perceptible to the palate, is a matter that I suppose remains to be tried. If not already ascertained, I make no doubt of your agreeing with me that the point is worth the trial in every point of view, philosophical as well as commercial not excepted.

“While simple absence of heat (an effect so easily obtained) promised so much, and (as far as resorted to,) in a sufficient degree performed, what weakness to have recourse to the inadequate expedient of mixtures, as by salting, &c., or even the deteriorative expedient of removal of moisture by heat, solution in air, pressure, or otherwise.

“Freezing keeps animal substances estable for any length of time, as is known by universal practice throughout the Russian empire; but not altogether, I understand, without prejudice to flavour: but, by freezing, the texture is quite broken up and destroyed.

“The object is to keep the subject-matter unfrozen in a temperature not higher (say) than 36. This equability may be preserved, (by an adequate magazine of ice throughout the year,) I suppose, in the air of the Frigidarium, and, without doubt, (I imagine,) in what I call the Balneum, viz. under water.

“In cellars, joints of meat are kept for six or eight weeks, I believe, even in summer time. This, as far as it goes, proves in favour of the project, and proves nothing against it where cellars fail; the temperature of a cellar in summer being hardly below 50.

“You will see various paragraphs relative to a Tepidarium, and to contrivances for preserving different degrees of temperature in a regular scale. All these experiments I should have tried together, had fortune favoured: as it is, I must confine myself, for the present at least, to the most simple and most profitable, with a view to practice and commercial profit, as above. In the choice of the subject-matter of philosophization, the principle of utility—your old acquaintance, has been my guide. I leave it to Mr Tonorant to employ gold in the destruction of diamonds.

“You will see abundance of repetitions, and not a few absurdities: but to expunge them, would have taken up more time than I can spare.

“My Frigidarium I think of making semi-globular, (or rather a frustum of a globe mounted on a cylinder,) about sixteen feet diameter clear in the inside: estimated expense, by an able and confidential architect, about £170. It will form a mount in my garden, and will be pretty well shaded by tall trees. Vessels and instruments may make up the expense, say £250: and subject-matter of experiment for the twelvemonth, perhaps £100 more. Some rough graphical sketches of the Frigidarium (not by the architect, as you will perceive) may perhaps be with the rest of the papers.

“In case of success on this gally-pot scale, I have a situation at command extremely well adapted to the purpose of carrying it on upon the commercial scale, and a plan of architecture invented by my friend above-mentioned, (Mr Bunce, architect to the Naval Works,) which promises to reduce very considerably the expense on that score, viz. a means of making a concave semi-globular arch: in a word, a dome without the scaffolding, called centering.

“The grounds in respect of supposed or known matter-of-fact of the projected course of experiment are contained in the sheet of Collectanea, which, therefore, I would recommend to be the first read.

“The number of sheets sent is thirteen. I send the copies as most legible, but have not had time to revise them. Of a few of the sheets which I could least bear to lose, I have taken copies.

“Now, then, as to my views in troubling you with these papers:

“1. Does any matter-of-fact or consideration present itself to you as opposing an insuperable bar to success?

“2. Item, anything as necessary or particularly conducive to success?

“3. Does the course of experiments and observations I think to engage in, (unless you should show cause to the contrary,) strike you as sufficiently interesting in any point of view, to produce an inclination on your part to observe and attend the progress of them?

“4. Could you make it convenient to give me your company at the time of planning the building and other arrangements?—a business which could not, I think, well be deferred (in respect of the season and weather) beyond the first week in October. I feel much the want of a confidential friend, whose sympathetic zeal might animate my languor, and to whose information and intelligence I might look for a supply of my own deficiencies.

“Even in the paper of the latest date, you will find the arrangements in a very crude and imperfect state. As yet, I have given none but superficial glances. The business has never yet been the order of the day. I have never yet applied to it seriously: but I hope to be able to do so in less than a fortnight. In less than three weeks I expect the architect, who is now at Plymouth upon duty in the same party with your cousin Romilly.

“By the very next opportunity after this comes to hand, I would beg a line from you, if it were only just to let me know of its arriving safe: if you had time to glance over the papers, so much the better. I could wish at first to have the picture of first impressions: and afterwards, when you have had time, the result of your maturer thoughts.

“I hope Mr Romilly conveyed in due season my thanks for the favour of your instructive letter relative to the wonder-working gas: I see an advertisement of a new and larger volume on the subject by Mr Davy. I left your uncle on Sunday in the declared intention of setting out on the then next, and now last Tuesday, bag and baggage, household and all, on his excursion to the Isle of Wight. Believe me, &c.”

Dr Roget answers:—