Mr. Felt's fund was subsequently increased by
additional loans, from several of the same patrons. One of these
gentlemen--Dr. G. Henry Lodge, of Swamscott, Massachusetts--contributed
with such generous liberality that he may justly be said to share with
the inventor the honor of having introduced this noble improvement in
the art of printing. I take off my hat to Maecenas. Dr. Lodge was led to
appreciate the need of such an improvement by personal experience in
publishing a large work, copies of which were gratuitously distributed
among various libraries in the Republic. Acquainted with the toil of a
printer's life, impelled by earnest love of real progress, and guided by
a sound, practical judgment, he was peculiarly well fitted for the
difficult province of directing the labors of an enthusiastic inventor.
His duty has been well performed. The success of Mr. Felt's undertaking
is due scarcely less to the pecuniary aid of all his patrons than to the
counsel and encouragement of this wise, liberal, and steadfast friend.
Thus aided, he has triumphed over all obstacles. Proceeding in a most
unostentatious manner, he has submitted his device to the inspection of
practical printers, and men of science, in various cities of the United
States and Great Britain, and has everywhere won approval. His first
patent was issued in 1854,--proceedings to obtain it having been
commenced in the preceding year. Meanwhile he has organized a wealthy
and influential company, for the purpose of manufacturing the machines
and bringing them into general use. One of them has been built at
Providence, Rhode Island, but the manufactory will be in Salem,
Massachusetts, where the company has been formed.

The merits of Mr. Felt's machine are manifold. It is comparatively
simple in construction, it is strongly made and durable, it cannot
easily get out of order, and it does its work thoroughly. All that is
required of the operator is to read the copy and touch the keys. The
processes proceed, then, as of their own accord. But the supreme
excellence of the machine is that _it justifies the matter which it
sets_. The possibility of doing this by machinery has always been
doubted, if not entirely disbelieved, from an erroneous idea that the
process must be directed by immediate intelligence. Mr. Felt's invention
demonstrates that this operation is clearly within the scope of
machinery; that there is no need of a machine with brains, for setting
or just