Genre:

Miscellaneous

Subjects:

Industrial Chemistry, Nationalism, Invention, Internationalism

    The article briefly describes various means used by the Parisians to black boots, before the importation of British blacking. After using British blacking for some years, the narrator reports, '[t]he spirit of nationality at length exerted itself, and the Parisians [...] began to analyse and compose and decompose, until they produced something which the Academy of Sciences pronounced worthy of adoption. With all the pomp of French philanthropy this great discovery is now given to the world for its benefit and instruction' (256).