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ON LOCKS AND KEYS.

Previous to the reign of James I , there is littleor nothing on record relative to the inventions ofour forefathers, as every inventor (having no pro-tection, as we have under the patent laws,) keptthe secret of his invention to himself, in order tosecure the monopoly of the trade to his own exclu-sive benefit. On this account it is a most difficultmatter to fix the date or introduction of any par-ticular invention, not only in reference to locksand keys, but to nearly all scientific discoveries ofwhatever kind, as having taken place in any year,or even in any century. The moment protectionwas granted to the inventor, records of all theimprovements in the arts and sciences, whichsubsequently took place, abound.*

Since that period little difficulty exists for ascer-taining the exact date of all meritorious inventions;but from the above circumstance, it is not surprisingthat not a tittle of evidence can be found to provewhether the warded lock was the invention of anyperson in this kingdom, or whether it was introducedfrom some other country.

The fact of its being of great antiquity is provedfrom “ the representations of warded keys in earlymissals, and other MSS. since the commencementof the Christian era,” and the keys preserved in themetropolitan and provincial museums. Beyondthis nothing more can be said as to its origin.

* The first invention ever secured by law to the inventor, was for“ Engraving and Printing Maps,”—to Aaron Kathburne, and is datedMarch 2nd, 1617.