Elliſtillºtillºtillrinitiºn.
HINTIII

THE
DOWNFALL OF A LL -
FA L S R W R IT E R S ;
A copy of A LETTER
SENT TO
EARL GREY.
On the 16th of August, 1832.
To be laid before the King and the Nobles, and all the World.
The same to the Duke of Northumberland and Lord John
Russell, and Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart., M. P.
The defeat of all false ſhilosophers and false religions, and all false wri-
ters, such as Novels, which cannot belong to the shirit of the true God,
whoſe author is the Devil.
BY W. MARTIN, ANTI-NEWTONIAN, WALLSEND,
NEWCASTLE:
PRINTED BY W. FORDY CE, D3AN-STREET.
-



1832.
.
-º
- ---
º
LETTER TO EARL GREY.
MY LORD–I understand that Lord Brougham
is a Unitarian, that was the reason he sent my valu-
able work back again, as it cut up their ignolant
religion, and sent it uncovered, but I must inform
the British Government that every man that holds
a situation in it, has he not to take an oath to be
'true to church and state 2 and is not this a Christian
Government 2 so those who do not agree with the
Christian principles of religion, they take a false
oath. A Unitarian cannot be a Christian, when he
wishes to bring in Christ our beloved Lord as a
mere man, born in sin like ourselves, as if our mo-
thers were pure virgins, and denying the doctrines
of Christ and his Apostles. If the Unitarian reli-
gion be right, the Bible and Testament are nothing
but lies; for all scriptures of truths are wrote by the
pen of inspiration, sent forth by the spirit of God,
which is the same as God himself, and God cannot
lie. Then whether are we to believe God or the
devil P He was a liar from the foundation of the
world. I understand Sir Isaac Newton was a Uni-
tarian, as he was thought the greatest philosopher
on earth by extreme ignorance, and never had the
ingenuity to discover air to be the great perpetual
cause of all nature's laws, nor no one else to know
the cause of all effects. But now it is discovered,
and never will be concealed any more by the will
of God; and proved him the greatest impost or
that ever the sky did cover. So the Unitarian
religion is as false as their philosophy, and their
books must all go to the flames along with all
other false works; if they cannot prove ſile a false
r
G, P.

4

philosopher, and that is impossible—the great
God will not allow it. Another thing l shall
state for the public good: all novels that have
been written ever since the creation, are nothing
but lies, so they belong to the devil, and silly
minded people taking more delight in their false
works than the pure word of God, sent forth by
his inspired penmen. If Sir Walter Scott doth
not repent in dust and ashes before he dies, he
better had never, been born, for he has done as
much harm to God’s word as Sir Isaac Newton,
who have filled the world full of foolish infidels.
Sir Walter Scott must be inspired by the spirit of
the devil, like Sir Isaac Newton, to write lies.
God has nothing to do with such ignorant non-
sense. The liar shall have his share of the lake
that burns with fire and brimstone—that is the
word of God, he cannot lie; now causing the
mighty spirit to frown on our land for the wicked-
ness of the people. There are only three inspired
works on earth, so I shall name them by the will
of God and my saviour Jesus Christ, that is my
great teacher for the good of all mankind on this
earth :—The Bible, one ; the Testament, two ;
and the new system of philosophy, the third, and
those three are the same as one, and a correct type
of the theee in one, and has fixed the revelation
of God upon the adamantine rock of eternal cer-
tainty, that mortal man cannot move in the least.
Let this be made known to the king and nobles,
and all the world. I am, my Lord, your obedient
humble Servant, W. MARTIN, Anti-newtonian.
ON THEIR FALSE LECTURES.
- JWEW.c.As TLE ow" Tyw"E, 1832.
• Let the people take notice what the
Philosopher doth truly and justly pen,
It will, I know, go to the tune of the -
* Peacock follow’d the hen. -
THE philosophieal society the ignorant all thought
Them wonderful clever, they made a great noise and din;

5
But the Martinian new system has prov'd them all
Not worth one crooked headless pin. * -
Their Alston Moor champion took up a steel bar, gave
The top a nap with the hammer, the centre a nitch;
They need not burn Jacky, by gell, for being an
... Allendale nor a Cumberland great thund'ring witch.
On a sheet of white paper with a magnet he made"
The steel filings to dance and to skip and to square,
But poor silly Newtonian had not the sense to tellº -
The simpletons, like himself, the great cause was air.
The ignorant stamped and raped, the philosopher
Soon saw they were all ignorant and green,
The dog under the table annoy'd with the confounded fleas,
Scratched and raved mad as any, made a musing scene.
The ignorant old lecturer took up the steel filings, " '
On the white paper he exhibited them all round about;
But look’d slily at Jehovah's philosopher as he knew he
Would not mind giving Beelzebub's disciples a shout.
And all novel writers like false philosophers, the very same,
Wrote lies and did a great deal of mischief and ill; .
But the true philosopher will, by God’s decree, put a stop
To their mad gallop, and make them stand ºil. - -
Likewise the great learned masters they thought by their
Learning they would come to great honour and fame:
What they all know concerning philosophy is only .

Fit to tread under foot, or heat bakers' ovens, or burnt in a
* - -
T. --
flame. - -- -
Now let us see what the great Sir Isaac hath done, that
The ignorant gave such a great wonderful name, " :
Nothing; but deceived them and all the whole world,
And brought them to disgrace and great shame. . . -
Now for the great viewer, he must be brought in, r
. He never did one original design, but a deal of ill;
He pass'd the murder lamp, and should be tried
For his life every time they fire and kill.
When my lamps are prov’d safe ones at the -
Killingworth West Moor, and no other can be found,
We can call him nothing else but a complete murderer,
Travºling to the end of his life on God's holy ground.
A few weeks after the defeat of learned hum-
bugs, was sent up to the British Government the
London periodical accounts, wrote highly in the
favour of the new system of philosophy, so I shall
send it forth word for word, the same as was then .
in the papers, at Mr. Charnley's shop, and Mr.
6
Finlay's, Pilgrim Street, stationers. If the pre-
judiced doth not believe it, as it doth cut up their
ignorance so very much as they had not the sense
to judge for themselves, and knowing nothing but
what a false impostor told them, quite ignorant
of the perpetual cause by not knowing nature's
laws. So I begin with the London account.— .
“Works RECENTLY PUBLIsii Ed :-The Chris-
tian Philosopher, designed to exhibit in the out-
lines of Natural History, and the Elements of
Physics, the widom, beneficence, and superint, nd-
ing providence of the Deily, in the works of Crea-
tion. By William Martin ; with original poetical
Illustrations. This is a work of great talent, and
admirable correct in moral and religious principles.
Its range is wide, and its beauties, both poetical and
scientific, are very many.” At that time, if any one
had the curiosity to draw a cold wet dish-cloth
across the philosophical Alston-moor lecturer's neck,
and the pen-ink seller on the Quayside, they would
think that their throats were cut, and would roar out
wilful murder, as wild as two of lord Tankerville's
wild cattle, and it would take all the Quayside coach-
men, and gig-drivers to pacify them again, to con-
vince them that they were no worse; for it was only
some of the philosopher's contrivance, for he was al-
ways inventing something to frighten the devil's ser-
vants; for he thinks he has none better between here
and Penzance in Cornwall. -
—-sºcºm— - -- - º
THE PHILOSOPHER'S POEM,
MADE Extempone on the PLAce of his Biath.
To the Tune of the Banks of the Clyde.



=>}<>|<>|<=-

- WHEN I was young and youth did bloom, ..."
And manly beauty it did shine, :
At the Tow-house, where 1 was born, .
A stone-throw from the river Tyne.
7
The beauties of my native place,
Bard like, I must it now relate,
And if my pen doth handle well, will
Turn out something that is great.
Above Thorn-grafton stands Barkem Hill,
With a lofty top, and proudly high .
Upon its top stands a spire-looking stone,
A land-mark raises its head to catch the eye:
South of that cross, the river Tyne, stands
Ridley Hall, with pleasant gardens fine,
Which beautifies the hovely dale, and
And makes sweet Tyne-side to shine.
Not far from that up the water Allen
Stands Steward Castle, on a rock so high,
Surrounded with pleasant woods and waters clear
That delights the trav’ler's penetrating eye.
How delightful in a summer's pleasant morn,
The feathér’d songsters they do loudly sing,
The blackbird amd the thrush likewise,
They make the groves and vallies for to ring.
The cuckoo under wing, with his guardian
Keeping up the rear so close and fine,
He sings as he flies, the rest all know ;
The hand that made them is divine. * -
The lower order of the feath’red race, -
Although little and very small,
How cheerful they sing; but, I think,
The little wren, to its size, outstrips them all,
I shall return and cast my eyes on |. * *
Crystal stream, so beautiful and clear; . . " ' " " -
The fishes I see them sport and play, when º’ ºr
The heav'nly luminary on them doth bear. -
1 must to Lipwood come, and take notice
On the new hall and of it tell,
1t was built by the doctor Coates, not
Far from Lipwood crystal well;
But now he is dead, and all is left
Behind, and others have got his store;
But I hope his soul is landed safe on
Fair Canaan's delightful happy shore.
To Hayden Bridge I will go down, where
My brother John was born,
The great historical painter, now
Immortal Fame doth loudly sound his horn:
For grand designs it's well known
He has outstript all men on-earth,



S
Which gives great honour to the place
That gave the genius his birth.
Northumberland can have this to say,
Without telling a lie, it's shown,

From one humble cot the greatest historical painter,
The world had never before known. , -
The eldest brother, W. M., as a philosopher
He is now completely and justly found; - " -
All the men in the .# cannot forcé, -
Him from the truth so divinely sound. -
Sir Isaac, as a philosopher, the greatest -
Impostor doth prove and shew..... . . . . . .
His disciples nothing but ignominious fools,
Now . wise men doth well know. º ---
He says in his false works, we confess we are
All ignorant of the cause of gravity, is seen
The same time telling them the thing he says he is -
Ignorant of, proves him an impostor clean. -- -
King Solomon the wisest man, -
That ever this world did know, . "-- -
And Northumberland the greatest philosopher º
That ever this world could produce or shew. --
The great Goliah, little David, we know,
Soon did overthrow and slay;
The Tow-house inspired philosopher . . .
Will bring all the world to the bay,
They all striv'd for the perpetual motion,
Their genius was bad, they could no find it out; ,
But the true philosopher has done it, ... ---------
And put all the devil's servants to the
e.g. nº ſº
eternal rout. "
- -------- - --- - - º --
-- -
--- - - -
- -ms
º
Through all the world my system will be known, tº
Great as all nations soon shall prove; . ... --
Firm as the marble rock it will be shewn,
Till rolling years shall cease to move. º
--
-
- - - - -
--- -º- ſ
W. Fordyce, Printer, Wewcastle.

N
*
24%
A e—zz–
-
SHORT OUTLINE
OF THE
PHILOSOPHER'S LIFE,
FROM BEING A CHILD IN FROCKS TO THIS PRESENT DAY,
AFTER,
THE DEFEAT
OF ALL
IMPOSTORS, FALSE PHILOSOPHERS,
SINCE THE CREATION:
BY THE
WILL OF THE MIGHTY &OD OF THE UNIVERSE,
HE HAS LAID THE
G R AND FOUND ATION
Fort
Çijurcí) iicform tºp true ºffilogopijp.
ALL MY INVENTIONS, WHICH WoulD MAKE A LARGE VOLUME, ARE
NOT NAMED, AS IT WOULD PUT IT OUT OF THE REACH OF
THE POORER CLASS OF PEOPLE TO PURCHASE;
THE
BURNING OF YORK MINSTER
Is NoT LEFT OUT, AND
A N A C C O U N T OF
THE FOUR BROTHERS AND ONE. SISTER.
BY WILLIAM MARTIN.
The beginning of Church Reform was at
York Minster, for an undeniable certain:
It being set on fiery blaze by that
Well-known man, Jonathan Martin.
He thought the Bishop was not a man of Divine
Light, although he got the name of a Reverend Sire;
So Jonathan thought it was the best way to let
The York people see a great light in a fire.
NEWCASTLE:
rRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY J. BLACKWELI, AND CO.
1833.

When this short outline of my life comes out, there will a half-dozen go to the
British Government, one to the Duke of Northumberland, one to Earl Grey,
another to Lord Durham, one to Lord John Russell, and another to Lord Althorp,
and one to Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart. M. P.
THE ADDRESS.
If you travel from Penzance, in Cornwall, to Jonny Groat's house,
You will find some of Martin's inventions in general use.
Taking the corf to the screen, on metal plates I did contrive,
Threw the dirt on my face for contriving a lamp to keep men alive.
I sent forth the best designs for the Northumberland and Cumberland railway,
They gave me three sovereigns, as I cleared the dark cloud from the day.
Then the great drones got round my honey and sucked it fine,
And when it is finished, a horse to a hem, it is the Martinian outline.
As for Manchester railway ’tis not done by a man of ingenious art;
His safety-lamp proved him a man of no genius–Stockton railway a clart.
The Northumberland and Cumberland far beyond them will shine,
For the true philosopher has given them many a noble design.
Now masts and sails are invented for the carriages for the noble railway,
It was never thought upon till the philosopher pointed out the way.
The sail on the mast of the carriage to be made to spread and to reef,
All in a minute; then it will stand, never outstripped, as the chief.
Likewise a new system of architecture, by a slight dove-tail, I did contrive,
Will stand without giving way in the least as long as men are alive.
The stones they have now in the railway-office a pattern to show;
They are taken from my model, every wise man must that know.
I contrived a model of a boat to work on the principle of a swan's foot,
When pressed on the water webb'd, brought back again the water did cut.
By joining the rail in the railway to make in it a slight alteration,
But honestly think, a square stone and straight rail is my foundation.
WM. MARTIN.


→ _--） {
|-=）） _~） _
SHORT ACCOUNT
OF THE
PHILOSOPHER'S LIFE,
&c. &c.
I WAS born at the Twohouse, in the parish of Halt-
whistle, in Northumberland, June 21st, 1772, and in
1775, a publication was sent forth by his Grace the
Duke of Argyle, that the best of encouragement should
be given to English farmers, for to go into Cantyer, to
show the Highlanders how to cultivate the ground,
and being partly brought up with my grandfather
and grandmother, they being very partial to me, I
was taken to that part with them. I might be about
four years old when they left Northumberland, and
continued in that part of the Highlands until I
might be about nine or ten years of age. There
were no fences in that part at that time, but every
farmer had commonly two herds, one for the moun-
tains, and another for the valley to herd the cattle
from the corn; this part of the Highlands was
mountainous where my grandfather farmed, and
not far from it there were cliffy-rocks with high
elevations, which eagles and ravens built their nests

6
upon, and were very destructive amongst the sheep
in the lambing season. I used to amuse my little
mind with climbing the mountains and gathering
blue-berries, which grew in great quantities on these
mountains; and down in the vallies the little burns
and becks were well stocked with fine trout, which
were readily taken by the hand. Although young, I
was very artful in taking them, under the stones or
brow edges, and groping and finding them under
cover; by kittling them they would lie still until I
got a proper hold of them, so I could soon get a fry
of fine burn-trout, although a very little boy; and as
most of the children in that part talked the Highland
language I was at a complete loss, for I could not
understand them, which caused me oft to stray by
myself, and amuse my little mind with curious things.
Although very young I could not bear to hear
England run down in the least, and would have
fought with any of them that run down my country,
if so be they were not too old and strong for me; I
would begin the battle without any entreating,
according to my little strength, but my grandfather's
herd could talk the English language very well, and
he told me what they said in English, and very often
set us on to fight, for he told us what he had a mind,
until I found him out; then I threatened to tell my
grandmother, and, by so doing, put an end to the
fighting, for he told us nothing but lies, as the little
boys did not understand the English language, and I
did not understand the Gaelic, he had plenty of fun
to himself; to be sure we could not hurt each other,
our strength would not admit of that, but we had
plenty of spite as any one could have, but would be
7
friendly again in five minutes if let alone, like all
children; but both parties began to find out the
trickery of our interpreter; by this time I began
to understand part of the Highland language, so
there was no longer catching old birds with chaff,
as some people say.
In the south end of Cantyre are some amusing
scenes:—there is a small island of the name of the
Sheep Island, it will feed two very soon fat, but
three it will only keep them in life; and two or three
hundred yards from it is another small island two
or three miles round, belonging to the Laird of
Sanday, and goes in the name of the Isle of Sanday:
it istolerable good ground, and is a good harbour for
smugglers, who often conceal their goods in the holes
of the rocks. A few hundred yards from that
stands the rock of Dunaverty, with a flat top ; it
stands high and it is rather difficult to get to the
top, although there is a road on to the top of it,
where there was once a battle fought by the High-
land Clans, and many were killed and thrown over
the rock, as I have heard the Highland people say
when I was a boy, 50 years ago. A small distance
north west of that stand the ruins of an old Roman
chapel, and a burial ground well stocked with head
stones; the great MºDonald of the Isles is buried
there, and St. Patrick also, of Ireland as I was told.
About one hundred yards from that, to the West,
stand high cliffy rocks, where eagles and other
birds of prey build their nests; there are two par-
ticular coves in the rock : the first is called the
piper's cove, and it is reported that it goes through
to another part of the country, fifteen miles distant
8
from the south end of Cantyre; the reason that
it got the name of the piper's cove, the people say,
is, that he laid a wager that he would go in at the
mouth of it, at the south end, and come out at
another part; so he was to have as many candles
as he thought proper, and his dog and pipes along
with him, and I have heard the people say, that a
few days after he went in his dog returned without
any hair upon it : there is a place about five miles
from that, where there is a limestone quarry; there
is some kind of opening, and he was heard playing
on his pipes a Highland tune, saying, “magela, ma-
gela, magela mage,” which is in English, as I was
told, “I will never, I will never, I will never re-
turn.” Then, about fifty yards from the piper's
cove, is a very large and extensive cove, which is
a good shelter for those travelling gipseys, and they
are very comfortably screened from the north wind,
and the bottom of it is as level as the floor of any
house, and goes a long way into the rock; it is very
lofty in the roof, and often birds are flying above
your head. Then west of that two or three hun-
dred yards, clear from the rocks is a level spot of
ground, joining the sea shore, like a bowling green,
where the Highlanders muster every New Year's
Day to play at shinny, that is what we call playing
at clubs in our country, and they take a great deal
of pains in making their shinnys, by giving them a
nice bend to lie fair to the ground, and made three
square to raise the coit up a height, and they are
all grown up men who play at it, and even some old
men ; and I have seen an old gentleman playing
among them with a wooden leg; the one party play
9
against the other, the same as we do at foot-ball, and
are as desperate against each other the same way.
They are very active in that sport and run very
quick. It may be about 55 years ago since I saw
that in Cantyre.
The philosopher's remarks on a curious man in
Cantyre, of the name of Donkin Amay, and his
wife Maggy. And will make it plainly appear that
all our grand masters in the colleges, professors of
philosophy, and all the Newtonian disciples, were
not one hair of my head better than those two
simple individuals that I am going to take notice
of, for they could make them believe any thing.
Now, when it is proved that the Newtonians have
mistaken the effect for the cause, and there could
not be a bigger lie, when it was the cause that gave
the effect. Then they are no better than poor
Donkin Amay, and Maggy, his wife.
Donkin was a tailor, and a good one too ; but
they could make this strange man believe anything.
It happened that Donkin and his master had to go
down to the south end of Cantyre to sew for some
of their customers, and it was nine miles from the
town of Cambletown ; when they were at dinner,
some of the youngsters put the servant girl up to
say something to him to frighten him, as he was very
afraid of witches; so the servant girl reaches over
Donkin's shoulder for a piece of bread, and said to
him, “Donkin, you and I will have a merry night
in Ireland after you are done work, for I will get
you on my back and flee with you over the sea to
Ireland; and I will flee so high that your blue
bonnet will touch the sky.” So Donkin gave her
10
a serious look, and, after dinner was over, he put
on his bonnet and went out, and broke off a run-
ning, and never stopped untill he got to Camble-
town, which was nine miles off. Then he goes to
Maggy, his wife, who was as good a believer as
himself, and says to her, “Faith, Maggy, you may
be thankful you have me here to-night, for there is
a devil of a witch at yon end of the country, and
she was going to flee across the sea with me on
her back to Ireland, and that is forty miles as near
as I can guess; and she said that she wad flee that
high that my very bonnet wad touch the sky.”
Maggy replied, “Its very weel, Donkin, that thou
wast that wise as to come home again, for I have
heard that there is a hantle of witches about that
end of the country.” So Maggy was thankful that
she had got him safe home again from amongst the
devils.
Another time they put a joke upon poor Donkin.
For the publicans often got Donkin into the
house when they had nothing for him to do ; they
would open out some old things merely to give him
Some kind of a job, as the house he was staying
at had plenty of trade while he was in it. That
will be about 50 years ago, during the time of the
American war, and there was a recruitin in Camble-
town, beating up for recruits, so some of the funny
fellows hired the recruiting serjeant to go in where
Donkin was, and call for a pot of whiskey,
and give the landlord a shilling to change; then
the landlord was to say he did not like it, he
thought it was not a good one ; so they were to
hand it about until it got into Donkin's hand,
11
that he might give his opinion about it. So
when Donkin got it, he looked at it, and said,
they were all fools together, for it was as good a
shilling as ever was coined. So he was handing the
man the shilling that gave him it, and he would not
take it; he said it belonged to the serjeant ; so
when Donkin was going to give it to the serjeant he
would not take it, and he said “he was listed, good
faith.” “I am not fit for a soldier, and it would
break poor Maggy's heart,” said Donkin. The ser-
jeant said, “that would not do, for he was to serve
as a soldier in the name of King George the Third.”
Then the company said to Donkin, that he was to
come and join the party, and they would see
what they could do by moderating things for him;
he was to drink whiskey along with the party.
Then some of them went and told Maggy, the wife,
that she was to come and look after Donkin, for he
had taken a frolic and was drinking along with the
soldiers, and had got listed. So Maggy comes
in great haste, and coming in says, “Well, Donkin,
what are ye about.” “Faith, Maggy,” replied
Donkin, “I am listed.” “Your naething but a fool,”
said Maggy, “ and you are not fit for a soldier, I
could make as good a one myself; and what made
you list 7” “Faith Maggy, they would have listed
you the same way, or any body else, now pacify
yourself, and we will try to make things up with the
sergeant.” If Donkin paid the smart money he
would get his liberty again. So they asked the
sergeant what he would liberate Donkin for? he said,
“ for no less than 40 shillings.” Both Donkin and
Maggy were willing to do that but they had not
12
the money, so the company said, they would
contrive a method for him to raise the money,
and set him at liberty. Donkin replied “What
way ?” They said, you and Maggy are well known
about Cambletown, and you can go about the town
and borrow money, and write down on a piece of
paper the names of those from whom you receive
it; then you can go about and give every one their
own when you get it.” So Donkin and Maggy
thought that was a good plan, and off they both set
a borrowing ; some lent them a shilling, some six-
pence, some threepence, and some twopence, until
Donkin and Maggy got the forty shillings; then
they came and gave it to the serjeant, and Donkin
was pleased that he was liberated again. Then the
serjeant returned the money to the company, and
they gave it to Donkin and his wife to go about
and pay every one their own ; then they bothered
poor Donkin for being so daft as to list. It would
fill a volume to tell all they did with poor Donkin
and Maggy his wife, for they could hardly go five
or six miles from the town for fear of the witches
doing some bad thing to them. A short account of
Donkin Amay, and Maggy, his wife, is uniform
with the grand masters in the college. The cart
before the horse, taken the effect for a cause,
When there could not be a bigger lie under the
SUII].
My grandfather was a man that was well-respected
by all who knew him, both at home and abroad,
and did not care who sat at his table, for the cares
of this world did not disturb his mind, and it was a
house of great plenty, and of all kinds of dainties,
13
as he still lived in the English fashion. The people
of Cantyre at this time thought that swine's flesh
should not be eaten, as the Bible takes notice of it,
not thinking that idea was done away with by
Christ, the true Son of God, the mighty judge of the
quick and the dead.
The Highland people brought them from all parts
of the country to him, and he bought them very low,
and when cured in the English fashion and dried to
a nicety, he sent them to the lowlands of Scotland
among the quality, as they were very fond of bacon
manufactured by English people, and made them pay
well, and realized a handsome profit; so by that
means we had plenty of milk, butter, cheese, hung
beef, dried bacon, and all the offals, it perhaps was
one of the finest meat houses in Scotland. I have
seen as many dried swine cheeks in the house as
would load cart, and of the finest kind, and they were
people that were not near nor miserable minded.
So in my early days I was much indulged by my
grandfather and grandmother in the Highlands.
My grandfather, Richard Thompson, died in that
country, and was buried at Cambletown, and was
much lamented by both rich and poor in that part,
who bewailed the loss of that brave man who is
now in Heaven, for prayers were made to the
mighty God by all his family and servants twice a
day, and for the neighbours who could attend ; and
the remainder of the family follow the same example
to this day, so did my mother as long as she lived,
and on her death-bed she told her nurse, one of her
nieces, that waited upon her, in prophetic language,
that her family's name would sound from Poleto Pole.
14
But her eldest son, William, well she knew he
had a God-like soul. And the nurse informed me
further, that the night before she died, she told
her that she was delighted with such Heavenly
music that she was wishful for them all to hear, but
she thought proper to let them sleep on and not
disturb them, for it might be, that what she heard
should be concealed from them, as it was Heavenly.
At that time I was in Ireland, in the Northumber-
land Regiment of Militia, in 1813.
Then the next day the immortal soul
Was conveyed by Angels away,
To yon bright Heaven, where I know
Is joyful everlasting day;
And left the lifeless body on this
Terrestrial vile earth behind,
To moulder in the dust, then in the
Last day with glory raised by Christ refined.
Not so with the wicked, I know
They will rise with bodies vile,
Doomed to the dark regions, never more
For all eternity to see Heaven’s smile.
May this be a warning to all, good and bad,
They must not think it hard,
It is divine truth you may rely upon,
That comes from the Northumberland Bard.
My father, Fenwick Martin, was a tanner by
trade, and was foreman of an extensive concern at
the Bridgehouse-yard, a small distance from the town
of Ayr. He was supposed to be the best swordsman
in the kingdom, and was not afraid of any man as a
fencer or a pugilist, and at that time lived in a
house at the end of the Bridge of Dun, a river that
15
was well-stocked with salmon and fine trout.
There were sixty miles of sea between Camble-
town and the town of Ayr, and the Isle of Arron .
between them and Ayr. At the Bridge of Dun my
brother Richard was born, who was Quarter-Master
Sergeant in the Guards, now in London. When I
was little and young, being oft at the town of Ayr, I
often had the pleasure of seeing Robert Burns, the
celebrated Scotch Bard, but I think I never saw
him sober to my knowledge. -
A few years after, my father left that part of the
country, and came to Northumberland again, and
settled at Hartley, where he kept a public-house.
This was in the time of the American war, and
also of Paul Jones, the celebrated pirate. A few
years after that, he came to Newcastle, and my
mother went on a visit to Argyleshire, to see her
father and mother. In that part of the Highlands my
sister Ann was born, now with my brother John, the
historical painter, in London, at a place called
Kilcolemceal, at the south end of Cantyre. From
that place there is a fine view of the north of Ire-
land, and many of the Highland Islands. From the lofty
mountains may be seen the Lowlands of Scotland,
and the Isle of Man, on a clear summer's day; and
it is, perhaps, the grandest picturesque view that
can be seen in any part of the known world, for the
pencil of the artist.
The cliffy rocks are fine scenery. In a fine sum-
mer's day you may behold the princely eagle soaring
to that tremendous height, until it is completely
lost sight of in a clear cloudless sky; and likewise
hear from the cliffy high rocks the different hawks
screaming, and birds of prey of various kinds, and
16
also the rough hollow voice of the strong raven.
When night approaches, the owl begins to look out
for suitable prey, and, by his solitary notes, we
know where to find the feathered aerial cat; the fox
lurking for his prey; and the wild mountain cat,
from their different dens in the rocks. When my
grandfather went first to Cantyre, hares and foxes
were very numerous. The foxes were very destruc-
tive amongst the sheep, but the Duke of Argyle
employed fox-hunters to destroy them and the wild
cats, and the farmers had to victual the hunters,
which consisted of two men in the Highland dress,
in kilts and plaids, each carrying a gun, and with
them a pack of fox-hounds, and a number of small
terriers no larger than a house cat, that they sent
into the fox-holes for to rouse them out of their
dens; it was pitiful to see the poor little terriers,
how they were torn about their little jaws and heads
by fighting with the foxes in their holes.
Hardly a day or night they had them in the year;
they lodged with some of the farmers, who provid-
ed meat for them, and their hounds and terriers,
while they stopped with them.
When they came round, the fox-hunters were
partial to my grandfather's, as there was plenty of
meat for both men and hounds. He commonly had
them longer than his neighbours, for they were all
partial and fond of him, as he did not care how ſong
they stayed; besides he could better afford it.
Then my mother returning to her father's at New-
castle again, they removed to the Highside, near
Hexham, where my brother Jonathan was born.
They then removed from that part to the Land-ends,
*
17
at Haydon Bridge, where my brother John was born,
the celebrated historical painter, who has astonished
Emperors and Kings; from thence we removed to
Fallowfield, near Hexham.
Being at Howdon Dock, in 1794, I wrought in
the ropery at that time; I might be about twenty-
two years of age, when my comrades and I were
taking a walk, some of my acquaintances were engine-
wrights, and seeing that the coal-waggons ran on
wood-rails, I would oft say to them that I thought the
people of the coal-trade were foolish for having the
waggons running on wood. They said, “In what
manner would I make them run ?” I told them
I would order cast metal rails to be made and laid
upon stone, and make them join each other; then
the carriages would go with less friction, and if any
of them were to break they could get them cast over
again, or put others in their stead: and one horse
would draw as much as three or four. I can recol-
lect them making the reply, “That would do
well, but it would be such a heavy expense that it
would never be done.” In 1795, I went up to
Hexham to see my father and mother, as they lived
there at that time. My brother John, the historical
painter, was a child in frocks, and my brother
Richard was serving his time with Mr. Thomas
Graham, a currier, at Hexham ; and at that time
I went into the Northumberland Regiment of
Militia, under the command of Colonel Reed, and
joined them at Durham, in 1795. We went from
Durham to be encamped at Hendon, near Sunder-
land; some of the officers hearing that I was a
noted Swordsman, I teached some of them. And
B
18
there being a grenadier-serjeant of the name of
Alexander M'Gregor, as he was a fencer, and
teacher of that science, and being offended at the
officers getting me to teach them, and I being only
a private soldier, he sent me a challenge that he
would meet me on Sunderland Moor, and fence me;
he said he valued no man, for he was taught at
Edinburgh, and never found any better than himself.
That gave me no concern, so I went to meet him
on Sunderland Moor, accompanied by many of the
grenadiers and the celebrated pugilist, Wm. Buteland.
We stripped and began our play; I cut him twelve
times without receiving one cut from him. Then in
1796 we marched from Sunderland to Norwich, and
got to the city of Lincoln, on our way to the above
place, and being billeted at the Green Dragon, by
the side of the Canal, with some more of the light.
company of the Northumberland regiment of militia,
to which I belonged, some Irish dragoons, who hap-
pened to be at the same billet, hearing the men say
I was a noted fencer, one of them said to the men
he would fence me or any in the regiment. I re-
ceived his challenge and fenced him, disabled him
on the sword arm, and received no cut from him,
although he thought he was able to fence any man.
When we got to Norwich we had the riot with the
Warwickshire Militia, and in a few days received
the route to leave Norwich, when the regiment was
cantoned into 9 or 10 different parts in Norfolk and
Suffolk; after that went to Ipswich, and from thence
to Colchester, in Essex. In 1796, I made a model
of a rail-way, when in the light company. Capt.
Richmond was the captain at that time, and Lieut.
19
Cook and Lieut. Maughan the two lieutenants, as
well as I can recollect. In 1798, we got the route
from Colchester to Hull, in Yorkshire, where we
remained a few months, and then got the route for
Whitby and Scarborough. At that time the Sup-
plementary Militia joined us, and I was appointed
one to assist in drilling them. Afterwards we again
marched to Hull, and then got the route for Horn-
sey and Hilston, for camp. The battalion was en-
camped at Hornsey, and the light company and
grenadiers at Hilston. The whole was composed of
grenadiers and light-company men of different regi-
ments of militia, to the amount of a thousand men
and upwards. There was one of the Nottingham
Militia grenadiers a hoted leaper, who had won
much money from the other regiments, and then
challenged to leap any man in the brigade; and at
that time I took a great deal of delight in drawing,
and amused myself with it, as the weather was ex-
tremely hot. So when this man gave the challenge,
the grenadiers of the Northumberland said they
would have Martin sought out, and he should leap
him for a wager; so Wm. Buteland, the celebrated
pugilist, said he would go and find me out, as he
and I were friendly, and he found me in my tent
drawing. He asked what I was amusing myself
with ? I said, with drawing. He then replied,
“Drop it, and take a walk with me, as there are a
few of my comrades in a booth, and they have some
good ale, and we wish you to have a drink with us.”
I thanked him, but replied that I was not any way
thirsty, so I requested to be excused. He begged
that I would come, or otherwise I would offend
B 2
20
both himself and the whole of the party also. So
Iarose, and went with him ; and as we were walk-
ing together, he said, I was not to get offended at
what he was going to say: there was a grenadier of
the Nottingham Regiment of Militia had won a great
deal of money by leaping, and had challenged to
leap any man in the brigade; they were of opinion
that I could beat him, and intended to back me
against him. He asked me if I was willing to give
him a trial 2 I told him that I would. When I
came forward, they told the grenadier that one of
the Northumberland Light Company would leap
him for what he had a mind. He said he would
leap me for one guinea. The money was produced
by both parties. I asked in what manner he intend-
ed to leap? He said, a running leap ; I replied, that
was not a fair leap, and added that I would be very
fair with him—I would toss up, and whoever won
should choose his leap. I appealed to the company
if that was not fair; they said it was ; a halfpenny
was tossed up, and I won : so I made choice of a
standing leap that I was noted for, and we took a
level piece of ground: a mark was cut with a knife
where we were to stand with our toes, by making a
deep nick in the ground. I then ordered Buteland
to go to a dyke and bring me a couple of stones
about three pounds weight each. When they were
brought me, I said, “Will you leap first, or me !”
He replied, that I might. I said, “Now clear the
way, Soldiers, as I dash the stones down with great
force, and may injure people whom they may
hit.” The place was immediately cleared, and I
made my leap ; it was to be the best of three, so he
21
leaped, and was a long way behind. He leaped the
second time, and failed of his first ; and the third
he fell on his seat, and 13 inches short. My leap
was measured four yards and four inches on the
level ground.
The latter end of the campaign, there came on a
dreadful storm, which blew down all our tents, broke
the tent poles, and levelled all with the ground.
The next day we marched off the camp-ground to
Hull; then in a little time got the route to Cam-
bridge; then stopped a day or two, and got the route
for Colchester; again from Colchester to Leeds,
Wakefield, Sheffield, the light company being along
with the grenadiers. When at Leeds, walking out a
little into the country, and seeing the coal-waggons
running on wood, I said to some of the coal work-
men, that they should have cast-metal plates, laid on
stone; then the waggons would run like a bowl upon
ice, and one horse would draw as much as three or
four; and they made a reply by saying, Northumber-
land, that is a good plan. Some of the pits I was
informed belonged to 'Squire Brandling, although,
many years before that, I mentioned it to my com-
rades at Howdon Dock, before I went into the
Northumberland Regiment of Militia. Then we
marched from Leeds to Hull again; that was at the
time when Admiral Duncan defeated the French
fleet, and were there at the time of the illumination.
We got a route from thence to Northumberland,
and went to Alnwick to be broken up. I think
that was in the year 1802; we marched from Mor-
peth in a hot summer's day, and arrived at Alnwick.
I got my billet upon Roger Dent, at the sign of the
CY
B j
22
Bee Hive, in the Market Place, and being a little
fatigued, I went and lay down on a bed in the upper
part of the house, as the weather was hot, but I got
no sleep, for I was soon disturbed again by some of
our light company being down stairs drinking, and a
man belonging Alnwick, of the name of Greenup,
had got in amongst them, and was boasting of his
leaping, and saying he would leap any man in the
Northumberland. I got no rest until I satisfied my
comrades; we went to a place called the Greenbat,
and I tried his action, and beat him with great ease,
after travelling from Morpeth, on a hot summer's
day. The next day we were discharged, and delivered
in our arms; I then went home to Haydon Bridge,
and from thence to Howden Dock, where I wrought
at the ropery, as a rope-maker, and in 1805 got a
patent for shoes, and began to study the perpetual
motion, and discovered it at the result of thirty-
seven different inventions, which now has proved all
philosophers impostors, and false men, and deceivers
of mankind.
At another time, being at Colchester, there was a
fencing match at that place, and fivefencing masters
present, and when it took place I happened to be
out fishing, as it was an amusement of mine ; and
all kinds of men were assembled, both horse and
foot, and artillery also, to the amount of several
thousands. The inside was all lined with officers.
Captain Leaves said to the rest of the officers,
“Where have we Martin, our celebrated fencer 7”
They made enquiry among the men, and some said,
they saw Martin go out after dinner at the barrack-
gates with a fishing net, for he took great delight in
23
fishing. So there were five different parties sent
out to the different rivulets in search of me, and
when they had found me, they were to bring me as soon
as possible, and delay no time, and they would amuse
the fencers until they arrived. They were very
fortunate, for they found me coming home, and that
within twenty minutes. So I was to appear before
the officers immediately, and fencers also ; there
were five of them teachers, and my old friend
M“Gregor, the Highlander, a sergeant of the grena-
dier company of the Northumberland; the rest
belonged to the different regiments in the garrison,
both horse and foot. I was ordered by the officers
of the Northumberland to lift the basket hilt, so I
began with M*Gregor first, and presently settled him,
and so on until I went through them all, and never
received one cut by any of them, but they were all
cut by me. Then the officers ordered the men to
lift me shoulder-height, and give me three huzzas at
the end of every street of the garrison at Colchester :
that will be between thirty and forty years ago.
In 1805, I began to study the cause of perpetual motion,
and continued until I had 37 different inventions, and dis-
covered it on the fourth of January, 1807, as known to the
gentlemen of Newcastle, and Mr. Turner also. In the
year 1805, my brother John Martin, the celebrated histori-
cal painter, now in London, and my brother Richard, (at
that time drilling the Shields Volunteers as a drill-serjeant,)
being on a visit to me at Howdon Dock, between Shields
and Newcastle, we took a walk to see Percy Main Colliery.
The banksman was conducting a corf full of coals from the
pit mouth to the screen, when I observed to my brothers,
“Look at that poor horse, whose exertion so far exceeds
his natural strength, thatit must soon wear him out, and render
him incapable of working at all: I can easily contrive a
24,
method by which the banksman himself shall be able to do it
with more ease than it is done with the assistance of the
horse.” “In what manner?” asked they. I answered,
“I would raise the pit mouth, so as to form a hardly dis-
cernible descent to the screen, and then lay a cast metal
rail-road from thence, one to the other, for a rolley to run
upon, which, when it had received the full corf, would, by
a sudden push from the banksman, reach the screen of itself,
and might be sent back again, when emptied, with very little
exertion indeed.” My brother John made a sketch ; and he
afterwards drew a regular plan, according to what I had
suggested.
About this time I was deeply engaged in my researches
after a perpetual motion, and the aforesaid plan was stolen
out of my lodging. I was informed they were taken to a
viewer, of the name of City Bedlington, and first erected at
Benwell Colliery. In the year 1814, when returning from
the Northumberland Militia, I saw them all over the coun-
try; and the fan ventilator (which I also found in general
use) was my invention in 1806. I perceived them taking the
full corf to the screen upon my plan, without the aid of
horses. Thus was I robbed of the merit of two valuable dis-
coveries, which originated solely with myself.
Being at Howdon Dock, in October, 1806, I was in-
formed by some neighbours of a dreadful circumstance of
32 men having lost their lives that morning in Hebburn Pit;
they were pleased to observe, at the same time, that as I
was a great inventor, they wished that I would discover some
more efficacious method of ventilating coal-pits than the
mode used at present; that the coal-owners would reward
me handsomely; and that such discovery would turn to a
better account than me cracking my brain with endeavouring
to find out perpetual motion, a pursuit which had baffled
Sir Isaac Newton, and all other philosophers. In reply,
I observed, that the failure of Sir Isaac Newton and
others, who were only men like myself, was but a poor
reason for relaxing my efforts to make that important
25
discovery; but that I was sorry for the sufferers, and I
hoped to be able, by Divine assistance, before that time to-
morrow, to strike out some new method of rendering such
fatal disasters of much more rare occurrence than here-
tofore.
The method which I proposed, was on the principle of a
winding-machine, but on a much larger scale. The fans to
be wrought by a spear and crank from the steam-engine,
conveyed by a drift to the downcast, which, when put in mo–
tion, would send the air down the pit in great quantities. This
plan was, two or three days after the accident, communicated
to Charles Brandling, Esq., M. P., of Gosforth House,
Northumberland, who observed, that it appeared to him to
be the very thing, and wondered that a scheme so simple,
and, as he believed, so likely to prove efficacious, should
not have occurred to any of the colliery-viewers, whose more
immediate business it was to attend to and turn their
thoughts to things of that nature. And in that "Squire
Brandling was wrong: for a man may serve his time to be a
viewer, but he cannot serve his time to be a man of genius.
Although John Buddle has served his time to be a viewer,
it has not made him a man of genius, or he never would
have passed a murder lamp; but he has been very clever at
the humbugging system with coal-owners and other people,
by making them believe fibs like Sir Walter Scott.
Now trace him, and you will not find one thing that he
has contrived himself; so where is all his merit? There is
none his due after passing the murder lamp. Take Bolton
and Watt's steam-engines away from the coal-trade, together
with my four inventions, viz.: taking the corf to the screen
without horses, the fan ventilators, my safety-lamp, and the
rail-ways, and all the rest done by him is not worth speak-
ing about. What do you think of him—a man who has
made himself rich by humbugging silly-minded people, that
cannot judge for themselves. -
I shall leave that subject and strike upon what 'Squire
Brandling said to me again. That gentleman asked me if I
26
had shewn the plan to Mr. Buddle 2 my reply was, that I
might as well put it into the fire at once; for as he had no
concern in the discovery, he would make a bad report of it,
though perhaps on my death or removal he might bring it
forward, and make some slight alteration in it, and claim it
as his own invention. Mr. Brandling replied, he believed I
was perfectly right; and added, that he would acquaint the
coal-owners with the discovery. Accordingly, it appeared in
the Newcastle papers, in October, 1806, but Mr. Brandling
leaving the North shortly after to attend his parliamentary
duties, the whole business fell to the ground. While I was ex-
hibiting my perpetual motion in London, in January, 1808,
among the nobility and gentry who honoured me with their
presence, Mr. Brandling paid me a visit to see my new inven-
tion, and observed, “You have surprised the people in the
North with your ingenuity, and have now come to surprise the
good people of London.” He was then pleased to ask me how
I came on with my invention for ventilating the coal-mines?
I replied, that I could only state the matter to him as I had
done before, when it was shown to him in the North; and
indeed it appeared, in the sequel, that there was something
prophetic in the observation which I had made to him; for,
on my joining the Northumberland Regiment of Militia, in
1810, for the second time, after having sold my perpetual
motion to a person in London, where it remains moving to
this day, they set to work at Percy Main Colliery, near
Shields, and built a long tub, resembling the chimney of a
glass-house, and placed a fan upon the top of it.
Now the idea of a fan originated with me, and had they
built a tub as high as St. Paul’s Cathedral, still the invention
could not with justice be ascribed to any person except
myself; the same as when they introduced my safety-lamp at
the West Moor Colliery, and called it Stevenson's, and
got the gauze-wire outside of the glass instead of having it
in the inside; by so doing they lose the better half of their
light, merely by making alterations, thinking that I was a
fool like unto the viewer and Stevenson; they thought I
27
would not know my own lamp again. If they gave Stevenson
a thousand pounds for his lamp, why do they not use his
lamp with a long thin glass, nearly a foot long, with a tin
case to cover it, full of holes the size of a seven shilling piece,
to show the light through : that was worse than a candle, it
would not bear a stroke nor a fall. And getting the thou-
sand pounds that was justly mine, as well as that Sir H. D.
got by the interest of that humbug already mentioned, who
should be tried for his life, for murdering the poor men, and
robbing a poor man like me, and which the great God will
surely bring him to judgment for. When I came from the
militia, I openly claimed the merit of taking the corf to the
screen, and the other things already mentioned.
When I returned from the Northumberland Militia in the
year 1814, in a year or two after, they began to make a noise
about the safety-lamps, both Sir H. D. and Stevenson; so I
was very desirous to see them both, which I soon did, and
saw that neither of the two was a safe lamp. I told Stevenson
to his face that his lamp would not bear a stroke or fall, and
it was worse than a candle. Then in a short time after I fell
in with one of John Buddle's over-men, with a lamp of Sir
Humphrey Davy's in his hand; so I stopped him, and took a
proper look at it. So you say this is a safe lamp? he said it
was; I told him immediately to take my compliments to Mr.
Buddle, and tell him from me it was not a safe lamp, for it
would fire at a certain degree of heat; so he was highly
offended, and said what did I know about a safety-lamp; I
was not a professional men. So I then made that flat-topped
lamp, which is now in the possession of Mr. Mitchell, of
the Tyne Mercury. Then I got it tried by the waste men
of the Willington Colliery, by the order of Mr. Johnson,
and it was proved to be a noble light and a safe lamp, as the
glass was strong. Then I was acquainted that the news was
taken to Mr. Buddle, letting him know that my lamp was a
long way the best. He said, as I was told, that they had
passed their words for Sir Humphrey’s being a safe lamp,
28
as well as himself, and they could not pass any other
without bringing disgrace upon themselves. Two or three days
after, the viewer came and rapped at my window for me to
come out to speak to him; as there were some people in my
house, I stepped a little way from the door, that they might
not hear what he had to say to me. He said, “Mr. Martin,
your lamp is hanging up in the engine-house at the George
Pit, in charge of the plugman, and as you are perhaps not
busy you can take a walk and bring it home.” “I said, Sir, is
it not a good lamp 2 He said, it certainly was, for it needed
no change; but he was sorry to inform me that Sir Humphrey
Davy's lamp being passed for a safe one, not expecting a
better, they could not pass any other without getting all the
coal-viewers into a great deal of mischief. I went to the
George Pit, and took it away; and came down to Carville-
Office, where Mr Buddle and the clerks saw the lamp light-
ed. He said, it certainly was a good lamp; but he did not
like glass. I saw plainly that let it be made of what it would,
it was not to do, as they had passed a thing that was not
safe. So, when Mr Buddle said he did not like glass, I
immediately made another, and put a gauze wire in the in-
side. Then, by writing to the Duke of Northumber-
land, and several other gentlemen, it was tried and proved
by the Willington wastemen, which now stands recorded.
They are all yet alive; and their four names and their words
will be taken as soon as any viewer's, as the viewers have to
be beholden to the wastemen to hear the report of the con-
dition of the pit, and they are all men of long experience,
and commonly old men of good judgment to understand the
different operations of all the different passages of the air of
various kinds.
The trial of my Lamp against Sir Humphrey Davy's, by order
of great Gentlemen.
GENTLEMEN,-These are to certify that Mr. Martin's lamp
has been tried with Sir Humphrey Davy's, by order of John
29
Watson, Esq. and Mr. Johnson, viewers of Willington Col-
liery; we, the undersigned, were strictly charged by those
gentlemen to act impartially, and to give no reports on their
comparative merits, but such a one as we could substantiate
upon oath. We took the lamps down the pit, and giving
each a good wick, we lighted them, and noted the time of
lighting them by a watch. In one half-hour Sir Humphrey
Davy's lamp was entirely filled up with smoke and soot.
Mr. Martin's lamp burned five and a half hours, and did not
appear dull, for by blowing at the top of the lamp, it became
as brilliant as when newly-lighted. Sir Humphrey's lamp
is much superior to Mr. Stevenson's, which cannot consci-
entiously be called a safety lamp; but Mr. Martin's surpasses
Sir Humphrey's, by the duration of its burning and the
brightness of its light, and cannot fail of giving satisfaction
to both masters and workmen. The merit of Mr. Martin’s
lies in the chimney and small ventilators; it stands proof
against fire in every dangerous part of the colliery; and is look-
ed upon to be much cheaper, on account of its durability, and
much safer on account of its top where the chimney is.
Where Sir Humphrey's is the weakest, Mr. Martin's is the
strongest; in short, Mr. Martin's lamp is not exceeded either
in light or safety, and is more beneficial, both to masters and
men, than any lamp that has been introduced to the coal-
mines. We do therefore hereby certify, that we have justly
tried Mr. Martin's well-designed lamp, and that we have not
enlarged upon its merits more than truth demands of us;
indeed we cannot find words to express its superiority. We
calculate that one of Mr. Martin's gauze-wires will out-last
ten of Sir Humphrey Davy's.
(Signed) CLEM. SIMSON,
JOH. GASKIN,
ANDREW BELL,
DEMR. HORNSBY.
Willington Colliery, April 19th, 1819.
30
The men who signed the above certificate, and who are
still living, are termed wastemen. Their duty is to traverse
the coal-mine, to examine every part, and report the state
and condition of the pit to the viewer. From their daily ex-
perience, they are allowed to be competent judges of the
comparative merits of the two lamps.
Plate to the value, it is said, of £1800 was presented to Sir
Humphrey Davy for his improvement, through the interest
ofthis humbug, who is neither a mechanic noraman of genius:
and £1000 collected for Mr. Stephenson, and you cannot
find any of his lamps in use; but he applied mine, through
the knavery of Wood the viewer and himself, and, with the
money that should have been justly mine, is now running
over the country humbugging the people with another of my
inventions, that he had not sense to contrive himself, until I
put the world in mind of it. So he got his money for the
lamp that was neither an invention nor an improvement,
when you cannot find any of them in use. Now he is letting
the silly folks about Manchester see what a strong fire he
can put to the traveller, by raising a strong powerful steam,
to let them see how fast they can go on a level road, and
knocking the machine to pieces by going beyond its proper
power; and yet they cannot see the man is making no improve-
ment. He will soonloosen the joints of his temporary rail-way:
for he can make no improvement, except he is taking some of
mine, or some one else's, when he leaves this part; as he was
doing with my lamp, when I published him in the papers,
and struck them all dumb at the West Moor for their knavery.
Now this is George Stephenson, Esq.; what do you think of
him 2
I can remember seeing published in a London paper, many
years ago, that they were sorry to say that the Society of Arts
had nothing of Mr. Stevenson's to show to the world.
Another thing I shall remark. When in London, in 1813,
I was walking along with my brother John, the historical
painter, coming up Piceadilly, I east my eye upon an exten-
sive hardware-shop, and seeing one of those weighing-
º

31
machines that show a nick to the pound, I says to my brother
there is a simple thing hanging up in that window, and all
the mechanics in London have not the sense to make any
improvement in it. He asked could I? I said I could. So
I bought it; and when we got home my brother drew the
plan according to my design. The next day I set about
getting it made according to the plan, and went to a clock
and watch-maker's, near Oxford Street, and shewed him my
plan. He said it was very clever, but that he could do
nothing for me that day, but that if I would come towards
the end of the week he would do it neatly for me. I found
that there was danger in that, for he then knew the plan as
well as I did myself. So I set off from him and came to
another, and he told me the same story; then there was two
knew the plan; so I was then determined to have it finished
before I slept, and going down into Holborn, near the Turn-
stile, I made into a back street, and falling in with an old
clock and watch-maker, I asked him what he charged for a
day's work in his trade. He answered, 7s.6d. per day. I
said that he was to get to work and do me this job, accord-
ing to the plan, and I would give him 10s. 6d. I got it
finished on the same day, and took it down to the Adelphi,
to the Society of Arts, and Mr. Taylor, the Secretary, book-
ed it. On the day following, a person came with the same
invention, and Mr. Taylor said, I am sorry to say that Mr.
Wm. Martin is one day before you.
Copied from the History of Northumberland, published
by Mackenzie and Dent, page 466, Castle Ward, E. D.—
Wallsend Parish :—
“William Martin, the Natural Philosopher, resides here.
He has published, under the patronage of His Grace the
Duke of Northumberland, a New System of Natural Philo-
sophy, on the principle of perpetual motion; with a variety
of other useful discoveries. From the Lord having made
man a living soul, by breathing into his nostrils the
breath of life, Mr. Martin infers that air is the cause of
32
perpetual motion. The key for opening the spiritual
meaning of the Scriptures was found by Baron Emanuel
Swedenberg; and Wm. Martin seems to have been chosen
by God to reveal the hidden mysteries of nature. His
election to this honour was announced in dreams and visions
of the night. This curious work contains a complete expo-
sure of the superlative ignorance of Sir Isaac Newton, and
his credulous and unitiated followers. Mr. Martin’s other
discoveries are numerous and useful: they consist of a life-
preserver for seamen; air-fans for ventilating coal-mines,
an inimitable safety-lamp; a plan for curing the dry rot;
cutting canals; and extinguishing fires at sea; also an im-
proved velocipede, suspension-bridge, &c. &c. But unfor-
tunately, though under such noble patronage, his inventions
have not been brought to a successful termination; and
most of them have been stolen from him by unprincipled
men I Mr. M. did, however, obtain in 1814, a silver medal
and ten guineas from the Society of Arts, for his invention of
a spring weighing-machine. His brother, the celebrated
painter, will be noticed hereafter.”
When I went into the Northumberland Militia for the
second time, after I had discovered the perpetual motion
and exhibited it in London in 1808, and selling it to a gentle-
man in that place, I came home in 1809, and worked at
Jarrow in the rope-making business, under Simon Temple,
Esq.; and in 1810, I joined the militia at Ipswich; then
went to Stilton Barracks, to do duty over the French pri-
soners; then got the route from thence to Colchester, in
Essex; then the Northumberland got the route for Ireland,
and we were embarked at Harwich, and sailed to Ports-
mouth, and waited a few days for Lord Lovaine, then
sailed along the Channel, and cleared the Lands-end of
England, and got to the Cove of Cork, and disembarked
and marched up to Cork Barracks; that was in 1811, in the
time of the blazing comet; then stopped a few months there,
and I made an attempt to be a line-engraver, although none
to teach me. Then we got the route from thence to Fermoy
33
Barracks, and stopped a short while there, and then got the
route for Kilkenny Barracks, and I got a job as an engraver,
to engrave some old manuscripts for a Dr. Shaw, in Kil-
kenny, who published some of the antiquities of that town;
and a copy of the same was sent with me to Lord Ormond's
Castle, in Kilkenny, as he had just arrived from London.
At one time being at Colchester, it was published that there
was to be no assembling of people in companies to exceed
two or three, and no one to speak against the King or his
soldiers, or otherwise be informed against. So being very
fond of fishing, I had a small net, which I had made; I took
one of my comrades along with me, who was as fond of the
sport as myself, and getting about a mile from the barracks,
we came to a mill-dam, and seeing it well stocked with fish,
we both got our breeches off and got into the dam, not think-
ing that we were doing any harm; but we had no sooner got
in than out comes a great miller and a bull-dog. “I will
not allow you to fish in my dam, soldiers,” says the miller.
I heard well enough what he said. I says, Fenwick, what
did that man say? Being ready in the wit, he said, did you
ever hear such a blackguard, he is damning the King and all
his soldiers. The miller made reply, I said no such thing.
I made answer, he will get hanged if you and I do not keep
a close mouth. So the miller left us, saying, Lion, Lion,
come away, for those two fellows will swear a man's life away.
I think he must be deranged, Fenwick, or he would not hob-
ble himself in that way, I said. This same man, John Fen-
wick, is now a master shoemaker, at Morpeth. It made
fine sport for Fenwick, myself, and many others, when we
so quickly lost sight of the miller and his dog.
When I left the Northumberland Regiment of Militia, in
1814, I married. In 1832 my wife died, who was an inof-
fensive woman, and was respected both by rich and poor,
and a celebrated dress-maker, and had upwards of 60
apprentices during the time she was in business. She died,
in her sixtieth year, Jan. 16th, 1832.
C
34.
Observations on Shipping.
There is one great evil attendeth all shipping. If a ship
is new and well built, and when she is rigged out and sent to
sea, and falls in with a heavy gale, then the mast makes a
mighty lever, and the shrouds being made fast to the gate-
boards, then when the tempest comes on, by the leverage of
the masts and sails, the gate-boards cause the seams of the
ship to open, that you may lay your hand in, but when the
gale is over, the seams close again, as if all was well, and
as if nothing had been the matter. If you take a piece of
malleable iron, and bend it and straighten it again, it will be
none the worse, but if you do it often it will break. So the
oftener a ship opens in her seams it must weaken her, and
she at length springs a leak, and goes to the bottom. Now,
by the help of my God, I shall prevent that great evil.
What my intention is, attend to. When a ship is calked,
and made ready to launch, I order hoops of malleable iron to
go round from one gate-board, round the high keel, to the
other on the opposite side, and let the hoops be about four
inches broad, and one inch thick, and three of them to each
gate-board, and to be let in flush with the sides of the ship,
and into the keel the same, and carried close to, or rivetted
to the keel, then properly secured at the gate-boards, and
secured in the inside of the ship with large screw-nuts. Then
when the shrouds are made fast to the gate-boards and mast,
and all properly secured in the inside, then the leverage of
the masts and sails cannot open the seams of the ship in the
least, but tighten them, and she will sail round the world
and not take in a pail of water, except it is shipped in on the
deck. If they keep clear of rocks and sands, they will then
be able to stand against the greatest tempest, without any
kind of danger in the least, where they have plenty of sea-
room.—God save the King.
Earplanation of the Ante-diluvian Tree.
On the 2nd of October, 1829, hearing that there was an
old oak tree discovered under the bed of a stone quarry,
with fourteen feet of stone upon it, besides a great thickness
of earth, curiosity led me to go and see for myself. It was
five miles north of Newcastle, at a place called Wideopen;
and when I came to the place, and saw the bed of the ante-
diluvian tree, the men gave me a piece of it. Some gentle-
men said they thought it impossible for a tree to be under so
35
thick a covering of stone. I replied, it was impossible for
people who were not philosophers to know; and even if Sir
Isaac Newton were then on earth, he would have been as
wide from the truth as any one, for he was no philosopher.
Then they asked, could I tell the reason 2 I replied, I
could ; or otherwise I was no philosopher, nor would I de-
serve the name of one. I told them that this was the simple
reason: this tree has lain ever since Noah's flood, and where
the tree was lying, that was the surface of the earth at the
time; and on the approach of the flood it would fall, and
one part of the root would hold it the same as an anchor:
then the flood would swirl the sand around it, and bed it
in the same place that it fell, until it was entirely covered,
which proves that that was the surface of the earth at that
place at the time alluded to; and when there were 14 feet of
solid stone, besides a great thickness of earth, and as the
flood did remain upon this earth 377 days, when it left the
earth, it would leave the 14 feet of sand upon it, accumu-
lated in the time of the flood; then length of time, and the
damp moisture of the earth, and the operations of the air,
(the cause of all nature's laws), of various kinds, congealed
the sand to stone, which is now a freestone quarry.
I must inform the public, that it was a divine working of
our great God and heavenly King, to put it into the minds
of men to open out that quarry, so that this tree was to be
found, and I was to come forward to give the just cause of it
being there, to prove to the world that I was inspired by the
great God to be the true philosopher; as falsephilosophers only
deceived the people, and were a complete nursery for foolish
infidels, servants of the devil. The same cause that congeal-
ed the sand to stone, congealed the tree also. The men
of the quarry did shew me where the root of it was, and the
manner in which the tree lay when discovered. The root,
as near as I could judge, lay north-east, and the top to the
south-west, which is a proof that that was the direction in
which the flood ran in that part of Great Britain at that time,
4000 years ago. . All freestone quarries were beds of sand
many years after the flood; but length of time has congealed
them to stone. I have seen a bed of sea-shells taken out of
a stone-quarry, nearly a hundred miles from the sea; which
is a proof that all freestone quarries were once sand. The
flood would remove mountains and make mountains, as it
was on this earth 377 days. I have given the true philoso-
phy of the ante-diluvian tree; all others may be accounted for
in the very same way, let them be as deep as they will in the
bowels of the earth. Although a different kind of stone,’


C 2
36
where we will see the impression of different kinds of leaves,
and the form of brechen-leaves also, and every thing else of
the leaf kind, the very stone that they were in was in a
liquid state at the time of the deluge, and some time after.
The diamond itself is only pure water congealed to stone;
and all hills and valleys, mountains and islands, were all
formed by the flood. We hear of islands growing in the
sea like a parcel of mushrooms, but that will be the igno-
rance of the navigator, by getting a little out of his proper
track from other navigators who had sailed round the world,
and by chance spied out what the others did not see; he
would come home and tell the ignorant, who knew no better,
that there were islands growing in the sea; instead of which,
they have been in existence ever since the flood. Before the
flood England and France would join in one continent; but
the flood parted them: the white chalky chiffs of Dover and
Calais prove it to a clear demonstration, without telling a
lie. The great God will not allow an inspired penman to
write false; but will make him, by his spirit, stand to the
truth.
The great God was not Sir Isaac Newton's guide, or he
would not have allowed him to lie, by saying the sun was
900,000 times larger than this earth; when he caused me to
prove it only 674; so he was 899,326 wide of the truth : that
was not the way to enlighten the aged or youth.
When the world was first created by the great God, that
which is coal now, would be in a liquid state when the crea-
tion took place; and when the world began to get age, it
would conjeal it to a hard matter, and become coal for the
use of man; but not forests of wood, as some have pointed
out for want of genius; that was not just truth, like to the
rest of their false philosophy.
Gentlemen, before the flood the surface of the earth would
be level, and no mountains or hills in comparison as now, or
valleys, but one large continent, and no rainbows seen; but,
after the deluge, it appeared, the reason was, the mighty
deluge tore up the earth, and made hills and mountains,
highlands and valleys, where there were none before; being
then no longer a level surface, that is the just reason, the
cause of the rainbow. The explanation of the ante-diluvian
tree, completely proves that to be a lie, concerning coal being
forests of wood, like to all the rest of their falsehoods; there
will be coal seams, one below another, down through the
earth; that proves the authors of such nonsense false writers,


and professors of philosophy on the old system; complete
professors of lies and nonsense.
37
ON THE BURNING OF YORK MINSTER
y
On the 2nd of February, 1829.
PART FIRST.
At York there happened something,
Not long ago, for truth and certain,
The Minster was set in fiery blaze by
That fearless man, Jonathan Martin.

The York people were in a rage to be
Reveng'd ; they used all their art in
Proving him a man in his sound mind,
This strange man, Jonathan Martin.
They went far and they went near, and
Got to the city of Lincoln for a certain ;
It was all for the life and blood of poor
Well-known Jonathan Martin.
They went south and they went north,
Every enquiry was made for a certain ;
It was all for the blood of this
Curious man, Jonathan Martin.
They got as far as Hexham, too, and
Every corner of Newcastle for a certain;
It was all to be reveng'd on this strange
Man, well-known Jonathan Martin.
One hundred guineas was the reward
To any one who would take him, for a certain;
At Hexham he was got, this curious
Man, poor Jonathan Martin.
To York he was quickly brought, and
Lodg'd in York prison for a certain;
Then they had in custody this poor
Fearless man, Jonathan Martin.
The priest came with the prayer book in
His hand, with him to pray for a certain;
He told him to shut his book and pray
Extempore, if he prayed with Jonathan Martin.
The priest began to pray as well as he was able :
He made a stop, Jonathan made a starting;
It was the prisoner praying for the priest—
This was poor Jonathan Martin.
The dean and gaoler came next day, and asked
The reason he gave the priest such a starting 2
He said he was a dumb dog, and could not
Bark, this said Jonathan Martin.
The dean, he held his peace—he found it would
Be a losing game if he made a starting ;
For he saw there was no chance for him but
A losing one with Jonathan Martin.
If the Bishop had been there he would
Have been the same; ’tis clearly seen for certain,
If he did not know the word of God right well,
He'd been defeated by Jonathan Martin.
38
He has the scripture all off, from Genesis to
Revelation, the word of God for certain ;
This is the astonishing man, well-known,
Strange mortal, Jonathan Martin.
Although he made an attempt to get out
Of York prison, for a fancy it was certain;
When he found it could not be done, it
Was the will of God, this contented Jonathan Martin.
On Monday the twenty-fourth of March, was
Brought before Judge Bayley, for a certain ;
He stood before judge and jury at the bar,
Did poor well-known Jonathan Martin.
The grand jury they appeared as ninnies,
With their tails all on for certain,
But they were soon struck off by that sharp
Man, brother to Jonathan Martin.
Judge Bayley looked all around, he saw
The jury all blood-riffers for a certain,
They were nought but ciphers, wishing
For the blood of Jonathan Martin.
The cause was ordered by him to be
Removed to York County Castle for a certain,
The prejudice of the city was so very great
Against poor Jonathan Martin.
So they were completely defeated,
And fairly puzzled for a certain;
The bull-dogs got muzzled by the judge,
And saved the life of Jonathan Martin.
He stood before Judge Bayley, without any kind of
Fear, as nothing was the matter for a certain ;
A lady to him did say, “Are you not sorry for
What you have done?” “Not at all,” says Jonathan Martin.
There was a man from Newcastle went,
Who made himself ridiculous for a certain,
He told a lie to the people of York,
Against poor Jonathan Martin.
Jonathan is a man of God, his Spirit
Will protect him for a certain :
Heaven's gate wide open stands, for
The soul of poor Jonathan Martin.
A good man is not afraid to die,
Before Judge Bayley was proved for certain;
He was not afraid to meet his God and King,
This wonderful man, Jonathan Martin.

It would be well for bishops'and priests to be
In his same way of thinking, for a certain;
Then they would be sure of Heaven, as well
As this religious man, Jonathan Martin.
Bishops and priests should be spiritual
Minded men, full of divine glory, for certain,
If that is not the case they will not reach
The upper-story along with Jonathan Martin.
Baron Hullock has doomed his fate, all his
Life in an asylum, but that is not certain;
That is left to the pleasure of the King;
They have behaved well to Jonathan Martin,
39
Some will say, for want of wit, such a one's a
Fool and a madman, its quite certain;
But that is the wisest man who can take care
Of his immortal soul, and that is Jonathan Martin.
I must confess that bishops and priests are
A long way short of their duty for certain ;
Or the bishop would not allow infidels to preach
For the sake of money, says Jonathan Martin.
They should prove every man before that
He doth get a station for a divine certain;
Then he would show a good example to his
Congregation, says the well-known Jonathan Martin.
Our time in this world is but a span, full
Of vanity, and very short for a certain
May both rich and poor prepare for
Their fatal last, says Jonathan Martin.
Although in this world with thorns and briers
Has been torn and prick'd for a certain,
But when he has landed on fair Canaan's shore,
Those evils will all be dispatched, says J. Martin.
-º-
PART SECOND.
My brother Richard was at York,
And well his pen did handle,
He soon did let the grand jury know
They belonged to the school of scandal.
And Judge Bayley did the same, for
He saw they were not fit for duty;
They wished to be the cause of murder,
Wishing for their own way, black and sooty.
It is a good thing that our God is
Above old Beelzebub the devil;
For the York grand jury, they intended
Nought but wickedness and evil.
But the judge saw through them right,
He caused it to be removed to the Castle;
They found out their mistake, which did
Their senses put in a complete bustle.
I have heard people say that experience
Makes fools wise—this may say the York jury
They have paid dear for their little sense,
It madly put them in a fury.

The historical painter rallied in the south,
The philosopher in the north, for certain;
By so doing, saved the life of
Well-known Jonathan Martin.
They will find the philosopher not good
To deal with, for well the pen he can handle—
Can properly put them through the mill,
And lash them through the school of scandal.
The philosopher will not suffer to be duped,
By men who have got no talent;
He has his eyes still all around, and will
Find him still both firm and gallant.
40
Sir Isaac was a knave—a deceiver of
Mankind, and all kinds of people;
But W. M. is no such thing, for he has
Pull'd down his false and lofty steeple.
Now he is mouldering in the dust, and has
Done much harm to our God of Heaven;
Made infidels think themselves wise,
To believe lies; the talent of genius was not to him given.
He has deceived many men by his false
And groundless deceiving system;
But the God of Heaven doth me protect,
For none but fools will to it listen.
When a divine penman doth appear, he stands
True for the good of all to his centre:
For what the great God causes him to write
Divinely, he has no call to be a repenter.
From right to left I have fired upon them,
And given imposters no quarter;
And before I will submit or give in,
To my just system I will die a martyr.
My brother John has surprized emperors and
Kings, as a divine engraver and painter;
And W. M., as a philosopher, has shak'd all
Their false systems to the very centre.
My brother Richard is a man of war,
And was no coward on the field of battle:
The York grand jury well do know
Their ignorance, by his art, did soon settle.
There are four brothers of us all, with the one
That burnt York Minster, for certain,
Now left to the pleasure of the King,
And that is Jonathan Martin.
Although they tried much for his blood,
Israel's God would not allow it;
He was his divine protector, it was clear,
It is plainly seen his soul will not rue it.
I know if Judge Bayley had passed the
Sentence of death on him, for a certain
I know what would have been the reply, “the Lord's
Will be done,” would have said Jonathan Martin.
Now he must contented be until the
Great God doth please to take him;
Then eternal joys will, with Heavenly
Glory, for all eternity surround him.
There is many a man of great learning drives
About and thinks himself wise and clever,
If he doth not repent, and humble himself,
Heaven's grand gates will enter never.
A bishop may get a great name, and
Doth not properly God's duty;
For many infidels they make priests,
Belonging to the devil's kingdom, black and sooty.
Although they have to preach the word of God
To the people, in good christian order,
The sermon that he preaches, perhaps, was never
Composed by himself, so all is in disorder.
!
41
He acts contrary to what he doth preach, that's
A bad example, contrary to a Christian;
Such a man should not be allowed to enter
The pulpit, if the bishop would to me listen.
And if that had been attended to, York Minster
Would still have been standing for a certain,
And been in the original state, and not
Burnt down by Jonathan Martin.
Now can any man with common sense say,
That all church priests do fill their station;
When some will play at cards, go to balls,
And plays, parties, and oft intoxication.

Now the priest that doth so he cannot be
A servant of the living God, but of the devil,
They do no kind of good, but a great injury to
All mankind, and great offensive evil.
Now good people mind what Irelate, you
Must not think I have been uncivil,
The priest that goes on in that way, he
Doth nought at all but please the devil.
A POEM ON MY BROTHER, RICHARD MARTIN.
My brother Richard was a soldier brave,
Many a time fought on the field of battle,
And never received a wound, for the great God
Did protect him from shot fatal.
Through Spain and Portugal did go,
Along with brave commanders,
Through fire and smoke did boldly go,
Like a parcel of salamanders.
Where the canon-balls did fly, and
Musket-shot in every quarter came faster,
And still the great God was good,
Nothing harmed the quarter-master.
He was on the field of Waterloo, and twice
All cut away around about him,
Still he rallied like a soldier bold,
The French could never root him.
Still the smoke of battle's din, was
Thundering o'er the field, for certain;
And smart cuts were on every side,
Nothing harmed Richard Martin.
The Prussian arms did appear bright,
Gleaming from afar for certain,
The sable bird did approach to the great
Aid of dauntless Richard Martin.
Form line, upon the grenadiers, was
Each commander-word, for certain,
Then quick preparing to the charge, -
Waving the glittering sword, rallied R. Martin.
1.2
With angry heat they charged wild,
Driving o'er the field for certain,
Plunging ancle-deep in blood, was
A horrid sight for Richard Martin.
The day of blood was ended, thus
Britannia beat the foe for certain ;
But our fame was dearly bought, on
The field of Waterloo, says Richard Martin.
Of our family is now left, four
Brothers and one ingenious sister,
And she is next to Jonathan, that
Burnt York's polluted Minster.
But mark good people what I say, it
Must he a strange and judgment-like adventure,
When the great God has caused one
Humble cot to shake all the world to the centre.
The philosopher will stand his
Ground no doubt, for a certain ;
It is out of the power of any man, to
Overthrow the philosopher, William Martin.
His brother John will never be exceeded,
As an engraver or a painter ;
For he brings all things from the
Great Heavenly grand centre. -
The philosopher doth the same to all
The world it will be known for certain,
To the end of the earth we live upon, will be
The celestial philosopher Wm. Martin.
Now those who have a lofty name,
And wish much to be a sire,
What must they think, when all their works
Are justly proved to be only fit for the fire.
Now the great God will let them all know,
It is not a lying foolish-penn'd story;
Those who write lies, they will not be
Allow'd to reach celestial heavenly glory.

The lies that they did send forth were fine
Fun for old Beelzebub the Devil;
As long as they were on his light road,
He behaved to them kind and civil.
But now the road it is broke up,
And in sad and dismal confusion;
It is plain to see that Sir Isaac
Has led them into a complete delusion,
And 'tis as plain to see that Sir Isaac
Was no man for fine genius;
But he could vainly talk about the thing
He did not know, Mars or Venus.
The system that he has pointed out,
Has prov'd many a fool-maker;
But Wm. M. will let them all know,
He has given to all the world a proper stater.
43
TRUE PHILOSOPHY.
Not the blind leading the blind. William Martin, the
Natural Philosopher, proving the Spirit of God to all man-
kind, not adding or diminishing his Holy Word, and not
under the curse. “Cursed is he that addeth or diminisheth
my Word,” saith the Lord, and “Cursed is he that trust-
eth on man.”
The second chapter of Genesis, and 7th verse, you will
find these words, “And the Lord God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life, and man became a living soul.” And that is air;
which I will prove to all mankind by true philosophy; that
bishops and priests, the mostofthem, are all ignorant of being
corrupted by false philosophy, and led by the devil and his
servants, as false philosophy leads on to infidelity. But know,
true philosophy will lead up to nature's God. I put all that
are wise to this reasonable question: Can they live without
air? ... If they are wise, they will answer, no. And the
Word of God telling them, as plain as can well be, “By
me you live, and move, and have your being;” and if you
have not air, how can you live, move, or have a being 2
Before the fall of our first parents, man was without sin; but
after the fall, he was born in sin. You will find in the second
chapter of Ephesians, and second verse, “Where in time
past ye walked according to the course of this world, accord-
ing to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience.” Then, after the
fall, being born in sin, and more wicked people than righte-
ous, Satan became the prince of the power of the air. But
when our blessed Lord appeared, he atoned for that on the
cross, by the shedding of his precious blood. Now since the
fall, there are two kinds of spirits; the one is the spirit of our
true God, and the other is the spirit of the Devil. And the
spirit of God says, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.”
But still it remains in the wicked as well as the righteous, or
how are they to live, move, and have a being? Even the
bloody murderer the same, or how is he to live, and move,
and have his being? Some will say to me, through extreme
ignorance, “Mr. Martin, the spirit of God is withdrawn
from the wicked.” The word of God informs us, I reply, it
is only withdrawn from the heart, but not from the body.
It doth not say that, or how is he to live, and move, and
have his being? Then the wicked spirit taketh possession
of the heart. But still the good spirit is in him, strictly ob-
serving all his wicked actions, although it does not strive

44.
with him, and at intervals bidding the guilty conscience
dread the death that never dies, and the fire that is for all
eternity, and never quenched.
Now I demand the wisest and the greatest learned man in
the king's dominions, or in the world, to prove me a false
philosopher. It is from the word of God, and divinely seal-
ed for a truth, that mortal man cannot move in the least.
Infidels, and novel writers, and false philosophers were a great evil,
They did great harm to the word of God, and were all servants of the
devil.
They are ignorant and blind concerning spiritual things, I know that
well.
If repentance doth not take place like Dives open their eyes after they
are dead in hell.
A preacher told me, not long ago, the spirit of God was a great mystery,
Like all the rest shew'd his ignorance, so I will record him in history.
WILLIAM MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian, Wallsend, Jan. 8, 1833.
A KEY TO THE NEW SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY,
For the use of all sound-minded men ; to detect imposters; and
divinely has made appear a bright sun-shiny day.
The philosopher's advice to the public, as he has proved
Sir Isaac Newton an imposter, and his disciples ignorant and
foolish; let the people ask those imposters at the Royal
Observatory, at Greenwich, and Dr. Herschel, and the
Newcastle Astronomer, and all others that pretend to teach
the use of the globes, What is the reason of this, that Sir
Isaac has in his own works the celestial planet, the sun, nine
hundred thousand times larger than the terrestrial planet,
the earth we live upon ; and, at the same time has their two
astronomical globes both of an equal size 2 Let the public
take notice of that infamous lie | William Martin proves,
to a clear demonstration, the sun, the celestial planet, to be
only 674 times larger than this earth we live upon, which is
a long way short of 900,000 times; so that proves Sir Isaac
899,326 wide of the truth | Sir Isaac and his disciples have
done nothing but sent forth confounded lies to the world.
And that is another lie, the moon being the cause of the
ebbing and flowing of the tides. If there was no moon, the
tides would ebb and flow, only with this difference, no spring-
tides, for want of the effect. Look at my work on Natural
Philosophy, published in 1821, patronized by his Grace the
45
Duke of Northumberland; I prove air to be the cause of all
things. God the first great cause, air the second; all the men
in the world will not be able to find the third; so either Sir
Isaac or I must be an imposter; and I will not take the name
without they can prove me one—I boldly challenge all the
men in the world to do that! I bid them defiance. But I
have proved Sir Isaac and his disciples that already. That
silly man, the would-be astronomer, who published the two
libels against me, the one he called the “Imperial Man-
date,” the other he called “Ecce Homo,” signed “Newto-
nian,” and cut away the printer's name; the silly fellow says
I am as mad as a March hare; so it appears that he knows
nothing but what folks tell him, as the old women in the
country have the saying, “As mad as a March hare;” so
he knows no other but that they are mad. What do you
think of this man, to be telling people the size and distance
of planets, a thing that the March hare knows as much
about as himself. And those foolish French astronomers,
who were lately alarming the people, that there was a comet
going to appear in October, 1832, were no better; and those
ignorant men at Greenwich the same; and any other upon
the old system? As I prove in my Natural Philosophy, that
every planet has two motions; the revolving, the cause of
our day and night; the oscillating, the cause of the ebbing
and flowing of the tides. The sun gives two oscillations in
365 days, which cause our winter and summer; the earth,
to keep motion with the sun, goes once round in 24 hours,
which causeth our day and night, and floateth on air. In 26
hours it gives four oscillations, six hours and a half to a tide,
and that is the true cause of the ebbing and flowing of the
tides; so the earth, to keep up with the motion of the sun,
gives 1348 oscillations in 365 days, the time the sun is giving
two in 365 days; and by dividing 1348 by two, which is the
oscillations in one year, and which causes our winter and
summer, will give the size of the sun complete, at 674 times
larger than the earth we live upon.
As it is clearly proved by the new system, that every
planet has two motions; and let me warn the public, whoever
is exhibiting an orrery, and has only one motion, he is an
imposter, and no better than a puppet-showman. That is
an hint for the man with his large glasses. If the orrery be
just it must have two motions; the one a revolving, the cause
of our day and night; the other an oscillating motion, to
show the ebbing and flowing of the tides. And, for example,
as air is the cause of all things, every one that now pretends
to lecture on any subject under the Heaven, the sun, he
must prove air is the true cause, and bring it into every

46
subject; if not, he is an imposter, and silly tool, and deceiver
of the people; for the new system commands all things, and
all subjects under the sun. So here is no back-doors for
imposters to make their escape—the great God has put it out
of the power of the devil and all his servants, for the good of
all mankind on this terrestrial globe, and the Church of the
living God.—God save the King.
WILLIAM MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian.
Wallsend, Jan. 12th, 1833,
CHURCH REFORM.
Not many years ago, I pointed out a statement for Church
Reform to a nobleman when he was in London, for the pur-
pose of being laid before the British government; but it ap-
peared not to meet with his approbation, for he sent my
manuscript back again, which cost me four shillings, with a
letter also, asking if I intended to overturn Church and
State? Some years after that, when his Excellency his Grace
the Duke of Northumberland was in Ireland, as Lord Lieu-
tenant, an Irish gentleman wrote upon the same subject, and
appeared in all the papers: but that nobleman, to whom I
wrote, would know that he was several years too late, for
the philosopher had laid the ground-work before him, and
had pointed it out by true philosophy for the good of all


mankind on this our earth. W.
SINGULAR PHENOMENON.
On March 29th, 1826, a clear frosty night, and no moon
in the horizon, a phenomenon appeared in the sky, although
some gentlemen that did not live far from me, that reckoned
themselves no mean scholars, satisfied the ignorant, like to
themselves, by telling them it was a lunar rainbow ; and that
was impossible. So, by the help of my God, I shall make
the interpretation of it; that wonderful thing forming and
making an arch, sent forth by the great God of the universe,
for a warning to mankind, according to his holy word, in the
hallowed book, that “there shall be signs and wonders before
the end of the world;” for we have our Blessed Lord’s word
for it, “As the light shineth from the East to the West, so
47
shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” Although it may
not happen in this century or the next, I prayed to God to
enlighten me by his divine spirit to interpret the meaning of
it for the good of the King and the people. It is concerning
the new system of natural philosophy upon the principle of
perpetual motion.
INTERPRETATION.


It being pointed at each end, and sharp, and making an
arch from east to west, and the east point having two points,
and the south end two uniform points, the same as the east
point, and it swelled in the centre, that signified glory to
England, as it has to be the school for true philosophy, arts,
and science, and a land of light and glory. Blessed with
king and people. And a complete revolution of the laws of
nature, for they were never known but by false ones, as their
philosophy was false, by not knowing the perpetual cause;
as all false works must be consigned to the flames, and a
new field of truth opened; and England will have to be the
highly-honoured school for the whole terrestrial globe. And
the ambition of other nations will be very great, and obliged
to submit to old England for true light, for it will sharply
sting their proud hearts, which exactly answers to the sharp
points of the phenomemon, and being to so small a place,
this will and must be a sharp sting to the proud and lofty
minds of infidels. While they thought that they knew all,
and, at the same time, deceived the world, and exposed their
own ignorance, they knew nothing. As the great wonder
extended its heavenly arch from east to west, with two sharp
points at each end in that phenomenon, and it having four
points, signifies the four quarters of the globe. And as it
swelled in the centre, that signifies that England is highly
honoured with glory, above all other places of the world.
What is very remarkable, it came over the house that I
lived in: I think it was 9 o'clock when the people called me
out of my bed to give my opinion on the alarming circum-
Stance. WM. MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian.

Lord Byron was an infidel writer,
To speak past the truth it would be a sin,
All his writings, to a good christian,
Are not worth one single pin.
Adam Clark defaced the word of God,
By bringing in the Rangotang too;
And Sir Walter Scott, a novel writer,
Could never write divinely true.
48
Sir Isaac Newton has deceived the world,
And done the Christian religion much harm;
But the great God will none of
The false writers any way charm.

Voltaire, the celebrated French philosopher,
Was nothing but a noted humbug;
He was no more a philosopher than, the crow
That put in the pebbles to raise the water in the jug.
There are five of them all plain to be seen,
Now what can the world of them think,
When true philosophy has made them
In the nose of every wise man to stink.
Now, by the will of God, their wings are all clipped,
And will be allowed no more for to soar,
By Jehovah's philosopher with truth,
From Britannia’s luminous shore.
WILLIAM MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian.
Wallsend, Jan. 4th, 1833.
-
A warning to all ignorant men lecturing, telling the effect
instead of the cause, and being no men of genius, and igno-
rant of nature's two divine laws:—
Now the true philosopher begins on the
Devil's servants, for to divinely square,
As Beelzebub is their false leader, the
King of all liars, and the prince of the power of the air.
Whoever lectures on any subject under
The great Heaven of Heavens, the sun,
It is a false lecture, if the new system,
He endeavours it for to try to shun.
If he tells the simple effect, and
Leaves out nature's grand cause,
That will completely prove he is
Ignorant of nature's grand laws.
Although the ignorant may think him a great
Scholar, and been at a great school,
If the man is no genius, he is
Nought but an ignorant man and a rank fool.
W. M.
49
METHOD OF PREVENTING THE DRY ROT IN
- SHIP TIMBER.
Laid before the Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy, in 1817.
A large boiler to be constructed, corresponding in magni-
tude to the size and length of the timber to be prepared,
which ought to be placed as near the salt water as possible;
the bottom of the boiler to be provided with hooks and
chains, to prevent the timber from floating on the surface.
An engine to be placed in some convenient situation for
pumping the salt water into the boiler. The timber to be
boiled until the sap be all extracted, and its pores filled with
sea-water. After this simple process, timber, thus prepared,
will never be subject to the dry rot. Six weeks after this
plan was laid before the Navy Board, notice was given in the
public prints, that, in future, all timber used in building his
Majesty's ships, was to be previously boiled in salt water.
Thus, although my method was adopted, I received the
same remuneration as for all my former inventions,—
nothing at all !
a
ANOTHER AND MORE EFFECTUAL METHOD
OF PREVENTING THE DRY ROT.
To extract the sap perfectly out of the timber, let an oven
in the form of a common steamer, or of such shape as may
appear best adapted to the figure of the timber, be built of
brick or stone, in the dock-yard; let the bottom of it be
covered with metal plates, not too thick, that they may be the
sooner heated. In order to prevent the timber from injuring
the plates, in drawing it out and in, let a number of iron
rollers be placed at no great distance from the bottom of the
oven ; a metal door at each end, and made to shut close,
which, during the operation, must be well plastered with lime
or clay, to confine the heat effectually. The oven must be
provided with a sufficient number of fire-grates and flues.
When heated, the timber, after being duly fashioned for its
place in the ship, must be introduced, the doors well stopped,
and, when the sap is extracted, it will be found, not chared,
but of a deep brown colour, when it may be withdrawn.
Before it is cool, it must be slightly brushed all over with
boiled lintseed oil. This process will effectually prevent the
dry rot, is still cheaper than the method of boiling it in Salt
water, and, if rightly managed, may be done with less trouble.
D
50
A SCHEME FOR RAISING THE WRECK OF THE
ROYAL GEORGE.
Laidbefore the Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy, in 1817.
As the war was now ended, and many of his Majesty's ships
were disposable for service of this nature, it struck me, that,
by using the following means, the wreck might be loosened
from its bed, and raised to the surface. I proposed to the
Commissioners, that as many of the heaviest and strongest
ships of war should be placed around the wreck as would
act without encumbering each other; then at dead low water
to lay hold of different parts of the wreck with strong grap-
plings. As the tide flowed, the ships would begin gradually,
bnt powerfully, to lift her; at this juncture I proposed, that
each ship should fire a broadside of cannon, in the same
manner as soldiers do a volley. I conceived, that the power-
ful lifting of the ships, combined with this tremenduous
shock, if properly managed, would either have the effect of
loosening her from her bed, or tearing her in pieces. A few
weeks (as I can recollect), after this communication, the
newspapers announced that men were ordered down with
diving bells, to see in what manner she was lying ; they gave
information that she lay west, with her head to the west-
ward; that she was in no ways sanded, but that all her three
decks had fallen in, and the starboard side upon them, for
which reasons she was not worth lifting. In consequence
of this, I laid before the Commissioners the following plan for
blowing her to pieces where she lay.
METHOD PROPOSED FOR BLOWING UP THE
WRECK OF THE ROYAL GEORGE.
In the first instance, a large and strong shell to be pro-
vided, with an arched top, and the bottom to be flat. At
the top an aperture to receive as many barrels of gunpowder
as may be thought necessary; this opening to be secured
with a screw top, into which must be screwed a strong iron
tube, having also a screw at the upper end to receive other
tubes of the same description, each six feet long, every
screw to be perfectly water-tight, and strongly secured from
any hazard of unscrewing. The shell to have four strong
eyes at right angles with each other, to receive the chains or
51
ropes by which it is to be let down to the bottom, close to
the centre of the ship's side, or, if possible, into the inside of
the wreck, from a boat fitted with catheads for the purpose.
The lowest tube will, of course, communicate with the pow-
der within the shell. In fine weather, the sea being smooth,
the shell, filled with dry gunpowder, must, after the lower-
most tube has been screwed in and properly secured, be
be gradually lowered, and another tube screwed on in like
manner, (great care being taken that no water get admit-
tance,) and so on, until the shell shall rest on the bottom or
in the wreck. The uppermost tube should rise nine feet
above the surface. It might be a necessary precaution to
have stays or shrouds extended from the upper tube to seve-
ral kedge anchors, and so tightened as to prevent any waver-
ing or vibration, and keep it in a perpendicular direction.
From the top of the upper tube an elbow tube to standacross,
to receive the train. These tubes being filled with dry gun-
powder all the way from the shell to the cross tube which is
to contain the fuse, must be so contrived as to be a full
hour before it reach the train contained in the perpendicular
pipes leading to the magazine. As soon as the match is ap-
plied to the fuse, the boatmen must double-man their oars, and
make off for the Isle of Wight, which I think is the land
nearest the wreck. This tremendous explosion will resemble
an earthquake, and the air rushing into the vacuum occasioned
thereby, will crush the wreck to atoms.

A METHOD OF EXTINGUISHING FIRE IN SHIPS
AT SEA.
One of his Majesty's transport vessels, on her passage to
Port Jackson, with settlers and convicts, was prosecuting her
voyage to that distant part of the world, with a favourable
wind and fine weather, the people all in high health and
spirits, when a dreadful accident soon changed the scene.
The nearest land was at the distance of 600 miles. The
mate had gone down into the hold to draw off the allowance
of spirit for the passengers, when, unfortunately, the spirit
caught fire from the candle, and all was presently in a blaze.
In vain did they throw down water to extinguish the fire;
this only added fuel to the flames, and increased the fury of
the devouring element, serving no other purpose than to
hurry on its victims to the untimely dissolution that awaited
them.


52

For the benefit of future navigators, who may meet with
the like misfortune, the Philosopher recommends the follow-
ing method to be pursued:—After ordering all hands on
deck, the hatches must be battened down with all expedition;
the cabin necessaries closely stopped, and every avenue,
chink, or crevice, that can conduct the air between decks,
closed by every possible means. This being done, let all
hands be employed in perpetually sluicing the deck with wa-
ter. Now as combustion cannot continue without the access
of atmospheric air, it inevitably follows, that this feeder
.# cut off, it must soon expire of itself. This operation
may be performed, with ease and certainty of effect, on board
a ship, as the passages of communication between the deck
and the hold are few, and easily closed in. Calmness and
presence of mind to take such methods as are here stated,
will save any ship that takes fire below; for when the air is
excluded, the fire must die out; when the cause is removed,
the effect must cease:–that is true philosophy.
A POEM ON MY PLACE OF BIRTH.
When I was young, and youth did bloom,
And manly beauty it did shine,
Where I was born at the Two-House,
A stone-throw from the river Tyne.
The beauties of my native place,
Bard-like, I must them now relate;
If my pen doth handle well, 'twill
Turn out something that is great.
Above Thorngrafton stands Barkum-hill,
With a lofty top, and proudly high,
Upon its top stands a spire-like stone—
A land-mark—raises its head to catch the eye.

South of that, across the river Tyne, stands
Ridley-Hall, with pleasant gardens fine,
Which beautifies the lovely dale,
And makes sweet Tyne-side to shine.
Not far from that, up the water Allan,
Stands Stawart-Castle, on a rock so high,
Surrounded with pleasant woods, and waters
Clear, delights the traveller's penetrating eye.
How delightful, in a summer's morn, the
Feather'd songsters they loudly sing;
The blackbird and the thrush likewise,
They make the groves and valleys ring.
The cuckoo, under wing, with his guardian,
Keeping up the rear so close and fine;
He sings as he flies: the rest all know
The hand that made them is divine.
The lower order of the feathered race,
Although little and very small,
How cheerful they sing, but I think
The little wren, to its size, outstrips them all.
I shall return, and cast my eye on the
Crystal stream, so beautiful and clear;
The fishes, I see them sport and play, when
The heavenly luminary doth on them bear.
I must to Lipwood come, and take notice
Of the new Hall, and of it tell :
It was built by the doctor Coats, not
Far from Lipwood’s crystal well.
But now he is dead, and all is left behind,
And others have got his store :
I hope his soul is safely landed
On fair Canaan’s delightful happy shore.
To Haydon-Bridge I must go down,
. Where my brother John was born,
he great historical painter, now immortal
Fame doth loudly sound his horn. *
For grand designs, it is well known,
He has outstripped all men on earth,
Which gives great honour to the place,
That gave the genius his birth.
Northumberland can have this to say,
Without telling a lie it is shown;
From one humble cot the greatest historical
Painter the world had never before known.
The eldest brother, W. M., as a philosopher,
Is completely and justly found,
All the men in the world cannot force him
From the truth se divinely sound.
Sir Isaac as a philosopher, the greatest
Imposter he doth prove and show,
His disciples nothing but ignominious fools,
That wise men now doth completely know.
They all strived for the perpetual motion,
Their genius was bad—they could not find it out;
But the true philosopher has done it, and
Put the devil's servants to the rout.
WILLIAM MARTIN'S INVENTION FOR PRE-
SERVING THE LIVES OF SEAMEN IN THE
HOUR OF DANGER.—1804.
This consists of a jacket, made in the common way, of the
best tanned calf-skin, sufficiently easy to allow a man to work
with freedom; to the outside of which must be sewed another
skin, larger and looser than the inner jacket, to allow the
space between them to be filled with air, by means of an ivory
tube fixed to any convenient part of the outer skin, provided
with a stop-cock. The jackets must be closely and strong-
ly sewed together, so as to be both air and water tight; pro-
per straps to be fastened to the lower and under part of the
jacket, to buckle round the thigh, for the purpose of prevent-
ing from slipping up above the short ribs, and the whole to
be annointed with a mixture of bees-wax and tallow, which
will render it perfectly tight. To use in the time of danger,
it must be inflated by blowing into the ivory tube till it is
quite full of air, which will be kept in by turning and proper-
ly securing the stop-cock. This simple invention, if brought
into general use, would doubtless, under Divine Providence,
be the means of saving many valuable lives, which can be
proved to this day by some of the Howdon-Dock rope-
makers, for I acquainted them with it in 1804, before I went
up to London, where they were lost. Having lost the draw-
ing of this contrivance out of my pocket in London streets,
on my return thither, in 1807, and passing the Tower, I saw
one Daniel, of Wapping, exhibiting my Life-Preserver to
the multitude. With a loud voice, I claimed it as mine; but
without effect.
December 11th, 1832.
A few months back, the French philosophers alarmed the
country, by inserting in almost all papers, that there was a
Comet going to appear, and would be of dangerous conse-
quence to this our earth in the month of October. I told the
people that it was a false report, as it came from the devil's
servants; but people could not get rested in their beds for
looking out for it. Now December is getting fast away, and
still no Comet; and there is another of the devil’s servants
5 5
has published in the papers. This ignorant individual has
stated to the people, that if a cannon-ball was to fly for a
million of years with undiminished velocity, it would only
go round and round this earth; so I must refute that igno-
rant statement, and those who are so foolish as to believe
that folly. . If a cannon-ball was to fly along the surface of
the earth, it would not fly two or three minutes, until it
would enter some mountain or hill.
But the true Philosopher would not expose his ignorance
in that shameful way: he would elevate the mouth of the
cannon to keep clear of all hills and mountains; then, in less
than one minute, it would be entirely clear of the atmos-
pheric air of this earth, and enter lighter air; and when it
came in contact with another planet, the atmospheric air of
that planet would repel the ball from it, the same as the
Comets and wandering planets; so it would fly for all eter-
nity, without any obstruction, and not reach the end of space;
for it is without end, the same as eternity.
This is the Copy of the advertisement sent to Earl Grey,
on the 21st Dec. 1832, the same to Lord John Russell and
Lord Althorp, to stand recorded in the short outline of my
life:—
William Martin, the Natural Philosopher, has published
a short outline of his life, and will prove air to be the true Spirit
of our great wonderful God, as false philosophy leads on to
infidelity, and injures God's word, and by it the world is cor-
rupted, but true philosophy leads up to nature's God. And
I demand all bishops and priests, and the wisest men in the
King's dominions, or in the known world, to prove me wrong.
And I will stand by the word of God whom I serve, which
they appear to be blind and ignorant of Doth not the
word say, “By me you live, move, and have your being 2"
I put the simple question to any wise man and good chris-
tian, can any one live without air? The wise man will
answer me, No. Then without it you cannot live. How in
the name of the living God, my leader, can any wise hu-
man being think, then, when the divine word tells them plain,
“By me you live, move, and have your being ;” and is
everywhere present, and no one can escape its sight or touch :
and will be found completely explained in the short outline
of my life, that mortal man will not be able to refute; and
may be had of W. M., and at the Courant Office, price one
shilling.
WM. MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian, Wallsend.
*
REGULATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
To prevent Infidels imposing upon them.
No tory bishops, no tory priests, no tory clerks, no tory
churchwardens, no tory overseers for the parishes, nor an
tory to have anything to do with the Established Church.
And all sermons to be preached in it, every other sermon ex-
temporary, and one wrote, and every priest to do his own
duty. Then they will have to study the word of God, and not 't
have time to go to balls and plays, and sot and drink. Atory -
cannot be a spiritual-minded man. Nor can he be a man of
sound judgment. It matters not how great his fortune is; that
adds nothing to his natural genius or common sense. You
will find men of that description the most ignorant of their
future state; such have no business with the church of the
living God. They are all servants of Beelzebub, the devil.
§sº §
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§
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º:WAWA
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I see in the public paper boasting of a grand dinner,
It shows their belly is their God, and every man a sinner; -
I have finished this short outline of my life, and given false men a wiper,
Those that cannot clear themselves, they must pay the piper.
WM. MARTIN, Anti-Newtonian.
FRRATA.—Page 16, 4th line from bottom ; for “returning to her father's at
Newcastle," read “returning from her father's to Newcastle.”
Page 42, line 14, for “must he,” read “must be ;" and in line 14 from bottom,
jor “light road,” read “right road.”
Page 47, line 10, for “the south end,” read “ the west end.”
NEWCASTLE: PRINTED BY J. BLACK WELL & Co.


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