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The Sewing Machine 355 the expense of the patent fees. And thirdly, there would have been a great difficulty in introducing the machine to the public. At least three thousand dollars—£600—would have been necessary for the purpose.” There is every reason to believe that Arrowsmith was prompted to assume this hostile attitude towards patent protection from an experience which befell him in his attempt to push the idea. He doubtless considered that his forge and anvil, which offered a profitable livelihood, were more reliable than the sewing machine. The one was an established cer- tainty, while the other was merely a possibility. The patenting fees could not really have persuaded him to such a course, because it would have involved an outlay of only about £12. Arrowsmith only made one determined effort to push the machine. He suggested to his daughter, who was engaged in the business of corsetiére, to intro- duce the sewing machine into that trade. But the daughter, after a conference with her friends, declined the suggestion “ on the ground that the introduction of such a machine would be injurious to the interests of the hand-sewers. I found that the machine would be very unpopular and therefore refused to use it.” But Arrowsmith’s attitude provided another worker with an opportunity which he seized eagerly. This was Howe, who filed his patent for a sewing machine on September 10th, 1846. Arrowsmith maintained afterwards that he had really anticipated Howe, and that he was entitled to protection. But his obstinacy brought its due reward : his machine failed to receive recognition owing to legal anticipation.