Memorials of the lineage, early life, education and development of the genius of James Watt

JAMES WATT. 53
of a clerk in a baron court. Having early yielded to the family bent,
and devoted much time to the study of the mathematics, and, subse-
quently, of hydrography, he determined on leaving Crawfordsdyke
and establishing himself in Glasgow, with the view of prosecuting the
profession of a mathematician and surveyor. Unfortunately an early
death terminated at once his labours and his promised usefulness.
One important result, however, of these still remains, in the form of
an accurately drawn map or survey of the River Clyde, — a work
which, even at this day, although it has been succeeded by several
elaborate surveys made by eminent engineers, is, in many respects,
not without high value. As this map is now exceedingly rare, not
more than two copies of it, or at most three, being known to
exist, a few particulars regarding its history may not be here in-
appropriate.
One of these copies, in the author's possession, bears on its orna-
mentally engraved shield the title as follows : —
THE
KIVER OF CLYDE,
SURVEYED BY
JOHN WATT.
As it conveys no further particulars regarding its history, and espe-
cially bears no date, nothing more than an approximate period could
be assigned to it as thai of its execution. Indeed, for many years,
little farther was known in regard to its origin than that, its author
having died shortly after its construction, it had been published some
time afterwards by a member of the family. In the Article Watt
in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the publication of John Watt's map
is ascribed to his brother, that is, to James Watt, father of the Im-
prover of the Steam Engine. This, however, is now ascertained not