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

JAMES WATT. 195
kind letter of July 4th, sooner. I was in the act of setting out for
Wales when I received it. I made a month's stay there, and many
things occurred to make me neglect it since, till the annual time of
settling my accounts brought it before me. Permit me to hope that
you will forgive my omission, which has been more caused by the
failure of recollection, than by any want of a due sense of my obliga-
tions to you on this and other occasions.
" I found, on questioning your friend, Mr. S , that he had not
that genius for mechanics he had nattered himself to have ; and as
there was no likelihood of his obtaining as good a salary here as he
enjoyed in Greenock, I thought I could not do him more kindness
than by advising him to endeavour to get into some merchant's
counting-house, either in Liverpool, or in Scotland — in consequence of
which he went from hence to Liverpool, since which I have not heard
of him.
" I am to thank you for your very great care and attention to my
poor cousin A ; and observe your account of her funeral charge,
which is very moderate, and which I am very sorry my neglect has
kept you so long out of. If you will favour me with a copy of my
account-current with you to this date, I shall send you an order upon
Mr. Archibald Hamilton, junior, ayIio will pay it you. Till I received
his account the other day, I thought you would have drawn upon him,
as I requested you, but nothing is charged in that account.
" In respect to the seat in the kirk, please to sell it for what you
can get, and send me a form of a proper assignation, which I will sign
and return.
" I have heard nothing of Mrs. B. since you wrote. I hope she
arrived safe, and with her husband is doing well. I shall be glad to
hear how her mother is, and if she has enough to support her. If
that should not be the case, please to inform me what help may be
wanted from me ; meanwhile, please to remember me to her.