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

JAMES WATT. 201
and happening, in company with his friend Mr. Walkinshaw, to enter
the shop of Mr. John Heron, Watchmaker, a clever and ingenious
workman, Mr. Watt's attention was attracted by a water-colour draw-
ing of a group of shells that had been left there for exhibition.
Struck by the merits of its execution, and having been informed that
it was the work of a youth in humble circumstances, whose taste for
drawing and design had been discovered and directed by Mr. Colin
Buchanan, Mr. Watt, pursuing the reflection which had been suggested
by the ingenious machine so recently submitted to him, inquired
whether there were any other young men of promising talents in
town, and whether native genius might not be successfully stimulated
by some judiciously directed means of encouragement. The answers
received to his interrogatories were so satisfactory, that a desire to be
instrumental in advancing the interests of his native town, in a way
which might influence beneficially its intelligence as well as its pro-
ductive industry, pressed itself upon his attention and began to occupy
his mind. The result of more deliberate consultations with one or two
of his friends in regard to his contemplated project, was his deter-
mination to appropriate a sum of money to the founding of a Scientific
Library in Greenock, with this public-spirited object in view ; a a
resolution which he communicated before leaving town to his friends,
Mr. Walkinshaw, Mr. Anderson, 2 and Mr. Watt, 3 who cordially agreed
1 Mr. Watt had, a few years previously to this, ther to the Professor of Natural Philosophy in the
animated hy the same patriotic motives and de- University of Glasgow, who was founder of the
votedness to the interests of science, founded an Andersonian University in that city.
exhibition, or rather, annual prize, in the Uni-
versity of Glasgow, open to competition among 3 James Watt, Esq., of Crawfordsdyke, justly
students in philosophy, in actual attendance at esteemed for his many private virtues, afterwards
that seminary. It was to he awarded to the best raised to the Provostship of the town of Greenock.
Essay on one or other of a 6eries of subjects Although not related to the family of the great
which were specified by himself, in connexion with engineer, he enjoyed his intimate friendship
practical mechanics and chemistry in their appli- during a series of years, and long after the
cation to the arts. mechanician's death, continued to he the corre-
2 Andrew Anderson, Esq., Mr. Watt's old spondent and esteemed friend of the late Mr.
schoolfellow, already frequently alluded to, bro- James Watt of Soho.
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