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

JAMES WATT. 233
Mr. Watt founded the " Scientific Library of Greenock ;" and in his
patriotic and generous design of transplanting a knowledge of this
invaluable branch of the arts to the dockyards and workshops of his
native town, he might have had in view to illustrate, by those four
beautiful little machines, what might be done by care and scientific
exactness brought to bear on all their details.
The spirit of enterprise being awakened, that of emulation naturally
followed ; and one steamboat rapidly succeeded another, on those
beautiful waters, so admirably fitted by nature for such incipient
achievements. Each successive construction rivalled its predecessor
both in beauty and speed. Still much remained to be effected both
in the management and economy of these new and increasingly im-
portant undertakings. Beyond the illustrations already afforded of
Mr. Watt's concern for the benefit and advance of his townsmen in
the mechanical industries, he is understood not to have either very
directly or personally occupied himself with the earliest efforts of
steam-navigation in this country, — not only his distance from the
scene of operations, but his retirement, many years previously, from
the active business of Soho, having removed him from their immediate
contact, unless on occasion of his brief periodical visits to Scotland.
It is interesting, however, to observe the Great Mechanician himself,
actually on board of one of these creations of his own ingenuity and
invention. During his last visit to Greenock in 1816, Mr. Watt, in
company with his friend Mr. Walkinshaw, — whom the author some
years afterwards heard relate the circumstance, — made a voyage in
a steamboat as far as Rothesay and back to Greenock, — an excursion
which, in those days, occupied the greater portion of a whole day.
Mr. Watt entered into conversation with the engineer of the boat,
pointing out to him the method of " backing" the engine. With a
foot-rule he demonstrated to him what was meant. Not succeeding,
however, he at last, under the impulse of the ruling passion, threw off
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