en. xxvni. JAMES WATT. 245 



man of unusual ability, for the mind of the dull boy had 

 developed, and his thoughtfulness had begun to produce 

 results. Not only the students, but even the professors of 

 the University used to stroll into his little shop to discuss the 

 discoveries of the day. ' Whenever any difficulty arrested 

 us,' writes a student named Robison, ' we used to run to our 

 workman, and he never let go his hold until he had entirely 

 cleared up the proposed question.' One day it was neces- 

 sary to read a German book on mechanics ; Watt imme- 

 diately set to work and learnt German, and another time, 

 for the same reason, he studied the Italian language. It is 

 scarcely surprising that a man with such talent and perse- 

 verance as this, who was also gentle and loving to every- 

 body, should be sought after both by masters and students. 



Among those who came to Watt's shop was one Ander- 

 son, professor of physics, who, finding that a little model of 

 a steam-engine in the University museum was out of order, 

 brought it to Watt to be repaired, and thus led the way to 

 his invention. And here it is necessary to point out two 

 things : First, you must not suppose that by a steam-engine 

 is meant a railway engine ; all contrivances which move by 

 the power of steam are steam-engines, and locomotive engines 

 which draw carriages were not made till 1804, long after Watt's 

 time. Secondly, you must get rid of the idea, which many 

 people have, that Watt was the first man to make an engine 

 which moved by steam. This was done long before his time. 

 The thing which Watt really did was to make an engine such 

 as we now use, working entirely by steam, without the help 

 of air, and doing an enormously greater amount of work with 

 the same quantity of fuel than any others had done before. 



The Newcomen Engine, 1705. Steam had been used 

 to turn a globe by Hero of Alexandria, a Greek who lived 



