320 A BRIEF MEMOIR 



not a regular mechanic, and possessed only such 

 tools as he purchased with his little earnings, 

 acquired by labour at the loom or jenny, and 

 as he had also to learn the use of those simple 

 tools, we may be justly surprised that even in 

 five years he succeeded so far as to make his 

 machine practically useful. 



He often said, that what annoyed him most 

 was, that he could not get leave to enjoy his 

 Uttle invention to himself in his garret ; for, the 

 product of his machine obtaining a better price 

 than other yarns of those times, a report soon got 

 abroad that he had constructed a new machine, 

 for the purpose of improved spinning, and people 

 from the neighbourhood, for miles round, came 

 and climbed up at the windows to see him at his 

 work. He erected a screen to prevent this, but 

 the annoyance was so great, that he could not 

 proceed advantageously with his ingenious la- 

 bour; and finally he was induced to lay the 

 whole thing before a number of gentlemen and 

 others, who subscribed a guinea each to look at 

 it. On this as on every other occasion, the late 

 Mr. Pilkinton, of Bolton, gave him his steady 

 and friendly support. These sums amounted 

 to about ^50, which enabled him to construct 

 another machine still farther improved and of 



