M. Arago's Biographical Memoir of James Watt. Ill 



works on medicine and surgery as he could procure. These 

 last sciences had so much excited his interest, that he was 

 one day detected conveying into his room the head of a child 

 which had died of some ohscure disease, that he might take 

 occasion to dissect it. 



Watt, however, did not devote himself either to botany or 

 to mineralogy, to literatiu*e or poetry, or chemistry, or phy- 

 sics, or medicine, although he was so well prepared for the 

 prosecution of any one of these various studies. In the year 

 1755 he went to London, and there placed himself \mder the 

 instructions of Mr John Morgan, mathematical and nautical 

 instrument-maker in Finch Lane, Comhill. The man who 

 was about to cover England with engines, in comparison with 

 which, so far at least as effects are concerned, the antique 

 and colossal machine of Marly is but a pigmy, commenced his 

 career by constructing, with his own hands, instruments which 

 were fine, delicate, and fragile, — ^those small but admirable 

 reflecting sextants to which navigation is so much indebted 

 for its progress. He did not continue with Mr Morgan much 

 above a twelvemonth, and " in the year 1757 went to settle 

 in Glasgow, as a maker of mathematical instruments ; but 

 being molested by some of the corporations, who considered 

 him as an intruder on their privileges, the University pro- 

 tected him, by giving him a shop within their precincts, and 

 by conferring on him the title of mathematical instrument 

 maker to tie University."* There are still in existence some 

 small instnments which were at this time made entirely by 

 Watt's own hands, and they are of very exquisite workman- 

 ship. I miy add, that his son has lately shewn me the first 

 designs of :he steam-engine, and they are truly remarkable 

 for the deicacy and precision of the drawing. It was not 

 without reason, whatever may be said of it, that Watt spoke, 

 with compacency of his manual dexterity. Perhaps you 

 will think me over scrupulous in thus claiming for otir as- 

 sociate a nerit which adds but little to his glory. But I 

 confess tha: I never listen to a pedantic enumeration of the 

 qualities of which able men have been destitute, without 



* MS. of Dr Black. 



