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



Watt in Retirement — Details respecting his Life and Character — 

 His Death — The numerous Statues erected to his Memory — 

 Reflections. 



In the year 1764, Mr Watt had married his cousin Miss 

 Miller. She was an accomplished person ; and her wit, imper- 

 turbable sweetness, and cheerfulness of disposition, speedily 

 rescued the celebrated engineer from an oppression of lassi- 

 tude, discouragement, and misanthropy, which a nervous attack, 

 and the injustice whiclvhe experienced, had well nigh rendered 

 fatal. Without the cheering influence of his wife. Watt per- 

 haps would never have published to the world his beautiful in- 

 ventions. Of this marriage were born four children, two sons 

 and two daughters. At an after period Mrs Watt expired in 

 childbed, and her infant did not survive her. Her husband at 

 the time was absent, engaged in the north of Scotland, with the 

 plans of the Caledonian Canal. I shall here take the liberty of 

 transcribing, in all their native simplicity, a few lines from the 

 journal in which he was m the habit of recording daily his 

 most private thoughts, his fears and his hopes. " I did what 

 I could to force grief from my mind ; but feared to come home 

 where I had lost my kind welcomer. In her I lost the com- 

 fort of my life, a dear friend, and a faithful wife." Here is 

 a striking picture of heartfelt sorrow, which may serve to shake 

 the confidence of those system-makers, who, despite of in- 

 numerable instances to the contrary, deny the free and kindly 

 play of the feelings to men whose intelligence finds its nourish- 

 ment amid the sublime and imperishable truths of the exact 

 sciences. After several years of widowhood, Mr Watt had 

 the happiness to find in Miss Macgregor, a companion, ren- 

 dered worthy of him, by the variety of her talents, the sound- 

 ness of her judgment, and the strength of her character.* 



On the expiration of the term to which his patent had been 

 extended by ParHament, viz. in the beginning of the year 1800, 

 Mr Watt withdrew himself entirely from business. His two 

 sons succeeded him ; and, under the enlightened direction of 



* This lady deceased in the year 1832, at a very advanced age. She had 

 misfortune of surviving the only two children she ever had. 



