352 JAMES WATT. 



show in what a humble position those projects were 

 perfected, that were destined to raise the British nation 

 to an unheard-of degree of power. I will especially en 

 deavour to characterize, with extreme precision, the 

 fruitful inventions which will for ever connect the name 

 of Watt with the steam-engine. I foresee all the dan 

 gers of this line of conduct ; I am aware that it may be 

 said on going out of this room : We expected an histor 

 ical eulogy, but we have only received a dry and arid 

 lesson. Besides this, the reproach would not have 

 weighed on me, if the lesson had been well understood. 

 I will, therefore, exert every effort not to tire your 

 patience ; I will keep in mind that clearness is politeness 

 in public speakers. 



INFANCY AND YOUTH OF JAMES WATT. HIS AD 

 VANCEMENT TO THE APPOINTMENT OF ENGINEER 

 TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. 



James Watt, one of the eight Foreign Associates of 

 the Academy of Sciences, was born at Greenock, in 

 Scotland, the 19th of January, 1736. Our neighbours 

 on the other side of the Channel, have the good sense 

 to think that the genealogy of a respectable and indus 

 trious family, is quite as worthy of being preserved as 

 the parchments of certain titled families that have be 

 come celebrated only by the enormity of their crimes 

 and their vices. Thus I can say with certainty that the 

 great grandfather of James Watt was an agriculturist, 

 settled in the county of Aberdeen ; that he was killed 

 in one of Montrose s battles ; that the conquering side, 

 as was customary, (I was going to add, as is still custom 

 ary in civil discords,) did not think death itself a suffi 

 cient expiation for the opinions in support of which the 



