SiH 



WATT. 



read so accurately and well. He had great quick- 

 ness of apprehension, and could extract something 

 precious out of every thing presented to him. He 

 was minutely and extensively learned in chemistry, 

 in the arts connected with his profession, and in 

 most of the branches of physical science. It is 

 not, however, so well known, though more extra- 

 ordinary, th.at he was also well acquainted with 

 man v subjects of antiquarian research, metaphysics, 

 medicine, and etymology, and perfectly at home in 

 all the details of architecture, music and law. He 

 was also familiar with both the literature and lan- 

 guages of modern Europe, and it was not uncom- 

 mon to hear this great mechanician expound the 

 metaphysical theories of the Germans, or criticise 

 the measures or the matter of their poetry. He 

 possessed, in an extraordinary degree, the power of 

 digesting and arranging, in its proper place, all the 

 information he received, and of rejecting instinc- 

 ti vi ly whatever was worthless or immaterial. From 

 the dull books he perused, therefore, or the idle 

 talk he listened to, he extracted at once, by a rare 

 species of intellectual alchemy, all that was worthy 

 of attention, and reduced it, for his own use, to its 

 true value and smallest form. With these vast 

 resources, his conversation was at all times rich, 

 copious, instructive, and pleasing; possessing the 

 charms of familiarity with the treasures of know- 

 ledge. He was social, simple, and unassuming ; 

 and kind and indulgent to all who approached him. 

 Though he liked to talk, he rarely suggested the 

 topic of conversation, but readily took that one 

 which was presented by those around him, astonish- 

 ing them by the treasures he drew from the mine 

 they had unconsciously opened. He seemed to 

 have no predilection for one subject more than 

 another, but allowed his mind, like a great cyclo- 

 paedia, to be opened at any letter, and only endea- 

 voured to select from his inexhaustible stores, what 

 might be best adapted to the taste and capacity of 

 his hearers. He was kind and affectionate, gene- 

 rous and considerate of the feelings of others, and 

 liberally encouraged all young persons who showed 

 any indications of talent, or applied to him for ad- 

 vice or assistance. His health, delicate in his youth, 

 seemed to become firmer as he advanced in years, 

 and he preserved, almost to the last moment of his 

 existence, the full command of his intellect, his 

 alacrity of spirit, and all the social gaiety, which 

 had illuminated his happier days. After the year 

 1817, he applied himself, with all the ardour of 

 early Jife, to the invention of a machine for copy- 

 ing sculpture and statuary, and exhibited his per- 

 formance amongst his friends, as the production of a 

 young artist just entering on his 83d year." 



WATT, ROBEET, M.D., the author of the Bib- 

 liotheca Britannica, and of several medical trea- 

 tises, was the son of a small farmer in the parish of 

 Stewarton, Ayrshire, where he was born in May, 

 1774. His early life was mostly spent in the hum- 

 ble capacity of plough-boy or farm-servant ; but 

 having imbibed a strong desire for an academical 

 education, he laid aside as much of his earnings as 

 he could spare, and applied himself, in the intervals 

 of manual occupation, to the Latin and Greek lan- 

 guages. It was not long ere he thus qualified him- 

 self for beginning his course at the university. In 

 1793, at the age of eighteen, he matriculated in the 

 Glasgow College, and, from that period, went re- 

 gularly through the successive classes in the uni- 

 versity, up to the year 1797. During the summer 

 recesses, he supported himself by teaching, at first 



as a private tutor; but latterly he took up a small 

 public school in the village of Symington, in Ayr- 

 shire. It was his first determination to follow the 

 clerical profession ; but after he had attended two 

 sessions at the Divinity Hall of Glasgow, he turned 

 himself to the study of medicine : and, in order to 

 have every advantage towards acquiring a profi- 

 ciency in that branch of knowledge, he removed to 

 Edinburgh, which has been so long celebrated as a 

 medical school. Here he remained until he had 

 gone through the usual studies of the science. In 

 1799, he set up as surgeon in the town of Paisley ; 

 and soon began to attain great popularity in his 

 profession, and to reap the reward of his talents 

 and perseverance. In a short time he had engross- 

 ed so much practice, as to find it necessary to take 

 in, as partner and assistant, Mr James Muir, who 

 had been bis fellow-student at Edinburgh. The 

 only work which he ventured to publish while at 

 Paisley, amid the many which be composed and con- 

 templated, was one, entitled " Cases of Diabetes, 

 Consumption, Sec. ; with Observations on the His- 

 tory and Treatment of Disease in general." This 

 appeared in 1803, and excited considerable interest 

 at the time, among the learned of the profession. 

 In 1810, he removed to Glasgow, as affording a 

 wider field for the exertion of his talents ; and 

 there, in addition to his practice as a physician, he 

 commenced lecturer on medicine. His success in 

 Glasgow was complete and immediate. As a phy- 

 sician, he suddenly acquired a most respectable and 

 extensive practice ; and as a lecturer, his popularity 

 was equally gratifying. The continental war, which 

 was then raging, occasioned a great demand for 

 surgeons, and increased the number of students 

 much above the ordinary average. Dr Watt's lec- 

 ture-room was numerously attended ; and he spared 

 no pains or expense that might conduce to the ad- 

 vantage of his pupils. With a view to their bene- 

 fit, he formed a library of medical books, which 

 was very complete and valuable, containing, besides 

 all the popular works on medicine, many scarce and 

 high-priced volumes. Of this library he published 

 a catalogue, in 1812; to which he appended, " An 

 Address to Medical Students on the best Method 

 of prosecuting their Studies." 



The " Bibliotheca Britannica" may be said to 

 have originated with the formation of this library. 

 Besides the catalogue of it, which was printed in 

 the usual form, having the works arranged under 

 their respective authors in alphabetical order, he 

 drew out an index of the various subjects which 

 the volumes embraced, making references to the 

 place which each held upon the shelf; and thus 

 brought before his eye, at one view, all the books 

 in his possession that treated on any particular 

 point. The utility of the index to himself and his 

 students, soon turned his mind to the consideration 

 of one upon a more comprehensive scale, that would 

 embrace all the medical works which had been 

 printed in the British dominions. This he imme- 

 diately set about drawing out, and devoted much 

 of his* time to it. After he had nearly completed 

 his object, he extended the original plan by intro- 

 ducing works on law, and latterly works on divi- 

 nity and miscellaneous subjects, including all foreign 

 publications of merit. Thus the " Bibliotheca 

 Britannica" grew upon his hands, and thus many of 

 the most splendid monuments of human intellect 

 and industry, originate in trifling or small begin- 



nings 



In 1813, Dr Watt published a " Treatise on the 



