THE STEAM-ENGINE. 27o 



experiments, he bad succeeded in construct- 

 ing a rude steam-engine, which he called 

 a fire-waterwork, and which he pronounced to 

 be an admirable and most forcible instrument of 

 propulsion." 



But the Marquis was suspected to be a mad- 

 man, and known to be a Papist, his inventions 

 therefore found no favourable reception. His 

 fire-waterwork might, perhaps, furnish matter 

 for conversation at a meeting of the Royal 

 Society, but was not applied to any practical 

 purpose. 



The next engine was invented by Captain 

 Savery, in 1698, for the purpose of raisins: 

 water by the help of fire. Newcomen came next, 

 followed by James Watt. 



And here I must pay a passing tribute to the 

 inventive genius and wonderful discoveries of 

 James Watt, to whom, perhaps, more than to 

 any other man, the world is indebted for the 

 beneficial results which have flown from the de- 

 velopment of steam power. 



Some six hundred years after Roger Bacon's 

 prophecy, another prophet arose. In 1804, so 

 writes a popular author, " George Stephenson 

 was a poor labourer, his son Robert lying in his 

 cradle; then the staofe-coach dragsfed alone 



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