WATT, 35 



contained in a work at once very profound and very 

 obscure, Smith's * Harmonics.' This treatise, of which 

 only the first and less perfect edition was then pub- 

 lished, must have been read and understood by the 

 young engineer. While employed by Dr. Eoebuck at 

 his Works, he made a guitar for his daughter, after- 

 wards Mrs. Stuart, which she still possesses, and relates 

 the sum given for it to have been five guineas. 



It only remains to add that all the reading and all 

 the speculations of Watt were strictly confined to hours 

 which did not interfere with his profession or his trade 

 of an instrument maker. The whole of the day was 

 devoted to his business, only subject to the interrup- 

 tion of the discussions raised by those who frequented 

 his workshop in search of assistance and information. 

 It was late in the evening, or rather in the night, that 

 he prosecuted with zeal and close attention his philo- 

 sophical studies ; for his principle through life was 

 steadily kept in view, and uniformly acted on, never to 

 let anything whatever interfere with business, the tran- 

 saction of which he regarded as a primary duty to be 

 performed, and entitled, as such, to take precedence of 

 all other pursuits. 



There chanced to be among the apparatus of the Na- 

 tural Philosophy class a model of Newcomen's steam- 

 engine, which, from some defect in the construction 

 never could be got to work well ; and Mr. Watt was 

 desired to examine and report to the Professor, Mr. 

 Anderson, successor of Dr. Dick, and better known 

 afterwards as having founded by his will the class in 

 which Dr, Birkbeck taught the working men, and thus 

 gave rise to Mechanics' Institutes. The construction 

 of this working model was found to be exceedingly 

 imperfect, but Mr. Watt soon remedied all its defects, 

 As far as the kind of engine could answer its purpose, 

 the apparatus was found to perform its functions satis- 

 factorily, being annually exhibited to the class with 

 great success. He had, however, been taught by his 



