WATT. 361 



perior to all the restraints which the weakness of 

 his bodily frame could impose. He devoured every 

 kind of learning. Not content with chemistry 

 and natural philosophy, he studied anatomy, and was 

 one day found carrying home for dissection the 

 head of a child that had died of some hidden dis- 

 order. His conversation, too, was so rich, so animated, 

 that we find, from the relation of Mrs. Campbell, a 

 female cousin of his, the complaints made by a lady with 

 whom he resided. She spoke of the sleepless nights 

 which he made her pass by engaging her in some discus- 

 sion or some detail of facts, or some description of phe- 

 nomena, till the night was far advanced towards morn- 

 ing, and she found it impossible to tear herself away 

 from his talk, or to sleep after he had thus excited her. 

 In 1755 he placed himself with Mr. Morgan, 

 mathematical and nautical instrument maker, of 

 Cornhill, and resided with him somewhat less than a 

 year, during which he was chiefly employed in the 

 preparation and adjustment of sextants, compasses, 

 and other nautical instruments. But the same fee- 

 ble health which had interrupted his studies at 

 Glasgow again oppressed him ; he was obliged to 

 leave London, and return to Glasgow. On his 

 arrival there he had the intention of setting up as 

 an instrument maker, but the Glasgow Body of Arts 

 and Trades, one of the sub- corporations in the muni- 

 cipal corporation of that city, opposed him as not free 

 of their craft or guild, and therefore not entitled to 

 exercise his calling within the limits of the charter. 

 Attempts were made to obtain their leave for a very 

 small workshop, on the humblest scale, but this was 



