48 Mechanical Philosophy. 



portant and useful kinds of machinery which hu- 

 man ingenuity ever contrived. The idea of making 

 steam subservient to powerful mechanical opera- 

 tions> seems to have been first entertained by the 

 Marquis of Worcester, in the reign of CharlesT 

 II. of England. But little more was done, either 

 by him, or during his time, than to speculate on 

 the subject. It was not till the close of the seven- 

 teenth century that Captain Savary, an ingenious 

 and enterprising man, actually erected several 

 steam engines, and obtained a patent for what he 

 considered his own invention. He afterwards im- 

 proved and simplified his machines himself; but 

 the improvements which they have undergone since 

 the date of his, are still more numerous. For these 

 improvements the world is principally indebted to 

 Mr. Newcomen, Mr. Beighton, and above all to 

 Mr. Watt, v^ho, with an ardour, an aicuteness, 

 and a philosophic comprehension, which do him 

 immortal honour, has so extended the principles of 

 these machines, so increased their power, so suc- 

 cessfully obviated the difficulties and inconveni- 

 ences attending their operation, so accommodated 

 their construction to peculiar circumstances, and 

 carried the economy of steam, and, consequently^ 

 of fuel, to such an astonishing degree, that he may 

 be ranked among the greatest mechanical geniuses 

 and benefactors of mankind that the eighteenth 

 century has produced. 



The application of steam to the purposes of 

 cookery, and of propelling vessels on the water, 

 is also to be ranked among modern inventions. 

 To the latter of these objects several of our own 

 countrymen have paid particular attention, and 

 with promising success. And although it must be 

 granted that formidable difficulties have arisen in 

 the execution of ail the plans hitherto proposed, 

 yet to doubt of the practicability of ultimately 



