THE GLASGOW WATER-WORKS. 443 



explain the almost absolute silence which Watt main- 

 tained during the several latter years of his life. I am 

 far from denying that it was without influence ; but what 

 occasion is there to seek for extraordinary causes, when 

 already, under date of 1783, we read in a letter from 

 Watt to his friend Dr. Black : " Recollect well, that I 

 have no desire to entertain the public with the experi- 

 ments which I have made ; " when we also meet else- 

 where, these very singular words in the mouth of a man 

 who has filled the world with his renown : " I know only 

 two pleasures, idleness and sleep." This sleep, however, 

 was very light ; and let us add, that the least excitement 

 sufficed to rouse him from his favourite idleness. All 

 the objects that were presented to him gradually received 

 from him a mental suggestion of change of form, of 

 nature, or of construction, which would have rendered 

 them capable of important applications. These concep- 

 tions, for want of opportunities of being produced, were 

 lost to the world.* The following anecdote will explain 

 my ideas. 



A company at Glasgow had erected large buildings 

 and powerful engines on the right bank of the Clyde, 

 intended to carry water to all the houses in the town. 

 When this work- was completed, they perceived that there 

 existed on the opposite shore a spring, or rather a natural 

 filter, which gave the water evidently superior qualities. 



* There can be no doubt that Watt was deeply affected by his mel- 

 ancholy bereavement; but his mental energy was never impaired by 

 it, nor his interest in science and literature weakened. Indeed there 

 seems to be but little recollection of the lengthy silence above alluded 

 to. The anecdote which follows respecting the lobster's tail, which 

 he imitated on a large scale by a sort of ball-and-socket movement, 

 shows that his inventive powers were still bright and fertile in 1811. 

 Translator. 



