NOTE BY W. FAIRBAIRN, F.R.S. F.G.S. 481 
letter, if that theory had actually preceded the letter, and 
that he would not have been eager to point out this cireum- 
stance in the additions that he made to his friend’s Memoir. 
It is well finally to remark, that Watt depended entirely 
on Blagden’s taking care to correct the proofs, and attending 
to every thing else that could relate to the printing of his 
Memoir. This is proved by a letter, still existing, addressed 
to Blagden. Watt saw his Memoir only after it had been 
printed. 
The notes by Mr. Watt, jun., made part of a manuscript 
which was sent me by Lord Brougham ; and it is at the ex- 
press request of my illustrious co-academician that I have 
had them printed as a useful commentary on his work. 
NOTE BY W. FAIRBAIRN, F.B.S., F.G.S. 
In writing his historical eulogy of James Watt, the dis- 
tinguished French philosopher has allowed his partiality for 
his countrymen to overstep the boundaries within which 
an impartial writer should be restrained. To associate 
Dr. Papin as a coadjutor of Watt in the discovery and 
invention of the steam-engine, is to give to the former a de- 
gree of prominence to which he is certainly not entitled; and 
it is much to be regretted, that men in so high a position 
as Arago, with minds so imbued with the love of truth, and 
the desire to award to individual merit the praise justly due 
to labours in the field of discovery, should be so biassed by 
love of country as to endeavour to curtail the merits, and to 
divide the honour which exclusively belongs to one who has 
done more for practical science, and for the great family of 
mankind, than any other person since the days of Newton. 
Papin was contemporary with Newton, and laboured in the 
same field as Savery, in experiments on the effects of steam 
SEC. SER. 21 
