404 JAMES ■\VATT. 



tion of an apparatus, the principle of which Watt dis- 

 covered in the reguhxtor of the sails of some flour-mills : 

 this he named the governor; which is now called the 

 centrifugal regulator. Its efficacy is such, that a few 

 years ago in the cotton-spinning manufactory of a re- 

 nowned mechanic, Mr. Lee, there was a clock set in 

 motion by the engine of the establishment, and it showed 

 no great inferiority to a common spring clock. 



Watt's regulator, and an intelligent use of the re- 

 volving principle, — that is the secret, the true secret, of 

 the astonishing perfection of the industrial products of 

 our epoch ; this is what now gives to the steam-engine 

 a rate entirely free from jerks. That is the reason why 

 it can, with equal success, embroider muslins and forge 

 anchors, -weave the most delicate webs and communicate 

 a rapid movement to the heavy stones of a flour-mill. 

 This also explains how Watt had said, fearless of being 

 reproached for exaggeration, that to prevent the comings 

 and goings of servants, he would be served, he would 

 have gruel brought to him, in case of illness, by tablets 

 connected with his steam-engine. I am aware it is sup- 

 posed by the generality of people, that this suavity of 

 motion is obtained only by a loss of power ; but it is an 

 error, a gross error : the saying, " nmch noise and little 

 work," is true not only in the moral world, but is also an 

 axiom in mechanics. 



A few words more and we shall reach the end of our 

 technical details. 



Within these few years, great advantage has been 

 found in not allowing a free access of steam from the 

 boiler into the cylinder, during the ivhole time of each 

 oscillation of the engine.* This communication is inter- 



* This constituted Watt's celebrated expansion engine, so named 



