376 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



which the conduct of thousands was determined. 

 Little did the brilliant Professor know that 

 the discoveries of his humble friend would yet 

 in their results serve to limit the conclusions of 

 his own Philosophy. In the meantime, all that 

 he knew of Watt and of his personal history 

 seemed to be, and really was, a signal illustra- 

 tion of the follies of restriction. For no other 

 reason than that he had not been born in Glas- 

 gow, Watt could not legally sell the products 

 of his ingenuity and labour in that City. The 

 spirit and the laws of corporate monopoly rigidly 

 excluded him ; and the company of " Hammer- 

 men" insisted on the exclusion being maintained, 

 for fear of " loss and skaith to the Burgesses 

 and Craftsmen of Glasgow, by the intrusion of 

 strangers." * The working-classes themselves were 

 among the most strenuous supporters of a system 

 which diminished the value by restricting the area 

 of their labour. Fortunately the University had 

 privileges of its own, which, within its own pro- 

 perty, excluded the jurisdiction of a Municipality 

 and a Craft not more ignorant or more selfish 

 * Smiles' Life of Watt, page 105. 



