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times, be united with an inventive genius, and Watt himself in case of need, would furnish the strongest evidence of this. His admirable in vention, his happy idea of the possibility of condensing steam in a vessel entirely separated from the cylinder in which the mechanical action takes place, dates from 1765. Two years elapse, and yet he has hardly taken any steps to apply it on a large scale. His friends at last obtained an introduction for him to Doctor Roebuck, who established the Carron foundry, still enjoying a high celebrity. The manufacturer and the inventor united ; Watt gave up to him two-thirds of his patent, an engine is made on the new principles and confirms all his theoretical provisions. His success was complete, but at this period the fortune of Doctor Roebuck received a severe check ; Watt’s inven tion would have doubtless restored it, all that was wanting was a sleeping partner to supply funds, but Watt thought it was better to give up his discovery and change his trade. In 1767, whilst Smeaton was surveying between the rivers Firth and Clyde, for one of those gigantic works of which this part of Scotland after wards became the scene, we find that Watt employed himself in similar operations for a rival line by Loch Lomond. Some time after, he drew up a plan for a canal to carry coal from Monkland to Glasgow, of which he superintended the execution. Several plans of the same kind, and, among others, of a navigable canal across the isthmus of Crinan, since finished by Rennie; extensive plans for the improvement of the ports of Ayr, Glasgow, and Grenock; the construction of bridges at Hamilton and Rutherglen ; and an investigation of the ground across which the famous Caledonian canal was to pass, then occupied our colleague until the end of 1773. Without detracting from the merit of these labours, I must be permitted to consider their importance as merely local, and to assert that their conception, direction, or execution would never have given a name like that of James Watt. If forgetting my duties to the academy, I endeavoured to make you smile instead of relating what is useful and true, I could find here matter enough for a striking contrast. I could remind you of such and such an author, who, in our weekly meetings, demands loudly to communicate this little remark, that trifling reflexion, the few notes drawn up only the evening before; I would paint him to you cursing his fate, when the BOULTON AND WATT’S SINGLE ACTING STEAM ENGINE. Fig. 10, shows a section of the cylinder C, condenser B, and air pump A, of a single engine, arranged as is most convenient for exhibiting the parts. The steam enters from the boiler to the cylinder by the pipe S, through the valve c; and presses down the piston P, which is supposed to be taken at the time of its descent: the steam below it goes into the condenser, and is con densed by the jet which plays into it. The air pump bucket p is descending in the air and vapour which the pump had received from the condenser daring the previous ascent. When the piston is at the bottom of the cylin der, a motion is given to the rod O, which shuts the valves a and c, and opens the valve b; there is then a communication open by the pipe E, be tween the top and bottom of the cylinder, and the pressure of the counter weight must be sufficient to overcome the friction of the piston, and expel the steam from the upper to the lower side of the piston: the action of the counter weight has also to expel the air and water of condensation through the valve Q by means of the air pump. i strict letter of the regulations, when the earlier order of inscription * of some other member puts off the reading of it for another week, leaving to him, however, as a guarantee during this wretched week, its being in safe custody in our archives as a sealed packet. On the other hand, we should see the creator t of a machine destined to form an epoch in the annals of the world, submit without murmur to the stupid caprices of capitalists, and bend down his superior genius during eight years to the compilation of plans, to minute surveys, to tedious details of estimates, of repairs, and of square yards of masonry. Let us confine ourselves to re marking, that this conduct of Watt arose from a serenity of character, a moderation of wishes, and genuine modesty. So much indifference, however noble might have been the reasons for it, is still open to blame : society is in the right to reprobate in the strongest terms those of its members who by hoarding prevent the circulation of the specie of the country; is it, however, less blameable to deprive one’s native land and fellow countrymen, one’s fellow men, of those treasures a thousand times more valuable, which spring from the mind, hoarding up for one’s self those immortal conceptions, sources of the noblest and purest mental enjoyments, and in depriving of them, the manufacturers of mechanical combinations, who would multiply to infinity the produce of national in dustry ; which would to break down for the benefit of civilization ar.d of the human, race, the effects of an unequal position in society, which one day would allow us to go through the rudest workshops, without w itnessing the melancholy sight of fathers of families, and unfortunate children of both sexes reduced to the state of brutes, and moving rapidly towards the tomb. In the beginning of 1774, after having overcome the indifference of Watt, he was placed in communication with Mr. Boulton, of Soho, near Birmingham, a man of enterprise, activity, and varied talents. The tw T o partners applied to parliament for a prolongation of Watt’s patent, which was taken out in 1769, and had only a few years to run. The bill gave rise to a sharp debate. “ This business,” says the celebrated engineer in a letter to his aged father, “ could only be carried on with considerable trouble and expense. Without the help of some warm hearted friends we should not have succeeded, for many most influ ential members of the House of Commons were opposed to us.” It seemed to me worthy of enquiry, to ascertain what class of society belonged these influential members of whom Watt speaks, w r lio refused to a man of genius, a small part of the riches which he was going to create. Judge of my surprise, when I found at their head, the celebrated Burke I Can it be true, that a man can distinguish himself by the most arduous studies, be a man of learning and probity, possess in an eminent degree those oratorical qualities which lead and carry away political assemblies, and yet be difficient in simple common sense ?$ However, since the wise and important amendments which Lord Brougham has introduced into the patent laws, inventors will no longer be subjected to those protracted annoyances to which Watt was exposed. As soon as parliament had granted an extension of Watt’s patent for twenty-five years, this mechanic and Boulton, in conjunction, commenced at Soho, those establishments which have proved the most useful schools in England of practical mechanics. Steam-engines for draining were erected on a very large scale; and repeated experiments showed that with equal effect, they saved three-quarters of the fuel previously used * In French assemblies all speakers put down their names in a list, from which they are called in rotation to deliver iheir discourses, this prevails even in the Chambers, it leads to a dull monotony, and is destructive of the oratorical character. — Note of the translator. t We recollect an old friend of ours, one of the philosophical circle of the last century, who used to tell an appropriate anecdote on the subject of M. Arago’s favourite prhase, the creative power of a mechanic. He himself, in a trial on the validity of a patent, had used the same remark, when the judge anxious to have a quiet fling at a witness, who was on all such occasions quite unbrowbeat able, ex claimed, Creative power of a mechanic ! why pray Mr. R. what do you mean by that? Why, my Lord, 1 mean, that power which enables a man to convert a goat’s tail into a judge’s wig.—Note of the translator. J In the notes of the last edition of Professor Robison’s work on the steam engine. Watt speaks in these terms of Mr. Boulton. “The friendship with which he favoured me, ended only with his life, that which I felt towards him obliges me to take advantage of this opportunity, the last perhaps which may be allowed me, of acknowledging how much I am indebted to him. It is to Mr. Boulton’s ready encouragement, his taste for scientific pursuits, and the skill with which he knew how to males them contribute to the progress of the arts ; it is also to his intimate acquaintance with manufacturing and commercial affairs, that I attribute in a great degree the success with which my efforts have been crowned.” Mr. Boulton’s manufactory, at Soho, had already been established for some years, when the partnership was formed which is mentioned in the text. This establishment, the first on such a great scale which has been formed in England, is still further remark able iu the present day, for the elegance of its architecture. Boulton manufactured there all kinds of first-rate works, in steel, plated ware, silver, and or molu, even astronomical clocks and paintings on glass. During the last twenty years of his life, Boulton was employed in improvements in minting money. By the combination of some processes originally French (?) with new presses, and an ingenious application of the steam engine, he succeeded in uniting great rapidity of execution, with extreme perfection in detail. It was Bonlton, who effected for the English Government, the re-coinage of all the copper money of the empire. The economy and neatness of this great work rendered false imitations almost impossible. The numerous executions with which, until then, the Citiesof London and Birmingham had been alHicted,entirely ceased, and on this occasion Darwin in his Botanic Garden demands, why if at Rome a civic crown was given to him who saved the life of a single citizen, is not Boulton worthy of being covered by us with garlands of oak. Mr. Boulton died in 1809, aged 81.—Note of M. Arago. $ It is not only very possible, but very certain, and perhaps is the reason vyhv in Eng land political and scientific distinctions are considered as different—Note of the Trans lator.