"I had always, from my earliest youth, a great relish for the natural sciences, and particularly for mathematical and mechanical philosophy, when I was introduced by Drs. Simson, Dick, and Moor, gentlemen eminent for their mathematical abilities, to Mr. Watt. I saw a workman, and expected no more; but was surprised to find a philosopher as young as myself, and always ready to instruct me. I had the vanity to think myself a pretty good proficient in my favourite study, and was rather mortified at finding Mr. Watt so much my superior. . . . Whenever any puzzle came in the way of any of the young students, we went to Mr. Watt. He needed only to be prompted, for every thing became to him the beginning of a new and serious study, and we knew that he would not quit it till he had either discovered its insignificancy, or had made something of it. He learnt the German language in order to peruse Leupold's 'Theatrum Machinarum;' so did I, to know what he was about. Similar reasons made us both learn the Italian language. * * * When to his superiority of knowledge is added the _naïve_ simplicity and candour of Mr. Watt's character, it is no wonder that the attachment of his acquaintances was strong. I have seen something of the world, and am obliged to say I never saw such another instance of general and cordial attachment to a person whom all acknowledged to be their superior. But that superiority was concealed under the most amiable candour, and a liberal allowance of merit to every man. Mr. Watt was the first to ascribe to the ingenuity of a friend things which were nothing but his own surmises, followed out and embodied by another. I am the more entitled to say this, as I have often experienced it in my own case." Watt never permitted the inquiries which arose out of these reunions to interfere with the discharge of the duties of his workshop. There he passed the day, devoting the [Pg083] night to study. Every inquiry appeared to him to be attractive in proportion to its difficulty, and to have charms in proportion as it was removed from the common routine of his business. As an example of this may be mentioned the fact, that, being himself so insensible to the charms of music that he could not distinguish one note from another, he was actually induced to undertake the construction of an organ, in which he was nevertheless completely successful. The instrument he constructed, as might have been expected, contained many improvements in its mechanism; but what is much more remarkable, its tone and its musical qualities commanded the admiration of all the professional musicians who heard it. In the construction of this instrument Watt showed that vigorous spirit of investigation which characterised all the subsequent labours of his life. He made out the scale of temperament by the aid of the phenomena of beats, of which he could only obtain a knowledge by a profound but obscure work published by Dr. Robert Smith of Cambridge.