e courage to break away from the trammels
of traditional methods, and take short cuts to accomplish his objects
by direct and simple means."

We have another recollection of William Murdock, from one who knew him
when a boy. This is the venerable Charles Manby, F.R.S., still
honorary secretary of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He says
(writing to us in September 1883), "I see from the public prints that
you have been presiding at a meeting intended to do honour to the
memory of William Murdock--a most worthy man and an old friend of mine.
When he found me working the first slide valve ever introduced into an
engine-building establishment at Horsley, he patted me on the head, and
said to my father, 'Neighbour Manby, this is not the way to bring up a
good workman--merely turning a handle, without any shoulder work.' He
evidently did not anticipate any great results from my engineering
education. But we all know what machine tools are doing now,--and
where should we be without them?"

Watt withdrew from the firm in 1800, on the expiry of his patent for
the condensing steam-engine; but Boulton continued until the year 1809,
when he died full of years and honours. Watt lived on until 1819. The
last part of his life was the happiest. During the time that he was in
the throes of his invention, he was very miserable, weighed down with
dyspepsia and sick headaches. But after his patent had expired, he was
able to retire with a moderate fortune, and began to enjoy life.
Before, he had "cursed his inventions," now he could bless them. He
was able to survey them, and find out what was right and what was
wrong. He used his head and his hands in his private workshop, and
found many means of employing both pleasantly. Murdock continued to be
his fast friend, and they spent many agreeable hours together. They
made experiments and devised improvements in machines. Watt wished to
make things more simple. He said to Murdock, "it is a great thing to
know what to do without. We must have a book of blots--things to be
scratched out." One of the most interesting schemes of Watt towards
the end of his life was the contrivance of a sculpture-making machine;
and he proceeded so far with it as to to able to present copies of
busts to his friends as "the productions of a young artist just
entering his eighty-third year." The machine, however, remained
unfinished at his death, and the remarkable fact is that it was Watt's
only