y wretched, and
Mrs. Watt at last became anxious, long and bravely as she had hitherto
borne up and striven to dispel her husband's fears. Never before had she
ventured to speak to Boulton upon the subject. She now broke the silence
and wrote him in Cornwall a touching letter, stating that her husband's
health and spirits had become much worse since Boulton had left Soho. "I
know there are several things that so prey upon his mind as to render
him perfectly miserable. They never cross his mind, but he is rendered
unfit to do anything for a long time." She describes these financial
demons that torment him and begs that her writing should not be told to
Watt, as it might only add to his troubles. The appeal brings Mrs. Watt
before us in a most engaging light.

A study of the problem was made upon Boulton's return and he agreed to
close two departments of the business which were so far unprofitable,
thus entering upon the right path. The engine having proved itself
indispensable, the demand for it was becoming great and pressing from
various countries. To concentrate upon its manufacture was obviously the
true policy. The great captain's enterprise was not often expended upon
failures, and it is with pleasure we find that among the profitable
branches which Boulton had encouraged Watt in introducing at Soho, was
the copying-press, which Watt invented in 1778, and which we use to
this day. In July of that year he writes Dr. Black that he has "lately
discovered a method of copying writing instantaneously, provided it has
been written within twenty-four hours. I send you a specimen and will
impart the secret if it will be of any use to you. It enables me to copy
all my business letters." He kept this secret for two years, and in May,
1780, secured a patent after he had completed details of the press and
experimented with the ink. One hundred and fifty were made and sold.
Thirty of these went abroad. It steadily made its way. Watt, writing
some thirty years later, said it had proved so useful to him that it was
well worth all the trouble of perfecting it, even if it brought no
profit.

We think of Watt and the steam engine appears. Let us however note the
unobtrusive little copying-press on the table at his side. Extremes meet
here. It would be difficult to name an invention more universally used,
in all offices where man labors in any field of activity. In the list of
modest inventions of greatest usefulness, the modern copy