on shops were visited, but the rules of the trade, requiring
apprentices to serve for seven years, or, being journeymen, to have
served that time, proved an insuperable obstacle to Watt's being
employed. His plan was to fit himself by a year's steady work for return
to Glasgow, there to begin on his own account. He had not seven years to
spend learning what he could learn in one. He would be his own master.
Wise young man in this he was. There is not much outcome in the youth
who does not already see himself captain in his dreams, and steers his
barque accordingly, true to the course already laid down, not to be
departed from, under any stress of weather. We see the kind of stuff
this young Scotch lad was made of in the tenacity with which he held to
his plan. At last some specimens of his work having seemed very
remarkable to Mr. John Morgan, mathematical instrument maker, Finch
Lane, Cornhill, he agreed to give the conquering young man the desired
year's instructions for his services and a premium of twenty pounds,
whereupon the plucky fellow who had kept to his course and made port,
wrote to his father of his success, praising his master "as being of as
good character, both for accuracy in his business, and good morals, as
any of his way in London." The order in which this aspiring young man of
the world records the virtues will not be overlooked. He then adds, "If
it had not been for Mr. Short, I could not have got a man in London that
would have undertaken to teach me, as I now find there are not above
five or six who could have taught me all I wanted."

Mr. Short was the gentleman to whom Professor Dick's letter of
introduction was addressed, who, no more than the Professor himself, nor
Mr. Morgan, could withstand the extraordinary youth, whom he could not
refuse taking into his service--glad to get him no doubt, and delighted
that he was privileged to instruct one so likely to redound to his
credit in after years. Thus Watt made his start in London, the twenty
pounds premium being duly remitted from home.

Up to this time, Watt had been a charge on his father, but it was very
small, for he lived in the most frugal style at a cost of only two
dollars per week. In one of his letters to his father he regrets being
unable to reduce it below that, knowing that his father's affairs were
not prosperous. He, however, was able to obtain some remunerative work
on his own account, which he did after his day's task was over,