XX FAC SIMILES OF AUTOGRAPHS. Page VII. MR. JAMES WATT. 2. MR. MATTHEW BOULTON. 3. MR. JABEZ CARTER HORNBLOWER. 4. MR. VIII. MR. MARC ISAMBARD BRUNEL. 2. MR. JACOB 334 607 SOME years ago, the ten thousand steam-engines, which then were reckoned to be in Great Britain, were estimated to perform daily the labour of more than two hundred thousand horses-equal to the power of twelve hundred thousand men expending their energy to the greatest mechanical advantage. But, as machines require neither rest, nor relaxation, and can operate without impairing their power during those portions of time usually assigned for a cessation of animal labour, these ten thousand engines could develop from sunrise to sunrise a power superior to that of four and a half millions of labourers; an effect greater than the entire manual labour of England: yet, notwithstanding the importance of the power they developed to the national manufactures, and the display of mechanical ingenuity exhibited in the construction of the machines themselves, they were xxiv INTRODUCTION. unknown but by name to the great bulk even of that portion of the community engaged in manufacturing processes. Two works only, devoted to a popular account of the principles of mechanical philosophy, contained a few brief notices of their general principles, and attempted to give an explanation of two of the methods by which they were applied. A third work gave a tolerable account of another of the numerous modifications of the apparatus, and an expensive Cyclopedia had arranged some observations on a few of its more recent changes; but, until the appearance of these anecdotes, no attempt to give a detailed history of the progress of improvements on steam-engines generally, and of their inventors and improvers, had been made in this or any other language. This extraordinary indifference appears to have arisen from the operation of the remains of some ancient prejudices, biassing public feeling with regard to the cast of mind necessary for the production of mechanical inventions. Even that philosopher whose discoveries have been described as links connecting the mind of man with the spirit of God, is called by Dean Swift, "that fellow Newton over the way, a glass grinder, and a maker of spectacles." The sublime conceptions of the author of the " Principia" were considered by the copper-farthing Dean to be but common applications of vulgar mechanic skill*. * The " proud Venetians" were less fastidious than Dean Swift. "The two Italians," says Howel, in a letter to Sir Robert Mansel, "who are the bearers hereof, by report here, are the best gentlemen workmen that ever blew crystal. One is allied to Antonio Miotti, the other is cousin to Maralao. I was, since I came hither (Venice), in Murano, a little island where crystal glass is made, and 'tis a rare sight to see a |