[ [382] It is stated in the ‘Life of Henry Bell,’ that he applied to Mr. Watt in the year 1801, for his advice as to a suitable engine for a steamboat; but Watt gave him no encouragement to proceed with his design. “How many noblemen, gentlemen, and engineers,” he wrote to Bell, “have puzzled their brains, and spent their thousands of pounds, and none of these, nor yourself, have been able to bring the power of steam in navigation to a successful issue.”—‘Life of Bell.’ By E. Morris, Glasgow, 1844, p. 30.
[ [383] The starting of the ‘Comet’ naturally excited great interest along the Clyde. In the evenings, thousands of spectators lined the banks as far as Govan to see her pass up from Greenock. The masters of the old sailing craft, however, regarded the ‘Comet’ with apprehension and dismay. The old Highland gabert men were especially hostile, denouncing the new vessel as being impelled by the “teevil’s wun” (devil’s wind). The story is told of the steamer one day coming up with a fly boat tacking against the tide, when the crew began to jeer the skipper of the fly, calling upon him to come along with his lazy craft. “Get oot o’ my sight,” he cried, in reply, “I’m just gaun as it pleases the breath o’ the Almichty, and I’ll ne’er fash my thumb how fast ye gang wi’ your blasted deevil’s reek.”
[ [384] Boulton to Dumergue, 25th December, 1800.
[ [385] Lockhart’s ‘Life of Scott.’ 8vo. ed. p. 457. One of Scott’s visits to Soho was made in company with his wife in the spring of 1803. Boulton was so pleased with the visit, that he urged Scott, or at least his wife, to repeat it, which produced the following letter, dated London, 13th May, 1803:—
“My dear Sir,—He was a wise man who said ‘Trust not thy wife with a man of fair tongue.’ Now as I have very little wisdom of my own, I am content to gather all I can get at second hand, and therefore, upon the faith of the sage whom I have quoted, I should be guilty of great imprudence were I to permit Charlotte to wait upon you on her return, or even to answer your kind letter to Mr. Dumergue. That task I therefore take upon myself, and you must receive my thanks along with hers, for your very kind and flattering invitation to Soho. But independent of my just suspicion of a beau who writes such flattering love-letters to my wife, our time here (owing to the sitting of our Courts of Justice, which I must necessarily attend), lays us under an indispensable necessity of returning to Scotland as speedily as possible, and by the nearest road. We can therefore only express our joint and most sincere regret that we cannot upon this occasion have the honour and satisfaction of visiting Soho and its hospitable inhabitants. Mrs. Nicolson, Mr. and Miss Dumergue join Charlotte and me in the most sincere good wishes to Miss Boulton, to you, and to all your friends; and I suspect so foolish a letter will make you believe you have escaped a very idle visitor in,
“Dear Sir,
“Your very faithful servant,
“Walter Scott.”
[ [386] Watt to M. Robinson Boulton, 9th September, 1799.
[ [387] Watt to M. Robinson Boulton, 26th September, 1799.