The Sun.
London, England, 1824-07-14 00:00:00

THE LATE MR. WATT.

A meeting was held ypsterday (Saturday, July
10), in the large room of the Waterloo Hotel, Edinburgh, to
promote the subscription fora Monument in Westminster Ab-
bey, to the late James Watt. This meeting was called by Sir
W. Scott and Mr. Francis Jeffrey, as members of the London
Committee, and it was understood that Lord Elgin would take
the chair; but his Lordship being detained at another meeting,
Sir Walter Scott was named as his substitute by acclammation.
Among sixty or seventy other gentlemen, were observed, Lord
Elgin' and the Lord Chief Commissioner.
Sir WALTER explained shortly the purpose of the Meeting,
and delivered a most animated eulNiurn on Mr. Watt, which
he most happily interspersed with many beautiful illustra-
tions and allusions. Mr. Jeffrey followed at more length,
and proposed at once to commence the subscription, when
Professor Pillans suggested that it would be far more honour.
able to the memory of Mr. Watt, while it would redound more
to the credit of Scotland, to open a subscription of their own,
for a monument in the country of Mr. Watt's birth—in
the place where his inventions were first conceived and
brought to light. The Professor was supported by Mr. John
Craig, from Glasgow, to whom both Sir Walter and Mr.
Jeffrey replied, that the object of this Meeting was to obtain
subscriptions in aid of the London one ; that the monument
was to he a great national one ; and that no better place could
be chosen for it than the metropolis of the empire. Air. Jeffrey
was about to dose the business of the meeting accordingly, when
Mr. Cockburn entered the room, and began by protesting against
so precipitate a vote on so important a measure. Ile said he held
in his hund a copy of the intimation by which the meeting was
called, and there was no specific Object condescended on. Gen-
tlemen were now convoked, therefore, for the general purpose
of taking measures to raise a monument to the memory of Mr.
Watt. Mr. Cockburn proceeded to remark, that he by no means
opposed subscriptions in aid of the London one, but it would
be fair end proper to state to the public that a Scottish one
was also in contemplation. Ile wished a monument for such
a man to be erected in the open air, so that the meanest me-
in what genius and industry
poorest
onesplendid
ithenp r
ocountry might have it constantly
a his
eye,nnd as
might achieve. He did not see the propriety of burying such a
monument in Westminster Abbey, where it could only be seen
by the happy few who might be able to pay 2S. or 2s M. for
the gratification. The Lord Chief Commissioner considered
that, to a man like Watt, the country ought never to be
weary of testifying their gratitude and admiration, and that they
might liberally assist the London Committee without in -the
least affecting the object entertained by Mr. Cockburn. His
Lordship then stated that lie had long enjoyed the friendship of
Mr. Watt, and paid many compliments to the quulites of his
mind as well as of his heart. Mr. Cockburn replied, by ob-
serving that he saw some independent mechanics in the room,
who, he had no doubt, would instantly call a meeting, by which
Scotland would be roused to a sense of their ingratitude in de-
laying so long to do justice to the memo!), of their countryman,
in such a monument as he had been projectinr The business
of this particular meeting was then poceedet with ; but it was
not difficult to perceive from the numbers who departed with-
out subscribing (indeed all excepting six or seven), that Mr.
Cockburn's view of the subject had secured general approba-
tion, and must be speedily adopted by the public.—(Glut row
Ch ronkle.)

Porn's Vir.r.A.—Nothing is left of this classic
domain at Twickenham but the GuorTo, a proof
of the improved taste of the successive tenants,
and their reverence for the memory of one of the
greatest English Poets ! ! !