iv PREFACE.
to particular mention. His "History" is the earliest
deserving the name; and his "Anecdotes" are of ex-
ceedingly great interest and of equally great historical
value. The artistic and curious little sketches at the end
of each chapter are from John Stuart, as are, usually,
the drawings of the older forms of engines.
Greenwood's excellent translation of Hero, as edited by Bennett Woodcroft (London, 1851), can be consulted by those who are curious to learn more of that interesting old Greek treatise.
Some valuable matter is from Farey,' who gives the most extended account extant of Newcomen's and Watt's engines. The reader who desires to know more of the life of Worcester, and more of the details of his work, will find in the very complete biography of Dircks" all that he can wish to learn of that great but unfortunate inventor. Smiles's admirably written biography of Watt * gives an equally interesting and complete account of the great mechanic and of his partners; and Muirhead* fur- nishes us with a still more detailed account of his inven- tions.
For an account of the life and work of John Elder, the great pioneer in the introduction of the now standard
1 "Treatise on the Steam-Engine," London, 1827.
2 "Life, Times, and Scientific Labors of the Second Marquis of Worces- ter," London, 1865.
3 "Lives of Boulton and Watt," London, 1865.
4 "Life of James Watt," D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1859. "Me- chanical Inventions of James Watt," London, 1854.
