James Watt — "The steam engine is my child, and I shall see it grow."

"The power of steam is like a wild horse; it must be harnessed with precision."

"one of the most ingenious, simple pieces of mechanism I have contrived."

"I would rather face a loaded cannon than settle a patent dispute."

"I had gone to take a walk on a fine Sabbath afternoon, early in 1765... I was thinking upon the engine at the time... when the idea came into my mind that as steam was an elastic body it would rush in…"

"When once the idea of the separate condensation was started, all these improvements followed as corollaries in quick succession, so that in the course of one or two days the invention was thus far com…"