ItmaybementionedthatBellowMillissituatedontheBellowWater，nearwhereitjoinstheriverLugar。OneofBurns’finestsongsbegins:——
“BehindyonhillswhereLugarflows。“
ThatwasthesceneofWilliamMurdock’sboyhood。Whenaboy，heherdedhisfather’scowsalongthebanksoftheBellow；andastherewerethennohedges，itwasnecessarytohavesomeonetowatchthecattlewhilegrazing。Thespotisstillpointedoutwheretheboy，intheintervalsofhisherding，hewedasquarecompartmentoutoftherockbythewaterside，andthereburntthesplintcoalfoundonthetopoftheBlackBandironstone。
ThatwasoneoftheundevelopedindustriesofScotland；fortheScotchirontradedidnotarriveatanyconsiderableimportanceuntilaboutacenturylater。[3]ThelittlecaverninwhichMurdockburntthesplintcoalwasprovidedwithafireplaceandvent，allcomplete。Itispossiblethathemayhavetherederived，fromhisexperiments，thefirstideaofGasasanilluminant。
Murdockisalsosaidtohavemadeawoodenhorse，workedbymechanicalpower，whichwasthewonderofthedistrict。OnthismechanicalhorseherodetothevillageofCumnock，abouttwomilesdistant。Hisfather’snameis，however，associatedwithhisownintheproductionofthismachine。OldJohnMurdockhadareputationforintelligenceandskillofnoordinarykind。
WhenatCarronironworks，in1760，hehadapintoncastafterapatternwhichhehadprepared。Thisissaidtohavebeenthefirstpieceofiron-toothedgearingeverusedinmillwork。WhenIlastsawit，thepintonwasplacedonthelawninfrontofWilliamMurdock’svillaatHandsworth。
Theyoungmanhelpedhisfatherinmanyways。Heworkedinthemill，workedonthefarm，andassistedinthepreparationofmillmachinery。Inthiswayheobtainedaconsiderableamountofgeneraltechnicalknowledge。Heevendesignedandconstructedbridges。HewasemployedtobuildabridgeovertheriverNith，nearDumfries，anditstandstheretothisday，asolidandhandsomestructure。Buthehadanambitiontobesomethingmorethanacountrymason。HehadheardagreatdealabouttheinventionsofJamesWatt；andhedeterminedtotrywhetherhecouldnotget“ajob“atthefamousmanufactoryatSoho。Heaccordinglylefthisnativeplaceintheyear1777，inthetwenty-thirdyearofhisage；andmigratedsouthward。HeleftplentyofMurdocksbehindhim。Therewasafamousstaffinthefamily，originallyownedbyWilliamMurdock’sgrandfather，whichborethefollowinginscription:“ThisstaffIleaveinpedigreetotheoldestMurdockafterme，intheparishofAuchenleck，1745。“ThisstaffwaslatelyheldbyJeanMurdock，daughterofthelateWilliamMurdock，joiner，cousinofthesubjectofthisbiography。
WhenWilliamarrivedatSohoin1777hecalledattheworkstoaskforemployment。WattwastheninCornwall，lookingafterhispumpingengines；buthesawBoulton，whowasusuallyaccessibletocallersofeveryrank。InanswertoMurdock’senquirywhetherhecouldhaveajob，Boultonrepliedthatworkwasveryslackwiththem，andthateveryplacewasfilledup。Duringthebriefconversationthattookplace，theblateyoungScotchman，likemostcountryladsinthepresenceofstrangers，hadsomedifficultyinknowingwhattodowithhishands，andunconsciouslykepttwirlinghishatwiththem。Boulton’sattentionwasattractedtothetwirlinghat，whichseemedtobeofapeculiarmake。Itwasnotafelthat，noraclothhat，noraglazedhat:butitseemedtobepainted，andcomposedofsomeunusualmaterial。“Thatseemstobeacurioussortofhat，“saidBoulton，lookingatitmoreclosely；“whatisitmadeof？“
“Timmer，sir，“saidMurdock，modestly。“Timmer？Doyoumeantosaythatitismadeofwood？““’Deeditis，sir。““Andprayhowwasitmade？““Imadeitmysel，sir，inabitlaitheyofmyowncontrivin’。““Indeed！“
Boultonlookedattheyoungmanagain。Hehadrisenahundreddegreesinhisestimation。Williamwasagood-lookingfellow——tall，strong，andhandsome——withanopenintelligentcountenance。Besides，hehadbeenabletoturnahatforhimselfwithalatheofhisownconstruction。This，ofitself，wasasufficientproofthathewasamechanicofnomeanskill。
“Well！“saidBoulton，atlast，“Iwillenquireattheworks，andseeifthereisanythingwecansetyouto。Callagain，myman。“
“Thankyou，sir，“saidMurdock，givingafinaltwirltohishat。
SuchwasthebeginningofWilliamMurdock’sconnectionwiththefirmofBoultonandWatt。Whenhecalledagainhewasputuponatrialjob，andthen，ashewasfoundsatisfactory，hewasengagedfortwoyearsat15s。aweekwhenathome，17s。wheninthecountry，and18s。wheninLondon。Boulton’sengagementofMurdockwasamplyjustifiedbytheresult。Beginningasanordinarymechanic，heappliedhimselfdiligentlyandconscientiouslytohiswork，andgraduallybecametrusted。Moreresponsibledutieswereconfidedtohim，andhestrovetoperformthemtothebestofhispower。Hisindustry，skilfulness，andsteadysobriety，soonmarkedhimforpromotion，andherosefromgradetogradeuntilhebecameBoultonandWatt’smosttrustedco-workerandadviserinalltheirmechanicalundertakingsofimportance。
WatthimselfhadlittleconfidenceinScotchmenasmechanics。HetoldSirWaiterScottthatthoughmanyofthemsoughtemploymentathisworks，hecouldnevergetanyofthemtobecomefirst-rateworkmen。Theymightbevaluableasclerksandbook-keepers，buttheyhadaninsuperableaversiontotoilinglongatanypointofmechanism，soastoearnthehighestwagespaidtotheworkmen。[4]Thereasonnodoubtwas，thattheworking-peopleofScotlandwerethenonlyincourseofeducationaspracticalmechanics；andnowthattheyhavehadacentury’sdisciplineofworkandtechnicaltraining，theresultisaltogetherdifferent，astheengine-shopsandshipbuilding-yardsoftheClydeabundantlyprove。Mechanicalpowerandtechnicalabilityaretheresultoftraining，likemanyotherthings。
WhenBoultonengagedMurdock，aswehavesaid，WattwasabsentinCornwall，lookingafterthepumping-engineswhichhadbeenerectedatseveraloftheminesthroughoutthatcounty。Thepartnershiphadonlybeeninexistenceforthreeyears，andWattwasstillstrugglingwiththedifficultieswhichhehadtosurmountingettingthesteamengineintopracticaluse。Hishealthwasbad，andhewasoppressedwithfrightfulheadaches。
HewasnotthemantofighttheselfishnessoftheCornishadventurers。“Alittlemoreofthishurryingandvexation，“hesaid，“willknockmeupaltogether。“Boultonwenttohishelpoccasionally，andgavehimhopeandcourage。AndatlengthWilliamMurdock，afterhehadacquiredsufficientknowledgeofthebusiness，wasabletoundertaketheprincipalmanagementoftheenginesinCornwall。
Wefindthatin1779，whenhewasonlytwenty-fiveyearsold，hewasplacedinthisimportantposition。WhenhewentintoCornwall，hegavehimselfnorestuntilhehadconqueredthedefectsoftheengines，andputthemintothoroughworkingorder。
HedevotedhimselftohisdutieswithazealandabilitythatcompletelywonWatt’sheart。Whenhehadanimportantjobinhand，hecouldscarcelysleep。OnenightathislodgingsatRedruth，thepeopleweredisturbedbyastrangenoiseinhisroom。Severalheavyblowswerehearduponthefloor。Theystartedfromtheirbeds，rushedtoMurdock’sroom，andfoundhimstandinginhisshirt，heavingatthebedpostinhissleep，shouting“Nowshegoes，lads！nowshegoes！“
Murdockbecameamostpopularmanwiththemineowners。HealsobecamefriendlywiththeCornishworkmenandengineers。Indeed，hefoughthiswaytotheiraffections。Oneday，somehalf-dozenoftheminingcaptainscameintohisengine-roomatChacewater，andbegantobullyhim。Thishecouldnotstand。Hestript，selectedthebiggest，andputhimselfintoafightingattitude。
Theysetto，andinafewminutesMurdock’spowerfulbonesandmusclesenabledhimtoachievethevictory。Theothermen，whohadlookedonfairly，withoutinterfering，seeingthetemperandvigourofthemantheyhadbullied，madeoverturesofreconciliation。Williamwasquitewillingtobefriendly。
Accordinglytheyshookhandsallround，andpartedthebestoffriends。ItisalsosaidthatMurdockafterwardsfoughtaduelwithCaptainTrevethick，becauseofaquarrelbetweenWattandtheminingengineer，inwhichMurdockconceivedhismastertohavebeenunfairlyandharshlytreated。[5]
TheusesofWatt’ssteam-enginebegantoberecognisedasavailableformanufacturingpurposes。Itwasthenfoundnecessarytoinventsomemethodbywhichcontinuousrotarymotionshouldbesecured，soastoturnroundthemovingmachineryofmills。WiththisobjectWatthadinventedhisoriginalwheel-engine。Butnostepsweretakentointroduceitintopracticaluse。Atlengthhepreparedamodel，inwhichhemadeuseofacrankconnectedwiththeworkingbeamoftheengine，soastoproducethenecessaryrotarymotion。
Therewasnooriginalityinthisapplication。Thecrankwasoneofthemostcommonofmechanicalappliances。Itwasindailyuseineveryspinningwheel，andineveryturner’sandknife-grinder’sfoot-lathe。Wattdidnottakeoutapatentforthecrank，notbelievingittobepatentable。Butanotherpersondidso，therebyanticipatingWattintheapplicationofthecrankforproducingrotarymotion。Hehadthereforetoemploysomeothermethod，andinthenewcontrivancehehadthevaluablehelpofWilliamMurdock。Wattdevisedfivedifferentmethodsofsecuringrotarymotionwithoutusingthecrank，buteventuallyheadoptedthe“Sun-and-planetmotion，“theinventionofMurdock。
Thishadthesingularpropertyofgoingtwiceroundforeverystrokeoftheengine，andmightbemadetogoroundmuchoftenerwithoutadditionalmachinery。TheinventionwaspatentedinFebruary，1782，fiveYearsafterMurdockhadenteredtheserviceofBoultonandWatt。
MurdockcontinuedformanyyearsbusilyoccupiedinsuperintendingtheCornishsteam-engines。Wefindhimdescribedbyhisemployersas“flyingfromminetomine，“puttingtheenginestorights。Ifanythingwentwrong，hewasimmediatelysentfor。Hewasactive，quick-sighted，shrewd，sober，andthoroughlytrustworthy。Downtotheyear1780，hiswageswereonlyapoundaweek；butBoultonmadehimapresentoftenguineas，towhichtheownersoftheUnitedMinesaddedanotherten，inacknowledgmentoftheadmirablemannerinwhichhebaderectedtheirnewengine，thechairmanofthecompanydeclaringthathewas“themostobligingandindustriousworkmanhehadeverknown。“ThathesecuredtheadmirationoftheCornishengineersmaybeobviousfromthefactofMr。Boazehavinginvitedhimtojoininanengineeringpartnership；butMurdockremainedloyaltotheBirminghamfirm，andinduetimehehadhisreward。
Hecontinuedtobethe“righthandman“oftheconcerninCornwall。BoultonwrotetoWatt，towardstheendof1782:
“Murdockhathbeenindefatigableeversincehebegan。Hehasscarcelybeeninbedortakennecessaryfood。AfterslavingnightanddayonThursdayandFriday，alettercamefromWhealVirginthathemustgoinstantlytosettheirenginetowork，ortheywouldletoutthefire。Hewentandsettheenginetowork；
itworkedwellforthefiveorsixhoursheremained。Heleftit，andreturnedtotheConsolidatedMinesaboutelevenatnight，andwasemployedabouttheenginestillfourthismorning，andthenwenttobed。IfoundhimattenthismorninginPoldiceCistern，seekingforpinsandcastorsthathadjumpedout，whenI
insistedonhisgoinghometobed。“
Ononeoccasion，whenanenginesuperintendedbyMurdockstoppedthroughsomeaccident，thewaterroseinthemine，andtheworkmenwere“drownedout。“Uponthisoccurring，theminerswent“roaringathim“forthrowingthemoutofwork，andthreatenedtotearhimtopieces。Nothingdaunted，hewentthroughthemidstofthemen，repairedtheinvalidedengine，andstarteditafresh。
Whenhecameoutoftheengine-house，theminerscheeredhimvociferouslyandinsisteduponcarryinghimhomeupontheirshouldersintriumph！
Steamwasnowassertingitspowereverywhere。ItwaspumpingwaterfromtheminesinCornwallanddrivingthemillsofthemanufacturersinLancashire。Speculativemechanicsbegantoconsiderwhetheritmightnotbeemployedasameansoflandlocomotion。ThecomprehensivemindofSirIsaacNewtonhadlongbefore，inhis’ExplanationoftheNewtonianPhilosophy，’thrownouttheideaofemployingsteamforthispurpose；butnopracticalexperimentwasmade。BenjaminFranklin，whileagentinLondonfortheUnitedProvincesofAmerica，hadacorrespondencewithMatthewBoulton，ofBirmingham，andDr。Darwin，ofLichfield，onthesamesubject。Boultonsentamodelofafire-enginetoLondonforFranklin’sinspection；butFranklinwastoomuchoccupiedatthetimebygravepoliticalquestionstopursuethesubjectfurther。ErasmusDarwin’sspeculativemindwasinflamedbytheideaofa“fierychariot，“andheurgedhisfriendBoultontoprosecutethecontrivanceofthenecessarysteammachinery。[6]