Besides these extensive pursuits in the British islands, his reputation as an engineer led to his being consulted respecting a proposed canal in Spain. What the practical result was, in that distracted and feeble kingdom, it is easy to conjecture. Ile was also applied to by the American states, to select a properly qualified person for investigating and arranging several proposed inland navigations in that extensive region. In consequence of this, Mr Weston, a very ingenious and well-informed person, was for several years employed in North America ; but we suspect that some centuries must yet elapse, before the introduction of this expensive improvement can, with propriety, become general in that infant country.
Like most men of truly great minds, his manners were simple when disengaged from business, and in the compa ny of intimate friends, he not unfrequently displayed a play fulness of disposition, and a fund of entertaining anecdotes. otally free of all envy and jealousy of professional rival ship, his proceedings in business were free from all pomp and mysticism, and persons of merit never failed in obtain ing his friendship and encouragement. Although indefati gable in performing all the duties of an active life, the wri ter of this article, who for more than twenty years enjoyed his uninterrupted intimacy, has heard it said that he had a natural tendency to indolence ; no symptom of it, however, could ever be discovered in his conduct, but rather, as has already been noticed, a degree of anxiety to be of the ut most service to his employers, and to render as perfect as possible the works under his consideration.
A mind thus constituted, and exercising the profession of a civil engineer, was, as might he expected, never be hind in regard to physical knowledge and experimental philosophy : II is acquirements in these branches of know ledge, joined to his well-earned eputation, led to intimacy with eminent persons of similar characters, such as the celebrated Mr Watt and Dr Franklin. For an acquaint ance with the latter he was indebted to an accidental dis covery, made as early as the year 1772, with regard to the repelling property of oil on water, and which the Doctor mentions in his works as having been communicated to him by an ingenious pupil of Mt Smcaton.
Mr Jessop has not appeared before the public in the character of an author : for although many of his reports were printed, yet, as this was done at the cxpence of pri vate companies, and as they were not exposed to sale, they are of course in the hands of few. As lie was always perfectly master of the subject, his mode of treating it was singularly distinct, comprehensive, and laconic.