Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/191

134 length agreed to take it (finding we should never get any thing if we did not, such was now the if in this process there shall happen to be any thing which the Gentlemen do not understand, then Mr. Harrison shall be put upon his oath, and explain the same upon oath, and that shall be satisfactory.' You find subjoined, that 'the Gentlemen shall have liberty at all times to ask what questions they think proper; and if they think it necessary, Mr. Harrison shall answer the same upon oath.'

It savours of Jack Pudding's jokes, if a description, not sufficiently clear, could be rendered so by being subjected to an oath. But we must observe that the one required from the Claimant previous to the explanation, and which he objected to, for being improperly worded [by Lord Morton] was far from being the only obstacle to the proceedings; for when the method of disclosing the Invention came under discussion, the Commissioners (if it be not a solecism to speak in the plural) required that exclusive of the drawings, with the written descriptions annexed, which were given up, and also, of those verbal expositions which would be wanted when the Timekeeper was to be taken to [sic]peices, there should be "experimental exhibitions" for the satisfaction of the Gentlemen selected to attend. And to this our Mechanician objected, unless they would give him some distinct idea of the experiments that would be wanted. Which was refused, as they said, they would not be confined; but they afterwards named "the tempering of his springs." When this was mentioned, of which it is fair to conclude none knew the drift, except John Harrison and his rival, he evinced so pointed a repugnance, as may be readily admitted to have made him appear unreasonable and awkward to treat with, by those who had no clew to the irritated feelings he betrayed at the time, although he was a good-natured man. Had the Gentlemen of the Board looked round them a little, instead of submitting to be led in a string, like the Simkin family, in the [sic]frontispeice to the New Bath Guide,