TradebeingveryslackinGlasgowatthetime，Clement，afteraboutayear’sstayintheplace，acceptedasituationwithMessrs。Leys，Masson，andCo。，ofAberdeen，withwhomhebeganataguineaandahalfaweek，fromwhichhegraduallyrosetotwoguineas，andultimatelytothreeguineas。Hisprincipalworkconsistedindesigningandmakingpower-loomsforhisemployers，andfittingthemupindifferentpartsofthecountry。Hecontinuedtodevotehimselftothestudyofpracticalmechanics，andmademanyimprovementsinthetoolswithwhichheworked。WhileatGlasgowhehadmadeanimprovedpairofdie-stocksforscrews；and，atAberdeen，hemadeaturning-lathewithaslidingmandrillandguide-screws，forcuttingscrews，furnishedalsowiththemeansforcorrectingguide-screws。Inthesamemachineheintroducedasmallsliderest，intowhichhefixedthetoolforcuttingthescrews，——havingneverbeforeseenasliderest，thoughitisveryprobablehemayhaveheardofwhatMaudslayhadalreadydoneinthesamedirection。Clementcontinuedduringthisperiodofhislifeanindustriousself-cultivator，occupyingmostofhissparehoursinmechanicalandlandscapedrawing，andinvariousstudies。AmongthepapersleftbehindhimwefindatickettoacourseofinstructiononNaturalPhilosophygivenbyProfessorCoplandintheMarischalCollegeatAberdeen，whichClementattendedinthesessionof1812-13；andwedonotdoubtthatourmechanicwasamongthemostdiligentofhispupils。Towardstheendof1813，aftersavingabout100L。outofhiswages，ClementresolvedtoproceedtoLondonforthepurposeofimprovinghimselfinhistradeandpushinghiswayintheworld。ThecoachbywhichhetravelledsethimdowninSnowHill，Holborn；andhisfirstthoughtwasoffindingwork。Hehadnofriendintowntoconsultonthematter，sohemadeinquiryofthecoach-guardwhetherheknewofanypersoninthemechanicallineinthatneighbourhood。Theguardsaid，”Yes；therewasAlexanderGalloway’sshowshop，justroundthecorner，andheemployedalargenumberofhands。”Runningroundthecorner，ClementlookedinatGalloway’swindow，throughwhichhesawsomelathesandotherarticlesusedinmachineshops。Nextmorninghecalledupontheowneroftheshoptoaskemployment。”Whatcanyoudo?”askedGalloway。”Icanworkattheforge，”saidClement。”Anythingelse?””Icanturn。””Whatelse?””Icandraw。””What！”
saidGalloway，”canyoudraw?ThenIwillengageyou。”Amanwhocoulddraworworktoadrawinginthosedayswasregardedasasuperiorsortofmechanic。ThoughGallowaywasoneoftheleadingtradesmenofhistime，andhadexcellentopportunitiesforadvancement，hemissedthemall。AsClementafterwardssaidofhim，”Hewasonlyamouthingcommon-councilman，theheightofwhoseambitionwastobeanalderman；”and，likemostcorporationcelebrities，heheldalowrankinhisownbusiness。Heveryrarelywentintohisworkshopstosuperintendordirecthisworkmen，leavingthistohisforemen——asufficientindicationofthecausesofhisfailureasamechanic。*
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OnoneoccasionGallowayhadacast-ironroofmadeforhisworkshop，soflatandsoindependentoftiesthatthewonderwasthatitshouldhavestoodanhour。OnedayPeterKeir，anengineermuchemployedbythegovernment——acleverman，thoughsomewhateccentric——wastakenintotheshopbyGallowaytoadmirethenewroof。Keir，onglancingupatit，immediatelyexclaimed，”Comeoutside，andletusspeakaboutitthere！”AllthathecouldsaytoGallowayrespectingtheunsoundnessofitsconstructionwasofnoavail。Thefactwasthat，howeverKeirmightargueaboutitsnotbeingabletostand，thereitwasactuallystanding，andthatwasenoughforGalloway。Keirwenthome，hismindfilledwithGalloway’smostunprincipledroof。”Ifthatstands，”saidhetohimself，”allthatIhavebeenlearninganddoingforthirtyyearshasbeenwrong。”Thatnighthecouldnotsleepforthinkingaboutit。InthemorninghestrolledupPrimroseHill，andreturnedhomestillmutteringtohimselfabout”thatroof。””What，saidhiswifetohim，”areyouthinkingofGalloway’sroof?””Yes，saidhe。”Thenyouhaveseenthepapers?””No——whataboutthem?””Galloway’sroofhasfalleninthismorning，andkilledeightortenofthemen！”Keirimmediatelywenttobed，andsleptsoundlytillnextmorning。
OnenteringGalloway’sshop，Clementwasfirstemployedinworkingatthelathe；butfindingthetoolssobadthatitwasimpossibletoexecutesatisfactoryworkwiththem，heatoncewenttotheforge，andbeganmakinganewsetoftoolsforhimself。Theothermen，towhomsuchaproceedingwasentirelynew，cameroundhimtoobservehisoperations，andtheyweremuchstruckwithhismanualdexterity。