you draw? Then I will engage you." A man who could
draw or work to a drawing in those days was regarded as a superior sort
of mechanic. Though Galloway was one of the leading tradesmen of his
time, and had excellent opportunities for advancement, he missed them
all. As Clement afterwards said of him, "He was only a mouthing
common-council man, the height of whose ambition was to be an
alderman;" and, like most corporation celebrities, he held a low rank
in his own business. He very rarely went into his workshops to
superintend or direct his workmen, leaving this to his foremen--a
sufficient indication of the causes of his failure as a mechanic.[1]

On entering Galloway's shop, Clement was first employed in working at
the lathe; but finding the tools so bad that it was impossible to
execute satisfactory work with them, he at once went to the forge, and
began making a new set of tools for himself. The other men, to whom
such a proceeding was entirely new, came round him to observe his
operations, and they were much struck with his manual dexterity. The
tools made, he proceeded to use them, displaying what seemed to the
other workmen an unusual degree of energy and intelligence; and some of
the old hands did not hesitate already to pronounce Clement to be the
best mechanic in the shop. When Saturday night came round, the other
men were curious to know what wages Galloway would allow the new hand;
and when he had been paid, they asked him. "A guinea," was the reply.
"A guinea! Why, you are worth two if you are worth a shilling," said
an old man who came out of the rank--an excellent mechanic, who, though
comparatively worthless through his devotion to drink, knew Clement's
money value to his employer better than any man there; and he added,
"Wait for a week or two, and if you are not better paid than this, I
can tell you of a master who will give you a fairer wage." Several
Saturdays came round, but no advance was made on the guinea a week; and
then the old workman recommended Clement to offer himself to Bramah at
Pimlico, who was always on the look out for first-rate mechanics.

Clement acted on the advice, and took with him some of his drawings, at
sight of which Bramah immediately engaged him for a month; and at the
end of that time he had given so much satisfaction, that it was agreed
he should continue for three months longer at two guineas a week.
Clement was placed in charge of the tools of the shop, and he