Robert Fulton fue un ingeniero, empresario e inventor estadounidense, conocido por desarrollar el primer barco de vapor, que se convirtió en un éxito comercial.
“The fear of meeting the opposition of envy, or the illiberality of ignorance is, no doubt, the frequent cause of preventing many ingenious men from ushering opinions into the world which deviate from common practice. Hence for want of energy, the young idea is shackled with timidity and a useful thought is buried in the impenetrable gloom of eternal oblivion.”