Document 1: A Primary Source
In the summer of 1784, I fell in company with some gentlemen of Manchester, when the conversation turned on Arkwright's spinning machinery. One of the company observed that as soon as Arkwright's patent expired, so many mills would be erected, and so much cotton spun, that hands never could be found to weave it. I replied that Arkwright must then set his wits to work to invent a weaving mill. This brought on a conversation on the subject, in which the Manchester gentlemen unanimously agreed that the thing was impossible. In defense of their opinion, they offered arguments which I certainly was incompetent to answer or even to comprehend, being totally ignorant of the subject, having never at that time seen a person weave. I questioned, however, their opinion, by remarking that there had lately been exhibited in London, an automaton figure, which played at chess. “Now you will not assert, gentlemen,” said I, “that it is more difficult to construct a machine that shall weave, than one which shall make all the variety of moves which are required in that complicated game.”
Some little time afterwards, recalling this conversation, it struck me, that, since in plain weaving, according to the idea I then had of it, there could only be three movements that follow each other in succession, there would be little difficulty in producing and repeating them. Full of these ideas, I immediately employed a carpenter and smith to carry them into effect. As soon as the machine was finished, I got a weaver to put in the warp, which was of such materials as sailcloth is usually made of. To my great delight, a piece of cloth, such as it was, was produced.

In Document 1, Cartwright appears to be an amateur who was easily able to help transform the cotton textile industry. What details in his account support this view of his achievement?