,ver4#jd4bi4ic99;,,end99 ,james ,nasmyth3 ,engineer1 ,an ,autobiography4 ,edited by ,samuel ,smiles1 ,,ll4,d4 7this ,etext is taken from the popular edition1 pub4 ,john ,murray #ahig7 ,,preface ,i have had much pleasure in editing the following ,memoir of my friend ,mr4 ,nasmyth4 ,some twenty years since 7in ,april #ahfc71 when ,i applied to him for information respecting his mechanical inventions1 he replied3 ,my life presents no striking or remarkable incidents1 and would1 ,i fear1 prove but a tame narrative4 ,the sphere to which my endeavours have been confined has been of a comparatively quiet order2 but1 vanity apart1 ,i hope ,i have been able to leave a few marks of my existence behind me in the shape of useful contrivances1 which are in many ways helping on great works of industry4 ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 nevertheless1 kindly furnished me with information respecting himself1 as well as his former master and instructor1 ,henry ,maudslay1 of ,london1 for the purpose of being inserted in ,industrial ,biography1 or ,ironworkers and ,toolmakers1 which was published at the end of #ahfc4 ,he was of opinion that the outline of his life there presented was sufficiently descriptive of his career as a mechanic and inventor4 ,during the years that have elapsed since then1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth has been prevailed upon by some of his friends more especially by ,sir ,john ,anderson1 late of ,woolwich ,arsenal--to note down the reminiscences of his life1 with an account of his inventions1 and to publish them for the benefit of others4 ,he has accordingly spent some of his well earned leisure during the last two years in writing out his recollections4 ,having consulted me on the subject1 ,i recommended that they should be published in the form of an ,autobiography1 and he has willingly given his consent4 ,mr4 ,nasmyth has furnished me with abundant notes of his busy life1 and he has requested me1 in preparing them for publication1 to make use of the pruning-knife4 ,i hope1 however1 that in editing the book ,i have not omitted anything that is likely to be interesting or instructive4 ,i must add that everything has been submitted to his correction and received his final approval4 ,the narrative abundantly illustrates ,mr4 ,nasmyth's own definition of engineering2 namely1 common sense applied to the use of materials4 ,in his case1 common sense has been more especially applied to facilitating and perfecting work by means of ,machine ,tools4 ,civilisation began with tools2 and every step in advance has been accomplished through their improvement4 ,handicraft labour1 in bone1 stone1 or wood1 was the first stage in the development of man's power2 and tools or machines1 in iron or steel1 are the last and most efficient method of economising it1 and enabling him to intelligently direct the active and inert forces of nature4 ,it will be observed that ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 on his first start in life1 owed much to the influence of his father1 who was not only an admirable artist--the founder1 as ,sir ,david ,wilkie termed him1 of the landscape painting school of ,scotland--but an excellent mechanic4 ,his bow-and-string roofs and bridges show his original merits as a designer2 and are sufficient to establish his ability as a mechanical engineer4 ,indeed1 one of ,mr4 ,nasmyth's principal objects in preparing the notes of the following work1 has been to introduce a ,memorial to the memory of his father1 to whom he owed so much1 and to whom he was so greatly attached through life4 ,hence the numerous references to him1 and the illustrations from his works of art1 of architecture1 as well as of mechanics1 given in the early part of the book4 ,i might point out that ,mr4 ,nasmyth's narrative has a strong bearing upon popular education2 not only as regards economical use of time1 careful observation1 close attention to details1 but as respects the uses of ,drawing4 ,the observations which he makes as to the accurate knowledge of this art are very important4 ,in this matter he concurs with ,mr4 ,herbert ,spencer in his work on ,education4 ,it is very strange1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth said some years ago1 that amidst all our vaunted improvements in education1 the faculty of comparison by sight1 or what may be commonly called the correctness of eye1 has been so little attended to ,he accordingly urges the teaching of rudimentary drawing in all public schools4 ,drawing is1 he says1 the ,education of the ,eye4 ,it is more interesting than words4 ,it is graphic language4 ,the illustrations given in the course of the following book will serve to show his own mastery of drawing whether as respects ,mechanical details1 the ,moon's surface1 or the fairyland of ,landscape4 ,it is perhaps not saying too much to aver that had he not devoted his business life to ,mechanics1 he would1 like his father1 his brother ,patrick1 and his sisters1 have taken a high position as an artist4 ,in the following ,memoir we have only been able to introduce a few specimens of his drawings2 but ,the ,fairies1 ,the ,antiquary1 and others1 will give the reader a good idea of ,mr4 ,nasmyth's artistic ability4 ,since his retirement from business life1 at the age of forty-eight1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth's principal pursuit has been ,astronomy4 ,his ,monograph on ,the ,moon1 published in #ahgd1 exhibits his ardent and philosophic love for science in one of its sublimest aspects4 ,his splendid astronomical instruments1 for the most part made entirely by his own hands1 have enabled him to detect the willow leaf-shaped objects which form the structural element of the ,sun's luminous surface4 ,the discovery was shortly after verified by ,sir ,john ,herschel and other astronomers1 and is now a received fact in astronomical science4 ,a ,chronological ,list of some of ,mr4 ,nasmyth's contrivances and inventions is given at the end of the volume1 which shows1 so far1 what he has been enabled to accomplish during his mechanical career4 ,these begin at a very early age1 and were continued for about thirty years of a busy and active life4 ,very few of them were patented2 many of them1 though widely adopted1 are unacknowledged as his invention4 ,they1 nevertheless1 did much to advance the mechanical arts1 and still continue to do excellent service in the engineering world4 ,the chapter relating to the origin of the ,cuneiform ,character1 and of the ,pyramid or ,sun-worship in its relation to ,egyptian ,architecture1 is placed at the end1 so as not to interrupt the personal narrative4 ,that chapter1 it is believed1 will be found very interesting1 illustrated1 as it is1 by ,mr4 ,nasmyth's drawings4 ,s4,s4 ,,london1 ,october #ahhe4 ,,contents ,preface ,list of ,illustrations omitted in this ,etext ,,chapter #a ,my ,ancestry ,sentiment of ,ancestry ,origin of the name of ,naesmyth ,naesmyth of ,posso ,naesmyth of ,netherton ,battle of ,bothwell ,brig ,estate confiscated ,elspeth ,naesmyth ,michael ,naesmyth builder and architect ,fort at ,inversnaid ,naesmyth family tomb ,former masters and men ,michael ,naesmyth's son ,new ,edinburgh ,grandmother ,naesmyth ,uncle ,michael ,,chapter #b ,alexander ,nasmyth ,born #ageh--;,grassmarket ,edinburgh--,education ,the ,bibler's ,seat ,the brothers ,erskine ,apprenticed to a coachbuilder ,the ,trustees' ,academy ,huguenot artisans ,alexander ,runciman ,copy of ,the ,laocoon ,assistant to ,allan ,ramsay ,faculty of resourcefulness ,begins as portrait painter ,friendship with ,miller of ,dalswinton ,miller and the first steamboat ,visit to ,italy ,marriage to ,barbara ,foulis ,burns the poet ,edinburgh clubs ,landscape beauty ,abandons portrait for landscape painting ,david ,roberts1 ,r4,a4 ,dean ,bridge ,st4 ,bernard's ,well ,nelson's ,monument ,bow-and-string bridges ,sunday rivet ,,chapter #c ,an ,artist's ,family ,sir ,james ,hall ,geology of ,edinburgh ,friends of the family ,henry ,raeburn ,evenings at home ,society of artists ,caller ,aon ,management of the household ,the family ,education of six sisters ,the ,nasmyth classes ,pencil drawing ,excursions round ,edinburgh ,graphic memoranda ,patrick ,nasmyth1 sketch of his life ,removes to ,london ,visit to ,hampshire ,original prices of his works ,his friends ,his death ,,chapter #d ,my ,early ,years ,born #ahjh ,mary ,peterkin ,the brilliant red poppies ,left-handed ,patrick's birthday ,vocal performance ,a wonderful escape ,events of the war ,the ,french prisoners ,entry of the #db;d into ,edinburgh ,bleaching claes on the ,calton ,the ,greenside workshops ,the chimes of ,st4 ,giles' ,the ,edinburgh ,market ,the caddies ,the fishwives ,the floore ,traditional fondness for cats ,a ,nasmyth prayer ,,chapter #e ,my ,school-days ,my first schoolmaster ,preter pluperfect tense ,the penny pig ,country picnics ,pupil at the ,high ,school ,dislike of ,latin ,love of old buildings ,their masonry ,sir ,walter ,scott ,the ,heart of ,midlothian ,john ,linnell ,the collecting period ,james ,watt ,my father's workshop ,make peeries1 cannon1 and steels ,school friendships ,paterson's ironfoundry ,his foremen ,johnie ,syme ,tom ,smith and chemical experiments ,kid gloves and technical knowledge ,,chapter #f ,mechanical ,beginnings ,study arithmetic and geometry ,practise art of drawing ,its important uses ,make tools and blowpipe ,walks round ,edinburgh ,volcanic origin of the neighbourhood ,george the ,fourth's visit ,the ,radical ,road ,destructive fires ,journey to ,stirling ,the ,devon ,ironworks ,robert ,bald ,carron ,ironworks ,coats of mail found at ,bannockburn ,models of condensing steam-engine ,professor ,leslie ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts ,attend ,university classes ,brass-casting in the bedroom ,george ,douglass ,make a working steam-engine ,sympathy of activity ,the ,expansometer ,make a road steam-carriage ,desire to enter ,maudslay's factory ,,chapter #g ,henry ,maudslay1 ,london ,voyage to ,london with specimens of workmanship ,first walk through ,london ,visit to ,henry ,maudslay ,the interview ,exhibit my specimens ,taken on as assistant ,the private workshop ,maudslay's constructive excellence ,his maxims ,uniformity of screws ,meeting with ,henry ,brougham ,david ,wilkie ,visit to the ,admiralty ,museum ,the ,block machinery ,the ,royal ,mint ,steam yacht trip to ,richmond ,lodgings taken ,a clean crossing ,,chapter #h ,maudslay's ,private ,assistant ,enter ,maudslay's service ,rudimentary screw generator ,the guide screw ,interview with ,faraday ,rate of wages ,economical living ,my cooking stove ,make model of marine steam-engine ,my collar-nut cutting machine ,maudslay's elements of high-class workmanship ,flat filing ,standard planes ,maudslay's ,lord ,chancellor ,maudslay's ,visitors ,general ,bentham1 ,barton1 ,donkin and ,chantrey ,the ,cundell brothers ,walks round ,london ,norman architecture ,,chapter #i ,holiday in the ,manufacturing ,districts ,coaching trip to ,liverpool ,coventry ,english scenery ',the ,rocket' ,the two ,stephensons ,opening of the railway ,william ,fawcett ,birkenhead ,walk back to ,london ,patricroft ,manchester ,edward ,tootal ,sharp1 ,roberts and ,co4 ,manchester industry ,coalbrookdale ,the ,black ,country ,dudley ,castle ,wren's ,nest ,hill ,birmingham ,boulton and ,watt ,william ,murdoch ,john ,drain ,kenilworth--,warwick--,oxford--,windsor --,london ,,chapter #aj ,begin ,business at ,manchester ,stamping machine improved ,astronomical instruments ,a reflecting telescope proposed ,death of ,maudslay ,joshua ,field ',talking books' ,leave ,maudslay and ,field ,take temporary workshop in ,edinburgh ,archie ,torry ,construct a rotary steam-engine ,prepare a stock of machine tools ,visit to ,liverpool ,john ,cragg ,visit to ,manchester ,john ,kennedy ,grant ,brothers ,take a workshop ,tools removed to ,manchester ,a prosperous business begun ,story of the brothers ,grant ,trip to ,elgin and ,castle ,grant ,the brothers ,cowper ,the printing machine ,edward ,cowper ,,chapter #aa ,bridgewater ,foundry--,partnership ,demand for skilled labour ,machine tools in request ,my flat overloaded ,a crash among the decanters ,the land at ,patricroft ,lease from ,squire ,trafford ,bridgewater ,foundary begun ,trip to ,londonderry ,the ,giant's ,causeway ,cottage at ,barton ,the ,bridgewater canal ,lord ,francis ,egerton ,safety foundry ladle ,holbrook ,gaskell taken as partner ,his eventual retirement ,,chapter #ab ,free ,trade in ,ability--,the ,strike--,death of my ,father ,hugo de ,lupus ,the ,peter ,stubb's files ,worsley labourers ,promotion from the ranks ,free trade in ability ,foreman lieutenants1 ,archie ,torry ,james ,hutton ,john ,clarke ,thomas ,crewdson ,trades' ,union interference ,a strike ordered ,workman advertised for ,a reinforcement of ,scotch mechanics ,the strike scotched ,millwrights and engineers ,indenture-bound apprentices ,visits of my father ,enthusiastic reception ,his last work ,his death ,testimony of ,sir ,david ,wilkie ,,chapter #ac ,my ,marriage--,the ,steam ,hammer ,preparations for a home ,influence of chance occurrences ,visit to ,mr4 ,hartop's near ,barnsley ,important interview ,eventual marriage ,great ,western ,railway locomotives ,mr4 ,humphries and ',great ,western' steamship ,forging of paddle-shaft ,want of range of existing hammers ,the first steam hammer sketched ,its arrangement ,the paddle shaft abandoned ,my sketch copied and adopted ,my visit to ,creuzot ,find steam hammer in operation ,a patent taken out ,first steam hammer made in ,england ,its general adoption ,patent secured for ,united ,states ,,chapter #ad ,travels in ,france and ,italy ,the ,french ,minister of ,marine at ,paris ,rouen--,bayeux--,cherbourg--,brest--,ro chefort--,indret ,m4 ,rosine ,architecture of ,nismes ,marseilles--,toulon--,voyage to ,naples--,genoa--,pisa ,bay of ,naples ,the ,national ,museum ,visit to ,vesuvius ,the edge of the crater ,volcanic commotion ,overflows of burning lava ,wine-shop at ,rosina ,return ride to ,naples ,,chapter #ae ,steam ,hammer ,pile-driver ,the ,royal ,dockyards ,steam hammer for ,devonport ,scene at the first stroke ,my ,lords of the ,admiralty ,steam hammer pile-driver required ,the new docks at ,devonport ,the pile-driver delivered ,its description ,trail against the old method ,its general adoption ,happy thoughts ,testing of chain cables and anchors ,causes of failure ,punctilliousness of officials at royal dockyards ,egyptian workman employed ,affiffi ,lalli ,letter from ,faraday ,,chapter #af ,nuremberg--,st4 ,petersburg--,dannemora4 ,visit to ,nuremberg ,albert ,durer ,adam ,krafft ,visit to ,st4 ,petersburg ,general ,wilson ,general ,greg ,struve the astronomer ,palaces and shops ,ivy ornamentation ,the ,emperor ,nicholas a royal salute ,francis ,baird ,work of ,russian serfs ,the ,izak ,church ,voyage to ,stokholm ,visit to ,upsala ,the iron mines of ,dannemora ,to ,gottenburg by steamer ,motala ,trollhatten ,falls ,sweedish people ,copenhagen ,tycho ,brahe2 ,zeland and ,holstein ,holland1 and return ,,chapter #ag ,more about ,bridgewater ,foundry--,woolwich ,arsenal ,increased demand for self-acting tools ,promotions of lads ,the ,trades' ,union again ,strike against ,platt ,brothers ,edward ,tootal's advice ,friendliness between engineering firms ,small high-pressure engines ,uses of waste steam ,improvements in calico-printing ,improvements at ,woolwich ,arsenal ,enlargement of workshops ,improved machine tools ,the gun foundry and laboratories ,orders for ,spain and ,russia ,rope factory machinery ,russian ,officers ,grand ,duke ,constantine ,lord ,ellesmere's visitors ,admiral ,kornileff ,,chapter #ah ,astronomical pursuits ,hobbies at home ,drawing ,washington ,irving ,pursuit of astronomy ,wonders of the heavens ,construction of a new speculum ,william ,lassell ,warren de la ,rue ,home-made reflecting telescope ,a ghost at ,patricroft ,twenty-inch diameter speculum ,drawings of the moon's surface ,structure of the moon ,lunar craters ,pico ,wrinkles of age ,extinct craters ,landscape scenery of the moon ,meeting of ,british ,association at ,edinburgh ,the ,bass ,rock ,professor ,owen ,robert ,chambers ,the grooved rocks ,hugh ,miller and boulder clay ,lecture on the moon ,visit the ,duke of ,argyll ,basaltic formation at ,mull ,the ,giant's ,causeway ,the great exhibition ,steam hammer engine ,prize medals ,interview with the ,queen and ,prince ,consort ,lord ,cockburn ,visit to ,bonally ,d4 ,o4 ,hill ,,chapter #ai ,more about ,astronomy ,sir ,david ,brewster ,edward ,cowper's lecture ,cause of the sun's light ,lord ,murray ,sir ,t4 ,mitchell ,the ,milky ,way ,countless suns ,infusoria in ,bridgewater ,canal ,rotary movements of heavenly bodies ,geological ,society meeting ,dr ,vaugham ,improvement of ,small ,arms ,factory1 ,enfield ,generosity of ,united ,states ,government ,the ,enfield ,rifle ,,chapter #bj ,retirement from ,business ,letter from ,david ,roberts1 ,r4 ,a4 ,puddling iron by steam ,the process tried ,sir ,henry ,bessemer's invention ,discussion at ,cheltenham ,bessemer's account ,prepare to retire from business ,the ,countess of ,ellesmere ,the ,cottage in ,kent ,the antibilious stock ,hammerfield1 ,penshurst ,planting and gardening ,the ,crystal ,palace ,music ,tools and telescopes ,the greenhouse ,,chapter #ba ,active leisure ,astronomy ,lecture on the ,moon ,edinburgh ,old friends ,visit to the ,continent--,paris1 ,chartres1 ,nismes1 ,chamounix ,art of photography ,sir ,john ,herschel ,spots on the sun's surface ,e4,j4 ,stone ,de la ,rue ,visit from ,sir ,john ,herschel ,cracking glass globe ,a million spots and letters ,geological diagram ,father ,secchi at ,rome ,lord ,lyndhurst ,visit to ,herschel ,his last letter ,publication of ,the ,moon ,philip ,h4 ,calderon ,cardinal ,manning ,miss ,herschel ,william ,lassell ,windmill grinding of speculum ,the dial of life ,end of recollections ,list of ,inventions and ,contrivances ,articles on the ,sun-,ray origin of the ,pyramids and ,cuneiform ,character ,image ,edinburgh ,castle1 ,from the ,vennel ,,autobiography4 ,,chapter #a4 ,my ,ancestry ,our history begins before we are born4 ,we represent the hereditary influences of our race1 and our ancestors virtually live in us4 ,the sentiment of ancestry seems to be inherent in human nature1 especially in the more civilised races4 ,at all events1 we cannot help having a due regard for the history of our forefathers4 ,our curiosity is stimulated by their immediate or indirect influence upon ourselves4 ,it may be a generous enthusiasm1 or1 as some might say1 a harmless vanity1 to take pride in the honour of their name4 ,the gifts of nature1 however1 are more valuable than those of fortune2 and no line of ancestry1 however honourable1 can absolve us from the duty of diligent application and perseverance1 or from the practice of the virtues of self-control and self-help4 ,sir ,bernard ,burke1 in his ,peerage and ,baronetage ,ed #ahgi ,pp #hhe-f1 gives a faithful account of the ancestors from whom ,i am lineally descended4 ,the family of ,naesymth1 he says1 is one of remote antiquity in ,tweeddale1 and has possessed lands there since the #acth century4 ,they fought in the wars of ,bruce and ,baliol1 which ended in the independence of ,scotland4 ,the following is the family legend of the origin of the name of ,naesymth3 -- ,in the troublous times which prevailed in ,scotland before the union of the ,crowns1 the feuds between the ,king and the ,barons were almost constant4 ,in the reign of ,james ,,iii4 the ,house of ,douglas was the most prominent and ambitious4 ,the ,earl not only resisted his liege lord1 but entered into a combination with the ,king of ,england1 from whom he received a pension4 ,he was declared a rebel1 and his estates were confiscated4 ,he determined to resist the royal power1 and crossed the ,border with his followers4 ,he was met by the ,earl of ,angus1 the ,maxwells1 the ,johnstons1 and the ,scotts4 ,in one of the engagements which ensued the ,douglases appeared to have gained the day1 when an ancestor of the ,naesmyths1 who fought under the royal standard1 took refuge in the smithy of a neighbouring village4 ,the smith offered him protection1 disguised him as a hammerman1 with a leather apron in front1 and asked him to lend a hand at his work4 ,while thus engaged a party of the ,douglas partisans entered the smithy4 ,they looked with suspicion on the disguised hammerman1 who1 in his agitation1 struck a false blow with the sledge hammer1 which broke the shaft in two4 ,upon this1 one of the pursuers rushed at him1 calling out1 ,ye're nae smyth6 ,the stalwart hammerman turned upon his assailant1 and1 wrenching a dagger from him1 speedily overpowered him4 ,the smith himself1 armed with a big hammer1 effectually aided in overpowering and driving out the ,douglas men4 ,a party of the royal forces made their appearance1 when ,naesmyth rallied them1 led them against the rebels1 and converted what had been a temporary defeat into a victory4 ,a grant of lands was bestowed upon him for his service4 ,his armorial bearings consisted of a hand dexter with a dagger1 between two broken hammer-shafts1 and there they remain to this day4 ,the motto was1 ,non arte sect marte1 ,not by art but by war ,in my time ,i have reversed the motto 7,non marte sed arte72 and instead of the broken hammer-shafts1 ,i have adopted1 not as my arms but as a device1 the most potent form of mechanical art--the ,steam ,hammer4 ,image ,origin of the ,name4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth4 ,sir ,michael ,naesmyth1 ,chamberlain of the ,archbishop of ,st4 ,andrews1 obtained the lands of ,posso and ,glenarth in #aedd1 by right of his wife1 ,elizabeth1 daughter and heiress of ,john ,baird of ,posso4 ,the ,bairds have ever been a loyal and gallant family4 ,sir ,gilbert1 father of ,john ,baird1 fell at ,flodden in #aeac1 in defence of his king4 ,the royal eyrie of ,posso ,crag is on the family estate2 and the ,lure worn by ,queen ,mary1 and presented by her son ,james ,,vi4 to ,james ,naesmyth1 the ,royal ,falconer1 is still preserved as a family heirloom4 ,during the intestine troubles in ,scotland1 in the reign of ,mary1 ,sir ,michael ,naesmyth espoused the cause of the unfortunate ,queen4 ,he fought under her banner at ,langside in #aefh4 ,he was banished1 and his estates were seized by the ,regent ,moray4 ,but after the restoration of peace1 the ,naesmyths regained their property4 ,sir ,michael died at an advanced age4 ,he had many sons4 ,the eldest1 ,james1 married ,joana1 daughter of ,william ,veitch or ,le ,veitch of ,dawick4 ,by this marriage the lands of ,dawick came into the family4 ,he predeceased his father1 and was succeeded by his son ,james1 the ,royal ,falconer above referred to4 ,sir ,michael's second son1 ,john1 was chief chirurgeon to ,james ,,vi4 of ,scotland1 afterwards ,james ,i4 of ,england1 and to ,henry1 ,prince of ,wales4 ,he died in ,london in #afac1 and in his testament he leaves his herb to his young master1 the ,prince's grace4 ,charles ,i41 in his instructions to the ,president of the ,court of ,session1 enjoins that you take special notice of the children of ,john ,naesmyth1 so often recommended by our late dear father and us4 ,two of ,sir ,michael's other sons were killed at ,edinburgh in #aehh1 in a deadly feud between the ,scotts and the ,naesmyths4 ,in those days a sort of ,corsican vendetta was carried on between families from one generation to another4 ,sir ,michael ,naesmyth1 son of the ,royal ,falconer1 succeeded to the property4 ,his eldest son ,james was appointed to serve in ,claverhouse's troop of horse in #afhd4 ,among the other notable members of the family was ,james ,naesmyth1 a very clever lawyer4 ,he was supposed to be so deep that he was generally known as the ,deil o' ,dawyk4 ,his eldest son was long a member of ,parliament for the county of ,peebles2 he was1 besides1 a famous botanist1 having studied under ,linnaeus1 ,among the inter-marriages of the family were those with the ,bruces of ,lethen1 the ,stewarts of ,traquhair1 the ,murrays of ,stanhope1 the ,pringles of ,clifton1 the ,murrays of ,philiphaugh1 the ,keiths 7of the ,earl ,marischal's family71 the ,andersons of ,st4 ,germains1 the ,marjoribanks of ,lees1 and others4 ,in the fourteenth century a branch of the ,naesmyths of ,posso settled at ,netherton1 near ,hamilton4 ,they bought an estate and built a residence4 ,the lands adjoined part of the ,duke of ,hamilton's estate1 and the house was not far from the palace4 ,there the ,naesmyths remained until the reign of ,charles ,,ii4 ,the ,king1 or his advisers1 determined to introduce ,episcopacy1 or1 as some thought1 ,roman ,catholicism1 into the country1 and to enforce it at the point of the sword4 ,the ,naesmyths had always been loyal until now4 ,but to be cleft by sword and pricked by spear into a religion which they disbelieved1 was utterly hateful to the ,netherton ,naesmyths4 ,being ,presbyterians1 they held to their own faith4 ,they were prevented from using their churches199 footnote444 ,in the reign of ,james ,,ii4 of ,england and ,james ,,vii4 of ,scotland a law was enacted1 that whoever should preach in a conventicle under a roof1 or should attend1 either as a preacher or as a hearer1 a conventicle in the open air1 should be punished with death and confiscation of property4 444 and they accordingly met on the moors1 or in unfrequented places for worship4 ,the dissenting ,presbyterians assumed the name of ,covenanters4 ,hamilton was almost the centre of the movement4 ,the ,covenanters met1 and the ,king's forces were ordered to disperse them4 ,hence the internecine war that followed4 ,there were ,naesmyths on both sides-- ,naesmyths for the ,king1 and ,naesmyths for the ,covenant4 ,in an early engagement at ,drumclog1 the ,covenanters were victorious4 ,they beat back ,claverhouse and his dragoons4 ,a general rising took place in the ,west ,country4 ,about #fjjj men assembled at ,hamilton1 mostly raw and undisciplined countrymen4 ,the ,king's forces assembled to meet them1 -- #aj1jjj well-disciplined troops1 with a complete train of field artillery4 ,what chance had the ,covenanters against such a force8 ,nevertheless1 they met at ,bothwell ,bridge1 a few miles west of ,hamilton4 ,it is unnecessary to describe the action499 footnote444 ,see the account of a ,covenanting ,officer in the ,appendix to the ,scots ,worthies4 ,see also ,sir ,waiter ,scott's ,old ,mortality1 where the battle of ,bothwell ,brig is described4 444 ,the ,covenanters1 notwithstanding their inferior force1 resisted the cannonade and musketry of the enemy with great courage4 ,they defended the bridge until their ammunition failed4 ,when the ,english ,guards and the artillery crossed the bridge1 the battle was lost4 ,the ,covenanters gave way1 and fled in all directions2 ,claverhouse1 burning with revenge for his defeat at ,drumclog1 made a terrible slaughter of the unresisting fugitives4 ,one of my ancestors brought from the battlefield the remnant of the standard2 a formidable musquet-- ,gun ,bothwell we afterwards called it2 an ,andrea ,ferrara2 and a powder-horn4 ,i still preserve these remnants of the civil war4 ,my ancestor was condemned to death in his absence1 and his property at ,netherton was confiscated4 ,what became of him during the remainder of ,charles ,,ii4's reign1 and the reign of that still greater tormentor1 ,james ,,ii41 ,i do not know4 ,he was probably1 like many others1 wandering about from place to place1 hiding in wildernesses or caves1 destitute1 afflicted1 and tormented4 ,the arrival of ,william ,,iii4 restored religious liberty to the country1 and ,scotland was again left in comparative peace4 ,my ancestor took refuge in ,edinburgh1 but he never recovered his property at ,netherton4 ,the ,duke of ,hamilton1 one of the trimmers of the time1 had long coveted the possession of the lands1 as ,ahab had coveted ,naboth's vineyard4 ,he took advantage of the conscription of the men engaged in the ,bothwell ,brig conflict1 and had the lands forfeited in his favour4 ,i remember my father telling me that1 on one occasion when he visited the ,duke of ,hamilton in reference to some improvement of the grounds adjoining the palace1 he pointed out to the ,duke the ruined remains of the old residence of the ,naesmyths4 ,as the first ,french ,revolution was then in full progress1 when ideas of society and property seemed to have lost their bearings1 the ,duke good-humouredly observed1 ,well1 well1 ,naesmyth1 there's no saying but what1 some of these days1 your ancestors' lands may come into your possession again6 ,before ,i quit the persecutions of the good old times1 ,i must refer to the burning of witches4 ,one of my ancient kinswomen1 ,elspeth ,naesmyth1 who lived at ,hamilton1 was denounced as a witch4 ,the chief evidence brought against her was that she kept four black cats1 and read her ,bible with two pairs of spectacles6 a practice which shows that she possessed the spirit of an experimental philosopher4 ,in doing this she adopted a mode of supplementing the power of spectacles in restoring the receding power of the eyes4 ,she was in all respects scientifically correct4 ,she increased the magnifying power of the glasses2 a practice which is preferable to using single glasses of the same power1 and which ,i myself often follow4 ,notwithstanding this improved method of reading her ,bible1 and her four black cats1 she was condemned to be burned alive6 ,she was about the last victim in ,scotland to the disgraceful superstition of witchcraft4 ,the ,naesmyths of ,netherton having lost their ancestral property1 had to begin the world again4 ,they had to begin at the beginning4 ,but they had plenty of pluck and energy4 ,i go back to my great-great-grandfather1 ,michael ,naesmyth1 who was born in #afeb4 ,he occupied a house in the ,grassmarket1 ,edinburgh1 which was afterwards rebuilt1 in #afif4 ,his business was that of a builder and architect4 ,his chief employment was in designing and erecting new mansions1 principally for the landed gentry and nobility4 ,their old castellated houses or towers were found too dark and dreary for modern uses4 ,the drawbridges were taken down1 and the moats were filled up4 ,sometimes they built the new mansions as an addition to the old4 ,but oftener they left the old castles to go to ruin2 or1 what was worse1 they made use of the stone and other materials of the old romantic buildings for the construction of their new residences4 ,michael ,naesmyth acquired a high reputation for the substantiality of his work4 ,his masonry was excellent1 as well as his woodwork4 ,the greater part of the latter was executed in his own workshops at the back of his house in the ,grassmarket4 ,his large yard was situated between the back of the house and the high wall that bounded the ,greyfriars ,churchyard1to the east of the flight of steps which forms the main approach to ,george ,heriot's ,hospital4 ,image ,michael ,naesmyth's ,house1 ,grassmarket4,the lower building at the right hand corner of the engraving1 with the three projecting gable ends ,the last work that ,michael ,naesmyth was engaged in cost him his life4 ,he had contracted with the ,government to build a fort at ,inversnaid1 at the northern end of ,loch ,lomond4 ,it was intended to guard the ,lowlands1 and keep ,rob ,roy and his caterans within the ,highland ,border4 ,a promise was given by the ,government that during the progress of the work a suitable force of soldiers should be quartered close at hand to protect the builder and his workmen4 ,image ,inversnaid ,fort4 ,after a drawing by ,alexander ,nasmyth ,notwithstanding many whispered warnings as to the danger of undertaking such a hazardous work1 ,michael ,naesmyth and his men encamped upon the spot1 though without the protection of the ,government force4 ,having erected a temporary residence for their accommodation1 he proceeded with the building of the fort4 ,the work was well advanced by the end of #agjc1 although the ,government had treated all ,naesmyth's appeals for protection with evasion or contempt4 ,winter set in with its usual force in those northern regions4 ,one dark and snowy night1 when ,michael and his men had retired to rest1 a loud knocking was heard at the door4 ,who's there8 asked ,michael4 ,a man outside replied1 ,a benighted traveller overt aken by the storm ,he proceeded to implore help1 and begged for ,god's sake that he might have shelter for the night4 ,naesmyth1 in the full belief that the traveller's tale was true1 unbolted and unbarred the door1 when in rushed ,rob ,roy and his desperate gang4 ,the men1 with the dirks of the ,macgregors at their throats1 begged hard for their lives4 ,this was granted on condition that they should instantly depart1 and take an oath that they should never venture within the ,highland border again4 ,michael ,naesmyth and his men had no alternative but to submit1 and they at once left the bothy with such scanty clothing as the ,macgregors would allow them to carry away4 ,they were marched under an armed escort through the snowstorm to the ,highland border1 and were there left with the murderous threat that1 if they ever returned to the fort1 they would meet with certain death4 ,another attempt was made to build the fort at ,inversnaid4 ,but ,rob ,roy again surprised the small party of soldiers who were in charge4 ,they were disarmed and sent about their business4 ,finally1 the fort was rebuilt1 and placed under the command of ,captain 7afterwards ,general7 ,wolfe4 ,when peace fell upon the ,highlands and ,rob ,roy's country became the scene of picnics1 the fort was abandoned and allowed to go to ruin4 ,poor ,michael never recovered from the cold which he caught during his forced retreat from ,inversnaid4 ,the effects of this1 together with the loss and distress of mind which he experienced from the ,government's refusal to pay for his work--notwithstanding their promise to protect him and his workmen from the ,highland freebooters--so preyed upon his mind that he was never again able to devote himself to business4 ,one evening1 whilst sitting at his fireside with his grandchild on his knee1 a death-like faintness came over him2 he set the child down carefully by the side of his chair1 and then fell forward dead on his hearthstone4 ,thus ended the life of ,michael ,naesmyth in #agje1 at the age of fifty-three4 ,he was buried by the side of his ancestors in the old family tomb in the ,greyfriars ,churchyard4 ,image ,the ,naesmyth ,tomb in ,greyfriars ,churchyard ,this old tomb1 dated #afad1 though much defaced1 is one of the most remarkable of the many which surround the walls of that ancient and memorable burying-place4 ,greyfriars ,churchyard is one of the most interesting places in ,edinburgh4 ,the ,national ,covenant was signed there by the ,protestant nobles and gentry of ,scotland in #afch4 ,the prisoners taken at the battle of ,bothwell ,brig were shut up there in #afgi1 and1 after enduring great privations1 a portion of the survivors were sent off to ,barbadoes4 ,when ,i first saw the tombstone1 an ash tree was growing out of the top of the main body of it1 though that has since been removed4 ,in growing1 the roots had pushed out the centre stone1 which has not been replaced4 ,the tablet over it contains the arms of the family1 the broken hammer-shafts1 and the motto ,non arte sed marte4 ,there are the remains of a very impressive figure1 apparently rising from her cerements4 ,the body and extremities remain1 but the head has been broken away4 ,there is also a remarkable motto on the tablet above the tombstone--,ars mihi vim contra ,fortunce2 which ,i take to be1 ,art is my strength in contending against ,fortune1--a motto which is appropriate to my ancestors as well as to myself4 ,the business was afterwards carried on by ,michael's son1 my great-grandfather4 ,he was twenty-seven years old at the time of his father's death1 and lived to the age of seventy-three4 ,he was a man of much ability and of large experience4 ,one of his great advantages in carrying on his business was the support of a staff of able and trustworthy foremen and workmen4 ,the times were very different then from what they are now4 ,masters and men lived together in mutual harmony4 ,there was a kind of loyal family attachment among them1 which extended through many generations4 ,workmen had neither the desire nor the means to shift about from place to place4 ,on the contrary1 they settled down with their wives and families in houses of their own1 close to the workshops of their employers4 ,work was found for them in the dull seasons when trade was slack1 and in summer they sometimes removed to jobs at a distance from headquarters4 ,much of this feeling of attachment and loyalty between workmen and their employers has now expired4 ,men rapidly remove from place to place4 ,character is of little consequence4 ,the mutual feeling of goodwill and zealous attention to work seems to have passed away4 ,my grandfather1 ,michael ,naesmyth1 succeeded to the business in #agea4 ,he more than maintained the reputation of his predecessors4 ,the collection of first-class works on architecture which he possessed1 such as the folio editions of ,vitruvius and ,palladio1 which were at that time both rare and dear1 showed the regard he had for impressing into his designs the best standards of taste4 ,the buildings he designed and erected for the ,scotch nobility and gentry were well arranged1 carefully executed1 and thoroughly substantial4 ,he was also a large builder in ,edinburgh4 ,amongst the houses he erected in the ,old ,town were the principal number of those in ,george ,square4 ,in one of these1 ,no4 #be1 ,sir ,walter ,scott spent his boyhood and youth4 ,they still exist1 and exhibit the care which he took in the elegance and substantiality of his works4 ,i remember my father pointing out to me the extreme care and attention with which he finished his buildings4 ,he inserted small fragments of basalt into the mortar of the external joints of the stones1 at close and regular distances1 in order to protect the mortar from the adverse action of the weather4 ,and to this day they give proof of their efficiency4 ,the basalt protects the joints1 and at the same time gives a neat and pleasing effect to what would otherwise have been merely the monotonous line of mason-work4 ,a great change was about to take place in the residences of the principal people of ,edinburgh4 ,the cry was for more light and more air4 ,the extension of the city to the south and west was not sufficient4 ,there was a great plateau of ground on the north side of the city1 beyond the ,north ,loch4 ,but it was very difficult to reach2 being alike steep on both sides of the ,loch4 ,at length1 in #agfg1 an ,act was obtained to extend the royalty of the city over the northern fields1 and powers were obtained to erect a bridge to connect them with the ,old ,town4 ,the magistrates had the greatest difficulty in inducing the inhabitants to build dwellings on the northern side of the city4 ,a premium was offered to the person who should build the first house2 and #bj was awarded to ,mr4 ,john ,young on account of a mansion erected by him close to ,george ,street4 ,exemption from burghal taxes was also granted to a gentleman who built the first house in ,princes ,street4 ,my grandfather built the first house in the south-west corner of ,st4 ,andrew ,square1 for the occupation of ,david ,hume the historian1 as well as the two most important houses in the centre of the north side of the same square4 ,one of these last was occupied by the venerable ,dr4 ,hamilton1 a very conspicuous character in ,edinburgh4 ,he continued to wear the cocked hat1 the powdered pigtail1 tights1 and large shoe buckles1 for about sixty years after this costume had become obsolete4 ,all these houses are still in perfect condition1 after resisting the ordinary tear and wear of upwards of a hundred and ten northern winters4 ,the opposition to building houses across the ,north ,loch soon ceased2 and the ,new ,town arose1 growing from day to day1 until ,edinburgh became one of the most handsome and picturesque cities in ,europe4 ,there is one other thing that ,i must again refer to the highly-finished character of my grandfather's work4 ,nothing merely moderate would do4 ,the work must be of the very best4 ,he took special pride in the sound quality of the woodwork and its careful workmanship4 ,he chose the best ,dantzic timber because of its being of purer grain and freer from knots than other wood4 ,in those days the lower part of the walls of the apartments were wainscoted--that is1 covered by timber framed in large panels4 ,they were from three to four feet wide1 and from six to eight feet high4 ,to fit these in properly required the most careful joiner-work4 ,it was always a holiday treat to my father1 when a boy1 to be permitted to go down to ,leith to see the ships discharge their cargoes of timber4 ,my grandfather had a ,wood-yard at ,leith1 where the timber selected by him was piled up to he seasoned and shrunk1 before being worked into its appropriate uses4 ,he was particularly careful in his selection of boards or stripes for floors1 which must be perfectly level1 so as to avoid the destruction of the carpets placed over them4 ,the hanging of his doors was a matter that he took great pride in--so as to prevent any uneasy action in opening or closing4 ,his own chamber doors were so well hung that they were capable of being opened and closed by the slight puff of a hand-bellows4 ,the excellence of my grandfather's workmanship was a thing that my own father always impressed upon me when a boy4 ,it stimulated in me the desire to aim at excellence in everything that ,i undertook2 and in all practical matters to arrive at the highest degree of good workmanship4 ,i believe that these early lessons had a great influence upon my future career4 ,i have little to record of my grandmother4 ,from all accounts she was everything that a wife and mother should be4 ,my father often referred to her as an example of the affection and love of a wife to her husband1 and of a mother to her children4 ,the only relic ,i possess of her handiwork is a sampler1 dated #agdc1 the needlework of which is so delicate and neat1 that to me it seems to excel everything of the kind that ,i have seen4 ,i am fain to think that her delicate manipulation in some respects descended to her grandchildren1 as all of them have been more or less distinguished for the delicate use of their fingers--which has so much to do with the effective transmission of the artistic faculty into visible forms4 ,the power of transmitting to paper or canvas the artistic conceptions of the brain through the fingers1 and out at the end of the needle1 the pencil1 the pen1 the brush1 or even the modelling tool or chisel1 is that which1 in practical fact1 constitutes the true artist4 ,this may appear a digression2 though ,i cannot look at my grandmother's sampler without thinking that she had much to do with originating the ,naesmyth love of the ,fine ,arts1 and their hereditary adroitness in the practice of landscape and portrait painting1 and other branches of the profession4 ,my grandfather died in #ahjc1 at the age of eighty-four1 and was buried by his father's side in the ,naesmyth ancestral tomb in ,greyfriars ,churchyard4 ,his wife1 ,mary ,anderson1 who died before him1 was buried in the same place4 ,michael ,naesmyth left two sons--,michael and ,alexander4 ,the eldest was born in #aged4 ,it was intended that he should have succeeded to the business2 and1 indeed1 as soon as he reached manhood he was his father's right-hand man4 ,he was a skilful workman1 especially in the finer parts of joiner-work4 ,he was also an excellent accountant and bookkeeper4 ,but having acquired a taste for reading books about voyages and travels1 of which his father's library was well supplied1 his mind became disturbed1 and he determined to see something of the world4 ,he was encouraged by one of his old companions1 who had been to sea1 and realised some substantial results by his voyages to foreign parts4 ,accordingly ,michael1 notwithstanding the earnest remonstrances of his father1 accompanied his friend on the next occasion when he went to sea4 ,after several voyages to the ,west ,indies and other parts of the world1 which both gratified and stimulated his natural taste for adventures1 and also proved financially successful1 his trading ventures at last met with a sad reverse1 and he resolved to abandon commerce1 and enter the service of the ,royal ,navy4 ,he was made purser1 and in this position he entered upon a new series of adventures4 ,he was present at many naval engagements4 ,but he lost neither life nor limb4 ,at last he was pensioned1 and became a resident at ,greenwich ,hospital4 ,he furnished his apartments with all manner of curiosities1 such as his roving naval life had enabled him to collect4 ,his original skill as a worker in wood came to life again4 ,the taste of the workman and the handiness of the seaman enabled him to furnish his rooms at the ,hospital in a most quaint and amusing manner4 ,my father had a most affectionate regard for ,michael1 and usually spent some days with him when he had occasion to visit ,london4 ,one bright summer day they went to have a stroll together on ,blackheath2 and while my uncle was enjoying a nap on a grassy knoll1 my father made a sketch of him1 which ,i still preserve4 ,being of a most cheerful disposition1 and having a great knack of detailing the incidents of his adventurous life1 he became a great favourite with the resident officers of the ,hospital2 and was always regarded by them as real good company4 ,he ended his days there in peace and comfort1 in #ahai1 at the age of sixty-four4 ,,chapter #b4 ,alexander ,nasmyth ,my father1 ,alexander ,nasmyth1 was the second son of ,michael ,nasmyth4 ,he was born in his father's house in the ,grassmarket on the #ith of ,september #ageh4 ,the ,grassmarket was then a lively place4 ,on certain days of the week it was busy with sheep and cattle fairs4 ,it was the centre of ,edinburgh traffic4 ,most of the inns were situated there1 or in the street leading up to the ,greyfriars ,church gate4 ,the view from my grandfather's house was very grand4 ,standing up1 right opposite1 was the steep ,castle rock1 with its crown buildings and circular battery towering high overhead4 ,they seemed almost to hang over the verge of the rock4 ,the houses on the opposite side of the ,grassmarket were crowded under the esplanade of the ,castle ,hill4 ,there was an inn opposite the house where my father was born1 from which the first coach started from ,edinburgh to ,newcastle4 ,the public notice stated that ,the ,coach would set out from the ,grass ,market ilka ,tuesday at ,twa o'clock in the day1 ,,god ,,wullin'1 but whether or no on ,wednesday4 ,the whether or no was meant1 ,i presume1 as a precaution to passengers1 in case all the places on the coach might be taken1 or not1 on ,wednesday1 ,image ,plan of the ,grassmarket ,the ,grassmarket was also the place for public executions4 ,the gibbet stone was at the east end of the ,market4 ,it consisted of a mass of solid sandstone1 with a quadrangular hole in the middle1 which served as a socket for the gallows4 ,most of the ,covenanters who were executed for conscience' sake in the reigns of ,charles ,,ii4 and ,james ,,ii4 breathed their last at this spot4 ,the ,porteous mob1 in #agcf1 had its culmination here4 ,when ,captain ,porteous was dragged out of the ,tolbooth in the ,high ,street and hurried down the ,west ,bow1 the gallows was not in its place2 but the leaders of the mob hanged him from a dyer's pole1 nearly opposite the gallows stone1 on the south side of the street1 not far from my grandfather's door99 footnote444 ,see ,heart of ,midlothian 444 ,i have not much to say about my father's education4 ,for the most part1 he was his own schoolmaster4 ,i have heard him say that his mother taught him his ,a ,b ,c2 and that he afterwards learned to read at ,mammy ,smith's4 ,this old lady kept a school for boys and girls at the top of a house in the ,grassmarket4 ,there my father was taught to rear his ,bible1 and to repeat his ,carritch499 footnote444 ,the ,shorter ,catechism4 444 ,as it was only the bigger boys who could read the ,bible1 the strongest of them consummated the feat by climbing up the ,castle rock1 and reaching what they called ,the ,bibler's ,seat4 ,it must have been a break-neck adventure to get up to the place4 ,the seat was almost immediately under the window of the room in which ,james ,,vi was born4 ,my father often pointed it out to me as one of the most dangerous bits of climbing in which he had been engaged in his younger years4 ,image ,the ,bibler's seat ,the annexed illustration is from his own slight sepia drawing2 the ,bibler's ,seat is marked ,not so daring1 but much more mischievous1 was a trick which he played with some of his companions on the tops of the houses on the north side of the ,grassmarket4 ,the boys took a barrel to the ,castlehill1 filled it with small stones1 and then shot it down towards the roofs of the houses in the ,grassmarket4 ,the barrel leapt from rock to rock1 burst1 and scattered a shower of stones far and wide4 ,the fun was to see the boddies look out of their garret windows with their lighted lamps or candles1 peer into the dark1 and try to see what was the cause of the mischief4 ,sir ,david ,baird1 the hero of ,seringapatam1 played a trick of the same kind before he went to ,india4 ,among my father's favourite companions were the two sons of ,dr4 ,john ,erskine1 minister of ,old ,greyfriars1 in conjunction with the equally celebrated ,dr4 ,robertson4 ,dr4 ,erskine99 footnote444 ,dr4 ,erskine is well described by ,scott in ,guy ,mannering1 on the occasion when ,pleydell and ,mannering went to hear him preach a famous sermon4 444 was a man of great influence in his day1 well known for his literary and theological works1 as well as for his piety and practical benevolence4 ,on one occasion1 when my father was at play with his sons1 one of them threw a stone1 which smashed a neighbour's window4 ,a servant of the house ran out1 and seeing the culprit1 called out1 ,very wee61 ,maister ,erskine1 ,i'll tell yeer faither wha broke the windae6 ,on which the boy1 to throw her off the scent1 said to his brother loudly1 ,eh1 keist6 she thinks we're the boddy ,erskine's sons4 ,the boddy ,erskine6 ,who ever heard of such an irreverent nickname applied to that good and great man8 ,the laddies couldna be his sons1 thought the woman4 ,she made no further inquiry1 and the boys escaped scot free4 ,the culprit afterwards entered the service of the ,east ,india ,company4 ,the boy was father to the man4 ,he acquired great reputation at the siege of ,seringapatam1 where he led the forlorn hope4 ,erskine was promoted1 until in course of time he returned to his native city a full-blown general4 ,to return to my father's education4 ,after he left ,mammy ,smith's1 he went for a short time to the original ,high ,school4 ,it was an old establishment1 founded by ,james ,,vi4 before he succeeded to the ,english throne1 ,it was afterwards demolished to make room for the ,university buildings2 and the new ,high ,school was erected a little below the old ,royal ,infirmary4 ,after leaving the ,high ,school1 ,alexander ,nasmyth was taught by his father1 first arithmetic and mensuration1 next geometry and mathematics1 so far as the first three books of ,euclid were concerned4 ,after that1 his own innate skill1 ability1 and industry enabled him to complete the rest of his education4 ,at a very early period my father exhibited a decided natural taste for art4 ,he used his pencil freely in sketching from nature2 and in course of time he showed equal skill in the use of oil colour4 ,at his own earnest request he was bound apprentice to ,mr4 ,crighton1 then the chief coachbuilder in ,edinburgh4 ,he was employed in that special department where artistic taste was necessary--that is1 in decorating the panels of the highest class of carriages1 and painting upon them coats of arms1 with their crests and supporters4 ,he took great pleasure in this kind of work4 ,it introduced him to the practical details of heraldry1 and gave him command over his materials4 ,still further to improve himself in the art of drawing1 my father devoted his evenings to attending the ,edinburgh ,drawing ,academy4 ,this institution1 termed ,the ,trustees' ,academy of ,fine ,art1 had been formed and supported by the funds arising from the estates confiscated after the rebellions of #agae and #agde4 ,part of these funds was set apart by ,government for the encouragement of drawing1 and also for the establishment of the arts of linen weaving1 carpet manufacture1 and other industrial occupations4 ,these arts were introduced into ,scotland by the ,french ,protestants1 who had been persecuted for conscience' sake out of their own country1 and settled in ,england1 ,ireland1 and ,scotland1 where they prosecuted their industrial callings4 ,the ,corporation was anxious to afford an asylum for these skilled and able workmen4 ,the emigrants settled down with their families1 and pursued their occupations of damask1 linen1 and carpet weaving4 ,they were also required to take ,scotch apprentices1 and teach them the various branches of their trade4 ,the ,magistrates caused cottages and workshops to be erected on a piece of unoccupied land near ,edinburgh1 where the street appropriately called ,picardy ,place now stands1--the greater number of the weavers having come from ,picardy in ,france4 ,in connection with the establishment of these industrial artisans1 it was necessary to teach the young ,scotch apprentices drawing1 for the purpose of designing new patterns suitable for the market4 ,hence the establishment by the ,trustees of the ,forfeited ,estate ,funds of ,the ,academy of ,fine ,art4 ,from the designing of patterns1 the institution advanced to the improvement of the fine arts generally4 ,young men who had given proofs of their natural taste for drawing were invited to enter the school and participate in its benefits4 ,at the time that my father was apprenticed to the coach painter1 the ,trustees' ,academy was managed by ,alexander ,runciman4 ,he had originally been a house painter1 from which business he proceeded to landscape painting4 ,other artists1 said one who knew him1 talked meat and drink2 but ,runciman talked landscape4 ,he went to ,rome and studied art there4 ,he returned to ,edinburgh1 and devoted himself to historical painting4 ,he was also promoted to the office of master of the ,trustees' ,academy4 ,when my father called upon him with his drawings from nature1 ,runciman found them so satisfactory that he was at once admitted as a student4 ,after his admission he began to study with intense eagerness4 ,the young men who had been occupied at their business during the day could only attend in the evening4 ,and thus the evenings were fixed for studying drawing and design4 ,the ,trustees' ,academy made its mark upon the art of ,scotland3 it turned out many artists of great note -- such as ,raeburn1 ,wilkie1 my father1 and many more4 ,at the time when my father entered as a student1 the stock of casts from the antique1 and the number of drawings from the old masters1 were very small2 so much so1 indeed1 that ,runciman was under the necessity of setting the students to copy them again and again4 ,this became rather irksome to the more ardent pupils4 ,my father had completed his sixth copy of a fine chalk drawing of ,the ,laocoon4 ,it was then set for him to copy again4 ,he begged ,mr4 ,runciman for another subject4 ,the quick-tempered man at once said1l'll give you another subject4 ,and turning the group of the ,laocoon upside down1 he added1 ,now1 then1 copy that6 ,the patient youth set to work1 and in a few evenings completed a perfect copy4 ,it was a most severe test2 but ,runciman was so proud of the skill of his pupil that he had the drawing mounted and framed1 with a note of the circumstances under which it had been produced4 ,it continued to hang there for many years1 and the story of its achievement became traditional in the school4 ,during all this time my father remained in the employment of ,crighton the carriage builder4 ,he improved in his painting day by day4 ,but at length an important change took place in his career4 ,allan ,ramsay1 son of the author of ,the ,gentle ,shepherd1 and then court painter to ,george ,,iii41 called upon his old friend ,crighton one day1 to look over his works4 ,there he found young ,nasmyth painting a coat of arms on the panel of a carriage4 ,he was so much surprised with the lad's artistic workmanship--for he was then only sixteen--that he formed a strong desire to take him into his service4 ,after much persuasion1 backed by the offer of a considerable sum of money1 the coachbuilder was at length induced to transfer my father's indentures to ,allan ,ramsay4 ,it was1 of course1 a great delight to my father to be removed to ,london under such favourable auspices4 ,ramsay had a large connection as a portrait painter4 ,his object in employing my father was that he should assist him in the execution of the subordinate parts1 or dress portions1 of portraits of courtiers1 or of diplomatic personages4 ,no more favourable opportunity for advancement could have presented itself4 ,but all this was entirely due to my father's perseverance and advancing skill as an artist--the results of his steady application and labour4 ,ramsay possessed a very fine collection of drawings by the old masters1 all of which were free for my father to study4 ,ramsay was exceedingly kind to his young pupil4 ,he was present at all the discussions in the studio1 even when the sitters were present4 ,fellow-artists visited ,ramsay from time to time4 ,among them was his intimate friend ,philip ,reinagle--an agreeable companion1 and an excellent artist4 ,reinagle was one day so much struck with my father's earnestness in filling up some work1 that he then and there got up a canvas and made a capital sketch-portrait of him in oil4 ,it only came into my father's possession some years after ,ramsay's death1 and is now in my possession4 ,image ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,after ,reinagle's ,portrait ,among the many amusing recollections of my father's life in ,london1 there is one that ,i cannot resist narrating1 because it shows his faculty of resourcefulness--a faculty which served him very usefully during his course through life4 ,he had made an engagement with a sweetheart to take her to ,ranelagh1 one of the most fashionable places of public amusement in ,london4 ,everybody went in full dress1 and the bucks and swells wore long striped silk stockings4 ,my father1 on searching1 found that he had only one pair of silk stockings left4 ,he washed them himself in his lodging-room1 and hung them up before the fire to dry4 ,when he went to look at them1 they were so singed and burnt that he could not put them on4 ,they were totally useless4 ,in this sad dilemma his resourcefulness came to his aid4 ,the happy idea occurred to him of painting his legs so as to resemble stockings4 ,he went to his water-colour box1 and dexterously painted them with black and white stripes4 ,when the paint dried1 which it soon did1 he completed his toilet1 met his sweetheart and went to ,ranelagh4 ,no one observed the difference1 except1 indeed1 that he was complimented on the perfection of the fit1 and was asked where he bought his stockings8 ,of course he evaded the question1 and left the gardens without any one discovering his artistic trick4 ,my father remained in ,allan ,ramsay's service until the end of #aggh1 when he returned to ,edinburgh to practise on his own behalf the profession of portrait painter4 ,he took with him the kindest good-wishes of his master1 whose friendship he retained to the end of ,ramsay's life4 ,the artistic style of my father's portraits1 and the excellent likenesses of his sitters1 soon obtained for him ample employment4 ,his portraits were for the most part full-lengths1 but of a small or cabinet size4 ,they generally consisted of family groups1 with the figures about twelve to fourteen inches high4 ,the groups were generally treated and arranged as if the personages were engaged in conversation with their children2 and sometimes a favourite servant was introduced1 so as to remove any formal aspect in the composition of the picture4 ,in order to enliven the background1 some favourite view from the garden or grounds1 or a landscape1 was given2 which was painted with as much care as if it was the main feature of the picture4 ,many of these paintings are still to be found in the houses of the gentry in ,scotland4 ,good examples of his art are to be seen at ,minto ,house1 the seat of the ,earl of ,minto1 and at ,dalmeny ,park1 the seat of the ,earl of ,rosebery4 ,among my father's early employers was ,patrick ,miller1 ,esq41 of ,dalswinton1 in ,dumfriesshire4 ,he painted ,mr4 ,miller's portrait as well as those of several members of his family4 ,this intercourse eventually led to the establishment of a very warm personal friendship between them4 ,miller had made a large fortune in ,edinburgh as a banker2 and after he had partially retired from business1 he devoted much of his spare time to useful purposes4 ,he was a man of great energy of character1 and was never idle4 ,at first he applied himself to the improvement of agriculture1 which he did with great success on his estate of ,dalswinton4 ,being one of the largest shareholders in the ,carron ,ironworks near ,stirling1 he also devoted much of his time to the improvement of guns for the ,royal ,navy4 ,he was the inventor of that famous gun the ,carronade4 ,the handiness of these short and effective guns1 which were capable of being loaded and fired nearly twice as quickly as the long small-bore guns1 gave ,england the victory in many a naval battle1 where the firing was close and quick1 yardarm to yardarm4 ,but ,mr4 ,miller's greatest claim to fame arises from his endeavours to introduce steam-power as an agent in the propulsion of ships at sea4 ,mr4 ,clerk of ,eldin had already invented the system of breaking the line in naval engagements--a system that was first practised with complete success by ,lord ,rodney in his engagement off ,martinico in #aghj4 ,the subject interested ,mr4 ,miller so much that he set himself to work to contrive some mechanical method by means of which ships of war might be set in motion1 independently of wind1 tide1 or calms1 so that ,clerk's system of breaking the line might be carried into effect under all circumstances4 ,it was about this time that my father was often with ,miller2 and the mechanical devices by means of which the method of breaking the line could be best accomplished was the subject of many of their conversations4 ,miller found that my father's taste for mechanical contrivances1 and his ready skill as a draughtsman1 were likely to be of much use to him1 and he constantly visited the studio4 ,my father reduced ,miller's ideas to a definite form1 and prepared a series of drawings1 which were afterwards engraved and published4 ,miller's favourite design was1 to divide the vessel into twin or triple hulls1 with paddles between them1 to be worked by the crew4 ,the principal experiment was made in the ,firth of ,forth on the #b;d of ,june #aghg4 ,the vessel was double-hulled1 and was worked by a capstan of five bars4 ,the experiment was on the whole successful4 ,but the chief difficulty was in the propulsive power4 ,after a spurt of an hour or so1 the men became tired with their laborious work4 ,mr4 ,taylor1 student of divinity1 and tutor of ,mr4 ,miller's sons1 was on board1 and seeing the exhausted state of the men at the capstan1 suggested the employment of steam-power4 ,mr4 ,miller was pleased with the idea1 and resolved to make inquiry upon the subject4 ,at that time ,william ,symington1 a young engineer from ,wanlockhead1 was exhibiting a road locomotive in ,edinburgh4 ,he was a friend of ,taylor's1 and ,mr4 ,miller went to see the ,symington model4 ,in the course of his conversation with the inventor1 he informed the latter of his own project1 and described the difficulty he had experienced in getting his paddle-wheels turned round4 ,on which ,symington immediately asked1 ,why don't you use the steam-engine8 ,the model which ,symington exhibited1 produced rotary motion by the employment of ratchet-wheels4 ,the rectilinear motion of the piston-rod was thus converted into rotary motion4 ,mr4 ,miller was pleased with the action of the ratchet-wheel contrivance1 and gave ,symington an order to make a pair of engines of that construction4 ,they were to be used on a small pleasure-boat on ,dalswinton ,lake4 ,the boat was constructed on the double-hull or twin plan1 so that the paddle should be used in the space between the hulls499 footnote444 ,this steam twin boat was in fact the progenitor of the ,castalia1 constructed about a hundred years later for the conveyance of passengers between ,calais and ,dover4 444 ,after much vexatious delay1 arising from the entire novelty of the experiment1 the boat and engines were at length completed1 and removed to ,dalswinton ,lake4 ,this1 the first steamer that ever trod the waters like a thing of life1 the herald of a new and mighty power1 was tried on the #adth of ,october #aghh4 ,the vessel steamed delightfully1 at the rate of from four to five miles an hour1 though this was not her extreme rate of speed4 ,i give1 on the next page1 a copy of a sketch made by my father of this the first actual steamboat1 with her remarkable crew4 ,image ,the first steamboat4 ,by ,alexander ,nasmyth99 footnote444 ,the original drawing of the steamer was done by my father1 and lent by me to ,mr4 ,woodcroft1 ,who inserted it in his ,origin and ,progress of ,steam ,navigation4 ,he omitted my father's name1 and inserted only that of the lithographer1 although it is a document of almost national importance in the history of ,steam ,navigation4 ,p4,s4-- since the above paragraph was written for the first edition1 ,i have been enabled to find the drawing1 with another remarkable pencil sketch of my father's1 in the ,gallery of the ,museum of ,naval ,architecture at ,south ,kensington4 ,it will henceforward belong to that interesting collection4 ,the remarkable pencil sketch to which ,i have referred1 is that of a screw propeller1 drawn by my father1 dated #ahai4 ,it was the result of many discussions as to the proper mode of propelling a vessel4 ,first1 he had drawn ,watt's idea of a spiral oar2 then1 underneath1 he has drawn his own idea1 of a disk of six4 blades1 like a screw-jack1 immediately behind the rudder4 ,there is a crank shown on the screw shaft1 by which the propeller was driven direct1 showing that he was the first to indicate that method of propulsion of steamboats4 444 ,the persons on board consisted of ,patrick ,miller1 ,william ,symington1 ,sir ,william ,monteith1 ,robert ,burns 7the poet1 then a tenant of ,mr4 ,miller's71 ,william ,taylor1 and ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,there were also three of ,mr4 ,miller's servants1 who acted as assistants4 ,on the edge of the lake was a young gentleman1 then on a visit to ,dalswinton4 ,he was no less a person than ,henry ,brougham1 afterwards ,lord ,chancellor of ,england4 ,the assemblage of so many remarkable men was well worthy of the occasion4 ,taking into account the extraordinary results which have issued from this first trial of an actual steamboat1 it may well be considered that this was one of the most important circumstances which ever occurred in the history of navigation4 ,it ought1 at the same time1 to be remembered that all that was afterwards done by ,symington1 ,fulton1 and ,bell1 followed long after the performance of this ever-memorable achievement4 ,i may also mention1 as worthy of special record1 that the hull of this first steamboat was of iron4 ,it was constructed of tinned iron plate4 ,it was therefore the first iron steamboat1 if not the first iron ship1 that had ever been made4 ,i may also add that the engines1 constructed by ,symington1 which propelled this first iron steamboat are now carefully preserved at the ,patent ,museum at ,south ,kensington1 where they may be seen by everybody499 footnote444 ,the original engines of the boat1 with the ratchet-wheel contrivance of ,symington1 are there3 the very engine that propelled the first steamer on ,dalswinton ,lake4 ,it may be added that ,mr4 ,miller expended about #cj1jjj on naval improvements1 and1 as is often the case1 he was wholly neglected by the ,government4 444 ,to return to my father's profession as a portrait painter4 ,he had given so much assistance to ,mr4 ,miller1 while acting as his chief draughtsman in connection with the triple and twin ships1 and also while attending him at ,leith and elsewhere1 that it had considerably interfered with his practice2 though everything was done by him con amore1 in the best sense of the term4 ,in return for this1 however1 ,mr4 ,miller made my father the generous offer of a loan to enable him to visit ,italy1 and pursue his studies there4 ,it was the most graceful mode in which ,mr4 ,miller could express his obligations4 ,it was an offer pure and simple1 without security1 and as such was thankfully accepted by my father4 ,in those days an artist was scarcely considered to have completed his education until he had studied the works of the great masters at ,florence and ,rome4 ,my father left ,england for ,italy on the #cjth of ,december #aghb4 ,he reached ,rome in safety1 and earnestly devoted himself to the study of art4 ,he remained in ,italy for the greater part of two years4 ,he visited ,florence1 ,bologna1 ,padua1 and other cities where the finest artistic works were to be found4 ,he made studies and drawings of the best of them1 besides making sketches from nature of the most remarkable places he had visited4 ,he returned to ,edinburgh at the end of #aghd1 and immediately resumed his profession of a portrait painter4 ,he was so successful that in a short time he was enabled to repay his excellent friend ,miller the #ejj which he had so generously lent him a few years before4 ,the satisfactory results of his zealous practice1 and of his skill and industry in his profession1 together with the prospect of increasing artistic work1 enabled him to bring to a happy conclusion an engagement he had entered into before leaving ,edinburgh for ,italy4 ,i mean his marriage to my mother--one of the greatest events of his life which took place on the #crd of ,january #aghf4 ,barbara ,foulis was a distant relation of his own4 ,she was the daughter of ,william ,foulis1 ,esq41 of ,woodhall and ,colinton1 near ,edinburgh4 ,her brother1 the late ,sir ,james ,foulis1 my uncle1 succeeded to the ancient baronetcy of the family4 ,see ,burkes's ,peerage and ,baronetage99 footnote444 ,in ,burke's ,peerage and ,baronetage an account is given of the ,foulis family4 ,they are of ,norman origin4 ,a branch settled in ,scotland in the reign of ,malcolm ,canmore4 ,by various intermarriages1 the ,foulises are connected with the ,hopetoun1 ,bute1 and ,rosebery families4 ,the present holder of the title represents the houses of ,colinton1 ,woodhall1 and ,ravelstone4 444 ,my mother did not bring with her any fortune1 so to speak1 in the way of gold or acres2 but she brought something far better into my father's home1--a sweetness of disposition1 and a large measure of common sense1 which made her1 in all respects1 the devoted helpmate of her husband4 ,her happy cheerful temperament1 and her constant industry and attention1 shed an influence upon all around her4 ,by her example she inbred in her children the love of truth1 excellence1 and goodness4 ,that was indeed the best fortune she could bring into a good man's home4 ,during the first year of my father's married life1 when he lived in ,st4 ,james's ,square1 he painted the well-known portrait of ,robert ,burns the poet4 ,burns had been introduced to him by ,mr4 ,miller at ,dalswinton4 ,an intimate friendship sprang up between the artist and the poet4 ,the love of nature and of natural objects was common to both4 ,they also warmly sympathised in their political views4 ,when ,burns visited ,edinburgh my father often met him4 ,burns had a strange aversion to sit for his portrait1 though often urgently requested to do so4 ,but when at my father's studio1 ,burns at last consented1 and his portrait was rapidly painted4 ,it was done in the course of a few hours1 and my father made a present of it to ,mrs4 ,burns4 ,a mezzotint engraving of it was afterwards published by ,william ,walker1 son-in-law of the famous ,samuel ,reynolds4 ,when the first proof impression was submitted to my father1 he said to ,mr4 ,walker3 ,i cannot better express to you my opinion of your admirable engraving1 than by telling you that it conveys to me a more true and lively remembrance of ,burns than my own picture of him does2 it so perfectly renders the spirit of his expression1 as well as the details of his every feature4 ,while ,burns was in ,edinburgh1 my father had many interesting walks with him in the neighbourhood of the city4 ,the ,calton ,hill1 ,arthur's ,seat1 ,salisbury ,crags4 ,habbie's ,how1 and the nooks in the ,pentlands1 were always full of interest2 and ,burns1 with his brilliant and humorous conversation1 made the miles very short as they strode along4 ,lockhart says1 in his ,life of ,burns1 that the magnificent scenery of the ,scottish capital filled the poet with extraordinary delight4 ,in the spring mornings he walked very often to the top of ,arthur's ,seat1 and1 lying prostrate on the turf1 surveyed the rising of the sun out of the sea in silent admiration2 his chosen companion on such occasions being that learned artist and ardent lover of nature1 ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,a visit which the two paid to ,roslin ,castle is worthy of commemoration4 ,on one occasion my father and a few choice spirits had been spending a nicht wi' ,burns4 ,the place of resort was a tavern in the ,high ,street1 ,edinburgh4 ,as ,burns was a brilliant talker1 full of spirit and humour1 time fled until the wee sma' hours ayont the twal' arrived4 ,the party broke up about three o'clock4 ,at that time of the year 7the #acth of ,june7 the night is very short1 and morning comes early4 ,burns1 on reaching the street1 looked up to the sky4 ,it was perfectly clear1 and the rising sun was beginning to brighten the mural crown of ,st4 ,giles's ,cathedral4 ,burns was so much struck with the beauty of the morning that he put his hand on my father's arm and said1 ,it'll never do to go to bed in such a lovely morning as this6 ,let's awa' to ,roslin ,castle4 ,no sooner said than done4 ,the poet and the painter set out4 ,nature lay bright and lovely before them in that delicious summer morning4 ,after an eight-miles walk they reached the castle at ,roslin4 ,burns went down under the great ,norman arch1 where he stood rapt in speechless admiration of the scene4 ,the thought of the eternal renewal of youth and freshness of nature1 contrasted with the crumbling decay of man's efforts to perpetuate his work1 even when founded upon a rock1 as ,roslin ,castle is1 seemed greatly to affect him4 ,my father was so much impressed with the scene that1 while ,burns was standing under the arch1 he took out his pencil and a scrap of paper and made a hasty sketch of the subject4 ,this sketch was highly treasured by my father1 in remembrance of what must have been one of the most memorable days of his life4 ,talking of clubs reminds me that there was a good deal of club life in ,edinburgh in those days4 ,the most notable were those in which the members were drawn together by occupations1 habits1 or tastes4 ,they met in the evenings1 and conversed upon congenial subjects4 ,the clubs were generally held in one or other of the taverns situated in or near the ,high ,street4 ,every one will remember the ,lawyers' ,club1 held in an ,edinburgh close1 presided over by ,pleydell1 so well described by ,scott in ,guy ,mannering4 ,in my father's early days he was a member of a very jovial club1 called the ,poker ,club4 ,it was so-called because the first chairman1 immediately on his election1 in a spirit of drollery1 laid hold of the poker at the fireplace1 and adopted it as his insignia of office4 ,he made a humorous address from the chair1 or the throne1 as he called it1 with sceptre or poker in hand2 and the club was thereupon styled by acclamation ,the ,poker ,club4 ,i have seen my father's diploma of membership2 it was tastefully drawn on parchment1 with the poker duly emblazoned on it as the regalia of the club4 ,in my own time1 the club that he was most connected with was the ,dilettanti ,club4 ,its meetings were held every fortnight1 on ,thursday evenings1 in a commodious tavern in the ,high ,street4 ,the members were chiefly artists1 or men known for their love of art4 ,among then were ,henry ,raeburn1 ,hugh ,williams 7the ,grecian71 ,andrew ,geddes1 ,william ,thomson1 ,john ,shetkay1 ,william ,nicholson1 ,william ,allan1 ,alexander ,nasmyth1 the ,rev4 ,john ,thomson of ,duddingston1 ,george ,thomson1 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 ,john ,lockhart1 ,dr4 ,brewster1 ,david ,wilkie1 ,henry ,cockburn1 ,francis ,jeffrey1 ,john ,a4 ,murray1 ,professor ,wilson1 ,john ,ballantyne1 ,james ,ballantyne1 ,james ,hogg 7the ,ettrick ,shepherd71 and ,david ,bridges1 the secretary499 footnote444 ,davie ,bridges was a character4 ,in my early days he was a cloth merchant in the ,high ,street4 ,his shop was very near that gigantic lounge1 the old ,parliament ,house1 and was often resorted to by non-business visitors4 ,bridges had a good taste for pictures4 ,he had a small but choice collection by the ,old ,masters1 which he kept arranged in the warehouse under his shop4 ,he took great pride in exhibiting them to his visitors1 and expatiating upon their excellence4 ,i remember being present in his warehouse with my father when a very beautiful small picture by ,richard ,wilson was under review4 ,davie burst out emphatically with1 ,eh1 man1 did ye ever see such glorious buttery touches as on these clouds6 ,his joking friends clubbed him ,director-,general of the ,fine ,arts for ,scotland1 a title which he complacently accepted4 ,besides showing off his pictures1 ,davie was an art critic1 and wrote articles for the newspapers and magazines4 ,unfortunately1 however1 his attention to pictures prevented him from attending to his shop1 and his customers 7who were not artists7 forsook him1 and bought their clothes elsewhere4 ,he accordingly shut up his shop1 and devoted himself to art criticism1 in which1 for a time1 he possessed a monopoly4 444 ,the drinks were restricted to ,edinburgh ale and whisky toddy4 ,an admirable picture of the club in full meeting was painted by ,william ,allan1 in which characteristic portraits of all the leading members were introduced in full social converse4 ,among the more prominent portraits is one of my father1 who is represented as illustrating some subject he is describing1 by drawing it on the part of the table before him1 with his finger dipped in toddy4 ,other marked and well-known characteristics of the members are skilfully introduced in the picture4 ,the artist afterwards sold it to ,mr4 ,horrocks of ,preston1 in ,lancashire4 ,besides portrait painting1 my father was much employed in assisting the noblemen and landed gentry of ,scotland in improving the landscape appearance of their estates1 especially when seen from their mansion windows4 ,his fine taste1 and his love of natural scenery1 gave him great advantages in this respect4 ,he selected the finest sites for the new mansions1 when they were erected in lieu of the old towers and crenellated castles4 ,or1 he designed alterations of the old buildings so as to preserve their romantic features1 and at the same time to fit them for the requirements of modern domestic life4 ,in those early days of art-knowledge1 there scarcely existed any artistic feeling for the landscape beauty of nature4 ,there was an utter want of appreciation of the dignified beauty of the old castles and mansions1 the remnants of which were in too many instances carted away as material for now buildings4 ,there was also at that time an utter ignorance of the beauty and majesty of old trees4 ,a forest of venerable oaks or beeches was a thing to be done away with4 ,they were merely cut down as useless timber2 even when they so finely embellished the landscape4 ,my father exerted himself successfully to preserve these grand old forest trees4 ,his fine sketches served to open the eyes of their possessors to the priceless treasures they were about to destroy2 and he thus preserved the existence of many a picturesque old tree4 ,he even took the pains in many cases to model the part of the estate he was dealing with2 and he also modelled the old trees he wished to preserve4 ,thus1 by a judicious clearing out of the intercepting young timber1 he opened out distant views of the landscape1 and at the same time preserved many a monarch of the forest499 footnote444 ,it is even now to be deeply deplored that those who inherit or come into possession of landed estates do not feel sufficiently impressed with the possession of such grand memorials of the past4 ,alas6 how often have we to lament the want of taste that leads to the sacrifice of these venerable treasures4 ,would that the young men at our universities especially those likely to inherit estates--were impressed with the importance of preserving them4 ,they would thus confer an inestimable benefit to thousands4 ,about forty years ago ,lord ,cockburn published a pamphlet on ,how to ,destroy the ,beauty of ,edinburgh6 ,he enforced the charm of green foliage in combination with street architecture4 ,the burgesses were then cutting down trees4 ,his lordship went so far as to say that he would as soon cut down a burgess as a tree6 ,since then the growth of trees in ,edinburgh1 especially in what was once the ,north ,loch1 has been greatly improved2 and might be still further improved if that famous tree1 ,the ,london plane1 were employed4 444 ,image ,the ,family ,tree ,my father modelled old castles1 old trees1 and such like objects as he wished to introduce into his landscapes4 ,the above illustration1 may perhaps give a slight idea of his artistic skill as a modeller4 ,i specially refer to this1 which he called ,the ,family ,tree1 as he required each member of his family to assist in its production4 ,we each made a twig or small branch1 which he cleverly fixed into its place as a part of the whole4 ,the model tree in question was constructed of wire slightly twisted together1 so as to form the main body of a branch4 ,it was then subdivided into branchlets1 and finally into individual twigs4 ,all these1 combined together by his dexterous hand1 resulted in the model of an old leafless tree1 so true and correct1 that any one would have thought that it had been modelled direct from nature4 ,the ,duke of ,athol consulted my father as to the improvements which he desired to make in his woodland scenery near ,dunkeld4 ,the ,duke was desirous that a rocky crag1 called ,craigybarns1 should be planted with trees1 to relieve the grim barrenness of its appearance4 ,but it was impossible for any man to climb the crag in order to set seeds or plants in the clefts of the rocks4 ,a happy idea struck my father4 ,having observed in front of the castle a pair of small cannon used for firing salutes1 it occurred to him to turn them to account4 ,his object was to deposit the seeds of the various trees amongst the soil in the clefts of the crag4 ,a tinsmith in the village was ordered to make a number of canisters with covers4 ,the canisters were filled with all sorts of suitable tree seeds4 ,a cannon was loaded1 and the canisters were fired up against the high face of the rock4 ,they burst and scattered the seed in all directions4 ,some years after1 when my father revisited the place1 he was delighted to find that his scheme of planting by artillery had proved completely successful2 for the trees were flourishing luxuriantly in all the recesses of the cliff4 ,this was another instance of my father's happy faculty of resourcefulness4 ,certain circumstances about this time compelled my father almost entirely to give up portrait painting and betake himself to another branch of the fine arts4 ,the earnest and lively interest which he took in the state of public affairs1 and the necessity which then existed for reforming the glaring abuses of the ,state1 led him to speak out his mind freely on the subject4 ,edinburgh was then under the reign of the ,dundases2 and scarcely anybody dared to mutter his objections to anything perpetrated by the powers that be4 ,the city was then a much smaller place than it is now4 ,there was more gossip1 and perhaps more espionage1 among the better classes1 who were few in number4 ,at all events1 my father's frank opinions on political subjects began to be known4 ,he attended ,fox dinners4 ,he was intimate with men of known reforming views4 ,all this was made the subject of general talk4 ,accordingly1 my father received many hints from aristocratic and wealthy personages1 that if this went on any longer they would withdraw from him their employment4 ,my father did not alter his course2 it was right and honest4 ,but he suffered nevertheless4 ,his income from portrait painting fell off rapidly4 ,at length he devoted himself to landscape painting4 ,it was a freer and more enjoyable life4 ,instead of painting the faces of those who were perhaps without character or attractiveness1 he painted the fresh and ever-beautiful face of nature4 ,the field of his employment in this respect was almost inexhaustible4 ,his artistic talent in this delightful branch of art was in the highest sense congenial to his mind and feelings2 and in course of time the results of his new field of occupation proved thoroughly satisfactory4 ,in fact1 men of the highest rank with justice entitled him the ,father of landscape painting in ,scotland4 ,image ,no4 #dg ,york ,place1 ,edinburgh ,at the same time1 when changing his branch of art1 he opened a class in his own house forgiving practical instruction in the art of landscape painting4 ,he removed his house and studio from ,st4 ,james's ,square to ,no4 #dg ,york ,place4 ,there was at the upper part of this house a noble and commodious room4 ,there he held his class4 ,the house was his own1 and was built after his own designs4 ,a splendid prospect was seen from the upper windows2 and especially from the ,belvidere1 which he had constructed on the summit of the roof4 ,the view extended from ,stirling in the west to the ,bass ,rock in the east4 ,in fine summer evenings the sun was often seen setting behind ,ben ,lomond and the more conspicuous of the ,perthshire mountains4 ,my father did not confine himself to landscape painting1 or to the instruction of his classes4 ,he was an all-round man4 ,he had something of the ,universal about him4 ,he was a painter1 an architect1 and a mechanic4 ,above all1 he possessed a powerful store of common sense4 ,of course1 ,i am naturally a partial judge of my father's character2 but this ,i may say1 that during my experience of over seventy years ,i have never known a more incessantly industrious man4 ,his hand and mind were always at work from morn till night4 ,during the time that he was losing his business in portrait painting1 he set to work and painted scenery for the theatres4 ,the late ,david ,roberts--himself a scene painter of the highest character--said that his style was founded upon that of ,nasmyth499 footnote444 ,david ,roberts1 ,r1,a41 in his ,autobiography1 gives the following recollections of ,alexander ,nasmyth3 -- ,in #ahai ,i commenced my career as principal scene painter in the ,theatre ,royal1 ,glasgow4 ,this theatre was immense in its size and appointments--in magnitude exceeding ,drury ,lane and ,covent ,garden4 ,the stock scenery had been painted by ,alexander ,nasmyth1 and consisted of a series of pictures far surpassing anything of the kind ,i had ever seen4 ,these included chambers1 palaces1 streets1 landscapes1 and forest scenery4 ,one1 ,i remember particularly1 was the outside of a ,norman castle1 and another of a cottage charmingly painted1 and of which ,i have a sketch4 ,but the act scene1 which was a view on the ,clyde looking towards the ,highland mountains with ,dumbarton ,castle in the middle distance1 was such a combination of magnificent scenery1 so wonderfully painted1 that it excited universal admiration4 ,these productions ,i studied incessantly2 and on them my style1 if ,i have any1 was originally founded4 444 ,stanfield was another of his friends4 ,on one occasion ,stanfield showed him his sketch-book1 observing that he wished to form a style of his own4 ,young man1 said ,nasmyth1 there's but one style an artist should endeavour to attain1 and that is the style of nature2 the nearer you can get to that the better4 ,my father was greatly interested in the architectural beauty of his native city1 and he was professionally consulted by the authorities about the laying out of the streets of the ,new ,town4 ,the subject occupied much of his time and thought1 especially when resting from the mental fatigue arising from a long sitting at the easel4 ,it was his regular practice to stroll about where the building work was in progress1 or where new roads were being laid out1 and carefully watch the proceedings4 ,this was probably due to the taste which he had inherited from his forebears--more especially from his father1 who had begun the buildings of the ,new ,town4 ,my father took pleasure in modelling any improvement that occurred to him2 and in discussing the subject with the architects and builders who were professionally engaged in the works4 ,his admirable knack of modelling the contour of the natural surface of the ground1 and applying it to the proposed new roads or new buildings1 was striking and characteristic4 ,his efforts in this direction were so thoroughly disinterested that those in office were all the more anxious to carry out his views4 ,he sought for no reward2 but his excellent advice was not unrecognised4 ,in testimony of the regard which the ,magistrates of ,edinburgh had for his counsel and services1 they presented him in #ahae with a sum of #bjj1 together with a most complimentary letter acknowledging the value of his disinterested advice4 ,it was addressed to him under cover1 directed to ,alexander ,nasmyth1 ,architect4 ,he was1 indeed1 not unworthy of the name4 ,he was the architect of the ,dean ,bridge1 which spans the deep valley of the ,water of ,leith1 north-west of the ,new ,town4 ,sir ,john ,nesbit1 the owner of the property north of the stream1 employed my father to make a design for the extension of the city to his estate4 ,the result was the construction of the ,dean ,bridge1 and the roads approaching it from both sides4 ,the ,dean ,estate was thus rendered as easy and convenient to reach as any of the level streets of ,edinburgh4 ,the construction of the bridge was superintended by the late ,james ,jardine1 ,c4,e4 ,mr ,telford was afterwards called upon to widen the bridge4 ,he threw out parapets on each side1 but they did not improve the original design4 ,image ,st ,bernard's ,well ,from the ,dean ,bridge another of my father's architectural buildings may be seen1 at ,st4 ,bernard's ,well4 ,it was constructed at the instance of his friend ,lord ,gardenstone4 ,the design consists of a graceful circular temple1 built over a spring of mineral water1 which issues from the rock below4 ,it was dedicated to ,hygeia1 the ,goddess of ,health4 ,the whole of the details are beautifully finished1 and the basement of the design will be admired by every true artist4 ,it is regarded as a great ornament1 and is thoroughly in keeping with the beauty of the surrounding scenery4 ,shortly after the death of ,lord ,nelson it was proposed to erect a monument to his memory on the ,calton ,hill4 ,my father supplied a design1 which was laid before the ,monument ,committee4 ,it was so much approved that the required sum was rapidly subscribed4 ,but as the estimated cost of this erection was found slightly to exceed the amount subscribed1 a nominally cheaper design was privately adopted4 ,it was literally a job4 ,the vulgar1 churn-like monument was thus thrust on the public and actually erected2 and there it stands to this day1 a piteous sight to beholders4 ,it was eventually found greatly to exceed in cost the amount of the estimate for my father's design4 ,i give a sketch of my father's memorial2 and ,i am led to do this because it is erroneously alleged that he was the architect of the present inverted spy glass1 called ,nelson's ,monument ,image ,nelson's ,monument as it should have been4 ,then1 with respect to my father's powers as a mechanic4 ,this was an inherited faculty1 and ,i leave my readers to infer from the following pages whether ,i have not had my fair share of this inheritance4 ,besides his painting room1 my father had a workroom fitted up with all sorts of mechanical tools4 ,it was one of his greatest pleasures to occupy himself there as a relief from sitting at the easel1 or while within doors from the inclemency of the weather4 ,the walls and shelves of his workroom were crowded with a multitude of artistic and ingenious mechanical objects1 nearly all of which were the production of his own hands4 ,many of them were associated with the most eventful incidents in his life4 ,he only admitted his most intimate friends1 or such as could understand and appreciate the variety of objects connected with art and mechanism1 to his workroom4 ,his natural taste for neatness and arrangement gave it a very orderly aspect1 however crowded its walls and shelves might be4 ,everything was in its place1 and there was a place for everything4 ,it was in this workroom that ,i first began to handle mechanical tools4 ,it was my primary technical school--the very foreground of my life4 ,image ,bow-and-string ,roofs and ,bridges ,i may mention one or two of my father's mechanical efforts1 or rather his inventions in applied science4 ,one of the most important was the bow-and-string bridge1 as he first called it1 to which he early directed his attention4 ,he invented this important method of construction about the year #agid4 ,the first bow-and-string bridge was erected in the island of ,st4 ,helena over a deep ravine4 ,many considered1 from its apparent slightness1 that it was not fitted to sustain any considerable load4 ,a remarkable and convincing proof was1 however1 given of its stability by the passage over it of a herd of wild oxen1 that rushed across without the slightest damage to its structure4 ,after so severe a test it was for many succeeding years employed as a most valuable addition to the accessibility of an important portion of the island4 ,the bow-and-string bridge has since been largely employed in spanning wide spaces over which suburban and other railways pass1 and in roofing over such stations as those at ,birmingham1 ,charing ,cross1 and other ,great ,metropolitan centres1 as well as in bow-and-string bridges over rivers4 ,i give the fac-simile of his original drawings99 footnote444 ,the original drawings of these bow-and-string bridges1 of various spans1 are now deposited at the ,gallery of the ,museum of ,naval ,architecture at ,south ,kensington1 and are signed ,alexander ,nasmyth #agif4 444 for the purpose of showing our great railway engineers the originator of the graceful and economical method of spanning wide spaces1 now practised in every part of the civilised world4 ,another of his inventions was the method of riveting by compression instead of by blows of the hammer4 ,it originated in a slight circumstance4 ,one wet1 wintry ,sunday morning he went into his workroom4 ,there were some slight mechanical repairs to be performed upon a beautiful little stove of his own construction4 ,to repair it1 iron rivets were necessary to make it serviceable4 ,but as the hammering of the hot rivets would annoy his neighbours by the unwelcome sound of the hammer1 he solved the difficulty by using the jaws of his bench vice to squeeze in the hot rivets when put into their places4 ,the stove was thus quickly repaired in the most perfect silence4 ,this was1 perhaps1 the first occasion on which a squeeze or compressive action was substituted for the percussive action of the hammer1 in closing red-hot rivets1 for combining together pieces of stout sheet or plate iron4 ,this system of riveting was long afterwards patented by ,smith of ,deanston in combination with ,william ,fairbairn of ,manchester2 and it was employed in riveting the plates used in the construction of the bridges over the ,river ,conway and the ,menai ,straits4 ,it is also universally used in boiler and girder making1 and in all other wrought-iron structures in which thorough sound riveting is absolutely essential2 and by the employment of hydraulic power in a portable form a considerable portion of iron shipbuilding is effected by the silent squeeze system in place of hammers1 much to the advantage of the soundness of the work4 ,my father frequently1 in aftertimes1 practised this mode of riveting by compression in place of using the blow of a hammer2 and in remembrance of the special circumstances under which he contrived this silent and most effective method of riveting1 he named it ,the ,sunday ,rivet4 ,,chapter #c4 ,an ,artist's ,family4 ,although ,alexander ,nasmyth had to a considerable extent lost his aristocratic connection as a portrait painter1 yet many kind and generous friends gathered round him4 ,during his sojourn in ,italy1 in #aghc1 he had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of ,sir ,james ,hall of ,dunglass1 ,haddingtonshire4 ,the acquaintance afterwards ripened into a deeply-rooted friendship4 ,during the winter season ,sir ,james resided with his family in his town house in ,george ,street4 ,he was passionately attached to the pursuit of art and science4 ,he practised the art of painting in my father's room1 and was greatly helped by him in the requisite manipulative skill4 ,sir ,james was at that time engaged in writing his well-known essay ,on the ,origin of ,gothic ,architecture1 and in this my father was of important use to him4 ,he executed the greater number of the illustrations for this beautiful work4 ,the book when published had a considerable influence in restoring the taste of architects to a style which they had heretofore either neglected or degraded4 ,besides his enthusiasm in art and architecture1 ,sir ,james devoted a great deal of time to the study of geology4 ,the science was then in its infancy4 ,being an acute observer1 ,hall's attention was first attracted to the subject by the singular geological features of the sea-coast near his mansion at ,dunglass4 ,the neighbourhood of ,edinburgh also excited his interest4 ,the upheaval of the rocks by volcanic heat --as seen in the ,castle ,hill1 the ,calton ,hill1 and ,arthur's ,seat-- formed in a great measure the foundation of the picturesque beauty of the city4 ,those were the days of the ,wernerian and ,huttonian controversy as to the origin of the changes on the surface of the earth4 ,sir ,james ,ball was ,president of the ,edinburgh ,royal ,society1 and necessarily took an anxious interest in the discussions4 ,he observed and experimented1 and established the true volcanic nature of the composition and formation of the rocks and mountains which surround ,edinburgh4 ,i have been led to speak of this subject1 because when a boy ,i was often present at the discussions of these great principles4 ,my father1 ,sir ,james ,hall1 ,professors ,playfair and ,leslie1 took their accustomed walks round ,edinburgh1 and ,i clung eagerly to their words4 ,though unable to understand everything that was said1 these walks had a great influence upon my education4 ,indeed1 what education can compare with that of listening attentively to the conversation and interchange of thought of men of the highest intelligence8 ,it is on such occasions that ideas1 not mere words1 take hold of the memory1 and abide there until the close of life4 ,besides mixing in the society of scientific men1 my father enjoyed a friendly intercourse with the artists of his day4 ,he was often able to give substantial help and assistance to young students2 and he was most liberal in giving them valuable practical instruction1 and in assisting them over the manipulative difficulties which lay in their way4 ,he was especially assiduous when he saw them inspired by the true spirit of art1 and full of application and industry1--without which nothing can be accomplished4 ,amongst these young men were ,david ,wilkie1 ,francis ,grant1 ,david ,roberts1 ,clarkson ,stanfield1 ,william ,allan1 ,andrew ,geddes1 ,grecian ,williams1 ,lizars the engraver1 and the ,rev4 ,john ,thomson of ,duddingston4 ,henry ,raeburn was one of his most intimate friends and companions4 ,he considered ,raeburn's broad and masterly style of portrait painting as an era in ,scottish art4 ,raeburn1 with innate tact1 discerned the character of his sitters1 and he imparted so much of their individuality into his portraits as to make them admirable likenesses in the highest sense4 ,in connection with ,raeburn1 ,i may mention that when he was knighted by ,george ,,iv4 in #ahbb1 my father1 who was then at the head of his profession in ,scotland1 was appointed chairman at the dinner held to do honour to the great ,scottish portrait painter4 ,raeburn often joined my father in his afternoon walks round ,edinburgh --a relaxation so very desirable after hours of close attention to artistic work4 ,they took delight in the wonderful variety of picturesque scenery by which the city is surrounded4 ,the walks about ,arthur's ,seat were the most enjoyable of all4 ,when a boy ,i had often the pleasure of accompanying them1 and of listening to their conversation4 ,i thus picked up many an idea that served me well in after life4 ,indeed1 ,i may say1 after a long experience1 that there is no class of men whose company ,i more delight in than that of artists4 ,their innate and highly-cultivated power of observation1 not only as regards the ever-varying aspects of nature1 but also as regards the quaint1 droll1 and humorous varieties of character1 concur in rendering their conversation most delightful4 ,i look back on these walks as among the brightest points in my existence4 ,i have been led to digress on this subject4 ,although more correctly belonging to my father's life1 yet it is so amalgamated with my own that it almost forms part of it1 and it is difficult for me to separate the one from the other4 ,and then there were the pleasant evenings at home4 ,when the day's work was over1 friends looked in to have a fireside crack--sometimes scientific men1 sometimes artists1 often both4 ,they were all made welcome4 ,there was no formality about their visits4 ,had they been formal1 there would have been comparatively little pleasure4 ,the visitor came in with his ,good e'en1 and seated himself4 ,the family went on with their work as before4 ,the girls were usually busy with their needles1 and others with pen and pencil4 ,my father would go on with the artistic work he had in hand1 for his industry was incessant4 ,he would model a castle or a tree1 or proceed with some proposed improvement of the streets or approaches of the rapidly expanding city4 ,among the most agreeable visitors were ,professor ,leslie1 ,james ,jardine1 ,c4,e41 and ,dr4 ,brewster4 ,their conversation was specially interesting4 ,they brought up the last new thing in science1 in discovery1 in history1 or in campaigning1 for the war was then raging throughout ,europe4 ,the artists were a most welcome addition to the family group4 ,many a time did they set the table in a roar with their quaint and droll delineations of character4 ,these unostentatious gatherings of friends about our fireside were a delightful social institution4 ,the remembrance of them lights up my recollection of the happiest period of a generally happy life4 ,could ,i have been able to set forth the brightness and cheerfulness of these happy evenings at my father's house1 ,i am fain to think that my description might have been well worth reading4 ,but all the record of them that remains is a most cherished recollection of their genial tone and harmony1 which makes me think that1 although in these days of rapid transit over earth and ocean1 and surrounded as we are with the results of applied scientific knowledge1 we are not a bit more happy than when all the vaunted triumphs of science and so-called education were in embryo4 ,the supper usually followed1 for my father would not allow his visitors to go away supperless4 ,the meal did not amount to much4 ,rizard or ,finnan harddies1 or a dish of oysters1 with a glass of ,edinburgh ale1 and a rummer of toddy1 concluded these friendly evenings4 ,the cry of ,caller ,aou was constantly heard in the streets below of an evening4 ,when the letter r was in the name of the month1 the supply of oysters was abundant4 ,the freshest oysters1 of the most glorious quality1 were to be had at #bs4 #f;d4 the hundred6 ,and what could be more refreshing food for my father's guests8 ,these unostentatious and inexpensive gatherings of friends were a most delightful social institution among the best middle-class people of ,edinburgh some sixty or seventy years ago4 ,what they are now ,i cannot tell4 ,but ,i fear they have disappeared in the more showy and costly tastes that have sprung up in the progress of what is called modern society4 ,no part of my father's character was more admirable than his utter unselfishness4 ,he denied himself many things1 that he might give the greater pleasure to his wife and children4 ,he would scarcely take part in any enjoyment1 unless they could have their fair share of it4 ,in all this he was faithfully followed by my mother4 ,the admirable example of well-sustained industry that was always before her1 sustained her in her efforts for the good of her family4 ,she was intelligently interested in all that related to her husband's business and interests1 as well as in his recreative enjoyments4 ,the household affairs were under her skilful guidance4 ,she conducted them with economy1 and yet with generous liberality1 free from the least taint of ostentation or extravagance4 ,the home fireside was a scene of cheerfulness4 ,and most of our family have been blest with this sunny gift4 ,indeed1 a merrier family circle ,i have never seen4 ,there were twelve persons round the table to be provided for1 besides two servants4 ,this required1 on my mother's part1 a great deal of management1 as every housekeeper will know4 ,yet everything was provided and paid for within the year's income4 ,the family result of my father and mother's happy marriage was four sons and seven daughters4 ,patrick1 the eldest1 was born in #aghg4 ,he was called after my father's dear and constant friend1 ,patrick ,miller of ,dalswinton4 ,i will speak by and by of his artistic reputation4 ,then followed a long succession of daughters-- ,jane1 the eldest'1 was born in #aghh2 ,barbara #agij2 ,margaret in #agia2 ,elizabeth in #agic2 ,anne in #agih2 ,charlotte in #ahjd4 ,then came a succession of three sons--,alexander1 ,george1and ,james4 ,there followed another daughter1 ,mary2 but as she only lived for about eighteen months1 ,i remained the youngest of the family4 ,my sisters all possessed1 in a greater or less degree1 an innate love of art1 and by their diligent application they acquired the practice of painting landscape in oils4 ,my father's admirable system and method of teaching rendered them expert in making accurate sketches from nature1 which1 as will afterwards be seen1 they turned to good account4 ,my eldest sister1 ,jane1 was in all respects a most estimable character1 and a great help to my mother in the upbringing of the children4 ,jane was full of sound common sense2 her judgment seemed to be beyond her years4 ,because of this the younger members of the family jokingly nicknamed her ,old ,solid6--,even my father consulted her in every case of importance in reference to domestic and financial affairs4 ,i had the great good fortune1 when a child1 to be placed under her special protection1 and ,i have reason to be thankful for the affectionate care which she took of me during the first six years of my life4 ,besides their early education in art1 my mother was equally earnest in her desire to give her daughters a thorough practical knowledge in every department and detail of household management4 ,when they had attained a suitable age they were in succession put in charge of all the household duties for two weeks at a time4 ,the keys were given over to them1 together with the household books1 and at the end of their time their books were balanced to a farthing4 ,they were then passed on to the next in succession4 ,one of the most important branches of female education--the management of the domestic affairs of a family1 the superintendence of the cooking so as to avoid waste of food1 the regularity of the meals1 and the general cleaning up of the rooms-- was thus thoroughly attained in its best and most practical forms4 ,and under the admirable superintendence of my mother everything in our family went on like clockwork4 ,my father's object was to render each and all of his children-- whether boys or girls--independent on their arrival at mature years4 ,accordingly1 he sedulously kept up the attention of his daughters to fine art4 ,by this means he enabled them to assist in the maintenance of the family while at home1 and afterwards to maintain themselves by the exercise of their own abilities and industry after they had left4 ,to accomplish this object1 as already described1 he set on foot drawing classes1 which were managed by his six daughters1 superintended by himself4 ,edinburgh was at that time the resort of many county families4 ,the war which raged abroad prevented their going to the ,continent4 ,they therefore remained at home1 and the ,scotch families for the most part took up their residence in ,edinburgh4 ,there were many young ladies desiring to complete their accomplishments1 and hence the establishment of my sisters' art class4 ,it was held in the large painting-room in the upper part of the house4 ,it soon became one of the most successful institutions in ,edinburgh4 ,when not engaged in drawing and oil painting1 the young ladies were occupied in sketching from nature1 under the superintendence of my sisters1 in the outskirts of ,edinburgh4 ,this was one of the most delightful exercises in which they could be engaged2 and it also formed the foundation for many friendships which only terminated with life4 ,my father increased the interest of the classes by giving little art lectures4 ,they were familiar but practical4 ,he never gave lectures as such1 but rather demonstrations4 ,it was only when a pupil encountered some technical difficulty1 or was adopting some wrong method of proceeding1 that he undertook to guide them by his words and practical illustrations4 ,his object was to embue the minds of the pupils with high principles of art4 ,he would take up their brushes and show by his dexterous and effective touches how to bring out1 with marvellous ease1 the right effects of the landscape4 ,the other pupils would come and stand behind him1 to see and hear his clear instructions carried into actual practice on the work before him4 ,he often illustrated his little special lessons by his stores of instructive and interesting anecdotes1 which no doubt helped to rivet his practice all the deeper into their minds4 ,thus the ,nasmyth classes soon became the fashion4 ,in many cases both mothers and daughters might be seen at work together in that delightful painting-room4 ,i have occasionally met with some of them in after years1 who referred to those pleasant hours as among the most delightful they had ever spent4 ,these classes were continued for many years4 ,in the meantime my sisters' diligence and constant practice enabled them in course of time to exhibit their works in the fine art exhibitions of ,edinburgh4 ,each had her own individuality of style and manner1 by which their several works were easily distinguished from each other4 ,indeed1 whoever works after ,nature will have a style of their own4 ,they all continued the practice of oil painting until an advanced age4 ,the average duration of their lives was about seventy-eight4 ,there was one point which my father diligently impressed upon his pupils1 and that was the felicity and the happiness attendant upon pencil drawing4 ,he was a master of the pencil1 and in his off-hand sketches communicated his ideas to others in a way that mere words could never have done4 ,it was his ,graphic ,language4 ,a few strokes of the pencil can convey ideas which quires of writing would fail to impart4 ,this is one of the most valuable gifts which a man who has to do with practical subjects can possess4 ,the language of the pencil is a truly universal one1 especially in communicating ideas which have reference to material forms4 ,and yet it is in a great measure neglected in our modern system of education4 ,the language of the tongue is often used to disguise our thoughts1 whereas the language of the pencil is clear and explicit4 ,who that possesses this language can fail to look back with pleasure on the course of a journey illustrated by pencil drawings8 ,they bring back to you the landscapes you have seen1 the old streets1 the pointed gables1 the entrances to the old churches1 even the bits of tracery1 with a vividness of association such as mere words could never convey4 ,thus1 looking at an old sketch-book brings back to you the recollection of a tour1 however varied1 and you virtually make the journey over again with its picturesque and beautiful associations4 ,on many a fine summer's day did my sisters make a picnic excursion into the neighbourhood of ,edinburgh4 ,they were accompanied by their pupils1 sketch-book and pencil in hand4 ,as ,i have already said1 there is no such scenery near any city that ,i know of4 ,arthur's ,seat and ,salisbury ,crags1 ,duddingston ,loch1 the ,braid ,hills1 ,craigmillar ,castle1 ,hawthornden1 ,roslin1 ,habbie's ,how1 and the many valleys and rifts in the ,pentlands1 with ,edinburgh and its ,castle in the distance2 or the scenery by the sea-shore1 all round the coast from ,newhaven to ,gullane and ,north ,berwick ,law4 ,the excursionists came home laden with sketches4 ,i have still by me a multitude of these graphic records made by my sisters4 ,each sketch1 however slight1 strikes the keynote1 as it were1 to many happy recollections of the circumstances1 and the persons who were present at the time it was made4 ,i know not of any such effective stimulant to the recollection of past events as these graphic memoranda4 ,written words may be forgotten1 but these slight pencil recollections imprint themselves on the mind with a force that can never be effaced4 ,everything that occurred at the time rises up as fresh in the memory as if hours and not years had passed since then4 ,they bring to the mind's eye many dear ones who have passed away1 and remind us that we too must follow them4 ,it is much to be regretted that this valuable art of graphic memoranda is not more generally practised4 ,it is not merely a most valuable help to the memory1 but it educates the eye and the hand1 and enables us to cultivate the faculty of definite observation4 ,this is one of the most valuable accomplishments that ,i know of1 being the means of storing up ideas1 and not mere words1 in the mental recollection of both men and women4 ,before ,i proceed to record the recollections of my own life1 ,i wish to say something about my eldest brother ,patrick1 the well-known landscape painter4 ,he was twenty-one years older than myself6 ,my father was his best and almost his only instructor4 ,at a very early age he manifested a decided taste for drawing and painting4 ,his bent was landscape4 ,this gave my father great pleasure1 as it was his own favourite branch of art4 ,the boy acquired great skill in sketching trees1 clouds1 plants1 and foregrounds4 ,he studied with wonderful assiduity and success4 ,i possess many of his graphic memoranda1 which show the care and industry with which he educated his eye and hand in rendering with truth and fidelity the intimate details of his art4 ,the wild plants which he introduced into the foregrounds of his pictures were his favourite objects of study4 ,but of all portions of landscape nature1 the ,sky was the one that most delighted him4 ,he studied the form and character of clouds--resting cloud1 the driving cloud1 and the rain cloud--and the sky portions of his paintings were thus rendered so beautifully attractive4 ,he was so earnest in his devotion to the study of landscape that in some respects he neglected the ordinary routine of school education4 ,he successfully accomplished the three ,r4's1 but after that his school was the fields1 in the face of ,nature4 ,he was by no means a ,romantic painter4 ,his taste was essentially for ,home subjects4 ,in his landscapes he introduced picturesque farm-houses and cottages1 with their rural surroundings2 and his advancement and success were commensurate with his devotion to this fine branch of art4 ,the perfect truth with which he represented ,english scenery1 associated as it is with so many home-loving feelings1 forms the special attractiveness of his works4 ,this has caused them to be eagerly sought after1 and purchased at high prices4 ,patrick had a keen sense of humour1 though in other respects he was simple and unpretending4 ,he was a great reader of old-fashioned novels1 which indeed in those days were the only works of the kind to be met with4 ,the ,arabian ,nights1 ,robinson crusoe1 ,the ,mysteries of ,udolpho1 and such like1 were his favourites1 and gave a healthy filip to his imagination4 ,he had also a keen relish for music1 and used to whistle melodies and overtures as he went along with his work4 ,he acquired a fair skill in violin playing4 ,while tired with sitting or standing he would take up his violin1 play a few passages1 and then go to work again4 ,patrick removed to ,london in #ahjh1 and exhibited at the ,royal ,academy in the following year4 ,he made excursions to various parts of ,england1 where he found subjects congenial to his ideas of rural beauty4 ,the immediate neighbourhood of ,london1 however1 a bounded with the most charming and appropriate subjects for his pencil4 ,these consisted of rural bits of the most picturesque but homely description--decayed pollard trees and old moss-grown orchards1 combined with cottages and farm-houses in the most paintable state of decay1 with tangled hedges and neglected fences1 overrun with vegetation clinging to them with all the careless grace of ,nature4 ,however neglected these might be by the farmer1 they were always tit-bits for ,patrick4 ,when sketching such subjects he was in his glory1 and he returned to his easel loaded with sketch-book treasures1 which when painted form the gems of many a collection4 ,in some of these charming subjects glimpses of the distant capital may be observed1 with the dome of ,st4 ,paul's in the distance2 but they are introduced with such skill and correctness as in no way to interfere with the rural character of his subject4 ,when he went farther afield --to ,windsor ,forest1 ,hampshire1 the ,new ,forest1 or the ,isle of ,wight --he was equally diligent with his pencil1 and came home laden with sketches of the old monarchs of the forest4 ,when in a state of partial decay his skilful touch brought them to life again1 laden with branches and lichen1 with leaves and twigs and bark1 and with every feature that gives such a charm to these important elements in true ,english landscape scenery4 ,on my brother's first visit to ,london1 accompanied by my father1 he visited many collections where the old ,dutch masters were to be seen1 and he doubtless derived much advantage from his careful studies1 more particularly from the works of ,hobbema1 ,ruysdael1 and ,wynants4 ,these came home to him as representations of ,nature as she is4 ,they were more free from the traditional modes of representing her4 ,the works of ,claude ,lorraine and ,richard ,wilson were also the objects of his admiration1 though the influence of the time for classicality of treatment to a certain extent vitiated these noble works4 ,when a glorious sunset was observed1 the usual expression among the lovers of art was1 ,what a magnificent ,claudish effect6 thus setting up the result of man's feeble attempt at representation as the standard of comparison1 in place of the far grander original6 ,my brother carefully studied ,nature herself4 ,his works1 following those of my father1 led back the public taste to a more healthy and true condition1 and by the aid of a noble army of modern ,british landscape painters1 this department of art has been elevated to a very high standard of truth and excellence4 ,i find some letters from ,patrick to my father1 after his settlement as an artist in ,london4 ,my father seems to have supplied him with money during the early part of his career1 and afterwards until he had received the amount of his commissions for pictures4 ,in one of his letters he says3 ,that was an unlucky business1 the loss of that order which you were so good as send me on my account4 ,it turned out that the order had dropt out of the letter enclosing it1 and was not recovered4 ,in fact1 ,patrick was very careless about all money transactions4 ,in #ahad he made the acquaintance of ,mr4 ,barnes1 and accompanied him to ,bure ,cottage1 ,ringwood1 near ,southampton1 where he remained for some time4 ,he went into the ,new ,forest1 and brought home lots of sketches4 ,in #ahae he exhibited his works at the ,royal ,academy4 ,he writes to his father that the prices of my pictures in the ,gallery are-- two at fourteen guineas each 7small views in ,hampshire71 one at twelve guineas1 and two at fourteen guineas4 ,they are all sold but one4 ,these pictures would now fetch in the open market from two to three hundred guineas each4 ,but in those days good work was little known1 and landscapes especially were very little sought after4 ,patrick ,nasmyth's admirable rendering of the finer portions of landscape nature attracted the attention of collectors1 and he received many commissions from them at very low prices4 ,there was at that time a wretched system of delaying the payment for pictures painted on commission1 as well as considerable loss of time by the constant applications made for the settlement of the balance4 ,my brother was accordingly under the necessity of painting his pictures for the ,dealers1 who gave him at once the price which he required for his works4 ,the influence of this system was not always satisfactory4 ,the ,middlemen or ,dealers1 who stood between the artist and the final possessor of the works1 were not generous4 ,they higgled about prices1 and the sums which they gave were almost infinitesimal compared with the value of ,patrick ,nasmyth's pictures at the present time4 ,the ,dealers were frequent visitors at his little painting-room in his lodgings4 ,they took undue advantage of my brother's simplicity and innate modesty in regard to the commercial value of his works4 ,when he had sketched in a beautiful subject1 and when it was clear that in its highest state of development it must prove a fine work1 the ,dealer would pile up before him a row of guineas1 or sovereigns1 and say1 ,now1 ,peter1 that picture's to be mine61 ,the real presence of cash proved too much for him4 ,he never was a practical man4 ,he agreed to the proposal1 and thus he parted with his pictures for much less than they were worth4 ,he was often remonstrated with by his brother artists for letting them slip out of his hands in that way--works that he would not surrender until he had completed them1 and brought them up to the highest point of his fastidious taste and standard of excellence4 ,among his dearest friends were ,david ,roberts and ,clarkson ,stanfield4 ,he usually replied to their friendly remonstrances by laughingly pointing to his bursting portfolios of sketches1 and saying1 ,there's lots of money in these banks to draw from4 ,he thus warded off their earnest and often-repeated remonstrances4 ,being a single man1 and his habits and style of living of the most simple kind1 he had very little regard for money except as it ministered to his immediate necessities4 ,his evenings were generally spent at a club of brother artists over the water2 and in their company he enjoyed many a pleasant hour4 ,his days were spent at his easel4 ,they were occasionally varied by long walks into the country near ,london1 for the purpose of refilling his sketch-book4 ,it was on one of such occasions--when he was sketching the details of some picturesque pollard old willows up the ,thames1 and standing all the time in wet ground--that he caught a severe cold which confined him to the house4 ,he rapidly became worse4 ,two of his sisters1 who happened to be in ,london at the time1 nursed him with devoted attention4 ,but it was too late4 ,the disease had taken fatal hold of him4 ,on the evening of the l#gth ,august #ahca there was a violent thunderstorm4 ,at length the peals of thunder ceased1 the rain passed away1 and the clouds dispersed4 ,the setting sun burst forth in a golden glow4 ,the patient turned round on his couch and asked that the curtains might be drawn4 ,it was done4 ,a blaze of sunset lit up his weary and worn-out face4 ,how glorious it is6 he said4 ,then1 as the glow vanished he fell into a deep and tranquil sleep1 from which he never awoke4 ,such was the peaceful end of my brother ,patrick1 at the comparatively early age of forty-four years4 ,,chapter #d4 ,my ,early ,years4 ,i ,,was born on the morning of the #aith of ,august #ahjh1 at my father's house ,no4 #dg ,york ,place1 ,edinburgh4 ,i was named ,james ,hall after my father's dear friend1 ,sir ,james ,hall of ,dunglass4 ,my mother afterwards told me that ,i must have been a very noticin' bairn1 as she observed me1 when ,i was only a few days old1 following with my little eyes any one who happened to be in the room1 as if ,i had been thinking to my little self1 ,who are you8 ,after a suitable time ,i was put under the care of a nursemaid4 ,i remember her well--,mary ,peterkin--a truly ,scandinavian name4 ,she came from ,haddingtonshire1 where most of the people are of ,scandinavian origin4 ,her hair was of a bright yellow tint4 ,she was a cheerful young woman1 and sang to me like a nightingale4 ,she could not only sing old ,scotch songs1 but had a wonderful memory for fairy tales4 ,when under the influence of a merry laugh1 you could scarcely see her eyes2 their twinkle was hidden by her eyelids and lashes4 ,she was a willing worker1 and was always ready to lend a helping hand at everything about the house1 she took great pride in me1 calling me her laddie4 ,when ,i was toddling about the house1 another sister was born1 the last of the family4 ,little ,mary was very delicate2 and to improve her health she was sent to a small farm-house at ,braid ,hills1 about four miles south of ,edinburgh4 ,it was one of the most rural and beautiful surroundings of the city at that time4 ,one of my earliest recollections is that of being taken to see poor little ,mary at the farmer's house4 ,while my nursemaid was occupied in inquiring after my sister1 ,i was attracted by the bright red poppies in a neighbouring field4 ,when they made search for me ,i could not be found4 ,i was lost for more than an hour4 ,at last1 seeing a slight local disturbance among the stalks of corn1 they rushed to they spot1 and brought me out with an armful of brilliant red poppies4 ,to this day poppies continue to be my greatest favourites4 ,when ,i was about four or five years old1 ,i was observed to give a decided preference to the use of my left hand4 ,everything was done to prevent my using it in preference to the right4 ,my mother thought that it arose from my being carried on the wrong arm by my nurse while an infant4 ,the right hand was thus confined1 and the left hand was used4 ,i was constantly corrected1 but on the sly ,i always used it1 especially in drawing my first little sketches4 ,at last my father1 after viewing with pleasure one of my artistic efforts1 done with the forbidden hand1 granted it liberty and independence for all time coming4 ,well1 he said1 you may go on in your own way in the use of your left hand1 but ,i fear you will be an awkward fellow in everything that requires handiness in life4 ,i used my right hand in all that was necessary1 and my left in all sorts of practical manipulative affairs4 ,my left hand has accordingly been my most willing and obedient servant in transmitting my will through my fingers into material or visible forms4 ,in this way ,i became ambidexter4 ,when ,i was about four years old1 ,i often followed my father into his workshop when he had occasion to show to his visitors some of his mechanical contrivances or artistic models4 ,the persons present usually expressed their admiration in warm terms of what was shown to them4 ,on one occasion ,i gently pulled the coat-tail of one of the listeners and confidentially said to him1 as if ,i knew all about it1 ,my papa's a kevie ,fellae6 ,my father was so greatly amused by this remark that he often referred to it as the last good thing from that old-fashioned creature little ,jamie4 ,one of my earliest recollections is the annual celebration of my brother ,patrick's birthday4 ,being the eldest of the family1 his birthday was held in special honour4 ,my father invited about twenty of his most intimate friends to dinner4 ,my mother brought her culinary powers into full operation4 ,the younger members of the family also took a lively interest in all that was going on1 with certain reversionary views as to the day after the feast4 ,we took a great interest in the ,trifle1 which was no trifle in reality1 in so far as regarded the care and anxiety involved in its preparation4 ,in connection with this celebration1 it was all established institution that a large hamper always arrived in good time from the farm attached to my mother's old home at ,woodhall1 near ,edinburgh4 ,it contained many substantial elements for the entertainment--a fine turkey1 fowls1 duck1 and suchlike2 with two magnums of the richest cream4 ,there never was such cream6 ,it established a standard of cream in my memory2 and since then ,i have always been hypercritical about the article4 ,on one of these occasions1 when ,i was about four years old1 and being the youngest of the family1 ,i was taken into the company after the dinner was over1 and held up by my sister ,jane to sing a verse from a little song which my nurse ,mary ,peterkin had taught me1 and ,which ran thus3 ,i'll no bide till ,saturday1 ,but ,i'll awa' tile morn1 ,an' follow ,donald ,hielandman1 ,an' carry his poother-horn4 ,this was my first and last vocal performance4 ,it was received with great applause4 ,in fact1 it was encored4 ,the word poother1 which ,i pronounced pootle1 excited the enthusiasm of the audience4 ,i was then sent to bed with a bit of plum-cake1 and was doubtless awakened early next morning by the irritation of the dried crumbs of the previous night's feast4 ,i am reminded1 by reading over a letter of my brother ,patrick's1 of an awkward circumstance that happened to me when ,i was six years old4 ,in his letter to my father1 dated ,london1 #bb;d ,september #ahad1 he says3 ,i did get a surprise when ,margaret's letter informed me of my little brother ,jamie's fall4 ,it was a wonderful escape4 ,for ,god's sake keep an eye upon him6 ,like other strong and healthy boys1 ,i had a turn for amusing myself in my own way4 ,when sliding down the railing of the stairs ,i lost my grip and fell suddenly over4 ,the steps were of stone4 ,fortunately1 the servants were just coming up laden with carpets which they had been beating4 ,i fell into their midst and knocked them out of their hands4 ,i was thus saved from cracking my poor little skull4 ,but for that there might have been no steam hammer--at least of my contrivance6 ,everything connected with war and warlike exploits is interesting to a boy4 ,the war with ,france was then in full progress4 ,troops and bands paraded the streets4 ,recruits were sent away as fast as they could be drilled4 ,the whole air was filled with war4 ,everybody was full of excitement about the progress of events in ,spain4 ,when the great guns boomed forth from the ,castle1 the people were first startled4 ,then they were surprised and anxious4 ,there had been a battle and a victory6 ,who had fallen8 was the first thought in many minds4 ,where had the battle been1 and what was the victory8 ,business was suspended4 ,people rushed about the streets to ascertain the facts4 ,it might have been at ,salamanca1 ,talavera1 or ,vittoria4 ,but a long time elapsed before the details could be received2 and during that time sad suspense and anxiety prevailed in almost every household4 ,there was no telegraph then4 ,it was only after the ,gazette had been published that people knew who had fallen and who had survived4 ,the war proceeded4 ,the volunteering which went on at the time gave quite a military aspect to the city4 ,i remember how odd it appeared to me to see some well-known faces and figures metamorphosed into soldiers ,it was considered a test of loyalty as well as of patriotism1 to give time1 money1 and leisure to take up the arms of defence1 and to practise daily in military uniform in the ,meadows or on ,bruntsfield ,links4 ,windows were thrown up to hear the bands playing at the head of the troops1 and crowds of boys1 full of military ardour1 went1 as usual1 hand to hand in front of the drums and fifes4 ,the most interesting part of the procession to my mind was the pioneers in front1 with their leather aprons1 their axes and saws1 and their big hairy caps and beards4 ,they were to me so suggestive of clearing the way through hedges and forests1 and of what war was in its actual progress4 ,every victory was followed by the importation of large numbers of ,french prisoners4 ,many of them were sent to ,edinburgh ,castle4 ,they were permitted to relieve the tedium of their confinement by manufacturing and selling toys2 workboxes1 brooches1 and carved work of different kinds4 ,in the construction of these they exhibited great skill1 taste1 and judgment4 ,they carved them out of bits of bone and wood4 ,the patterns were most beautiful2 and they were ingeniously and tastefully ornamented4 ,the articles were to be had for a mere trifle1 although fit to be placed with the most choice objects of artistic skill4 ,these poor prisoners of war were allowed to work at their tasteful handicrafts in small sheds or temporary workshops at the ,castle1 behind the palisades which separated them from their free customers outside4 ,there was just room between the bars of the palisades for them to hand through their exquisite works1 and to receive in return the modest prices which they charged4 ,the front of these palisades became a favourite resort for the inhabitants of ,edinburgh2 and especially for the young folks4 ,i well remember being impressed with the contrast between the almost savage aspect of these dark-haired foreigners1 and the neat and delicate produce of their skilful fingers4 ,at the peace of #ahad1 which followed the siege of ,paris1 great rejoicings and illuminations took place1 in the belief that the war was at an end4 ,the ,french prisoners were sent back to their own country1 alas6 to appear again before us at ,waterloo4 ,the liberation of those confined in ,edinburgh ,castle was accompanied by an extraordinary scene4 ,the ,french prisoners marched down to the transport ships at ,leith by torchlight4 ,all the town was out to see them4 ,they passed in military procession through the principal streets1 singing as they marched along their revolutionary airs1 ,ca lra and ,the ,marseillaise4 ,the wild enthusiasm of these haggard-looking men1 lit up by torchlight and accompanied by the cheers of the dense crowd which lined the streets and filled the windows1 made an impression on my mind that ,i can never forget4 ,a year passed4 ,napoleon returned from ,elba1 and was rejoined by nearly all his old fighting-men4 ,i well remember1 young as ,i was1 an assembly of the inhabitants of ,edinburgh in ,charlotte ,square1 to bid farewell to the troops and officers then in garrison4 ,it was a fine summer evening when this sad meeting took place4 ,the bands were playing as their last performance1 ,go where glory waits thee6 ,the air brought tears to many eyes2 for many who were in the ranks might never return4 ,after many a hand-shaking1 the troops marched to the ,castle1 previous to their early embarkation for the ,low ,countries on the following morning4 ,then came ,waterloo and the victory6 ,the ,castle guns boomed forth again2 and the streets were filled with people anxious to hear the news4 ,at last came the ,gazette filled with the details of the killed and wounded4 ,many a heart was broken1 many a fireside was made desolate4 ,it was indeed a sad time4 ,the terrible anxiety that pervaded so many families2 the dreadful sacrifice of lives on so many battlefields2 and the enormously increased taxation1 which caused so many families to stint themselves to even the barest necessaries of life2--such was the inglorious side of war4 ,but there was also the glory1 which almost compensated for the sorrow4 ,i cannot resist narrating the entry of the ,forty-second ,regiment into ,edinburgh shortly after the battle of ,waterloo4 ,the old ,black ,watch is a regiment dear to every ,scottish heart4 ,it has fought and struggled when resistance was almost certain death4 ,at ,quatre ,bras two flank companies were cut to pieces by ,pire's cavalry4 ,the rest of the regiment was assailed by ,reille's furious cannonade1 and suffered severely4 ,the ,french were beaten back1 and the remnant of the ,forty-second retired to ,waterloo1 where they formed part of the brigade under ,major-,general ,pack4 ,at the first grand charge of the ,french1 ,picton fell and many were killed4 ,then the charge of the ,greys took place1 and the ,highland regiments rushed forward1 with cries of ,scotland for ever6 ,only a remnant of the ,forty-second survived4 ,they were however recruited1 and marched into ,france with the rest of the army4 ,towards the end of the year the ,forty-,second returned to ,england1 and in the beginning of #ahaf they set out on their march towards ,edinburgh4 ,they were everywhere welcomed with enthusiasm4 ,crowds turned out to meet them and cheer them4 ,when the first division of the regiment approached ,edinburgh1 almost the entire population turned out to welcome them4 ,at ,musselburgh1 six miles off2 the road was thronged with people4 ,when the soldiers reached ,piershill1 two miles off1 the road was so crowded that it took them two hours to reach the ,castle4 ,i was on a balcony in the upper part of the ,high ,street1 and my father1 mother1 and sisters were with me4 ,we had waited very long2 but at last we heard the distant sound of the cheers1 which came on and on1 louder and louder4 ,the ,high ,street was wedged with people excited and anxious4 ,there seemed scarcely room for a regiment to march through them4 ,the house-tops and windows were crowded with spectators4 ,it was a grand sight4 ,the high-gabled houses reaching as far as the eye could see1 ,st4 ,giles' with its mural crown1 the ,tron ,kirk in the distance1 and the picturesque details of the buildings1 all added to the effectiveness of the scene4 ,at last the head of the gallant band appeared4 ,the red coats gradually wedged their way through the crowd1 amidst the ringing of bells and the cheers of the spectators4 ,every window was in a wave of gladness1 and every house-top was in a fever of excitement4 ,as the red line passed our balcony1 with ,colonel ,dick at its head1 we saw a sight that can never be forgotten4 ,the red-and-white plumes1 the tattered colours riddled with bullets1 the glittering bayonets1 were seen amidst the crowd that thronged round the gallant heroes1 amidst tears and cheers and hand-shakings and shouts of excitement4 ,the mass of men appeared like a solid body moving slowly along2 the soldiers being almost hidden amongst the crowd4 ,at last they passed1 the pipers and drums playing a ,highland march2 and the ,forty-,second slowly entered the ,castle4 ,it was perhaps the most extraordinary scene ever witnessed in ,edinburgh4 ,one of my greatest enjoyments when a child was in going out with the servants to the ,calton1 and wait while the claes bleached in the sun on the grassy slopes of the hill4 ,the air was bright and fresh and pure4 ,the lasses regarded these occasions as a sort of holiday4 ,one or two of the children usually accompanied them4 ,they sat together1 and the servants told us their auld-warld stories2 common enough in those days1 but which have now1 in a measure1 been forgotten4 ,steam and progress have made the world much less youthful and joyous than it was then4 ,the women brought their work and their needles with them1 and when they had told their stories1 the children ran about the hill making bunches of wild flowers--including harebells and wild thyme4 ,they ran after the butterflies and the bumbees1 and made acquaintance in a small way with the beauties of nature4 ,then the servants opened their baskets of provisions1 and we had a delightful picnic4 ,though ,i am now writing about seventy years after the date of these events1 ,i can almost believe that ,i am enjoying the delightful perfume of the wild thyme and the fragrant plants and flowers1 wafted around me by the warm breezes of the ,calton hillside4 ,in the days ,i refer to1 there was always a most cheerful and intimate intercourse kept up between the children and the servants4 ,they were members of the same family1 and were treated as such4 ,the servants were for the most part country-bred--daughters of farm servants or small farmers4 ,they were fairly educated at their parish schools2 they could read and write1 and had an abundant store of old recollections4 ,many a pleasant crack we had with them as to their native places1 their families1 and all that was connected with them4 ,they became lastingly attached to their masters and mistresses1 as well as to the children4 ,all this led to true attachment2 and when they left2 us1 for the most part to be married we continued to keep up a correspondence with them1 which lasted for many years4 ,while enjoying these delightful holidays1 before my school-days began1 my practical education was in progress1 especially in the way of acquaintance with the habits of nature in a vast variety of its phases1 always so attractive to the minds of healthy children4 ,it happened that close to the ,calton ,hill1 in the valley at its northern side1 there were many workshops where interesting trades were carried on2 there were coppersmiths1 tinsmiths1 brass-founders1 goldbeaters1 and blacksmiths4 ,their shops were all arranged in a busy group at the foot of the hill1 in a place called ,greenside4 ,the workshops were open to the inspection of passers-by4 ,little boys looked in and saw the men at work amidst the blaze of fires and the beatings of hammers4 ,amongst others1 ,i was an ardent admirer4 ,i may almost say that this row of busy workshops was my first school of practical education4 ,i observed the mechanical manipulation of the men1 their dexterous use of the hammer1 the chisel1 and the file2 and ,i imbibed many lessons which afterwards proved of use to me4 ,then ,i had tools at home in my father's workshop4 ,i tried to follow their methods2 ,i became greatly interested in the use of tools and their appliances2 ,i could make things for myself4 ,in short1 ,i became so skilled that the people about the house called me a little ,jack-of-all-trades4 ,while sitting on the grassy slopes of the ,calton ,hill ,i would often hear the chimes sounding from the grand old tower of ,st4,giles4 ,the cathedral lay on the other side of the valley which divides the ,old ,town from the ,new4 ,the sounds came over the murmur of the traffic in the streets below4 ,the chime-bells were played every day from twelve till one--the old-fashioned dinner-hour of the citizens4 ,the practice had been in existence for more than a hundred and fifty years4 ,the pleasing effect of the merry airs1 which came wafted tome by the warm summer breezes1 made me long to see them as well as hear them4 ,image ,mural crown of ,st ,giles'1 ,edinburgh ,my father was always anxious to give pleasure to his children4 ,accordingly1 he took me one day1 as a special treat1 to the top of the grand old tower1 to see the chimes played4 ,as we passed up the tower1 a strong vaulted room was pointed out to me1 where the witches used to be imprisoned4 ,i was told that the poor old women were often taken down from this dark vault to be burnt alive6 ,such terrible tales enveloped the tower with a horrible fascination to my young mind4 ,what a fearful contrast to the merry sound of the chimes issuing from its roof on a bright summer day4 ,on my way up to the top flat1 where the chimes were played1 ,i had to pass through the vault in which the great pendulum was slowly swinging in its ghostly-like tick-tack1 tick-tack2 while the great ancient clock was keeping time with its sudden and startling movement4 ,the whole scene was almost as uncanny as the witches' cell underneath4 ,there was also a wild rumbling thumping sound overhead4 ,i soon discovered the cause of this1 when ,i entered the flat where the musician was at work4 ,he was seen in violent action1 beating or hammering on the keys of a gigantic pianoforte-like apparatus4 ,the instruments he used were two great leather-faced mallets1 one of which he held in each hand4 ,each key was connected by iron rods with the chime-bells above4 ,the frantic and mad-like movements of the musician1 as he energetically rushed from one key to another1 often widely apart gave me the idea that the man was daft--especially as the noise of the mallets was such that ,i heard no music emitted from the chimes so far overhead4 ,it was only when ,i had climbed up the stair of the tower to where the bells were rung that ,i understood the performance1 and comprehended the beating of the chimes which gave me so much pleasure when ,i heard them at a distance4 ,another source of enjoyment in my early days was to accompany my mother to the market4 ,as ,i have said before1 my mother1 though generous in her hospitality1 was necessarily thrifty and economical in the management of her household4 ,there were no less than fourteen persons in the house to be fed1 and this required a good deal of marketing4 ,at the time ,i refer to1 7about #ahaf1 it was the practice of every lady who took pride in managing economically the home department of her husband's affairs1 to go to market in person4 ,the principal markets in ,edinburgh were then situated in the valley between the ,old and ,new ,towns1 in what used to be called the ,nor ,loch4 ,dealers in fish and vegetables had their stalls there3 the market for butcher meat was near at hand3 each being in their several locations4 ,it was a very lively and bustling sight to see the marketing going on4 ,when a lady was observed approaching1 likely to be a customer1 she was at once surrounded by the caddies4 ,they were a set of sturdy hard-working women1 each with a creel on her back4 ,their competition for the employer sometimes took a rather energetic form4 ,the rival candidates pointed to her with violent exclamations2 ,she's my ledie6 she's my ledie6 ejaculated one and all4 ,to dispel the disorder1 a selection of one of the caddies would be made1 and then all was quiet again until another customer appeared4 ,there was a regular order in which the purchases were deposited in the creel4 ,first1 there came the fish1 which were carefully deposited in the lowest part1 with a clean deal board over them4 ,the fishwives were a most sturdy and independent class1 both in manners and language4 ,when at home1 at ,newhaven or ,fisherrow1 they made and mended their husbands' nets1 put their fishing tackle to rights1 and when the fishing boats came in they took the fish to market at ,edinburgh4 ,to see the groups of these hard-working women trudging along with their heavy creels on their backs1 clothed in their remarkable costume1 with their striped petticoats kilted up and showing their sturdy legs1 was indeed a remarkable sight4 ,they were cheerful and good-natured1 but very outspoken4 ,their skins were clear and ruddy1 and many of the young fishwives were handsome and pretty4 ,they were1 in fact1 the incarnation of robust health4 ,in dealing with them at the ,fish ,market there was a good deal of higgling4 ,they often asked two or three times more than the fish were worth--at least1 according to the then market price4 ,after a stormy night1 during which the husbands and sons had toiled to catch the fish1 on the usual question being asked1 ,weel1 ,janet1 hoo's haddies the day6 ,haddies1 mem8 ,ou1 haddies is men's lives the day6 which was often true1 as haddocks were often caught at the risk of their husbands' lives4 ,after the usual amount of higgling1 the haddies were brought down to their proper market price1 --sometimes a penny for a good haddock1 or1 when herrings were rife1 a dozen herrings for twopence1 crabs for a penny1 and lobsters for threepence4 ,for there were no railways then to convey the fish to ,england1 and thus equalise the price for all classes of the community4 ,let me mention here a controversy between a fishwife and a buyer called ,thomson4 the buyer offered a price so ridiculously small for a parcel of fish that the seller became quite indignant1 and she terminated at once all further higgling4 ,looking up to him1 she said1 ,lord help yer e'e-sight1 ,maister ,tamson6 ,lord help my e'e-sight1 woman6 ,what has that to do with it8 ,ou1 said she1 because ye ha'e nae nose to put spectacles on6 ,as it happened1 poor ,mr4 ,thomson had1 by some accident or disease1 so little of a nose left1 if any at all1 that the bridge of the nose for holding up the spectacles was almost entirely wanting4 ,and thus did the fishwife retaliate on her niggardly customer4 ,when my mother had got her fish laid at the bottom of the creel1 she next went to the flesher for her butcher-meat4 ,there was no higgling here1 for the meat was sold at the ordinary market price4 ,then came the poultry stratum2 then the vegetables1 or fruits in their season2 and1 finally1 there was the floore--a bunch of flowers2 not a costly bouquet1 but a1 large assortment of wallflowers1 daffodils 7with their early spring fragrance71 polyanthuses1 lilacs1 gilly-flowers1 and the glorious old-fashioned cabbage rose1 as well as the even more gloriously fragrant moss rose4 ,the caddy's creel was then topped up1 and the marketing was completed4 ,the lady was followed home2 the contents were placed in the larder2 and the flowers distributed all over the house4 ,i have many curious traditional evidences of the great fondness for cats which distinguished the ,nasmyth family for several generations4 ,my father had always one or two of such domestic favourites1 who were1 in the best sense1 his familiars4 ,their quiet1 companionable habits rendered them very acceptable company when engaged in his artistic work4 ,i know of no sound so pleasantly tranquillising as the purring of a cat1 or of anything more worthy of admiration in animal habit as the neat1 compact1 and elegant manner in which the cat adjusts itself at the fireside1 or in a snug1 cosy place1 when it settles down for a long quiet sleep4 ,every spare moment that a cat has before lying down to rest is occupied in carefully cleaning itself1 even under adverse circumstances4 ,the cat is the true original inventor of a sanitary process1 which has lately been patented and paraded before the public as a sanitary novelty2 and yet it has been in practice ever since cats were created4 ,would that men and women were more alive to habitual cleanliness--even the cleanliness of cats4 ,the kindly and gentle animal gives us all a lesson in these respects4 ,then1 nothing can be more beautiful in animal action than the exquisitely precise and graceful manner in which the cat exerts the exact amount of effort requisite to land it at the height and spot it wishes to reach at one bound4 ,the neat and delicately precise manner in which cats use their paws when playing with those who habitually treat them with gentle kindness is truly admirable4 ,in these respects cats are entitled to the most kindly regard4 ,there are1 unfortunately1 many who entertain a strong prejudice against this most perfect and beautiful member of the animal creation1 and who abuse them because they resist ill-treatment1 occasioned by their innate feeling of independence4 ,cats have no doubt less personal attachment than dogs1 but when kindly treated they become in many respects attached and affectionate animals4 ,my father1 when a boy1 made occasional visits to ,hamilton1 in the ,west of ,scotland1 where the descendants of his ,covenanting ancestors still lived4 ,one of them was an old bachelor--a recluse sort of man2 and yet he had the ,nasmyth love of cats4 ,being of pious pedigree and habits1 he always ended the day by a long and audible prayer4 ,my father and his companions used to go to the door of his house to listen to him1 but especially to hear his culminating finale4 ,he prayed that the ,lord would help him to forgive his enemies and all those who had done him injury2 and then1 with a loud burst1 he concluded1 ,except ,john ,anderson o' the ,toonhead1 for he killed my cat1 and him ,i'll ne'er forgie6 ,in conclusion1 ,i may again refer to ,elspeth ,nasmyth1 who was burnt alive for witchcraft1 because she had four black cats1 and read her ,bible through two ,pairs of spectacles6 ,,chapter #e4 ,my ,school-days4 ,before ,i went to school it was my good fortune to be placed under the special care of my eldest sister1 ,jane4 ,she was twenty years older than myself1 and had acquired much practical experience in the management of the younger members of the family4 ,i could not have had a more careful teacher4 ,she initiated me into the difficulties of ,a ,b ,c1 and by learning me to read she gave me a key to the thoughts of the greatest thinkers who have ever lived4 ,but all this was accomplished at first in a humdrum and tentative way4 ,about seventy years ago children's books were very uninteresting4 ,in the little stories manufactured for children1 the good boy ended in a ,coach-and-four1 and the bad boy in a ride to ,tyburn4 ,the good boys must have been a set of little snobs and prigs1 and ,i could scarcely imagine that they could ever have lived as they were represented in these goody books4 ,if so1 they must have been the most tiresome and uninteresting vermin that can possibly be imagined4 ,after my sister had done what she could for me1 ,i was sent to school to learn ,english4 ,i was placed under the tuition of a leading teacher called ,knight1 whose school-room was in the upper storey of a house in ,george ,street4 ,here ,i learned to read with ease4 ,but my primitive habit of spelling by ear1 in accordance with the simple sound of the letters of the alphabet 7phonetically1 so to speak7 brought me into collision with my teacher4 ,i got many a cuff on the side of the head1 and many a palmy on my hands with a thick strap of hard leather1 which did not give me very inviting views as to the pleasures of learning4 ,the master was vicious and vindictive4 ,i think it a cowardly way to deal with a little boy in so cruel a manner1 and to send him home with his back and fingers tingling and sometimes bleeding1 because he cannot learn so quickly as his fellows4 ,on one occasion ,knight got out of temper with my stupidity or dulness in not comprehending something about 'a preter-pluperfect tense1' or some mystery of that sort4 ,he seized me by the ears1 and beat my head against the wall behind me with such savage violence that when he let me go1 stunned and unable to stand1 ,i fell forward on the floor bleeding violently at the nose1 and with a terrific headache4 ,the wretch might have ruined my brain for life4 ,i was carried home and put to bed1 where ,i lay helpless for more than a week4 ,my father threatened to summon the teacher before the magistrates for what might have been a fatal assault on poor little me2 but on making a humble apology for his brutal usage he was let off4 ,of course ,i was not sent back to his school4 ,i have ever since entertained a hatred against grammatical rules4 ,there was at that time an excellent system of teaching young folks the value of thrift4 ,this consisted in saving for some purpose or another the ,saturdays penny--one penny being our weekly allowance of pocket-money4 ,the feats we could perform in the way of procuring toys1 picture-books1 or the materials for constructing flying kites1 would amaze the youngsters of the present day1 who are generally spoiled by extravagance4 ,and yet we obtained far more pleasure from our purchases4 ,we had in my time penny pigs1 or thrift boxes4 ,they were made in a vase form1 of brown glazed earthenware1 the only entrance to which was a slit--enough to give entrance to a penny4 ,when the ,saturday's penny was not required for any immediate purposes1 it was dropped through the slit1 and remained there until the box was full4 ,the maximum of pennies it could contain was about forty-eight4 ,when that was accomplished1 the penny pig was broken with a hammer1 and its rich contents flowed forth4 ,the breaking of the pig was quite an event4 ,the fine fat old ,george the ,third penny pieces looked thoroughly substantial in our eyes4 ,and then there was the spending of the money1--for some long-looked-for toy1 or pencils1 or book1 or painting materials4 ,one of the ways in which ,i used my ,saturday pennies was in going with some of my companions into the country to have a picnic4 ,we used to light a fire behind a hedge or a dyke1 or in the corner of some ruin1 and there roast our potatoes1 or broil a red herring on an extempore gridiron we contrived for the purpose4 ,we lit the fire by means of a flint and steel and a tinder-box1 which in those days every boy used to possess4 ,the bramble-berries gave us our dessert4 ,we thoroughly enjoyed these glorious ,saturday afternoons4 ,it gave us quite a ,robinson ,crusoe sort of feeling to be thus secluded from the world4 ,then the beauty of the scenery amidst which we took our repast was such as ,i cannot attempt to describe4 ,a walk of an hour or so would bring us into the presence of an old castle1 or amongst the rocky furze and heather-clad hills1 amidst clear rapid streams1 so that1 but for the distant peeps of the city1 one might think that he was far from the busy haunts of men and boys4 ,to return to my school-days4 ,shortly after ,i left the school in ,george ,street1 where the schoolmaster had almost split my skull in battering it upon the wall behind me1 ,i was entered as a pupil at the ,edinburgh ,high ,school1 in ,october #ahag4 ,the school was situated near the old ,infirmary4 ,professor ,pillans was the rector1 and under him were four masters4 ,i was set to study ,latin under ,mr4 ,irvine4 ,he was a mere schoolmaster in the narrowest sense of the term4 ,he was not endowed with the best of tempers1 and it was often put to the breaking strain by the tricks and negligence of the lower-form portion of his class4 ,it consisted of nearly two hundred boys2 the other three masters had about the same number of scholars4 ,they each had a separate class-room4 ,i began to learn the elementary rudiments of ,latin grammar4 ,but not having any natural aptitude for aquiring classic learning so called1 ,i fear ,i made but little progress during the three years that ,i remained at the ,high ,school4 ,had the master explained to us how nearly allied many of the ,latin and ,greek roots were to our familiar ,english words1 ,i feel assured that so interesting and valuable a department of instruction would not have been neglected4 ,but our memories were strained by being made to say off by heart1 as it was absurdly called1 whole batches of grammatical rules1 with all the botheration of irregular verbs and suchlike4 ,so far as ,i was concerned1 ,i derived little benefit from my ,high ,school teaching1 except that ,i derived one lesson which is of great use in after life4 ,i mean as regards the performance of duty4 ,i did my tasks punctually and cheerfully1 though they were far from agreeable4 ,this is an exercise in early life that is very useful in later years4 ,in my walks to and from the ,high ,school1 the usual way was along the ,north and ,south ,bridges1--the first over the ,nor' ,loch1 now the railway station1 and the second over the ,cowgate4 ,that was the main street between the ,old ,town and the ,new4 ,but there were numerous wynds and closes 7as the narrow streets are called7 which led down from the ,high ,street and the upper part of the ,canongate to the ,high ,school1 through which ,i often preferred to wander4 ,so long as ,old ,edinburgh was confined within its walls the nobles lived in those narrow streets2 and the ,old houses are full of historical incident4 ,my father often pointed out these houses to me1 and ,i loved to keep up my recollections4 ,i must have had a little of the antiquarian spirit even then4 ,i got to know the most remarkable of those ancient houses--many of which were distinguished by the inscriptions on the lintel of the entrance1 as well as the arms of the former possessors4 ,some had mottoes such as this3 ,,blesit ,,be ,,god ,,and ,,hys ,,giftis4 #aehd4 ,there was often a tower-shaped projection from the main front of the house1 up which a spiral stair proceeded4 ,this is usually a feature in old ,scotch buildings4 ,but in these closes the entrance to the houses was through a ponderous door1 studded with great broad-headed nails1 with loopholes at each side of the door1 as if to present the strongest possible resistance to any attempt at forcible entrance4 ,indeed1 in the old times before the ,union the nobles were often as strong as the ,king1 and many a time the ,high ,street was reddened by the blood of the noblest and bravest of the land4 ,in #aehh there was a cry of ,a ,naesmyth1 ,a ,scott1 in the ,high ,street4 ,it was followed by a clash of arms1 and two of ,sir ,michael ,naesmyth's sons were killed in that bloody feud4 ,edinburgh was often the scene of such disasters4 ,hence the strengthening of their houses1 so as to resist the inroads of feudal enemies4 ,image ,doorhead1 from an old mansion ,the mason-work of the doors was executed with great care and dexterity4 ,it was chamfered at the edges in a bold manner1 and ornamented with an ,o4,g4 bordering1 which had a fine effect while it rendered the entrance more pleasant by the absence of sharp angles4 ,the same style of ornamentation was generally found round the edges of the stone-work of the windows1 most commonly by chamfering off the square angle of the stone-work4 ,this not only added a grim grace to the appearance of the windows1 but allowed a more free entrance of light into the apartments1 while it permitted the inmates to have a better ranged view up and down the ,close4 ,these gloomy-looking mansions were grim in a terrible sense1 and they reminded one of the fearful transactions of the good old times6 ,on many occasions1 when ,i was taking a daunder through these historic houses in the wynds and closes of the ,old ,town1 ,i have met ,sir ,walter ,scott showing them to his visitors1 and listened to his deep1 earnest voice while narrating to them some terrible incident in regard to their former inhabitants4 ,on other occasions ,i have frequently met ,sir ,walter sturdily limping along over the ,north ,bridge1 while on his way from the ,court of ,session 7where he acted as ,clerk of the ,records7 to his house in ,castle ,street4 ,in the same way ,i saw most of the public characters connected with the ,law ,courts or the ,university4 ,sir ,waiter was easily distinguished by his height1 as well as his limp or halt in his walk4 ,my father was intimate with most1 if not all1 of the remarkable ,edinburgh characters1 and when ,i had the pleasure of accompanying him in his afternoon walks ,i could look at them and hear them in the conversations that took place4 ,i remember1 when ,i was with my father in one of his walks1 that a young ,english artist accompanied us4 ,he had come across the ,border to be married at ,gretna ,green1 and he brought his bride onward to ,edinburgh4 ,my father wished to show him some of the most remarkable old buildings of the town4 ,it was about the end of #ahag1 when one of the most interesting buildings in ,edinburgh was about to be demolished4 ,this was no less a place than the ,old ,tolbooth in the ,high ,street1--a grand but gloomy old building4 ,it had been originally used as the city palace of the ,scottish kings4 ,there they held their councils and dispensed justice4 ,but in course of time the ,king and ,court abandoned the place1 and it had sunk into a gaol or prison for the most abandoned of malefactors4 ,after their trial the prisoners were kept there waiting for execution1 and they were hanged on a flat-roofed portion of the building at its west end4 ,image ,the ,old ,tolbooth1 ,edinburgh4 ,by ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,from the drawing in the possession of lord ,inglis1 ,lord ,justice-,general4 ,at one of the strongest parts of the building a strong oak chest1 iron-plated1 had been built in1 held fast by a thick wall of stone and mortar on each side4 ,the iron chest measured about nine feet square1 and was closed by a strong iron door with heavy bolts and locks4 ,this was the ,heart of ,midlothian1 the condemned cell of the ,tolbooth499 footnote444 ,long after the condemned cell had been pulled down1 an ,english ,chartist went down to ,edinburgh to address a large meeting of his brother politicians4 ,he began by addressing them as ,men of the ,heart of ,midlothian6 ,there was a loud guffaw throughout the audience4 ,he addressed them as if they were a body of condemned malefactors4 444 ,the iron chest was so heavy that the large body of workmen could not1 with all their might1 pull it out4 ,after stripping it of its masonry1 they endeavoured by strong levers to tumble it down into the street4 ,at last1 with a ,yo6 heave ho6 it fell down with a mighty crash4 ,the iron chest was so strong that it held together1 and only the narrow iron door1 with its locks1 bolts1 and bars1 was burst open1 and jerked off amongst the bystanders4 ,it was quite a scene4 ,a large crowd had assembled1 and amongst them was ,sir ,walter ,scott4 ,recognising my father1 he stood by him1 while both awaited the ponderous crash4 ,sir ,walter was still the ,great ,unknown4 ,when his ,heart of ,midlothian was published in the course of the following year1 it was pretty well known that he was the author of that fascinating novel4 ,sir ,waiter got the door and the key1 as relics1 for his house at ,abbotsford4 ,there was a rush of people towards the iron chest to look into the dark interior of that veritable chamber of horrors4 ,my father's artist friend went forward with the rest1 and endeavoured to pick up some remnant of the demolished structure4 ,as soon as the clouds of dust had been dispersed1 he observed1 under the place where the iron box had stood1 a number of skeletons of rats1 as dry as mummies4 ,he selected one of these199 footnote444 ,i was so much impressed with the events of the day1 and also with the fact of the young artist having taken with him so repulsive a memento as a rat's skeleton1 that ,i never forgot it4 ,more than half century later1 when ,i was at a private view of the ,royal ,academy1 ,i saw sitting on one of the sofas a remarkable and venerable-looking old gentleman4 ,on inquiring of my friend ,thomas ,webster who he was1 he answered1 ,why1 that's old ,linnell6 ,i then took the liberty of sitting down beside him1 and1 apologising for my intrusion on his notice1 ,i said it was just fifty-seven years since ,i had last seen him6 ,i mentioned the circumstance of the rat-skeleton which he had put in his pocket at ,edinburgh4 ,he was pleased and astonished to have the facts so vividly recalled to his mind4 ,at last he said1 ,well1 ,i have that mummy rat1 the relic of the ,heart of ,midlothian1 safe in a cabinet of curiosities in my house at ,redhill to this day4 444 wrapped it in a newspaper and put it in his pocket as a recollection of his first day in ,edinburgh1 and of the final destruction of the ,heart of ,midlothian4 ,this artist was no other than ,john ,linnell1 the afterwards famous landscape painter4 ,he was then a young and unknown man4 ,he brought a letter of introduction to my father4 ,he also brought a landscape as a specimen of his young efforts1 and it was so splendidly done that my father augured a brilliant career for this admirable artist4 ,i had the pleasure of seeing ,sir ,waiter ,scott on another and1 to me1 a very memorable occasion4 ,from an early period of my schoolboy days ,i had a great regard for every object that had reference to bygone times4 ,they influenced my imagination1 and conjured up in my mind dreamy visions of the people of olden days4 ,it did not matter whether it was an old coin or an old castle4 took pleasure in rambling about the old castles near ,edinburgh1 many of them connected with the times of ,mary ,queen of ,scots4 ,craigmillar ,castle was within a few miles of the city2 there was also ,crighton ,castle1 and above all ,borthwick ,castle4 ,this grand massive old ruin left a deep impression on my mind4 ,the sight of its gloomy interior1 with the great hall lighted up only by stray glints of sunshine1 as if struggling for access through the small deep-seated windows in its massive walls1 together with its connection with the life and times of ,queen ,mary1 had a far greater influence upon my mind than ,i experienced while standing amidst the ,coliseum at ,rome4 ,like many earnest-minded boys1 ,i had a severe attack at the right time of life1 say from #ab to #ae1 of what ,i would call the collecting period4 ,this consisted1 in my case1 of accumulating old coins1 perhaps one of the most salutary forms of this youthful passion4 ,i made exchanges with my school companions4 ,sometimes my father's friends1 seeing my anxiety to improve my collection gave me choice specimens of bronze and other coins of the ,roman emperors1 usually duplicates from their own collection4 ,these coins had the effect of promoting my knowledge of ,roman history4 ,i read up in order to find out the acts and deeds of the old rulers of the civilised world4 ,besides collecting the coins1 ,i used to make careful drawings of the obverse and reverse faces of each in an illustrated catalogue which ,i kept in my little coin cabinet4 ,i remember one day1 when sitting beside my father making a very careful drawing of a fine bronze coin of ,augustus1 that ,sir ,walter ,scott entered the room4 ,he frequently called upon my father in order to consult him with respect to his architectural arrangements4 ,sir ,walter caught sight of me1 and came forward to look over the work ,i was engaged in4 ,at his request ,i had the pleasure of showing him my little store of coin treasures1 after which he took out of his waistcoat pocket a beautiful silver coin of the reign of ,mary ,queen of ,scots1 and gave it to me as being his young brother antiquarian4 ,i shall never forget the kind fatherly way in which he presented it4 ,i considered it a great honour to be spoken to in so friendly a way by such a man2 besides1 it vastly enriched my little collection of coins and medals4 ,it was in the year #ahag that ,i had the pleasure1 never to be forgotten1 of seeing the great engineer1 ,james ,watt4 ,he was then close upon his eighty-second year4 ,his visit to ,edinburgh was welcomed by the most distinguished scientific and literary men of the city4 ,my father had the honour of meeting him at a dinner given by the ,earl of ,buchan1 at his residence in ,george ,street4 ,there were present1 ,sir ,james ,hall1 ,president of the ,royal ,society2 ,francis ,jeffrey1 ,editor of the ,edinburgh ,review2 ,walter ,scott1 still the ,great ,unknown2 and many other distinguished notabilities4 ,the cheerful old man delighted them with his kindly talk1 as well as astonished them with the extent and profundity of his information4 ,on the following day ,mr4 ,watt paid my father a visit he carefully examined his artistic and other works4 ,having inspected with great pleasure some landscape paintings of various scenes in ,scotland executed by my sisters1 who were then highly efficient artists1 he purchased a specimen of each1 as well as three landscapes painted by my father1 as a record of his pleasant visit to the capital of his native country4 ,i well remember the sight ,i then got of the ,great ,engineer4 ,i had just returned from the ,high ,school when he was leaving my father's house4 ,it was but a glimpse ,i had of him4 ,but his benevolent countenance and his tall but bent figure made an impression on my mind that ,i can never forget4 ,it was even something to have seen for a few seconds so truly great and noble a man4 ,i did not long continue my passion for the collection of coins1 ,i felt a greater interest in mechanical pursuits4 ,i have a most cherished and grateful remembrance of the happy hours and days that ,i spent in my father's workroom4 ,when the weather was cold or wet 1he took refuge with his lathe and tools1 and there ,i followed and watched him4 ,he took the greatest pleasure in instructing me4 ,even in the most humble mechanical job he was sure to direct my attention to the action of the tools and to the construction of the work he had in hand1 and pointed out the manipulative processes requisite for its being effectually carried out4 ,my hearty zeal in assisting him was well rewarded by his implanting in my mind the great fundamental principles on which the practice of engineering in its grandest forms is based4 ,but ,i did not learn this all at once4 ,it came only gradually1 and by dint of constant repetition and inculcation4 ,in the meantime ,i made a beginning by doing some little mechanical work on my own account4 ,while attending the ,high ,school1 from #ahag to #ahbj1 there was the usual rage amongst boys for spinning-tops1 peeries1 and young cannon4 ,by means of my father's excellent foot-lathe ,i turned out the spinning-tops in capital style1 so much so that ,i be came quite noted amongst my school companions4 ,they all wanted to have specimens of my productions4 ,they would give any price for them4 ,the peeries were turned with perfect accuracy1 and the steel shod1 or spinning pivot1 was centred so as to correspond exactly with the axis of the top4 ,they could spin twice as long as the bought peeries4 ,when at full speed they would sleep1 that is1 revolve without the slightest waving4 ,this was considered high art as regarded top-spinning4 ,flying-kites and tissue paper balloons were articles that ,i was somewhat famed for producing4 ,there was a good deal of special skill required for the production of a flying-kite4 ,it must be perfectly still and steady when at its highest flight in the air4 ,paper messengers were sent up to it along the string which held it to the ground4 ,the top of the ,calton ,hill was the most favourite place for enjoying this pleasant amusement4 ,another article for which ,i became equally famous was the manufacture of small brass cannon4 ,these ,i cast and bored1 and mounted on their appropriate gun-carriages4 ,they proved very effective1 especially in the loudness of the report when fired4 ,i also converted large cellar-keys into a sort of hand-cannon4 ,a touch-hole was bored into the barrel of the key1 with a sliding brass collar that allowed the key-guns to be loaded and primed and ready for firing4 ,the principal occasion on which the brass cannon and hand-guns were used was on the #dth of ,june--,king ,george the ,thirds birthday4 ,this was always celebrated with exuberant and noisy loyalty4 ,the guns of the ,castle were fired at noon1 and the number of shots corresponded with the number of years that the king had reigned4 ,the grand old ,castle was enveloped in smoke1 and the discharges reverberated along the streets and among the surrounding hills4 ,everything was in holiday order4 ,the coaches were hung with garlands1 the shops were ornamented1 the troops were reviewed on ,bruntsfield ,links1 and the citizens drank the king's health at the ,gross1 throwing the glasses over their shoulders4 ,the boys fired off gunpowder1 or threw squibs or crackers from morning till night4 ,it was one of the greatest schoolboy events of the year4 ,my little brass cannon and hand-guns were very busy during that day4 ,they were fired until they became quite hot4 ,these were the pre-lucifer days4 ,the fire to light the powder at the touch-hole was obtained by the use of a flint1 a steel1 and a tinder-box4 ,the flint was struck sharply on the steel2 a spark of fire fell into the tinderbox1 and the match of hemp string1 soaked in saltpetre1 was readily lit1 and fired off the little guns4 ,i carried on quite a trade in forging beautiful little steels4 ,i forged them out of old files1 which proved excellent material for the purpose4 ,i filed them up into neat and correct forms1 and then hardened and tempered them1 secundum artem1 at the little furnace stove in my father's workroom1 where of course there were also a suitable anvil1 hammer1 and tongs4 ,i often made potent use of these steels in escaping from the ordeal of some severe task imposed upon me at school4 ,the schoolmaster often deputed his authority to the monitors to hear us say our lessons4 ,but when ,i slyly exhibited a beautiful steel the monitor could not maintain his grim sense of duty1 and he often let me escape the ordeal of repeating some passage from a ,latin school-book by obtaining possession of the article4 ,i thus bought myself off4 ,this system of bribery and corruption was no doubt shockingly improper1 but as ,i was not naturally endowed with the taste for learning ,latin and ,greek1 ,i continued my little diplomatic tricks until ,i left school4 ,as ,i have said1 ,i did not learn much at the ,high ,school4 ,my mind was never opened up by what was taught me there4 ,it was a mere matter of rote and cram4 ,i learnt by heart a number of ,latin rules and phrases1 but what ,i learnt soon slipped from my memory4 ,my young mind was tormented by the tasks set before me4 ,at the same time my hungry mind thirsted for knowledge of another kind4 ,there was one thing1 however1 that ,i did learn at the ,high ,school4 ,that was the blessings and advantages of friendship4 ,there were several of my schoolfellows of a like disposition with myself1 with whom ,i formed attachments which ended only with life4 ,i may mention two of them in particular--,jemmy ,patterson and ,tom ,smith4 ,the former was the son of one of the largest iron founders in ,edinburgh4 ,he was kind1 good1 and intelligent4 ,he and ,i were great cronies4 ,he took me to his father's workshops4 ,nothing could have been more agreeable to my tastes4 ,for there ,i saw how iron castings were made4 ,mill-work and steam-engines were repaired there1 and ,i could see the way in which power was produced and communicated4 ,to me it was a most instructive school of practical mechanics4 ,although ,i was only about thirteen at the time1 ,i used to lend a hand1 in which hearty zeal made up for want of strength4 ,i look back to these days1 especially to the ,saturday afternoons spent in the workshops of this admirably conducted iron foundry1 as a most important part of my education as a mechanical engineer4 ,i did not read about such things2 for words were of little use4 ,but ,i saw and handled1 and thus all the ideas in connection with them became permanently rooted in my mind4 ,each department of the iron foundry was superintended by an able and intelligent man1 who was distinguished not only by his ability but for his steadiness and sobriety4 ,the men were for the most part promoted to their fore-manship from the ranks1 and had been brought up in the workshop from their boyhood4 ,they possessed a strong individuality of character1 and served their employer faithfully and loyally4 ,one of these excellent men1 with whom ,i was frequently brought into contact1 was ,william ,watson4 ,he took special charge of all that related to the construction and repairs of steam-engines1 water-wheels1 and mill-work generally4 ,he was a skilful designer and draughtsman1 and an excellent pattern maker4 ,his designs were drawn in a bold and distinct style1 on large deal boards1 and were passed into the hands of the mechanics to be translated by them into actual work4 ,it was no small privilege to me to stand by1 and now and then hold the end of the long straight edge1 or by some humble but zealous genuine help of mine contribute to the progress of these substantial and most effective mechanical drawings4 ,watson explained to me1 in the most common-sense manner1 his reasons for the various forms1 arrangements1 and proportions of the details of his designs4 ,he was an enthusiast on the subject of ,euclid2 and to see the beautiful problems applied by him in working out his excellent drawings was to me a lesson beyond all price4 ,watson was effectively assisted by his two sons1 who carried out their father's designs in constructing the wood patterns after which the foundry-men or moulders reproduced their forms in cast iron1 while the smiths by their craft realised the wrought-iron portions4 ,those sons of ,mr4 ,watson were of that special class of workmen called millwrights-- a class now almost extinct1 though many of the best known engineers originally belonged to them4 ,they could work with equal effectiveness in wood or iron4 ,another foreman in ,mr4 ,patterson's foundry was called ,lewis4 ,he had special charge of the iron castings designed for architectural and ornamental purposes4 ,he was a man of great taste and artistic feeling1 and ,i was able even at that time to appreciate the beauty of his designs4 ,one of the most original characters about the foundry1 however1 was ,johnie ,syme4 ,he took charge of the old ,boulton and ,watt steam-engine1 which gave motion to the machinery of the works4 ,it also produced the blast for the ,cupolas1 in which the pig and cast iron scrap was daily melted and cast into the various objects produced in the foundry4 ,johnie was a complete incarnation of technical knowledge4 ,he was the ,jack-of-all-trades of the establishment2 and the standing counsel in every out-of-the-way case of managing and overcoming mechanical difficulties4 ,he was the superintendent of the boring machines4 ,in those days the boring of a steam-engine cylinder was considered high art in excelsis6 ,patterson's firm was celebrated for the accuracy of its boring4 ,i owe ,johnie ,syme a special debt of gratitude1 as it was he who first initiated me into that most important of all technical processes in practical mechanism--the art of hardening and temperinq steel4 ,it is1 perhaps1 not saying too much to assert that the successful practice of the mechanical arts1 by means of which man rises from the savage to the civilised state1 is due to that wonderful change4 ,man began with wood1 and stone1 and bone2 he proceeded to bronze and iron2 but it was only by means of hardened steel that he could accomplish anything in arms1 in agriculture1 or in architecture4 ,the instant hardening which occurs on plunging a red-hot piece of steel into cold water may well be described as mysterious4 ,even in these days1 when science has defined the causes of so many phenomena1 the reason of steel becoming hard on suddenly cooling it down from a red-heat1 is a fact that no one has yet explained4 ,the steel may be tempered by modifying the degree of heat to which it is afterwards subjected4 ,it may thus be toughened by slightly reheating the hardened steel2 the resoftening course is indicated by certain prismatic tints1 which appear in a peculiar order of succession on its surface4 ,the skilful artisan thus knows by experience the exact point at which it is necessary again to plunge it into cold water in order to secure the requisite combination of toughness and hardness to the steel required for his purposes4 ,in all these matters1 my early instructor1 ,johnie ,syme1 gave me such information as proved of the greatest use to me in the after progress of my mechanical career4 ,johnie ,syme was also the very incarnation of quaint sly humour2 and when communicating some of his most valued arcana of practical mechanical knowledge he always reminded me of some of ,ostade's ,dutchmen1 by an almost indescribable sly humorous twinkle of the eye1 which in that droll way stamped his information on my memory4 ,tom ,smith was another of my attached cronies4 ,our friendship began at the ,high ,school in #ahah4 ,our similarity of disposition bound us together4 ,smith was the son of an enterprising general merchant at ,leith4 ,his father had a special genius for practical chemistry4 ,he had established an extensive colour manufactory at ,portobello1 near ,edinburgh1 where he produced white lead1 red lead1 and a great variety of colours--in the preparation of which he required a thorough knowledge of chemistry4,tom ,smith inherited his father's tastes1 and admitted me to share in his experiments1 which were carried on in a chemical laboratory situated behind his father's house at the bottom of ,leith ,walk4 ,we had a special means of communication4 ,when anything particular was going on at the laboratory1 ,tom hoisted a white flag on the top of a high pole in his father's garden4 ,though ,i was more than a mile apart1 ,i kept a look-out in the direction of the laboratory with a spy-glass4 ,my father's house was at the top of ,leith ,walk1 and ,smith's house was at the bottom of it4 ,when the flag was hoisted ,i could clearly see the invitation to me to come down4 ,i was only too glad to run down the ,walk and join my chum1 and take part with him in some interesting chemical process4 ,mr4 ,smith1 the father1 made me heartily welcome4 ,he was pleased to see his son so much attached to me1 and he perhaps believed that ,i was worthy of his friendship4 ,we took zealous part in all the chemical proceedings1 and in that way ,tom was fitting himself for the business of his life4 ,mr4 ,smith was a most genial tempered man4 ,he was shrewd and quick-witted1 like a native of ,york1 as he was4 ,i received the greatest kindness from him as well as from his family4 ,his house was like a museum4 ,it was full of cabinets1 in which were placed choice and interesting objects in natural history1 geology1 mineralogy1 and metallurgy4 ,all were represented4 ,many of these specimens had been brought to him from abroad by his ship captains who transported his colour manufactures and other commodities to foreign parts4 ,my friend ,tom ,smith and ,i made it a rule--and in this we were encouraged by his father--that1 so far as was possible1 we ourselves should actually make the acids and other substances used in our experiments4 ,we were not to buy them ready made1 as this would have taken the zest out of our enjoyment4 ,we should have lost the pleasure and instruction of producing them by aid of our own wits and energies4 ,to encounter and overcome a difficulty is the most interesting of all things4 ,hence1 though often baffled1 we eventually produced perfect specimens of nitrous1 nitric1 and muriatic acids4 ,we distilled alcohol from duly fermented sugar and water1 and rectified the resultant spirit from fusel oil by passing the alcoholic vapour through animal charcoal before it entered the worm of the still4 ,we converted part of the alcohol into sulphuric ether4 ,we produced phosphorus from bones1 and elaborated many of the mysteries of chemistry4 ,the amount of practical information which we obtained by this system of making our own chemical agents was such as to reward us1 in many respects1 for the labour we underwent4 ,to outsiders it might appear a very troublesome and roundabout way of getting at the finally desired result4 ,but ,i feel certain that there is no better method of rooting chemical or any other instruction1 deeply in our minds4 ,indeed1 ,i regret that the same system is not pursued by young men of the present day4 ,they are seldom1 if ever1 called upon to exert their own wits and industry to obtain the requisites for their instruction4 ,a great deal is now said about technical education2 but how little there is of technical handiness or head work6 ,everything is bought ready made to their hands2 and hence there is no call for individual ingenuity4 ,i often observe1 in shop-windows1 every detail of model ships and model steam-engines1 supplied ready made for those who are said to be of an ingenious and mechanical turn4 ,thus the vital uses of resourcefulness are done away with1 and a sham exhibition of mechanical genius is paraded before you by the young impostors--the result1 for the most part1 of too free a supply of pocket money4 ,i have known too many instances of parents1 led by such false evidence of constructive skill1 apprenticing their sons to some engineering firm2 and1 after paying vast sums1 finding out that the pretender comes out of the engineering shop with no other practical accomplishment than that of cigar-smoking6 ,the truth is that the eyes and the fingers--the bare fingers--are the two principal inlets to sound practical instruction4 ,they are the chief sources of trustworthy knowledge as to all the materials and operations which the engineer has to deal with1 ,no book knowledge can avail for that purpose4 ,the nature and properties of the materials must come in through the finger ends4 ,hence1 ,i have no faith in young engineers who are addicted to wearing gloves4 ,gloves1 especially kid gloves1 are perfect non-conductors of technical knowledge4 ,this has really more to do with the efficiency of young aspirants for engineering success than most people are aware of6 ,,chapter #f4 ,mechanical ,beginnings4 ,i left the ,high ,school at the end of #ahbj4 ,i carried with me a small amount of ,latin1 and no ,greek4 ,i do not think ,i was much the better for my small acquaintance with the dead languages4 ,i wanted something more living and quickening4 ,i continued my studies at private classes4 ,arithmetic and geometry were my favourite branches4,the three first books of ,euclid were to me a new intellectual life4 ,they brought out my power of reasoning4 ,they trained me mentally4 ,they enabled me to arrive at correct conclusions1 and to acquire a knowledge of absolute truths4 ,it is because of this that ,i have ever since held the beautifully perfect method of reasoning1 as exhibited in the exact method of arriving at ,q4,e4,d41 to be one of the most satisfactory efforts and exercises of the human intellect4 ,besides visiting and taking part in the works at ,patterson's foundry1 and joining in the chemical experiments at ,smith's laboratory1 my father gave me every opportunity for practising the art of drawing4 ,he taught me to sketch with exactness every object1 whether natural or artificial1 so as to enable the hand to accurately reproduce what the eye had seen4 ,in order to acquire this almost invaluable art1 which can serve so many valuable purposes in life1 he was careful to educate my eye1 so that ,i might perceive the relative proportions of the objects placed before me4 ,he would throw down at random a number of bricks1 or pieces of wood representing them1 and set me to copy their forms1 their proportions1 their lights and shadows respectively4 ,i have often heard him say that any one who could make a correct drawing in regard to outline1 and also indicate by a few effective touches the variation of lights and shadows of such a group of model object's1 might not despair of making a good and correct sketch of the exterior of ,york ,minster6 ,my father was an enthusiast in praise of this graphic language1 and ,i have followed his example4 ,in fact1 it formed a principal part of my own education4 ,it gave me the power of recording observations with a few graphic strokes of the pencil1 which far surpassed in expression any number of mere words4 ,this graphic eloquence is one of the highest gifts in conveying clear and correct ideas as to the forms of objects--whether they be those of a simple and familiar kind1 or of some form of mechanical construction1 or of the details of fine building1 or the characteristic features of a wide-stretching landscape4 ,this accomplishment of accurate drawing1 which ,i achieved for the most part in my father's work-room1 served me many a good turn in future years with reference to the engineering work which became the business of my life4 ,i was constantly busy4 ,mind1 hands1 and body were kept in a state of delightful and instructive activity4 ,when not drawing1 ,i occupied myself in my father's workshop at the lathe1 the furnace1 or the bench4 ,i gradually became initiated into every variety of mechanical and chemical manipulation4 ,i made my own tools and constructed my chemical apparatus1 as far as lay in my power4 ,with respect to the latter1 ,i constructed a very handy and effective blowpipe apparatus1 consisting of a small air force-pump1 connected with a cylindrical vessel of tin plate4 ,by means of an occasional use of the handy pump1 it yielded such a fine steady blowpipe blast1 as enabled me to bend glass tubes and blow bulbs for thermometers1 to analyse metals or mineral substances1 or to do any other work for which intense heat was necessary4 ,my natural aptitude for manipulation1 whether in mechanical or chemical operations1 proved very serviceable to myself as well as to others2 and 7as will be shown hereafter7 it gained for me the friendship of many distinguished scientific men4 ,but ,i did not devote myself altogether to experiments4 ,exercise is as necessary for the body as the mind4 ,without full health a man cannot enjoy comfort1 nor can he possess endurance4 ,i therefore took plenty of exercise out of doors4 ,i accompanied my father in his walks round ,edinburgh4 ,my intellect was kept alive during these delightful excursions4 ,for sometimes my father was accompanied by brother-artists1 whose conversation is always so attractive2 and sometimes by scientific men1 such as ,sir ,james ,hall1 ,professor ,leslie1 ,dr4 ,brewster1 and others4 ,whatever may have been my opportunities for education so-called1 nothing could have better served the purpose of real education 7the evolution of the mental faculties7 than the opportunities ,i enjoyed while accompanying and listening to the conversation of men distinguished for their originality of thought and their high intellectual capacity4 ,this was a mental culture of the best kind4 ,the volcanic origin of the beautiful scenery round ,edinburgh was often the subject of their conversation4 ,probably few visitors are aware that all those remarkable eminences1 which give to the city and its surroundings so peculiar and romantic an aspect1 are the results of the operation1 during inconceivably remote ages1 of volcanic force penetrating the earth's crust by disruptive power1 and pouring forth streams of molten lava1 now shrunk and cooled into volcanic rock4 ,the observant eye1 opened by the light of ,science1 can see unmistakable evidences of a condition of things which were in action at periods so remote as1 in comparison1 to shrink up the oldest of human records into events of yesterday4 ,i had often the privilege of standing by and hearing the philosophic ,leslie1 ,brewster1 and ,hall1 discussing these volcanic remains in their actual presence2 sometimes at ,arthur's ,seat or on the ,calton ,hill1 or at the rock on which ,edinburgh ,castle stands1 ,their observations sank indelibly into my memory1 and gave me the key to the origin of this grand class of terrestrial phenomena4 ,when standing at the ,giant's ,ribs1 on the south side of ,arthur's ,seat1 ,i felt as if one of the grandest pages of the earth's history lay open before me4 ,the evidences of similar volcanic action abound in many other places near ,edinburgh2 and they may be traced right across ,scotland from the ,bass ,rock to ,fingal's ,cave1 the ,giant's ,causeway in ,antrim1 and ,slievh ,league on the south-west coast of ,donegal in ,ireland4 ,volcanic action1 in some inconceivably remote period of the earth's crust history1 has been the ,plough1 and after denudation by water1 has been the ,harrow1 by which the originally deep-seated mineral treasures of the globe have been brought within the reach of man's industrial efforts4 ,it has thus yielded him inexhaustible mineral harvests1 and helped him to some of the most important material elements in his progress towards civilisation4 ,it is from this consideration that1 while enjoying the results of these grand fundamental actions of the ,creator's mighty agencies in their picturesque aspect1 the knowledge of their useful results to man adds vastly to the grandeur of the contemplation of their aspect and nature4 ,this great subject caused me1 even at this early period of my life1 to behold with special interest the first peep at the structure of the moon's surface1 as revealed to me by an excellent ,ramsden spy-glass1 which my father possessed1 and thus planted the seed of that earnest desire to scrutinise more minutely the moon's wonderful surface1 which in after years ,i pursued by means of the powerful reflecting telescopes constructed by myself4 ,to turn to another subject4 ,in #ahbb the loyalty of ,scotland was greatly excited when ,george the ,fourth paid his well-known visit to ,edinburgh4 ,it was then the second greatest city in the kingdom1 and had not been visited by royalty for about #agj years4 ,the civic authorities1 and the inhabitants generally1 exerted themselves to the utmost to give the king a cordial welcome1 in spite of a certain feeling of dissatisfaction as to his personal character4 ,the recent trial and death of ,queen ,caroline had not been forgotten1 yet all such recollections were suppressed in the earnest desire to show every respect to the royal visitor4 ,edinburgh was crowded with people from all parts of the country2 heather was arrayed on every bonnet and hat2 and the reception was on the whole magnificent4 ,perhaps the most impressive spectacle was the orderliness of the multitude1 all arrayed in their ,sunday clothes4 ,the streets1 windows2 and house-tops were crowded2 and the ,calton ,hill1 ,salisbury ,crags1 and even ,arthur's ,seat it self1 were covered with people4 ,on the night before the arrival a gigantic bonfire on ,arthur's ,seat lit up with a tremendous blaze the whole city1 as well as the surrounding country4 ,it formed a magnificent and picturesque sight1 illuminating the adjacent mountains as well as the prominent features of the city4 ,it made one imagine that the grand old volcanic mountain had once more1 after a rest of some hundreds of thousands of years1 burst out again in its former vehemence of eruptive activity4 ,there were1 of course1 many very distinguished men who took part in the pageant of the king's entry into ,edinburgh1 but none of them had their presence more cordially acknowledged than ,sir ,walter ,scott1 who never felt more proud of his own romantic town than he did upon this occasion4 ,it is unnecessary to mention the many interesting features of the royal reception4 ,the king's visit lasted for seven or eight days1 and everything passed off loyally1 orderly1 happily1 and successfully4 ,shortly after this time there was a great deal of distress among the labouring classes4 ,all the manufacturing towns were short of employment1 and the weavers and factory workers were thrown upon the public4 ,many of the workmen thought that politics were the causes of their suffering4 ,radical clubs were formed1 and the ,glasgow weavers began to drill at nights in the hopes of setting things to rights by means of physical force4 ,a large number of the starving weavers came to ,edinburgh4 ,a committee was formed1 and contributions were collected1 for the purpose of giving them temporary employment4 ,they were set to work to make roads and walks round the ,calton ,hill and ,crags4 ,the fine walk immediately under the precipitous crags1 which opens out such perfect panoramic views of ,edinburgh1 was made by these poor fellows4 ,it was hard work for their delicate hands and fingers1 which before had been accustomed only to deal with threads and soft fabrics4 ,they were very badly suited for handling the mattock1 shovel1 and hand-barrow4 ,the result of their labours1 however1 proved of great advantage to ,edinburgh in opening up the beauties of its scenery4 ,the road round the crags is still called ,the ,radical ,road4 ,let me here mention one of the most memorable incidents of the year #ahbd4 ,i refer to the destructive fire which took place in the old town of ,edinburgh4 ,it broke out in an apartment situated in one of the highest piles of houses in the ,high ,street4 ,in spite of every effort of the firemen the entire pile was gutted and destroyed4 ,the fire was thought to be effectually arrested2 but towards the afternoon of the next day smoke was observed issuing from the upper part of the steeple of the ,tron ,church4 ,the steeple was built of timber1 covered with lead4 ,there is never smoke but there is fire2 and at last the flames burst forth4 ,the height of the spire was so lofty that all attempts to extinguish the fire were hopeless4 ,the lead was soon melted1 and rushed in streams into the street below4 ,at length the whole steeple fell down with a frightful crash4 ,i happened to see the first outbreak of this extraordinary fire1 and ,i watched its progress to its close4 ,burning embers were carried by the wind and communicated the fire to neighbouring houses4 ,the last outburst took place one night about ten4 ,all the fire-engines of ,edinburgh and the neighbourhood were collected round the buildings1 and played water upon the flames1 but without effect4 ,whole ranges of lofty old houses were roaring with fire4 ,in the course of two or three hours1 several acres1 covered by the loftiest and most densely crowded houses in the ,high ,street1 were in a blaze4 ,some of them were of thirteen stories4 ,floor after floor came crashing down1 throwing out a blaze of embers4 ,the walls of each house acted as an enormous chimney --the windows acting as draught-holes4 ,the walls1 under the intense heat1 were fluxed and melted into a sort of glass4 ,the only method of stopping the progress of the fire was to pull down the neighbouring houses1 so as to isolate the remaining parts of the ,high ,street4 ,as the parapet of the grand old tower of the ,high ,church1 ,st4 ,giles1 was near the site of the fire1--so near as to enable one to look down into it1--my father obtained permission to ascend1 and ,i with him4 ,when we emerged from the long dark spiral stairs on to the platform on the top of the tower1 we found a select party of the most distinguished inhabitants looking down into the vast area of fire2 and prominent among them was ,sir ,walter ,scott4 ,at last1 after three days of tremendous efforts1 the fire was subdued2 but not till after a terrible destruction of property4 ,the great height of the ruined remains of the piles of houses rendered it impossible to have them removed by the ordinary means4 ,after several fruitless attempts with chains and ropes1 worked by capstans1 to pull them down1 gunpowder was at last resorted to4 ,mines were dug under each vast pile2 one or two barrels of gunpowder were placed into them and fired2 and then the before solid masses came tumbling down amidst clouds of dust4 ,the management of this hazardous but eventually safe process was conducted by ,captain ,basil ,ball4 ,he ordered a crew of sailors to be brought up from the man-of-war guardship in the ,firth of ,forth2 and by their united efforts the destruction of the ruined walls was at last successfully accomplished4 ,in the autumn of #ahbc1 when ,i was fifteen years old1 ,i had a most delightful journey with my father4 ,it was the first occasion on which ,i had been a considerable distance from home4 ,and yet the journey was only to ,stirling4 ,my father had received a commission to paint a view of the castle as seen from the ruins of ,cambuskenneth ,abbey1 situated a few miles from the town4 ,we started from ,newhaven by a small steamboat1 passing1 on our way up the ,firth1 ,queensferry1 ,culross1 and ,alloa4 ,we then entered the windings of the river1 from which ,i saw the ,ochils1 a noble range of bright green mountains4 ,the passage of the steamer through the turns and windings of the ,forth was most interesting4 ,we arrived at ,stirling1 and at once proceeded to ,cambuskenneth ,abbey1 where there was a noble old ,gothic tower4 ,this formed the foreground of my father's careful sketch1 with ,stirling ,castle in the background1 and ,ben ,lomond with many other of the ,highland mountains in the distance4 ,as my father wished to make a model of the ,gothic tower1 he desired me to draw it carefully1 and to take the dimensions of all the chief parts as well as to make detailed sketches of its minor architectural features4 ,it was a delightful autumn afternoon1 and1 before the day had closed1 our work at the abbey was done4 ,we returned to ,stirling and took a walk round the castle to see the effect of the sun setting behind the ,highland mountains4 ,next morning we visited the castle4 ,i was much interested with the interior1 especially with a beautifully decorated ,gothic oratory or private chapel1 used by the ,scottish kings when they resided at ,stirling4 ,the oratory had been converted with great taste into an ante-drawingroom of the governor's house4 ,the exquisite decorations of this chapel99 footnote444 ,this exquisite specimen of a carved oak ,gothic apartment had a terrible incident in ,scottish history connected with it4 ,it was in this place that ,the ,douglas intruded his presence on ,james the ,third4 ,he urged his demands in a violent and threatening manner1 and afterwards laid hands upon the king4 ,the latter1 in defending himself with his dagger1 wounded the ,douglas mortally2 and to get rid of the body the king cast it out of the window of the chapel1 where it fell down the precipitous rock underneath4 ,the chapel has since been destroyed by fire4 444 were the first specimens of ,gothic carving in oak that ,i had ever seen1 and they seemed to put our modern carvings to shame4 ,the ,great ,hall1 where the ,scottish ,parliament used to meet1 was also very interesting as connected with the ancient history of the country4 ,from ,stirling we walked to ,alloa1 passing the picturesque cascades rushing down the cleft's of the ,ochils4 ,we put up for the night at ,clackmannan1 a very decayed and melancholy-looking village1 though it possessed a fine specimen of the ,scottish castellated tower4 ,it is said that ,robert ,bruce slept here before the ,battle of ,bannockburn4 ,but the most interesting thing that ,i saw during the journey was the ,devon ,ironworks4 ,i had read and heard about the processes carried on there in smelting iron ore and running it into pig-iron4 ,the origin of the familiar trade term pig-iron is derived from the result of the arrangement most suitable for distributing the molten iron as it rushes forth from the opening made at the bottom part of the blast-furnace2 when1 after its reduction from the ore1 it collects in a fluid mass of several tons weight4 ,previous to tapping the furnace a great central channel is made in the sand-covered floor of the forge2 this central channel is then subdivided into many lateral branches or canals1 into which the molten iron flows1 and eventually hardens4 ,the great steam-engine that worked the blast furnace was the largest ,i had ever seen4 ,a singular expedient was employed at these works1 of using a vast vault hewn in the solid rock of the hillside for the purpose of storing up the blast produced by the engines1 and so equalising the pressure2 thus turning a mountain side into a reservoir for the use of a blast-furnace4 ,this seemed to me a daring and wonderful engineering feat4 ,we waited at the works until the usual time had arrived for letting out the molten iron which had been accumulating at the lower part of the blast-furnace4 ,it was a fine sight to see the stream of white-hot iron flowing like water into the large gutter immediately before the opening4 ,from this the molten iron flowed on until it filled the moulds of sand which branched off from the central gutter4 ,the iron left in the centre1 when cooled and broken up1 was called sow metal1 while that in the branches was called pig iron2 the terms being derived from the appearance of a sow engaged in its maternal duties4 ,the pig-iron is thus cast in handy-sized pieces for the purpose of being transported to other iron foundries2 while the clumsy sow metal is broken up and passes through another process of melting1 or is reserved for foundry uses at the works where it is produced4 ,after inspecting with great pleasure the machinery connected with the foundry1 we took our leave and returned to ,edinburgh by steamer from ,alloa4 ,shortly after1 ,i had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of ,robert ,bald1 the well-known mining engineer4 ,he was one of the most kind-hearted men ,i have ever known4 ,he was always ready to communicate his knowledge to young and old4 ,his sound judgment and long practical experience in regard to coal-mining and the various machinery connected with it1 rendered him a man of great importance in the northern counties1 where his advice was eagerly sought for4 ,besides his special knowledge1 he had a large acquaintance with literature and science4 ,he was bright1 lively1 and energetic4 ,he was a living record of good stories1 and in every circle in which he moved he was the focus of cheerfulness4 ,in fact1 there was no greater social favourite in ,edinburgh than ,robert ,bald4 ,bald was very fond of young people1 and he became much attached to me4 ,he used to come to my father's house1 and often came in to see what ,i was about in the work-room4 ,he was rejoiced to see the earnest and industrious manner in which ,i was employed1 in preparing myself for my proposed business as an engineer4 ,he looked over my tools1 mostly of my own making1 and gave me every encouragement4 ,when he had any visitors he usually brought them and introduced them to me4 ,in this way ,i had the happiness to make the acquaintance of ,robert ,napier1 ,nelson1 and ,cook1 of ,glasgow2 and in after life ,i continued to enjoy their friendship4 ,it would be difficult for me to detail the acts of true disinterested kindness which ,i continued to receive from this admirable man4 ,on several occasions he wished me to accompany him on his business journeys1 in order that ,i might see some works that would supply me with valuable information4 ,he had designed a powerful pumping engine to drain more effectually a large colliery district situated near ,bannockburn--close to the site of the great battle in the time of ,robert the ,bruce4 ,he invited me to join him4 ,it was with the greatest pleasure that ,i accepted his invitation2 for there would be not only the pleasure of seeing a noble piece of steam machinery brought into action for the first time1 but also the enjoyment of visiting the celebrated ,carron ,ironworks4 ,the ,carron ,ironworks are classic ground to engineers4 ,they are associated with the memory of ,roebuck1 ,watt1 and ,miller of ,dalswinton4 ,for there ,roebuck and ,watt began the first working steam-engine2 ,miller applied the steam-engine to the purposes of navigation1 and invented the ,carronade gun4 ,the works existed at an early period in the history of ,british iron manufacture4 ,much of the machinery continued to be of wood4 ,although effective in a general way it was monstrously cumbrous4 ,it gave the idea of vast power and capability of resistance1 while it was far from being so in reality4 ,it was1 however1 truly imposing and impressive in its effect upon strangers4 ,when seen partially lit up by the glowing masses of white-hot iron1 with only the rays of bright sunshine gleaming through a few holes in the roof1 and the dark1 black1 smoky vaults in which the cumbrous machinery was heard rumbling away in the distance--while the moving parts were dimly seen through the murky atmosphere1 mixed with the sounds of escaping steam and rushes of water2 with the half-naked men darting about with masses of red-hot iron and ladles full of molten cast-iron--it made a powerful impression upon the mind4 ,i was afterwards greatly interested by a collection of old armour1 dug up from the field of the ,battle of ,bannockburn close at hand4 ,they were arranged on the walls of the house of the manager of the ,carron ,ironworks4 ,there were swords1 daggers1 lances1 battle-axes1 shields1 and coats of chain-armour4 ,some of the latter were whole1 others in fragmentary portions4 ,i was particularly interested with the admirable workmanship of the coats of mail4 ,the iron links extended from the covering of the head to the end of the arms1 and from the shoulders down to the hips1 in one linked iron fabric4 ,the beauty and exactness with which this chain-armour had been forged and built up were truly wonderful4 ,there must have been giants in those days4 ,this grand style of armour was in use from the time of the ,conquest1 and was most effective in the way of protection1 as it was fitted by its flexibility to give full play to the energetic action of the wearer4 ,it was infinitely superior to the senseless plate-armour that was used1 at a subsequent period1 to encase soldiers like lobsters4 ,the chain-armour ,i saw at ,carron left a deep impression on my mind4 ,i never see a bit of it1 or of its representation in the figures on our grand tombs of the thirteenth century1 but ,i think of my first sight of it at ,carron and of the tremendous conflict at ,bannockburn4 ,remembering1 also1 the impressive sight of the picturesque fire-lit halls1 and the terrible-looking1 cumbrous machinery which ,i first beheld on a grand scale at ,carron1 ,i have often regretted that some of our artists do not follow up the example set them by that admirable painter1 ,wright of ,derby1 and treat us to the pictures of some of our great ironworks4 ,they not only abound with the elements of the picturesque in its highest sense1 but also set forth the glory of the useful arts in such a way as would worthily call forth the highest power of our artists4 ,to return to my life at ,edinburgh4 ,i was now seventeen years old4 ,i had acquired a considerable amount of practical knowledge as to the use and handling of mechanical tools1 and ,i desired to turn it to some account4 ,i was able to construct working models of steam-engines and other apparatus required for the illustration of mechanical subjects4 ,i began with making a small working steam engine for the purpose of grinding the oil-colours used by my father in his artistic work4 ,the result was quite satisfactory4 ,many persons came to see my active little steam-engine at work1 and they were so pleased with it that ,i received several orders for small workshop engines1 and also for some models of steam-engines to illustrate the subjects taught at ,mechanics' ,institutions4 ,image ,sectional model of condensing steam-engine4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth ,i contrived a sectional model of a complete condensing steam-engine of the beam and parallel motion construction4 ,the model1 as seen from one side1 exhibited every external detail in full and due action when the flywheel was moved round by hand2 while1 on the other or sectional side1 every detail of the interior was seen1 with the steam-valves and air-pump1 as well as the motion of the piston in the cylinder1 with the construction of the piston and the stuffing box1 together with the slide-valve and steam passages1 all in due position and relative movement4 ,the first of these sectional models of the steam-engine was made for the ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts1 where its uses in instructing mechanics and others in the application of steam were highly appreciated4 ,the second was made for ,professor ,leslie1 of the ,edinburgh ,university1 for use in his lectures on ,natural ,philosophy4 ,the professor had1 at his own private cost1 provided a complete and excellent set of apparatus1 which1 for excellent workmanship and admirable utility1 had never1 ,i believe1 been provided for the service of any university4 ,he was so pleased with my addition to his class-room apparatus1 that1 besides expressing his great thanks for my services1 he most handsomely presented me with a free ticket to his ,natural ,philosophy class as a regular student1 so long as it suited me to make use of his instruction4 ,but far beyond this1 as a reward for my earnest endeavours to satisfy this truly great philosopher1 was the kindly manner in which he on all occasions communicated to me conversationally his original and masterly views on the great fundamental principles of ,natural ,philosophy-- especially as regarded the principles of ,dynamics and the ,philosophy of ,mechanics4 ,the clear views which he communicated in his conversation1 as well as in his admirable lectures1 vividly illustrated by the experiments which he had originated1 proved of great advantage to me2 and ,i had every reason to consider his friendship and his teaching as amongst the most important elements in my future success as a practical engineer4 ,having referred to the ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts1 ,i feel it necessary to say something about the origin of that excellent institution4 ,a committee of the most distinguished citizens of ,edinburgh was formed for the purpose of instituting a college in which working men and mechanics might possess the advantages of instruction in the principles on which their various occupations were conducted4 ,among the committee were ,leonard ,horner1 ,francis ,jeffrey1 ,henry ,cockburn1 ,john ,murray of ,henderland1 ,alexander ,bryson1 ,james ,mline1 ,john ,miller1 the ,lord ,provost1 and various members of the ,council4 ,their efforts succeeded1 and the institution was founded4 ,the classes were opened in #ahba1 in which year ,i became a student4 ,in order to supply the students1 who were chiefly young men of the working class1 with sound instruction in the various branches of science1 the lectures were delivered and the classes were superintended by men of established ability in their several departments4 ,this course was regularly pursued from its fundamental and elementary principles to the highest point of scientific instruction4 ,the consecutive lectures and examinations extended1 as in the ,university1 from ,october to ,may in each year's session4 ,it was1 in fact1 our first technical college4 ,in these later days when so many of our so-called ,mechanics' ,institutes are merely cheap reading-clubs for the middle classes1 and the lectures are delivered for the most part merely for a pleasant evening' s amusement1 it seems to me that we have greatly departed from the original design with which ,mechanics' ,institutions were founded4 ,as the ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts was intended for the benefit of mechanics1 the lectures and classes were held in the evening after the day's work was over4 ,the lectures on chemistry were given by ,dr4 ,fyfe --an excellent man4 ,his clearness of style1 his successful experiments1 and the careful and graphic method by which he carried his students from the first fundamental principles to the highest points of chemical science1 attracted a crowded and attentive audience4 ,not less interesting were the lectures on ,mechanical ,philosophy1 which in my time were delivered by ,dr4 ,lees and ,mr4,buchanan4 ,the class of ,geometry and ,mathematics was equally well conducted1 though the attendance was not so great4 ,the building which the directors had secured for the lecture-hall and class-rooms of the institution was situated at the lower end of ,niddry ,street1 nearly under the great arch of the ,south ,bridge4 ,it had been built about a hundred years before1 and was formerly used by an association of amateur musicians1 who gave periodical concerts of vocal and instrumental music4 ,the orchestra was now converted into a noble lecture table1 with accommodation for any amount of apparatus that might be required for the purposes of illustration4 ,the seats were arranged in the body of the hall in concentric segments1 with the lecture table as their centre4 ,in an alcove fight opposite the lecturer might often be seen the directors of the institution-- ,jeffrey1 ,horner1 ,murray1 and others--who took every opportunity of dignifying by their presence this noble gathering of earnest and intelligent working men4 ,a library of scientific books was soon added to the institution1 by purchases or by gifts4 ,such was the eagerness to have a chance of getting the book you wanted that ,i remember standing on many occasions for some time amidst a number of applicants awaiting the opening of the door on an evening library night4 ,it was as crowded as if ,i had been standing at the gallery door of the theatre on a night when some distinguished star from ,london was about to make his appearance4 ,there was the same eagerness to get a good place in the lecture-room1 as near to the lecture table as possible1 especially on the chemistry nights4 ,i continued my regular attendance at this admirable institution from #ahba to #ahbf4 ,i am glad to find that it still continues in active operation4 ,in ,november #ahhj the number of students attending the ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts amounted to two thousand five hundred6 ,i have been led to this prolix account of the beginning of the institution by the feeling that ,i owe a deep debt of gratitude to it1 and because of the instructive and intellectually enjoyable evenings which ,i spent there1 in fitting myself for entering upon the practical work of my life4 ,the successful establishment of the ,edinburgh ,school of ,arts had a considerable effect throughout the country4 ,similar institutions were established1 lectures were delivered1 and the necessary illustrations were acquired--above all1 the working models of the steam-engine4 ,there was quite a run upon me for supplying them4 ,my third working model was made to the order of ,robert ,bald1 for the purpose of being presented to the ,alloa ,mechanics' ,institute2 the fourth was manufactured for ,mr4 ,g4 ,buchanan1 who lectured on mechanical subjects throughout the country2 and the fifth was supplied to a ,mr4 ,offley1 an ,english gentleman who took a fancy for the model when he came to purchase some of my father's works4 ,the price ,i charged for my models was #aj2 and with the pecuniary results ,i made over one-third to my father1 as a sort of help to remunerate him for my keep1 and with the rest ,i purchased tickets of admission to certain classes in the ,university4 ,i attended the ,chemistry course under ,dr4 ,hope2 the ,geometry and ,mathematical course under ,professor ,wallace2 and the ,natural ,philosophy course under my valued friend and patron ,professor ,leslie4 ,what with my attendance upon the classes1 and my workshop and drawing occupations1 my time did not hang at all heavy on my hands4 ,i got up early in the mornings to work at my father's lathe1 and ,i sat up late at night to do the brass castings in my bedroom4 ,some of this1 however1 ,i did during the day-time1 when not attending the ,university classes4 ,the way in which ,i converted my bedroom into a brass foundry was as follows3 ,i took up the carpet so that there might be nothing but the bare boards to be injured by the heat4 ,my furnace in the grate was made of four plates of stout sheet-iron1 lined with fire-brick1 corner to corner4 ,to get the requisite sharp draught ,i bricked up with single bricks the front of the fireplace1 leaving a hole at the back of the furnace for the short pipe just to fit into4 ,the fuel was generally gas coke and cinders saved from the kitchen4 ,the heat ,i raised was superb--a white heat1 sufficient to melt in a crucible six or eight pounds of brass4 ,then ,i had a box of moulding sand1 where the moulds were gently rammed in around the pattern previous to the casting4 ,but how did ,i get my brass8 ,all the old brassworks in my father's workshop drawers and boxes were laid under contribution4 ,this brass being for the most part soft and yellow1 ,i made it extra hard by the addition of a due proportion of tin4 ,it was then capable of retaining a fine edge4 ,when ,i had exhausted the stock of old brass1 ,i had to buy old copper1 or new1 in the form of ingot or tile copper1 and when melted ,i added to it one-eighth of its weight of pure tin1 which yielded the strongest alloy of the two metals4 ,when cast into any required form this was a treat to work1 so sound and close was the grain1 and so durable in resisting wear and tear4 ,this is the true bronze or gun metal4 ,when melted1 the liquid brass was let into the openings1 until the whole of the moulds were filled4 ,after the metal cooled it was taken out2 and when the room was sorted up no one could have known that my foundry operations had been carried on in my bedroom4 ,my brass foundry was right over my father's bedroom4 ,he had forbidden me to work late at night1 as ,i did occasionally on the sly4 ,sometimes when ,i ought to have been asleep ,i was detected by the sound of the ramming in of the sand of the moulding boxes4 ,on such occasions my father let me know that ,i was disobeying his orders by rapping on the ceiling of his bedroom with a slight wooden rod of ten feet that he kept for measuring purposes4 ,but ,i got over that difficulty by placing a bit of old carpet under my moulding boxes as a non-conductor of sound1 so that no ramming could afterwards be heard4 ,my dear mother also was afraid that ,i should damage my health by working so continuously4 ,she would come into the workroom late in the evening1 when ,i was working at the lathe or the vice1 and say1 ,ye'll kill yerself1 laddie1 by working so hard and so late4 ,yet she took a great pride in seeing me so busy and so happy4 ,nearly the whole of my steam-engine models were made in my father's workroom4 ,his foot-lathe and stove1 together with my brass casting arrangements in my bedroom1 answered all my purposes in the way of model making4 ,but ,i had at times to avail myself of the smithy and foundry that my kind and worthy friend1 ,george ,douglass1 had established in the neighbourhood4 ,he had begun business as a jobbing smith1 but being a most intelligent and energetic workman1 he shot ahead and laid the foundations of a large trade in steam-engines4 ,when ,i had any part of a job in hand that was beyond the capabilities of my father's lathe1 or my bedroom casting apparatus1 ,i immediately went to ,douglass's smithy1 where every opportunity was afforded me for carrying on my larger class of work4 ,his place was only about five minutes' walk from my father's house4 ,i had the use of his large turning-lathe1 which was much more suitable for big or heavy work than the lathe at home4 ,when any considerable bit of steel or iron forging had to be done1 a forge fire and anvil were always placed at my service4 ,in making my flywheels for the sectional models of steam-engines ,i had a rather neat and handy way of constructing them4 ,the boss of the wheel of brass was nicely bored2 the arm-holes were carefully drilled and taped1 so as to allow the arms which ,i had turned to be screwed in and appear like neat columns of round wrought iron or steel screwed into the boss of the flywheel4 ,in return for the great kindness of ,george ,douglass in allowing me to have the use of his foundry1 ,i resolved to present him with a specimen of my handiwork4 ,i desired to try my powers in making a more powerful steam-engine than ,i had as yet attempted to construct1 in order to drive the large turning-lathe and the other tools and machinery of his small foundry4 ,i accordingly set to work and constructed a direct-acting1 high-pressure steam-engine1 with a cylinder four inches in diameter4 ,i use the term direct acting1 because ,i dispensed with the beam and parallel motion1 which was generally considered the correct mode of transferring the action of the piston to the crank4 ,the result of my labours was a very efficient steam-engine1 which set all the lathes and mechanical tools in brisk activity of movement4 ,it had such an enlivening effect upon the workmen that ,george ,douglass afterwards told me that the busy hum of the wheels1 and the active1 smooth1 rhythmic sound of the merry little engine had1 through some sympathetic agency1 so quickened the stroke of every hammer1 chisel1 and file in his workmen's hands1 that it nearly doubled the output of work for the same wages6 ,the sympathy of activity acting upon the workmen's hands cannot be better illustrated than by a story told me by my father4 ,a master tailor in a country town employed a number of workmen4 ,they had been to see some tragic melodrama performed by some players in a booth at the fair4 ,a very slow1 doleful1 but catching air was played1 which so laid hold of the tailors' fancy that for some time after they were found slowly whistling or humming the doleful ditty1 the movement of their needles keeping time to it2 the result was that the clothing that should have been sent home on ,saturday was not finished until the ,wednesday following4 ,the music had done it6 ,the master tailor1 being something of a philosopher1 sent his men to the play again2 but he arranged that they should be treated with lively merry airs4 ,the result was that the lively airs displaced the doleful ditty2 and the tailors' needles again reverted to even more than their accustomed quickness4 ,however true the story may be1 it touches an important principle in regard to the stimulation of activity by the rapid movements or sounds of machinery1 which influence every workman within their sight or hearing4 ,we all know the influence of a quick merry air1 played by fife and drum1 upon the step and marching of a regiment of soldiers4 ,it is the same with the quick movements of a steam-engine upon the activity of workmen4 ,i may add that my worthy friend1 ,george ,douglass1 derived other advantages from the construction of my steam-engine4 ,being of an enterprising disposition he added another iron foundry to his smaller shops2 he obtained many good engineering tools1 and in course of time he began to make steam-engines for agricultural purposes4 ,these were used in lieu of horse power for thrashing corn1 and performing several operations that used to be done by hand labour in the farmyards4 ,orders came in rapidly1 and before long the chimneys of ,douglass's steam-engines were as familiar in the country round ,edinburgh as corn stacks4 ,all the large farms1 especially in ,midlothian and ,east ,lothian1 were supplied with his steam-engines4 ,the business of ,george ,douglass became very large2 and in course of time he was enabled to retire with a considerable fortune4 ,in addition to the steam-engine which ,i presented to ,douglass1 ,i received an order to make another from a manufacturer of braiding4 ,his machines had before been driven by hand labour2 but as his business extended1 the manufacturer employed me to furnish him with all engine of two-horse power1 which was duly constructed and set to work1 and gave him the highest satisfaction4 ,image ,james ,nasmyth's ,expansometer1 #ahbf4 ,i may here mention that one of my earliest attempts at original contrivance was an ,expansometer--an instrument for measuring in bulk all metals and solid substances4 ,the object to be experimented on was introduced into a tube of brass1 with as much water round it as to fill the tube4 ,the apparatus was then plunged into a vessel of boiling water1 or heated to boiling point2 when the total expansion of the bar was measured by a graduated scale1 as seen in the annexed engraving4 ,by this simple means the expansion of any material might be ascertained under various increments of heat1 say from #fj;deg to #bl#b;deg4 ,it was simply a thermometer1 the mass marking its own expansion4 ,dr4 ,brewster was so much pleased with the apparatus that he described it and figured it in the ,edinburgh ,philosophical ,journal1 of which he was then editor4 ,image ,the road steam-carriage4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth4 ,about the year #ahbg1 when ,i was nineteen years old1 the subject of steam carriages to run upon common roads occupied considerable attention4 ,several engineers and mechanical schemers had tried their hands1 but as yet no substantial results had come of their attempts to solve the problem4 ,like others1 ,i tried my hand4 ,having made a small working model of a steam-carriage1 ,i exhibited it before the members of the ,scottish ,society of ,arts4 ,the performance of this active little machine was so gratifying to the ,society that they requested me to construct one of such power as to enable four or six persons to be conveyed along the ordinary roads4 ,the members of the ,society1 in their individual capacity1 subscribed #fj1 which they placed in my hands as the means for carrying out their project4 ,i accordingly set to work at once4 ,i had the heavy parts of the engine and carriage done at ,anderson's foundry at ,leith4 ,there was in ,anderson's employment a most able general mechanic named ,robert ,maclaughlan1 who had served his time at ,carmichaels' of ,dundee4 ,anderson possessed some excellent tools1 which enabled me to proceed rapidly with the work4 ,besides1 he was most friendly1 and took much delight in being concerned in my enterprise4 ,this big job was executed in about four months4 ,the steam-carriage was completed and exhibited before the members of the ,society of ,arts4 ,many successful trials were made with it on the queensferry ,road1 near ,edinburgh4 ,the runs were generally of four or five miles1 with a load of eight passengers sitting on benches about three feet from the ground4 ,the experiments were continued for nearly three months1 to the great satisfaction of the members4 ,i may mention that in my steam-carriage ,i employed the waste steam to create a blast or draught by discharging it into the short chimney of the boiler at its lowest part1 and found it most effective4 ,i was not at that time aware that ,george ,stephenson and others had adopted the same method2 but it was afterwards gratifying to me to find that ,i had been correct as regards the important uses of the steam blast in the chimney4 ,in fact1 it is to this use of the waste steam that we owe the practical success of the locomotive-engine as a tractive power on railways1 especially at high speeds4 ,the ,society of ,arts did not attach any commercial value to my steam road-carriage4 ,it was merely as a matter of experiment that they had invited me to construct it4 ,when it proved successful they made me a present of the entire apparatus4 ,as ,i was anxious to get on with my studies1 and to prepare for the work of practical engineering1 ,i proceeded no further4 ,i broke up the steam-carriage and sold the two small high-pressure engines1 provided with a compact and strong boiler1 for #fg1 a sum which more than defrayed all the expenses of the construction and working of the machine4 ,i still continued to make investigations as to the powers and capabilities of the steam-engine4 ,there were numerous breweries1 distilleries1 and other establishments1 near ,edinburgh1 where such engines were at work4 ,as they were made by different engineers1 ,i was desirous of seeing them and making sketches of them1 especially when there was any special peculiarity in their construction4 ,i found this a most favourite and instructive occupation4 ,the engine tenters became very friendly with me1 and they we re always glad to see me interested in them and their engines4 ,they were especially delighted to see me make drafts1 as they called my sketches1 of the engines under their charge4 ,my father sometimes feared that my too close and zealous application to engineering work might have a bad effect upon my health4 ,my bedroom work at brass casting1 my foundry work at the making of steam-engines1 and my studies at the ,university classes1 were perhaps too much for a lad of my age1 just when ,i was in the hobbledehoy state--between a boy and a man4 ,whether his apprehensions were warranted or not1 it did so happen that ,i was attacked with typhus fever in #ahbh1 a disease that was then prevalent in ,edinburgh4 ,i had a narrow escape from its fatal influence4 ,but thanks to my good constitution1 and to careful nursing1 ,i succeeded in throwing off the fever1 and after due time recovered my usual health and strength4 ,in the course of my inspection of the engines made by different makers1 ,i was impressed with the superiority of those made by the ,carmichaels of ,dundee4 ,they were excellent both in design and in execution4 ,i afterwards found that the ,carmichaels were among the first of the ,scottish engine makers who gave due attention to the employment of improved mechanical tools1 with the object of producing accurate work with greater ease1 rapidity1 and economy1 than could possibly be effected by the hand labour of even the most skilful workmen4 ,i was told that the cause of the excellence of the ,carmichaels' work was not only in the ability of the heads of the firm1 but in their employment of the best engineers' tools4 ,some of their leading men had worked at ,maudslay's machine shop in ,london1 the fame of which had already reached ,dundee2 and ,maudslay's system of employing machine tools had been imported into the northern steam factory4 ,i had on many occasions1 when visiting the works where steam-engines were employed1 heard of the name and fame of ,maudslay4 ,i was told that his works were the very centre and climax of all that was excellent in mechanical workmanship4 ,these reports built up in my mind1 at this early period of my aspirations1 an earnest and hopeful desire that ,i might some day get a sight of ,maudslay's celebrated works in ,london4 ,in course of time it developed into a passion4 ,i will now proceed to show how my inmost desires were satisfied4 ,,chapter #g4 ,henry ,maudslay1 ,london ,the chief object of my ambition was now to be taken on at ,henry ,maudslay's works in ,london4 ,i had heard so much of his engineering work1 of his assortment of machine-making tools1 and of the admirable organisation of his manufactory1 that ,i longed to obtain employment there4 ,i was willing to labour1 in however humble a capacity1 in that far-famed workshop4 ,i was aware that my father had not the means of paying the large premium required for placing me as an apprentice at ,maudslay's works4 ,i was also informed that ,maudslay had ceased to take pupils4 ,after experience1 he found that the premium apprentices caused him much annoyance and irritation4 ,they came in gloves2 their attendance was irregular2 they spread a bad example amongst the regular apprentices and workmen2 and on the whole they were found to be very disturbing elements in the work of the factory4 ,it therefore occurred to me that1 by showing some specimens of my work and drawings1 ,i might be able to satisfy ,mr4 ,maudslay that ,i was not an amateur1 but a regular working engineer4 ,with this object ,i set to work1 and made with special care a most complete working model of a high-pressure engine4 ,the cylinder was #b inches diameter1 and the stroke #f inches4 ,every part of the engine1 including the patterns1 the castings1 the forgings1 were the results of my own individual handiwork4 ,i turned out this sample of my ability as an engineer workman in such a style as even now ,i should be proud to own4 ,in like manner ,i executed several specimens of my ability as a mechanical draughtsman2 for ,i knew that ,maudslay would thoroughly understand my ability to work after a plan4 ,mechanical drawing is the alphabet of the engineer4 ,without this the workman is merely a hand4 ,with it he indicates the possession of a head ,i also made some samples of my skill in hand-sketching of machines1 and parts of machines1 in perspective--that is1 as such objects really appear when set before us in their natural aspect4 ,i was the more desirous of exhibiting the ability which ,i possessed in mechanical draughtsmanship1 as ,i knew it to be a somewhat rare and much-valued acquirement4 ,it was a branch of delineative art that my father had carefully taught me4 ,throughout my professional life ,i have found this art to be of the utmost practical value4 ,having thus provided myself with such visible and tangible evidences of my capabilities as a young engineer1 ,i carefully packed up my working model and drawings1 and prepared to start for ,london4 ,on the #aith of ,may #ahbi1 accompanied by my father1 ,i set sail by the ,leith smack ,edinburgh ,castle1 ,captain ,orr1 master4 ,after a pleasant voyage of four days we reached the mouth of the ,thames4 ,we sailed up from the ,nore on ,saturday afternoon1 lifted up1 as it were1 by the tide1 for it was almost a dead calm the whole way4 ,the sight of the banks of the famous river1 with the ,kent orchards in full blossom1 and the frequent passages of steamers with bands of music and their decks crowded with pleasure-seekers1 together with the sight of numbers of noble merchant ships in the river1 formed a most glorious and exciting scene4 ,it was also enhanced by the thought that ,i was nearing the great metropolis1 around which so many bright but anxious hopes were centred1 as the scene of my first important step into the anxious business of life1 ,the tide1 which had carried us up the river as far as ,woolwich suddenly turned2 and we remained there during the night4 ,early next morning the tide rose1 and we sailed away again4 ,it was a bright mild morning4 ,the sun came dancing up the east as we floated past wharfs and woodyards and old houses on the banks1 past wherries and coal boats and merchant ships on the river1 until we reached our destination at the ,irongate ,wharf1 near the ,tower of ,london4 ,i heard ,st4 ,paul's clock strike six just as we reached our mooring ground4 ,captain ,orr was kind enough to allow us to make the ship our hotel during the ,sunday1 as it was by no means convenient for us to remove our luggage on that day4 ,my father took me ashore and we walked to ,regent's ,park4 ,one of my sisters1 who was visiting a friend in ,london1 was residing in that neighbourhood4 ,my father so planned his route as to include many of the most remarkable streets and buildings and sights of ,london4 ,he pointed out the principal objects1 and gave me much information about their origin and history4 ,i was much struck with the beautiful freshness and luxuriant growth of the trees and shrubs in the squares2 for spring was then in its first beauty4 ,the loveliness of ,regent's ,park surprised me4 ,the extent of the space1 the brilliancy of the fresh-leaved trees1 and the handsome buildings by which the park was surrounded1 made it seem to me more splendid than a picture from the ,arabian ,nights4 ,under the happy aspect of a brilliant ,may forenoon1 this first long walk through ,london1 with all its happy attendant circumstances1 rendered it one of the most vividly remembered incidents in my life4 ,after visiting my sister and giving her all the details of the last news from home1 she joined us in our walk down to ,westminster ,abbey4 ,the first view of the interior stands out in my memory as one of the most impressive sights ,i ever beheld4 ,i had before read1 over and over again1 the beautiful description of the ,abbey given by ,washington ,irving in the ,sketch ,book1 one of the most masterly pieces of writing that ,i know of ,i now found one of my day-dreams realised4 ,we next proceeded over ,westminster ,bridge to call upon my brother ,patrick4 ,we found him surrounded by paintings from his beautiful sketches from ,nature4 ,some of them were more or less advanced in the form of exquisite pictures1 which now hang on many walls1 and will long commemorate his artistic life4 ,we closed this ever memorable day by dining at a tavern at the ,surrey end of ,waterloo ,bridge4 ,we sat at an upper window which commanded a long stretch of the river1 and from which we could see the many remarkable buildings1 from ,st4 ,paul's to ,westminster ,abbey and the ,houses of ,parliament1 which lay on the other side of the ,thames4 ,on the following day my father and ,i set out in search of lodgings1 hotels being at that time beyond our economical method of living4 ,we succeeded in securing a tidy lodging at ,no4 #ad ,agues ,place1 ,waterloo ,road4 ,the locality had a special attraction for me1 as it was not far from that focus of interest--,maudslay's factory4 ,our luggage was removed from the ship to the lodgings1 and my ponderous cases1 containing the examples of my skill as an engineer workman1 were deposited in a carpenter's workshop close at hand4 ,i was now anxious for the interview with ,maudslay4 ,my father had been introduced to him by a mutual friend some two or three years before1 and that was enough4 ,on the morning of ,may the #bfth we set out together1 and reached his house in ,westminster ,road1 ,lambeth4 ,it adjoined his factory4 ,my father knocked at the door4 ,my own heart beat fast4 ,would he be at home8 ,would he receive us8 ,yes6 he was at home2 and we were invited to enter4 ,mr4 ,maudslay received us in the most kind and frank manner4 ,after a little conversation my father explained the object of his visit4 ,my son1 he said1 pointing to me1 is very anxious to have the opportunity of acquiring a thorough practical knowledge of mechanical engineering1 by serving as an apprentice in some such establishment as yours ,well1 replied ,maudslay1 ,i must frankly confess to you that my experience of pupil apprentices has been so unsatisfactory that my partner and myself have determined to discontinue to receive them--no matter at what premium4 ,this was a very painful blow to myself2 for it seemed to put an end to my sanguine expectations4 ,mr4 ,maudslay knew that my father was interested in all matters relating to mechanical engineering1 and he courteously invited him to go round the works4 ,of course ,i accompanied them4 ,the sight of the workshops astonished me4 ,they excelled all that ,i had anticipated4 ,the beautiful machine tools1 the silent smooth whirl of the machinery1 the active movements of the men1 the excellent quality of the work in progress1 and the admirable order and management that pervaded the whole establishment1 rendered me more tremblingly anxious than ever to obtain some employment there1 in however humble a capacity4 ,mr4 ,maudslay observed the earnest interest which ,i and my father took in everything going on1 and explained the movements of the machinery and the rationale of the proceedings in the most lively and kindly manner4 ,it was while we were passing from one part of the factory to another that ,i observed the beautiful steam-engine which gave motion to the tools and machinery of the workshops4 ,the man who attended it was engaged in cleaning out the ashes from under the boiler furnace1 in order to wheel them away to their place outside4 ,on the spur of the moment ,i said to ,mr4 ,maudslay1 ,if you would only permit me to do such a job as that in your service1 ,i should consider myself most fortunate6 ,i shall never forget the keen but kindly look that he gave me4 ,so 1 said he1 you are one of that sort1 are you8 ,i was inwardly delighted at his words4 ,when our round of the works was concluded1 ,i ventured to say to ,mr4 ,maudslay that ,i had brought up with me from ,edinburgh some working models of steam-engines and mechanical drawings1 and ,i should feel truly obliged if he would allow me to show them to him8 ,by all means1 said he2 bring them to me tomorrow at twelve o'clock4 ,i need not say how much pleased ,i was at this permission to exhibit my handiwork1 and how anxious ,i felt as to the result of ,mr4 ,maudslay's inspection of it4 ,i carefully unpacked my working model of the steam-engine at the carpenter's shop1 and had it conveyed1 together with my drawings1 on a hand-cart to ,mr4 ,maudslay's next morning at the appointed hour4 ,i was allowed to place my work for his inspection in a room next his office and counting-house4 ,i then called at his residence close by1 where he kindly received me in his library4 ,he asked me to wait until he and his partner1 ,joshua ,field1 had inspected my handiwork4 ,i waited anxiously4 ,twenty long minutes passed4 ,at last he entered the room1 and from a lively expression in his countenance ,i observed in a moment that the great object of my long cherished ambition had been attained6 ,he expressed1 in good round terms1 his satisfaction at my practical ability as a workman engineer and mechanical draughtsman4 ,then1 opening the door which led from his library into his beautiful private workshop1 he said1 ,this is where ,i wish you to work1 beside me1 as my assistant workman4 ,from what ,i have seen there is no need of an apprenticeship in your case4 ,he then proceeded to show me the collection of exquisite tools of all sorts with which his private workshop was stored4 ,they mostly bore the impress of his own clearheadedness and common-sense4 ,they were very simple1 and quite free from mere traditional forms and arrangements4 ,at the same time they were perfect for the special purposes for which they had been designed4 ,the workshop was surrounded with cabinets and drawers1 filled with evidences of the master's skill and industry4 ,every tool had a purpose4 ,it had been invented for some special reason4 ,sometimes it struck the keynote1 as it were1 to many of the important contrivances which enable man to obtain a complete mastery over materials4 ,there were also hung upon the walls1 or placed upon shelves1 many treasured relics of the first embodiments of his constructive genius4 ,there were many models explaining1 step by step1 the gradual progress of his teeming inventions and contrivances4 ,the workshop was thus quite a historical museum of mechanism4 ,it exhibited his characteristic qualities in construction4 ,i afterwards found out that many of the contrivances preserved in his private workshop were treasured as suggestive of some interesting early passage in his useful and active life4 ,they were kept as relics of his progress towards mechanical perfection4 ,when he brought them out from time to time1 to serve for the execution of some job in hand1 he was sure to dilate upon the occasion that led to their production1 as well as upon the happy results which had followed their general employment in mechanical engineering4 ,it was one of his favourite maxims1 ,first1 get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish1 and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it4 ,another was ,keep a sharp look-out upon your materials2 get rid of every pound of material you can do without2 put to yourself the question1 ',what business has it to be there8 avoid complexities1 and make everything as simple as possible4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was full of quaint maxims and remarks1 the result of much shrewdness1 keen observation1 and great experience4 ,they were well worthy of being stored up in the mind1 like a set of proverbs1 full of the life and experience of men4 ,his thoughts became compressed into pithy expressions exhibiting his force of character and intellect4 ,his quaint remarks on my first visit to his workshop1 and on subsequent occasions1 proved to me invaluable guides to right thinking in regard to all matters connected with mechanical structure4 ,mr4 ,maudslay seemed at once to take me into his confidence4 ,he treated me in the most kindly manner--not as a workman or an apprentice1 but as a friend4 ,i was an anxious listener to everything that he said2 and it gave him pleasure to observe that ,i understood and valued his conversation4 ,the greatest treat of all was in store for me4 ,he showed me his exquisite collection of taps and dies and screw-tackle1 which he had made with the utmost care for his own service4 ,they rested in a succession of drawers near to the bench where he worked4 ,there was a place for every one1 and every one was in its place4 ,there was a look of tidiness about the collection which was very characteristic of the man4 ,order was one of the rules which he rigidly observed1 and he endeavoured to enforce it upon all who were in his employment4 ,he proceeded to dilate upon the importance of the uniformity of screws4 ,some may call it an improvement1 but it might almost be called a revolution in mechanical engineering which ,mr4 ,maudslay introduced4 ,before his time no system had been followed in proportioning the number of threads of screws to their diameter4 ,every bolt and nut was thus a speciality in itself1 and neither possessed nor admitted of any community with its neighbours4 ,to such an extent had this practice been carried that all bolts and their corresponding nuts had to be specially marked as belonging to each other4 ,any intermixture that occurred between them led to endless trouble and expense1 as well as inefficiency and confusion1--especially when parts of complex machines had to be taken to pieces for repairs4 ,none but those who lived in the comparatively early days of machine manufacture can form an adequate idea of the annoyance1 delay1 and cost of this utter want of system1 or can appreciate the vast services rendered to mechanical engineering by ,mr4 ,maudslay1 who was the first to introduce the practical measures necessary for its remedy4 ,in his system of screw-cutting machinery1 and in his taps and dies1 and screw-tackle generally1 he set the example1 and in fact laid the foundation1 of all that has since been done in this most essential branch of machine construction4 ,those who have had the good fortune to work under him1 and have experienced the benefits of his practice1 have eagerly and ably followed him2 and thus his admirable system has become established throughout the entire mechanical world4 ,mr4 ,maudslay kept me with him for about three hours1 initiating me into his system4 ,it was with the greatest delight that ,i listened to his wise instruction4 ,the sight of his excellent tools1 which he showed me one by one1 filled me with an almost painful feeling of earnest hope that ,i might be able in any degree to practically express how thankful ,i was to be admitted to so invaluable a privilege as to be in close communication with this great master in all that was most perfect in practical mechanics4 ,when he concluded his exposition1 he told me in the most kindly manner that it would be well for me to take advantage of my father's presence in ,london to obtain some general knowledge of the metropolis1 to see the most remarkable buildings1 and to obtain an introduction to some of my father's friends4 ,he gave me a week for this purpose1 and said he should be glad to see me at his workshop on the following ,monday week4 ,it singularly happened that on the first day my father went out with me1 he encountered an old friend4 ,he had first known him at ,mr4 ,miller's of ,dalswinton1 when the first steamboat was tried1 and afterwards at ,edinburgh while he was walking the courts as an advocate1 or writing articles for the ,edinburgh ,review4 ,this was no other than ,henry ,brougham4 ,he was descending the steps leading into ,st4 ,james's ,park1 from the place where the ,duke of ,york's monument now stands4 ,brougham immediately recognised my father4 ,there was a hearty shaking of hands1 and many inquiries on either side4 ,and what brings you to ,london now8 asked ,brougham4 ,my father told him that it was about his son here1 who had obtained an important position at ,maudslay's the engineer4 ,if ,i can do anything for you1 said ,brougham1 addressing me1 let me know4 ,it will afford me much pleasure to give you introductions to men of science in ,london4 ,i ventured to say that ,of all the men of science in ,london that ,i most wished to see1 was ,mr4 ,faraday of the ,royal ,institution4 ,well1 said ,brougham1 ,i will send you a letter of introduction4 ,we then parted4 ,my father availed himself of the opportunity of introducing me to several of his brother artists4 ,we first went to the house of ,david ,wilkie1 in ,church ,street1 ,kensington4 ,we found him at home1 and he received us most kindly4 ,we next visited ,clarkson ,stanfield1 ,david ,roberts1 and some other artists4 ,they were much attached to my father1 and had1 in the early part of their career1 received much kindness from him while living in ,edinburgh4 ,they all expressed the desire that ,i should visit them frequently4 ,i had thus the privilege of entree to a number of pleasant and happy homes1 and my visits to them while in ,london was one of my principal sources of enjoyment4 ,on returning home to our lodgings that evening we found a note from ,brougham1 enclosing letters of introduction to ,faraday and other scientific men2 and stating that if at any time he could be of service to me he hoped that ,i would at once make use of him4 ,my father was truly gratified with the substantial evidence of ,brougham's kindly remembrance of him2 and ,i8 how could ,i be grateful enough8 not only for my father's never-failing attention to my growth in knowledge and wisdom1 but to his ever-willing readiness to help me onward in the path of scientific working and mechanical engineering4 ,and now ,i was fortunate in another respect1 in being admitted to the school1 and ,i may say the friendship1 of the admirable ,henry ,maudslay4 ,everything now depended upon myself1 and whether ,i was worthy of all these advantages or not4 ,one of the days of this most interesting and memorable week was devoted to accompanying ,mr4 ,maudslay in a visit to ,somerset ,house4 ,in the ,admiralty ,museum1 then occupying a portion of the building1 was a complete set of the working models of the celebrated block-making machinery4 ,most of these were the result of ,maudslay's own skilful handiwork4 ,he also designed1 for the most part1 this wonderful and complete series of machines4 ,sir ,samuel ,bentham and ,mr4 ,brunel had given the idea1 and ,maudslay realised it in all its mechanical details4 ,these working models contained the prototypes of nearly all the modern engineer tools which have given us so complete mastery over materials1 and done so much for the age we live in4 ,it added no little to the enjoyment of this visit to hear ,mr4 ,maudslay narrate1 in his quaint and graphic language1 the difficulties he had to encounter in solving so many mechanical problems4 ,it occupied him nearly six years to design and complete these working models4 ,they were forty-four in number--all masterly pieces of workmanship4 ,to describe them was to him like living over again the most interesting and eventful part of his life4 ,and no doubt the experience which he had thus obtained formed the foundation of his engineering fortunes4 ,mr4 ,maudslay next conducted us to the ,royal ,mint on ,tower ,hill4 ,here we saw many of his admirable machines at work4 ,he had a happy knack1 in his contrivances and inventions1 of making short cuts to the object in view4 ,he avoided complexities1 did away with roundabout processes1 however ingenious1 and went direct to his point4 ,simplicity was his maxim in every mechanical contrivance4 ,his mastermind enabled him to see through and attain the end he sought by the simplest possible means4 ,the reputation which he had acquired by his minting machinery enabled him to supply it in its improved form to the principal ,governments of the world4 ,some of the other days of the week were occupied by my father in attending to his own professional affairs1 more particularly in connection with the ,earl of ,cassilis--whose noble mansion in ,london1 and whose castle at ,colzean1 on the coast of ,ayrshire1 contain some of my father's finest works4 ,the last day was most enjoyable4 ,mr4 ,maudslay invited my father1 my brother ,patrick1 and myself1 to accompany him in his beautiful small steam yacht1 the ,endeavour1 from ,westminster to ,richmond ,bridge1 and afterwards to dine with him at the ,star and ,garter4 ,i must first1 however1 say something of the origin of the ,endeavour4 ,mr4 ,maudslay's son1 ,joseph1 inherited much of his father's constructive genius4 ,he had made a beautiful arrangement of ,william ,murdoch's original invention of the vibrating cylinder steam-engine1 and adapted it for the working of paddle-wheel steamers4 ,he first tried the action of the arrangement in a large working model1 and its use was found to be in every respect satisfactory4 ,mr4 ,maudslay resolved to give his son's design a full-sized trial4 ,he had a combined pair of vibrating engines constructed1 of upwards of #bj horse-power1 which were placed in a beautiful small steam vessel1 appropriately named the ,endeavour4 ,the result was perfectly successful4 ,the steamer became a universal favourite4 ,it was used to convey passengers and pleasure parties from ,blackfriars ,bridge to ,richmond4 ,eventually it became the pioneer of a vast progeny of vessels propelled by similar engines1 which still crowd the ,thames4 ,all these are the legitimate descendants of the bright and active little ,endeavour4 ,to return to my trip to ,richmond4 ,we got on board the boat on the forenoon of ,may the #bith4 ,it was one of the most beautiful days of the year4 ,the spring was at its loveliest4 ,the bright fresh green of the trees was delightful4 ,i shall never forget the pleasure with which ,i beheld1 for the first time1 the beautiful banks of the ,thames4 ,there was at that time a noble avenue of elm trees extending along the southern bank of the river1 from ,westminster ,bridge to ,lambeth ,palace2 while1 on the northern side1 many equally fine trees added picturesque grace to the then ,houses of ,parliament1 while behind them were seen the great roof of ,westminster ,hall and the noble towers of ,westminster ,abbey4 ,as we sped along we admired the ancient cedars1 which gave dignity to the ,bishop's grounds1 on the one side1 and the elms1 laburnums1 and lilacs1 then in full bloom1 which partially shaded the quaint old mansions of ,cheyne ,row1 on the other4 ,alas6 the march of improvement and the inevitable extension of the metropolis is rapidly destroying these vestiges of the olden time4 ,the beautiful views that came into sight1 as we glided up the river1 kept my father and my brother in a state of constant excitement4 ,there were so many truly picturesque and paintable objects4 ,patrick's deft pencil was constantly at work1 taking graphic notes of glorious bits ,dilapidated farm-buildings1 old windmills1 pollarded willows1 were rapidly noted1 to be afterwards revisited and made immortal by his brush4 ,there were also the fine mansions and cosy villas1 partially shrouded by glorious trees1 with their bright velvety lawns sloping down towards the river2 not forgetting the delicate streams of thin blue smoke rising lazily through the trees in the tranquil summer air1 and reminding one of the hospitable preparations then in progress4 ,we landed at ,richmond ,bridge1 and walked up past the quaint old-fashioned mansions which gave so distinct a character to ,richmond at that time4 ,we then passed on to the celebrated ,richmond ,terrace1 at the top of the hill1 from which so glorious a view of the windings of the ,thames is seen1 with the luxuriant happy-looking landscape around4 ,the enjoyment of this glorious day now reached its climax4 ,we dined in the great dining-room1 from the large windows of which we observed a view almost unmatched in the world1 with the great tower of ,windsor in the distance4 ,i need not speak of the entertainment1 which was everything that the kindest and most genial hospitality could offer4 ,after a pleasant stroll in the ,park1 amidst the noble and venerable oak trees1 which give such a dignity to the place1 and after another visit to the ,terrace1 where we saw the sun set in a blaze of glory beyond the distant scenery1 we strolled down the hill to the steamer1 and descended the ,thames in the cool of the summer evening4 ,i must not1 however1 omit to mention the lodgings taken for me by my father before he left ,london4 ,it was necessary that they should be near ,maudslay's works for the convenience of going and coming4 ,we therefore looked about in the neighbourhood of ,waterloo ,road4 ,one of the houses we visited was situated immediately behind the ,surrey theatre4 ,it seemed a very nice tidy house1 and my father seemed to have taken a liking for it4 ,but when we were introduced into the room where ,i was to sleep1 he observed an ultra-gay bonnet lying on the bed1 with flashy bright ribbons hanging from it4 ,this sight seemed to alter his ideas1 and he did not take the lodgings2 but took another where there was no such bonnet4 ,i have no doubt about what passed through his mind at the time4 ,we were in the neighbourhood of the theatre4 ,there was evidently some gay young woman about the house4 ,he thought the position might be dangerous for his son4 ,i afterwards asked him why we had not taken that nice lodging4 ,well1 he said1 did not you see that ultra-gay bonnet lying on the bed8 ,i think that looks rather suspicious6 ,afterwards he added1 ,at all events1 ,james1 you will find that though there are many dirty roads in life1 if you use your judgment you may always be able to find a clean crossing6 ,and so the good man left me4 ,after an affectionate parting he returned to ,edinburgh1 and ,i remained in ,london to work out the plan of my life4 ,,chapter #h4 ,maudslay's ,private ,assistant ,on the morning of ,monday1 the #cjth of ,may #ahbi1 ,i commenced my regular attendance at ,mr4 ,maudslay's workshop4 ,my first job was to assist him in making some modifications in the details of a machine which he had contrived some years before for generating original screws4 ,i use the word generating as being most appropriate to express the objects and results of one of ,mr4 ,maudslay's most original inventions4 ,it consisted in the employment of a knife-edged hardened steel instrument1 so arranged as to be set at any required angle1 and its edge caused to penetrate the surface of a cylindrical bar of soft steel or brass4 ,this bar being revolved under the incisive action of the angularly placed knife-edged instrument1 it thus received a continuous spiral groove cut into its surface4 ,it was then in the condition of a rudimentary screw2 the pitch1 or interval between the threads1 being determined by the greater or less angle of obliquity at which the knife-edged instrument was set with respect to the axis of the cylindrical bars revolving under its incisive action4 ,the spiral groove1 thus generated1 was deepened to the required extent by a suitable and pointed hard steel tool firmly held in the jaws of an adjustable slide made for the purpose1 as part and parcel of the bed of the machine4 ,in the case of square-threaded screws being required1 a square-pointed tool was employed in place of the ,v or angle-threaded tool4 ,and in order to generate or produce right hand or left hand screws1 all that was necessary was to set the knife-edged instrument to a right or left hand inclination in respect to the axis of the cylindrical bar at the outset of the operation4 ,this beautiful and truly original contrivance became1 in the hands of its inventor1 the parent of a vast progeny of perfect screws1 whose descendants1 whether legitimate or not1 are to be found in every workshop throughout the world1 wherever first-class machinery is constructed4 ,the production of perfect screws was one of ,maudslay's highest ambitions and his principal technical achievement4 ,it was a type of his invaluable faculty of solving the most difficult problems by the most direct and simple methods4 ,it was by the same method that he produced the ,guide screw4 ,his screw-cutting lathe was moved by combination wheels1 and by its means he could1 by the one ,guide screw1 obtain screws of every variety of pitch and diameter4 ,as an illustration of its complete accuracy ,i may mention that by its means a screw of five feet in length and two inches in diameter was cut with fifty threads to the inch2 the ,nut to fit on to it being twelve inches long1 and containing six hundred threads6 ,this screw was principally used for dividing scales for astronomical and other metrical purposes of the highest class4 ,by its means divisions were produced with such minuteness that they could only be made visual by a microscope4 ,this screw was sent for exhibition to the ,society of ,arts4 ,it is still preserved with the utmost care at the ,lambeth ,works amongst the many admirable specimens of ,henry ,maudslay's inventive genius and delicate handiwork4 ,every skilled mechanic must thoroughly enjoy the sight of it1 especially when he knows that it was not produced by an exceptional tool1 but by the machine that was daily employed in the ordinary work of the factory4 ,i must not1 however1 omit to say that ,i took an early opportunity of presenting ,brougham's letter of introduction to ,faraday at the ,royal ,institution4 ,i was received most cordially by that noble-minded man1 whose face beamed with goodness and kindness4 ,after some pleasant conversation he said he would call upon me at ,maudslay's1 whom he knew very well4 ,not long after ,faraday called1 and found me working beside ,maudslay in his beautiful little workshop4 ,a vice had been fitted up for me at the bench where he himself daily worked4 ,faraday expressed himself as delighted to find me in so enviable a position4 ,he congratulated me on my special good fortune in having the inestimable advantage of being associated as assistant workman with one of the greatest mechanical engineers of the day4 ,mr4 ,maudslay offered to conduct ,faraday through his workshops1 and ,i was permitted to accompany them4 ,i was much impressed with the intelligent conversation of ,faraday1 as well as with the quickness he exhibited in appreciating not only the general excellence of the design and execution of the works in progress1 but his capacity for entering into the technical details of the composite tools and machinery which he saw during his progress through the place4 ,this most pleasant and memorable meeting with the great philosopher initiated a friendship which ,i had the good fortune to continue until the close of his life4 ,it was1 of course1 an immense advantage for me to be so intimately associated with ,mr4 ,maudslay in carrying on his experimental work4 ,i was not1 however1 his apprentice1 but his assistant workman4 ,it was necessary1 therefore1 in his opinion1 that ,i should receive some remuneration for my services4 ,accordingly1 at the conclusion of my first week in his service1 he desired me to go to his chief cashier and arrange with him for receiving whatever amount of weekly wages ,i might consider satisfactory4 ,i went to the counting-house and had an interview with ,mr4 ,young the cashier1 a most worthy man99 footnote444 ,i may mention that he was brother to ,dr4 ,thomas ,young1 the celebrated natural philosopher4 444 ,knowing as ,i did the great advantages of my situation1 and having a very modest notion of my own worthiness to occupy it1 ,i said1 in answer to ,mr4 ,young's question as to the amount of wages ,i desired1 that if he did not think ten shillings a week too much ,i could do well enough with that4 ,very well said he1let it be so ,and he handed me over half a sovereign6 ,i had determined1 after ,i obtained a situation1 not to cost my father another shilling4 ,i knew how many calls he had upon him1 at a time when he had his own numerous household to maintain4 ,i therefore resolved1 now that ,i had begun life on my own resources1 to maintain myself1 and to help him rather than be helped any longer4 ,thus the first half-sovereign ,i received from ,mr4 ,young was a great event in my life4 ,it was the first wages1 as such1 that ,i had ever received4 ,i well remember the high satisfaction ,i felt as ,i carried it home to my lodgings2 and all the more so as ,i was quite certain that ,i could1 by strict economy and good management1 contrive to make this weekly sum of ten shillings meet all my current expenses4 ,i had already saved the sum of #bj1 which ,i placed in the bank as a deposit account4 ,it was the residue of the sale of some of my model steam-engines at ,edinburgh4 ,my readers will remember that ,i brought with me a model steam-engine to show to ,mr4 ,maudslay as a specimen of my handiwork4 ,it had gained for me the situation that ,i desired1 and ,i was now willing to dispose of it4 ,i found a purchaser in ,mr4 ,watkins1 optician at ,charing ,cross1 who supplied such apparatus to lecturers at ,mechanics' ,institutions4 ,he gave me #ce for the model1 and ,i added the sum to my deposit account4 ,this little fund was quite sufficient to meet any expenses beyond those of a current weekly nature4 ,image ,my cooking stove99 footnote444 ,i have this handy apparatus by me still2 and to prove its possession of its full original efficiency ,i recently set it in action after its rest of fifty years1 and found that it yielded results quite equal to my grateful remembrance of its past services4 444 ,but ,i was resolved that my wages alone should maintain me in food and lodging4 ,i therefore directed my attention to economical living4 ,i found that a moderate dinner at an eating-house would cost move than ,i could afford to spend4 ,in order to keep within my weekly income ,i bought the raw materials and cooked them in my own way and to my own taste4 ,i set to and made a drawing of a very simple1 compact1 and handy cooking apparatus4 ,i took the drawing to a tinsmith near at hand1 and in two days ,i had it in full operation4 ,the apparatus cost ten shillings1 including the lamp4 ,as it contributed in no small degree to enable me to carry out my resolution1 and as it may serve as a lesson to others who have an earnest desire to live economically1 ,i think it may be useful to give a drawing and a description of my cooking stove4 ,the cooking or meat pan rested on the upper rim of the external cylindrical case1 and was easily removable in order to be placed handy for service4 ,the requisite heat was supplied by an oil lamp with three small single wicks1 though ,i found that one wick was enough4 ,i put the meat in the pot1 with the other comestibles1 at nine o'clock in the morning4 ,it simmered away all day1 until half-past six in the evening1 when ,i came home with a healthy appetite to enjoy my dinner4 ,i well remember the first day that ,i set the apparatus to work4 ,i ran to my lodging1 at about four ,p4,m41 to see how it was going on4 ,when ,i lifted the cover it was simmering beautifully1 and such a savoury gusto came forth that ,i was almost tempted to fall to and discuss the contents4 ,but the time had not yet come1 and ,i ran back to my work4 ,the meat ,i generally cooked in it was leg of beef1 with sliced potato1 bits of onion chopped down1 and a modicum of white pepper and salt1 ,with just enough of water to cover the elements4 ,when stewed slowly the meat became very tender2 and the whole yielded a capital dish1 such as a very ,soyer might envy4 ,it was partaken of with a zest that1 no doubt1 was a very important element in its savouriness4 ,the whole cost of this capital dinner was about #d #a_/b;d4 ,i sometimes varied the meat with rice boiled with a few raisins and a pennyworth of milk4 ,my breakfast and tea1 with bread1 cost me about fourpence each4 ,my lodgings cost #cs4 #f;d4 a week4 ,a little multiplication will satisfy any one how it was that ,i contrived to live economically and comfortably on my ten shillings a week4 ,in the following year my wages were raised to fifteen shillings a week1 and then ,i began to take butter to my bread4 ,to return to my employment under ,mr4 ,maudslay4 ,one of the first jobs that ,i undertook was in assisting him to make a beautiful small model of a pair of #bjj horsepower marine steam-engines4 ,the engines were then in course of construction in the factory4 ,they were considered a bold advance on the marine engines then in use1 not only in regard to their great power1 but in carrying out many specialities in their details and general structure4 ,mr4 ,maudslay had embodied so much of his thought in the design that he desired to have an exact model of them placed in his library1 so as to keep a visible record of his ideas constantly before him4 ,in fact1 these engines might be regarded as the culmination of his constructive abilities4 ,in preparing the model it was necessary that everything should be made in exact conformity with the original4 ,there were about three hundred minute bolts and nuts to be reduced to the proportional size4 ,i esteemed it a great compliment to be entrusted with their execution4 ,they were all to be made of cast-steel1 and the nuts had to be cut to exact hexagonal form4 ,many of them had collars4 ,to produce them by the use of the file in the ordinary mode would not only have been difficult and tedious1 but in some cases practically impossible4 ,image ,collar-nut cutting machine4 ,to get rid of the difficulty ,i suggested to ,mr4 ,maudslay a contrivance of my own by means of which the most rigid exactness in size as well as form could be given to these hexagonal nuts4 ,he readily granted his permission4 ,i constructed a special apparatus1 consisting of a hard steel circular cutter to act as a circular file4 ,when brought into operation in the production of these minute six-sided collared nuts1 held firm in the spindle of a small dividing plate and attached to the slide-rest1 each side was brought in succession under the action of the circular file or cutter with the most exact precision in regard to the division of the six sides4 ,the result was absolutely perfect as respects the exactness of the six equal sides of the hexagonal nut1 as well as their precise position in regard to the collar that was of one solid piece with it4 ,there was no great amount of ingenuity required in contriving this special tool1 or in adapting it to the slide-rest of the lathe1 to whose spindle end the file or cutter _/ was fixed4 ,but the result was so satisfactory1 both as regards the accuracy and rapidity of execution in comparison with the usual process of hand filing1 that ,mr4 ,maudslay was greatly pleased with the arrangement as well as with my zeal in contriving and executing this clever little tool4 ,an enlarged edition of this collar-nut cutting machine was soon after introduced into the factory4 ,image ,arrangement of the machine ,it was one of the specialities that ,i adopted in my own workshop when ,i commenced business for myself1 and it was eagerly adopted by mechanical engineers1 whom we abundantly supplied with this special machine4 ,it was an inestimable advantage to me to be so intimately associated with this ,great ,mechanic4 ,he was so invariably kind1 pleasant1 and congenial4 ,he communicated an infinite number of what he humorously called ,wrinkles which afterwards proved of great use to me4 ,my working hours usually terminated at six in the evening4 ,but as many of the departments of the factory were often in full operation during busy times until eight o'clock1 ,i went through them to observe the work while in progress4 ,on these occasions ,i often met the guvnor1 as the workmen called ,mr4 ,maudslay4 ,he was going his round of inspection1 and when there was any special work in hand he would call me up to him to and explain point in connection with it that was worthy of particular notice4 ,i found this valuable privilege most instructive1 as ,i obtained from the cheif mechanic himself a full insight into the methods1 means1 and processes by which the skilful workman advanced the various classes of work4 ,i was also permitted to take notes and make rapid sketches of any object that specially interested me4 ,the entire establishment thus became to me a school of practical engineering of the most instructive kind4 ,mr4 ,maudslay took pleasure in showing me the right system and method of treating all manner of materials employed in mechanical structures4 ,he showed how they might be made to obey your will1 by changing them into the desired forms with the least expenditure of time and labour4 ,this in fact is the true philosophy of construction4 ,when clear ideas have been acquired upon the subject1 after careful observation and practice1 the comparative ease and certainty with which complete mastery over the most obdurate materials is obtained1 opens up the most direct road to the attainment of commercial as well as of professional success4 ,to be permitted to stand by and observe the systematic way in which ,mr4 ,maudslay would first mark or line out his work1 and the masterly manner in which he would deal with his materials1 and cause them to assume the desired forms1 was a treat beyond all expression4 ,every stroke of the hammer1 chisel1 or file1 told as an effective step towards the intended result4 ,it was a never-to-be-forgotten practical lesson in workmanship1 in the most exalted sense of the term4 ,in conformity with his often repeated maxim1 that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing everything1 he took the shortest and most direct cuts to accomplish his objects4 ,he illustrated this by telling me1 in his own humorous style1 ,when you want to go from ,london to ,greenwich1 don't go round by ,inverness4 ,another of his droll sayings was that he considered no man a thorough mechanic unless he could cut a plank with a gimlet1 and bore a hole with a saw6 ,the grand result of thoughtful practice is what we call experience3 it is the power or faculty of seeing clearly before you begin1 what to avoid and what to select--or rather what to do and what not to do4 ,high-class workmanship1 or technical knowledge1 was in his hands quite a science4 ,every piece of work was made subject to the soundest philosophical principles1 as applied to the use and treatment of materials4 ,it was this that gave such a charm of enjoyment to his dealing with tools and materials4 ,he loved this sort of work for its own sake1 far more than for its pecuniary results4 ,at the same time he was not without regard for the substantial evidence of his supremacy in all that regarded first-class tools1 admirable management1 and thorough organisation of his factory4 ,the innate love of truth and accuracy which distinguished ,mr4 ,maudslay1 led him to value highly that class of technical dexterity in engineering workmen which enabled them to produce those details of mechanical structures in which perfect flat or true plane surfaces were required4 ,this was an essential condition for the effective and durable performance of their functions4 ,sometimes this was effected by the aid of the turning-lathe and slide-rest4 ,but in most cases the object was attained by the dexterous use of the file1 so that flat filing then was1 as it still is1 one of the highest qualities of the skilled workman4 ,no one that ,i ever met with could go beyond ,henry ,maudslay himself in his dexterous use of the file4 ,by a few masterly strokes he could produce plane surfaces so true that when their accuracy was tested by a standard plane surface of absolute truth1 they were never found defective2 neither convex1 nor concave1 nor cross-winding1--that is1 twisted4 ,the importance of having such ,standard ,planes caused him to have many of them placed on the benches beside his workmen1 by means of which they might at once conveniently test their work4 ,three of each were made at a time1 so that by the mutual rubbing of each on each the projecting surfaces were effaced4 ,when the surfaces approached very near to the true plane1 the still projecting minute points were carefully reduced by hard steel scrapers1 until at last the standard plane surface was secured4 ,when placed over each other they would float upon the thin stratum of air between them until dislodged by time and pressure4 ,when they adhered closely to each other1 they could only be separated by sliding each off each4 ,this art of producing absolutely plane surfaces is1 ,i believe1 a very old mechanical dodge4 ,but1 as employed by ,maudslay's men1 it greatly contributed to the improvement of the work turned out4 ,it was used for the surfaces of slide valves1 or wherever absolute true plane surfaces were essential to the attainment of the best results1 not only in the machinery turned out1 but in educating the taste of his men towards first-class workmanship4 ,maudslay's love of accuracy also led him to distrust the verdicts given by the employment of the ordinary callipers and compasses in determining the absolute or relative dimensions of the refined mechanism which he delighted to construct with his own hands4 ,so much depended upon the manner in which the ordinary measuring instruments were handled and applied that they sometimes failed to give the required verdict as to accuracy4 ,in order1 therefore1 to get rid of all difficulties in this respect1 he designed and constructed a very compact and handy instrument which he always had on his bench beside his vice4 ,he could thus1 in a most accurate and rapid manner1 obtain the most reliable evidence as to the relative dimensions1 in length1 width1 or diameter1 of any work which he had in hand4 ,in consequence of the absolute truth of the verdicts of the instrument1 he considered it as a ,court of ,final ,appeal1 and humorously called it ,the ,lord ,chancellor4 ,image ,maudslay's ,lord ,chancellor ,this trustworthy ,companion of the ,bench consisted of a very substantial and inflexible bed or base of hard brass4 ,at one end of it was a perfectly hardened steel surface plate1 having an absolutely true flat or plane face1 against which one end or side of the object to be measured was placed2 whilst a similar absolutely true plane surface of hardened steel was advanced by means of a suitable fine thread screw1 until the object to be measured was just delicately in contact with it4 ,the object was1 as it were1 between the jaws of a vice1 but without any squeeze--being just free1 which could be easily ascertained by feeling4 ,these two absolutely plane surfaces1 between which the object lay1 had their distances apart easily read off from the scale engraved on the bed of the instrument1 in inches and tenth parts of an inch1 while the disk-head or handle of the screw was divided on its edge rim into hundredth or thousandth parts1 as these bore an exact metrical relation to the pitch of the screw that moved the parallel steel faces of the measuring vice 7as ,i may term it7 nearer or farther apart4 ,not only absolute measure could be obtained by this means1 but also the amount of minute differences could be ascertained with a degree of exactness that went quite beyond all the requirements of engineering mechanism2 such1 for instance1 as the thousandth part of an inch6 ,it might also have been divided so far as a millionth part of an inch1 but these infinitesimal fractions have really nothing to do with the effective machinery99 footnote444 ,i may mention another saying of ,mr4 ,maudslay's4 ,besides his observation that in going from ,london to ,greenwich we must not go round by ,inverness1 he said1 ,we must not become too complicated with our machinery4 ,remember the get-at-ability of parts4 ,if we go on as some mechanics are doing1 we shall soon be boiling our eggs with a chronometer6 444 that comes forth from our workshops1 and merely show the mastery we possess over materials and mechanical forms4 ,the original of this measuring machine of ,maudslay's was exhibited at the ,loan ,collection at ,south ,kensington in #ahgh4 ,it is now treasured up1 with other relics of his handiwork1 in a cabinet at the ,lambeth works4 ,while writing upon this subject it may be worthy of remark1 that the employment of a screw as the means of adjusting the points or reference marks of a measuring instrument1 for the ascertainment of minute distances between objects1 was first effected by ,william ,gascoigne1 about the year #afdh4 ,there can be no doubt that he was the inventor of the ,micrometer--an instrument that1 when applied 7as he first did so7 to the eye-piece of the ,telescope1 has been the means of advancing the science of astronomy to its present high position 7,see ,grant's ,history of ,astronomy1 p4 #dec7 ,i had abundant occupation for my leisure time after my regular attendance at the factory was over4 ,i had not only the opportunity of studying mechanics1 but of studying men4 ,it is a great thing to know the character of those who are over you as well as those who are under you4 ,it is also well to know the character of those who are associated with you in your daily work4 ,i became intimate with the foremen and with many of the skilled workmen4 ,from them ,i learnt a great deal4 ,let me first speak of the men of science who occasionally frequented ,maudslay's private workshop4 ,they often came to consult him on subjects with which he was specially acquainted4 ,among ,mr4 ,maudslay's most frequent visitors were ,general ,sir ,samuel ,bentham1 ,mr4 ,barton1 director of the ,royal ,mint1 ,mr4 ,bryan ,donkin1 ,mr4 ,faraday1 and ,mr4 ,chantrey1 the sculptor4 ,as ,mr4 ,maudslay wished me to be at hand to give him any necessary assistance1 ,i had the opportunity of listening to the conversation between him and these distinguished visitors4 ,sir ,samuel ,bentham called very often4 ,he had been associated with ,maudslay during the contrivance and construction of the block machinery4 ,he was brother of the celebrated ,jeremy ,bentham1 and he applied the same clear common-sense to mechanical subjects which the other had done to legal1 social1 and political questions4 ,it was in the highest degree interesting and instructive to hear these two great pioneers in the history and application of mechanics discussing the events connected with the block-making machinery4 ,in fact1 ,maudslay's connection with the subject had led to the development of most of our modern engineering tools4 ,they may since have been somewhat altered in arrangement1 but not in principle4 ,scarcely a week passed without a visit from the ,general4 ,he sat in the beautiful workshop1 where he always seemed so happy4 ,it was a great treat to hear him and ,maudslay fight their battles o'er again1 in recounting the difficulties1 both official and mechanical1 over which they had so gloriously triumphed4 ,at the time when ,i listened to their conversation1 the great work in hand was the organisation of a systematic series of experiments on the hulls of steamships1 with the view of determining the laws of resistance on their being propelled through the sea by a power other than those of winds and sails4 ,the subject was as complex as it was interesting and important4 ,but it had to be put to the test of actual experiment4 ,this was done in the first place by large models of hulls1 so as to ascertain at what point the curves of least resistance could be applied4 ,their practical correctness was tested by careful experiment in passing them through water at various velocities1 to record which conditions special instruments were contrived and executed4 ,these1 as well as the preparation of large models of hulls1 embodying the various improved lines1 occupied a considerable portion of the time that ,i had the good fortune to spend in ,mr4 ,maudslay's private workshop4 ,mr4 ,barton of the ,royal ,mint was quite a crony of ,maudslay's4 ,he called upon him often with respect to the improvements for stamping the current coin of the realm4 ,bryan ,donkin was also associated with ,maudslay and ,barton on the subject of the national standard of the yard measure4 ,but perhaps ,mr4 ,chantrey was the most attractive visitor at the private workshop4 ,he had many a long interview with ,maudslay with respect to the planning and arranging of a small foundry at his studio1 by means of which he might cast his bronze statues under his own superintendence4 ,mr4 ,maudslay entered con amore into the subject1 and placed his skill and experience entirely at ,chantrey's service4 ,he constructed the requisite furnaces1 cranes1 and other apparatus1 at ,chantrey's studio2 and it may be enough to state that1 when brought into operation1 they yielded the most satisfactory results4 ,among my most intelligent private friends in ,london were ,george ,cundell and his two brothers4 ,they resided near my lodgings1 and ,i often visited them on ,saturday evenings4 ,they were most kind1 gentle1 and genial4 ,the eldest brother was in ,sir ,william ,forbes's bank4 ,george was agent for ,mr4 ,patrick ,maxwell ,stuart in connection with his ,west ,india estates1 and the third brother was his assistant4 ,the elder brother was an admirable performer on the violoncello1 and he treated us during these ,saturday evenings with noble music from ,beethoven and ,mozart4 ,my special friend ,george was known amongst us as the worthy master4 ,he was thoroughly versed in general science1 and was moreover a keen politician4 ,he had the most happy faculty of treating complex subjects1 both in science and politics1 in a thoroughly common-sense manner4 ,his two brothers had a fine feeling for art1 and1 indeed1 possessed no small skill as practical artists4 ,with companions such as these1 gifted with a variety of tastes1 ,i spent many of my ,saturday evenings most pleasantly and profitably4 ,they were generally concluded with a glass of beer of the worthy master's own brewing4 ,when the season of the year and the state of the weather were suitable ,i often joined this happy fraternity in long and delightful ,sunday walks to various interesting places round ,london4 ,our walks included ,waltham ,abbey1 ,waltham ,cross1 ,eltham ,palace1 ,hampton ,court1 ,epping ,forest1 and many other interesting places of resort4 ,when the weather was unfavourable my principal resort was ,westminster ,abbey1 where1 besides the beautifully-conducted service and the noble anthems1 ,i could admire the glory of the architecture1 and the venerable tombs1 under which lay the best and bravest4 ,i used generally to sit at a point from which ,i could see the grand tomb of ,aylmer de ,vallance with its magnificent surroundings of quaint and glorious architecture4 ,it was solemn1 and serious also1 to think of the many generations who had filled the abbey1 and of the numbers of the dead who lay beneath our feet4 ,i was so great an admirer of ,norman and ,gothic architecture that there was scarcely a specimen of it in ,london which ,i did not frequently visit4 ,one of the most interesting examples ,i found in the ,norman portion of ,st4 ,saviours ,church1 near ,london ,bridge1 through some of it has since been destroyed by the so-called restoration in #ahca4 ,the new work has been executed in the worst taste and feeling4 ,i also greatly admired the ,norman chapel of the ,tower1 and some ,norman portions of the ,church of ,st4 ,bartholomew the ,less1 near ,smithfield4 ,no style of architecture that ,i have ever seen has so impressed me with its intrinsic gravity1 and ,i may say solemnity1 as that of the ,norman4 ,there is a serious earnestness in its grave simplicity that has a peculiar influence upon the mind2 and ,i have little doubt that this was felt1 and understood by those true architects who designed and built the noble cathedrals at ,durham and elsewhere4 ,but there1 as elsewhere1 some of our modern so-called ,architects have made sad havoc with the earliest and most impressive portions of those grand and truly interesting remains1 by their ,restorations1 as they term it--but which ,i call ,defamations4 ,,chapter #i4 ,holiday in the ,manufacturing ,districts4 ,in the autumn of #ahcj ,mr4 ,maudslay went to ,berlin for the purpose of superintending the erection of machinery at the ,royal ,mint there4 ,he intended to be absent from ,london for about a month2 and he kindly permitted me to take my holiday during that period4 ,i had been greatly interested by the descriptions in the newspapers of the locomotive competition at ,rainhill1 near ,liverpool4 ,i was1 therefore1 exceedingly anxious to see ,stephenson's ,rocket1 the engine that had won the prize4 ,taking with me letters of introduction from ,mr4 ,maudslay to persons of influence at ,liverpool1 ,i left ,london for the north on the afternoon of ,saturday the #ith of ,september #ahcj4 ,i took my place on the outside of the ,liverpool coach1 which set out from ,the ,swan with ,two ,necks1 in ,lad ,lane1 ,city1 one of the most celebrated coach-offices in those days ,the first part of the journey to ,liverpool was very dismal4 ,the night was wet4 ,the rain came pouring down1 and no sort of wrappings could keep it out4 ,the outside passengers became thoroughly soaked4 ,on we went1 however1 as fast as four horses could carry us4 ,next morning we reached ,coventry1 when the clouds cleared away1 and the sun at last burst forth4 ,i could now enjoy this charming part of old ,england4 ,although ,i had only a hasty glimpse in passing of the quaint streets and ancient buildings of the town ,i was perfectly delighted with the specimens of ancient domestic architecture which ,i saw4 ,at that time ,coventry was quite a museum of that interesting class of buildings4 ,the greater part of them have since been swept away in the so-called improvement of modern builders1 none of whose works can ever so attract an artistic eye4 ,during the rest of the day the journey was delightful4 ,though the inside passengers had had the best of it during the night1 the outside passengers had the best of it now4 ,to go scampering across the country on the top of the coach1 passing old villages1 gentlemen's parks1 under old trees1 along hedges tinged with autumn tints1 up hill and down dale1 sometimes getting off the coach to lighten the load1 and walking along through the fields by a short cut to meet it farther on2 all this was most enjoyable4 ,it gave me a new interest in the happier aspects of ,english scenery1 and of rural and domestic life in the pretty old-fashioned farm buildings that we passed on our way4 ,indeed1 there was everything to delight the eye of the lover of the picturesque during the course of that bright autumnal day4 ,the coach reached ,liverpool on ,sunday night4 ,i took up my quarters at a commercial inn in ,dale ,street1 where ,i found every comfort which ,i desired at moderate charges4 ,next morning1 without loss of time1 ,i made my way to the then terminus of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway2 and there1 for the first time1 ,i saw the famous ,rocket ,the interest with which ,i beheld this distinguished and celebrated engine was much enhanced by seeing it make several short trial trips under the personal management of ,george ,stephenson1 who acted as engineman1 while his son ,robert acted as stoker4 ,during their trips of four or five miles along the line the ,rocket attained the speed of thirty miles an hour--a speed then thought almost incredible6 ,it was to me a most memorable and interesting sight1 especially to see the father and son so appropriately engaged in working the engine that was to effect so great a change in the communications of the civilised world4 ,i spent the entire day in watching the trial trips1 in examining the railway works1 and such portions of of their details as ,i could obtain access to4 ,about mid-day the ,rocket was at rest for about an hour near where ,i stood2 and ,i eagerly availed myself of the opportunity of making a careful sketch of the engine1 which ,i still preserve4 ,the line was opened on the #aeth of ,september1 when the famous ,rocket led the way in conducting the first train of passengers from ,liverpool to ,manchester4 ,there were present on that occasion thousands of spectators1 many of whom had come from distant parts of the kingdom to witness this greatest of all events in the history of railway locomotion4 ,during my stay in ,liverpool ,i visited the vast range of magnificent docks which extend along the north bank of the ,mersey1 all of which were crowded with noble merchant ships1 some taking in cargoes of ,british manufactures1 and others discharging immense stores of cotton1 sugar1 tobacco1 and foreign produce4 ,the sight was most interesting1 and gave me an impressive idea of the mighty functions of a manufacturing nation--energy and intelligence1 working through machinery1 increasing the value of raw materials and enabling them to be transported for use to all parts of the civilised world4 ,mr4 ,maudslay having given me a letter of introduction to his old friend ,william ,fawcett1 head of the firm of ,fawcett1 ,preston1 and ,company1 engineers1 ,i went over their factory4 ,they were engaged in producing sugar mills for the ,west ,indies1 and also in manufacturing the steam-engines for working them4 ,the firm had acquired great reputation for their workmanship2 and their shops were crowded with excellent specimens of their skill4 ,everything was in good order2 their assortment of machine tools was admirable4 ,mr4 ,fawcett1 who accompanied me1 was full in his praises of my master1 whom he regarded as the greatest pioneer in the substitution of the unerring accuracy of machine tools for the often untrustworthy results of mere manual labour4 ,i cannot resist referring to the personal appearance and manner of this excellent gentleman1 ,william ,fawcett4 ,his peculiar courteous manner1 both in speech and action1 reminded me of the grand old ,style ,which ,i had observed in some of my father's oldest noble employers1 and the representations given of them by some of our best actors4 ,there was also a dignified kindliness about his manner that was quite peculiar to himself2 and when he conducted me through his busy workshops1 the courtly yet kindly manner in which he addressed his various foremen and others1 was especially cheering4 ,when ,i first presented my letter of introduction from ,henry ,maudslay1 he was sitting at a beautiful inlaid escritoire table with his letters arrayed before him in the most neat and perfect order4 ,the writing table stood on a small ,turkey carpet apart from the clerks' desks in the room1 but so near to them that he could readily communicate with them4 ,his neat old-fashioned style of dress quite harmonised with his advanced age1 and the kindly yet dignified grace of his manner left a lasting impression on me as a most interesting specimen of the fine old ,english gentleman1 quite of the olden time4 ,i spent another day in crossing the ,mersey to ,birkenhead--then a very small collection of buildings--wandered about the neighbourhood4 ,i had my sketch-book with me1 and made a drawing of ,liverpool from the other side of the river4 ,close to ,birkenhead were some excellent bits of scenery1 old and picturesque farmhouses1 overshadowed with venerable oaks1 with juttings-out of the ,new ,red ,sandstone rocks1 covered with heather1 furze1 and broom1 with pools of water edged with all manner of effective water plants4 ,they formed capital subjects for the artistic pencil1 especially when distant peeps of the ,welsh hills came into the prospect4 ,i made several sketches1 and they kept company with my graphic memoranda of architectural and mechanical objects4 ,i may here mention that on my return to ,london ,i showed them to my brother ,patrick1 and some of them so much met his fancy that he borrowed my sketch-book and painted some pictures from them1 which at this day are hanging on the walls of some of his admirers4 ,with the desire of seeing as much as possible of all that was interesting in the mechanical1 architectural and picturesque line1 on my return journey to ,london1 ,i determined to walk1 halting here and there by the way4 ,the season of the year and the state of the weather were favourable for my purpose4 ,i accordingly commenced my pedestrian tour on ,saturday morning1 the #agth ,september4 ,i set out for ,manchester4 ,it was a long but pleasant walk4 ,i well remember1 when nearing ,manchester1 that ,i sat down to rest for a time on ,patricroft ,bridge4 ,i was attracted by the rural aspect of the country1 and the antique cottages of the neighbourhood4 ,the ,bridgewater ,canal lay before me1 and as ,i was told that it was the first mile of the waterway that the great ,duke had made1 it became quite classic ground in my eyes4 ,i little thought at the time that ,i was so close to a piece of ground that should afterwards become my own1 and where ,i should for twenty years carry on the most active and interesting business of my life4 ,i reached ,manchester at seven in the evening1 and took up my quarters at the ,king's ,arms ,inn1 ,deansgate4 ,next day was ,sunday4 ,i attended service in the ,cathedral1 then called the ,old ,church4 ,i was much interested by the service1 as well as by the architecture of the building4 ,some of the details were well worthy of attention1 being very original1 and yet the whole was not of the best period of ,gothic architecture4 ,some of the old buildings about the ,cathedral were very interesting4 ,they were of a most quaint character1 yet bold and effective4 ,much finely carved oak timber work was introduced into them2 and on the whole they gave a very striking illustration of the style of domestic architecture which prevailed in ,england some three or four centuries ago4 ,on the following day ,i called upon ,mr4 ,edward ,tootal1 of ,york ,street4 ,he was a well-known man in ,manchester4 ,i had the happiness of meeting him in ,london a few months before4 ,he then kindly invited me to call upon him should ,i ever visit ,manchester1 when he would endeavour to obtain for me sight of some of the most remarkable manufacturing establishments4 ,mr4 ,tootal was as good as his word4 ,he received me most cordially1 and at once proceeded to take me to the extensive machine factory of ,messrs4 ,sharp1 ,roberts1 and ,co4 ,i found to my delight that a considerable portion of the establishment was devoted to the production of machine tools1 a department of mechanical business then rising into the highest importance4 ,mr4 ,roberts1 an admirable mechanic as well as inventor1 had derived many of his ideas on the subject while working with ,mr4 ,maudslay in ,london1 and he had carried them out with many additions and improvements of his own contrivance4 ,indeed1 ,roberts was one of the most capable men of his time1 and is entitled to be regarded as one of the true pioneers of modern mechanical mechanism4 ,through the kindness of ,mr4 ,tootal ,i had also the opportunity of visiting and inspecting some of the most extensive cotton mills in ,manchester4 ,i was greatly pleased with the beautiful contrivances displayed in the machinery4 ,they were perfect examples of the highest order of ingenuity1 combined with that kind of common-sense which casts aside all mere traditional forms and arrangements of parts1 such as do not essentially contribute to the efficiency of the machine in the performance of its special and required purpose4 ,i found much to admire in the design as well as in the execution of the details of the machines4 ,the arrangement and management of the manufactories were admirable4 ,the whole of the buildings1 howsoever extensive and apparently complicated1 worked like one grand and perfectly constructed machine4 ,i was also much impressed by the keen interest which the proprietors of these vast establishments took in the minute details of their machinery1 as well as by their intelligent and practical acquaintance with the technical minutiae of their business4 ,although many of them were men of fortune1 they continued to take as deep an interest in such matters as if they were beginning life and had their fortunes still to make4 ,their chief ambition was to be at the head of a thoroughly well-managed and prosperous establishment4 ,no detail1 be it ever so small1 was beneath their care and attention4 ,to a young man like myself1 then about to enter upon a similar career of industry1 these lessons were very important4 ,they were encouraging examples of carefully thought out designs1 carried into admirable results by close attention to details1 ever watchful carefulness1 and indomitable perseverance4 ,i brooded over these circumstances1 ,they filled my mind with hope4 ,they encouraged me to go on in the path which ,i had selected2 and ,i believed that at some time or other ,i might be enabled to imitate the examples of zeal and industry which ,i had witnessed during my stay in ,manchester4 ,it was then that ,i bethought me of settling down in this busy neighbourhood2 and as ,i plodded my way back to ,london this thought continually occupied me4 ,it took root in my mind and grew1 and at length the idea became a reality4 ,i did not take the shortest route on my return journey to ,london4 ,i desired to pass through the most interesting and picturesque places without unduly diverging from the right direction4 ,i wished to see the venerable buildings and cathedrals of the olden time1 as well as the engineering establishments of the new4 ,notwithstanding my love for mechanics ,i still retained a spice of the antiquarian feeling4 ,it enabled me to look back to the remote past1 into the material records of man's efforts hundreds of years ago1 and contrast them with the modern progress of arts and sciences4 ,i was especially interested in the architecture of bygone ages2 but here1 alas6 arts and sciences have done nothing4 ,modern ,gothic architecture is merely an imitation of the old1 and often a very bad imitation4 ,even ancient domestic architecture is much superior to the modern4 ,we can now only imitate it2 and often spoil when imitating4 ,i left ,manchester and turned my steps in the direction of ,coalbrookdale4 ,i passed through a highly picturesque country1 in which ,i enjoyed the sight of many old timber houses1 most attractive subjects for my pencil4 ,my route lay through ,whitchurch1 ,wem1 and ,wellington2 then past the ,wrekin to ,coalbrookdale4 ,before arriving there ,i saw the first iron bridge constructed in ,england1 an object of historical interest in that class of structures4 ,it was because of the superb quality of the castings produced at ,coalbrookdale that the ironmasters there were able to accomplish the building of a bridge of that material1 which before had baffled all projectors both at home and abroad ,i possessed a letter of introduction to the manager1 and was received by him most cordially4 ,he permitted me to examine the works4 ,i was greatly interested at the sight of the processes of casting4 ,many beautiful objects were turned out for architectural1 domestic1 and other purposes4 ,i saw nothing particularly novel1 however1 in the methods and processes of moulding and casting4 ,the excellence of the work depended for the most part upon the great care and skill exercised by the workmen of the foundry4 ,they seemed to vie with each other in turning out the best castings1 and their models or patterns were made with the utmost care4 ,i was particularly impressed with the cheerful zeal and activity of the workmen and foremen of this justly celebrated establishment4 ,on leaving ,coalbrookdale ,i trudged my way towards ,wolverhampton4 ,i rested at ,shiffnal for the night4 ,next day ,i was in the middle of the ,black ,country4 ,i had no letters of introduction to employers in ,wolverhampton2 so that1 without stopping there1 ,i proceeded at once to ,dudley4 ,the ,black ,country is anything but picturesque4 ,the earth seems to have been turned inside out4 ,its entrails are strewn about2 nearly the entire surface of the ground is covered with cinder-heaps and mounds of scoriae4 ,the coal which has been drawn from below ground is blazing on the surface4 ,the district is crowded with iron furnaces1 puddling furnaces1 and coal-pit engine furnaces4 ,by day and by night the country is glowing with fire1 and the smoke of the ironworks hovers over it4 ,there is a rumbling and clanking of iron forges and rolling mills4 ,workmen covered with smut1 and with fierce white eyes1 are seen moving about amongst the glowing iron and the dull thud of forge-hammers4 ,amidst these flaming1 smoky1 clanging works1 ,i beheld the remains of what had once been happy farmhouses1 now ruined and deserted4 ,the ground underneath them had sunk by the working out of the coal1 and they were falling to pieces4 ,they had in former times been surrounded by clumps of trees2 but only the skeletons of them remained1 dead1 black1 and leafless4 ,the grass had been parched and killed by the vapours of sulphurous acid thrown out by the chimneys2 and every herbaceous object was of a ghastly gray--the emblem of vegetable death in its saddest aspect4 ,vulcan had driven out ,ceres4 ,in some places ,i heard a sort of chirruping sound1 as of some forlorn bird haunting the ruins of the old farmsteads4 ,but no6 the chirrup was a vile delusion4 ,it proceeded from the shrill creaking of the coal-winding chains1 which were placed in small tunnels beneath the hedgeless road4 ,i went into some of the forges to see the workmen at their labours4 ,there was no need of introduction2 the works were open to all1 for they were unsurrounded by walls4 ,i saw the white-hot iron run out from the furnace2 ,i saw it spun1 as it were1 into bars and iron ribbands1 with an ease and rapidity which seemed marvellous4 ,there were also the ponderous hammers and clanking rolling-mills4 ,i wandered from one to another without restraint4 ,i lingered among the blast furnaces1 seeing the flood of molten iron run out from time to time1 and remained there until it was late4 ,when it became dark the scene was still more impressive4 ,the workmen within seemed to be running about amidst the flames as in a pandemonium2 while around and outside the horizon was a glowing belt of fire1 making even the stars look pale and feeble4 ,at last ,i came away with reluctance1 and made my way towards ,dudley4 ,i reached the town at a late hour4 ,i was exhausted in mind and body1 yet the day had been most interesting and exciting4 ,a sound sleep refreshed me1 and ,i was up in the morning early1 to recommence my journey of inquiry1 ,i made my way to the impressive ruins of ,dudley ,castle1 the remnant of a very ancient stronghold1 originally built by ,dud1 the ,saxon4 ,the castle is situated on a finely wooded hill2 it is so extensive that it more resembles the ruins of a town than of a single building4 ,you enter through a treble gateway1 and see the remnants of the moat1 the court1 and the keep4 ,here are the central hall1 the guard1 rooms1 and the chapel4 ,it must have been a magnificent structure4 ,in the ,midlands it was known as the ,castle of the ,woods ,now it is abandoned by its owners1 and surrounded by the ,black ,country4 ,it is undermined by collieries1 and even penetrated by a canal4 ,the castle walls sometimes tremble when a blast occurs in the bowels of the mountain beneath4 ,the town of ,dudley lies quite close to the castle1 and was doubtless protected by it in ancient times4 ,the architectural remains are of various degrees of antiquity1 and are well worthy of study1 as embodying the successive periods which they represent4 ,their melancholy grandeur is rendered all the more impressive by the coal and iron works with which they are surrounded-- the olden type of buildings confronting the modern4 ,the venerable trees struggle for existence under the destroying influence of sulphurous acid2 while the grass is withered and the vegetation everywhere blighted4 ,i sat down on an elevated part of the ruins1 and looked down upon the extensive district1 with its roaring and blazing furnaces1 the smoke of which blackened the country as far as the eye could reach2 and as ,i watched the decaying trees ,i thought of the price we had to pay for our vaunted supremacy in the manufacture of iron4 ,we may fill our purses1 but we pay a heavy price for it in the loss of picturesqueness and beauty4 ,i left the castle with reluctance1 and proceeded to inspect the limestone quarries in the neighbourhood4 ,the limestone has long been worked out from underneath the castle2 but not far from it is ,wren's ,nest ,hill1 a mountain of limestone4 ,the wrens have left1 but the quarries are there4 ,the walk to the hill is along green lanes and over quiet fields4 ,i entered one of the quarries opened out in the sloping precipice1 and penetrated as far as the glimmer of sunlight enabled me to see my way4 ,but the sound of the dripping of water from the root of the cave warned me that ,i was approaching some deep pool1 into which a false step might plunge me4 ,i therefore kept within the light of day4 ,an occasional ray of the sun lit up the enormous rock pillars which the quarrymen had left to support the roof4 ,it was a most impressive sight4 ,having emerged from the subterranean cave1 ,i proceeded on my way to ,birmingham4 ,i reached the town in the evening1 and found most comfortable quarters4 ,on the following day ,i visited some of the factories where processes were carried on in connection with the ,birmingham trade4 ,i saw the mills where sheet brass and copper were rolled for the purpose of being plated with silver4 ,there was nothing in these processes of novel interest1 though ,i picked up many practical hints4 ,i could not fail to be attracted by the dexterous and rapid manipulation of the work in hand1 even by boys and girls whose quick sight and nimble fingers were educated to a high degree of perfection4 ,i could have spent a month profitably among the vast variety of small traders in metal1 of which ,birmingham is the headquarters4 ,even in what is called the toy trade1 ,i found a vast amount of skill displayed in the production of goldsmith work1 in earrings1 brooches1 gold chains1 rings1 beads1 and glass eyes for stuffed birds1 dolls1 and men4 ,i was especially attracted by ,soho1 once the famous manufacturing establishment of ,boulton and ,watt4 ,although this was not the birthplace99 footnote444 ,the birthplace of the condensing engine of ,watt was the workshop in the ,glasgow ,university1 where he first contrived and used a separate condenser--the true and vital element in ,watt's invention4 ,the condenser afterwards attained its true effective manhood at ,soho ,the ,newcomen engine was in fact a condensing engine1 but as the condensation was effected inside the steam cylinder it was a very costly source of power in respect to steam4 ,watt's happy idea of condensing in a separate vessel removed the defect4 ,this was first done in his experimental engine in the ,glasgow ,university workshop1 and before he had made the one at ,kinniel for ,dr4 ,roebuck4 444 of the condensing steam-engine it was the place where it attained its full manhood of efficiency1 and became the source and origin of ,english manufacturing power4 ,watt's engine has had a greater influence on the productive arts of mankind than any other that can be named4 ,boulton also was a thorough man of business1 without whom1 perhaps1 ,watt could never have made his way against the world1 or perfected his magnificent invention4 ,not less interesting to my mind was the memory of that incomparable mechanic1 ,william ,murdoch1 a man of indomitable energy1 and ,watt's right-hand man in the highest practical sense4 ,murdoch was the inventor of the first model locomotive1 and the inventor of gas for lighting purposes2 and yet he always kept himself in the background1 for he was excessively modest4 ,he was happiest when he could best promote the welfare of the great house of ,boulton and ,watt4 ,indeed he was a man whose memory ought to be held in the highest regard by all true engineers and mechanics4 ,the sight which ,i obtained of the vast series of workshops of this celebrated establishment--filled with evidences of the mechanical genius of these master minds--made me feel that ,i was indeed on classic ground in regard to everything connected with steam-engine machinery4 ,some of the engines designed by ,watt--the prototypes of the powerful condensing engines of the present day--were still performing their daily quota of work4 ,there was ,old ,bess1 a sort of experimental engine1 upon which ,watt had tried many adaptations and alterations1 for the purpose of suiting it for pumping water from coal mines4 ,there was also the engine with the sun-and-planet motion1 an invention of ,william ,murdoch's4 ,both of these engines were still at work4 ,i went through the workshops1 where ,i was specially interested by seeing the action of the machine tools4 ,there ,i observed ,murdoch's admirable system of transmitting power from one central engine to other small vacuum engines attached to the individual machines they were set to work4 ,the power was communicated by pipes led from the central air or exhaust pump to small vacuum or atmospheric engines devoted to the driving of each separate machine1 thus doing away with all shafting and leather belts1 the required speed being kept up or modified at pleasure without in any way interfering with the other machines4 --,this vacuum method of transmitting power dates from the time of ,papin2 but until it received the masterly touch of ,murdoch it remained a dead contrivance for more than a century4 ,i concluded my visits to the workshops of ,birmingham by calling upon a little known but very ingenious man1 whose work ,i had seen before ,i left ,edinburgh1 in a beautifully constructed foot turning-lathe made by ,john ,drain4 ,i was so much impressed with the exquisite design1 execution1 and completeness of the lathe1 that ,i made it one of my chief objects to find out ,john ,drain's workshop4 ,it was with some difficulty that ,i found him4 ,he was little known in ,birmingham4 ,his workshops were very small2 they consisted of only one or two rooms4 ,his exquisite lathes were not much in demand4 ,they found their way chiefly to distant parts of the country1 where they were highly esteemed4 ,i found that he had some exquisitely finished lathes completed and in hand for engraving the steel plates for printing bank notes4 ,they were provided with the means of producing such intricate ornamental patterns as to defy the utmost skill of the forger4 ,perkins had done a good deal in the same way2 but ,drain's exquisite mechanism enabled his engraving lathes to surpass anything that had before been attempted in the same line4 ,i believe that ,drain's earnest attention to his work1 in which he had little or no assistance1 undermined his health1 and arrested the career of one who1 had he lived1 would have attained the highest position in his profession4 ,i shall never forget the rare treat which his fine mechanism afforded me4 ,its prominent quality was absolute truth and accuracy in every part4 ,having now had enough of the ,black ,country and of ,birmingham workshops1 ,i proceeded towards ,london4 ,there were no more manufacturing districts to be visited4 ,everything now was to be green lanes1 majestic trees1 old mansions1 venerable castles1 and picturesque scenery4 ,there is no way of seeing a country properly except on foot4 ,by railway you whiz past and see nothing4 ,even by coach the best parts of the scenery are unseen4 ,shank's naig is the best of all methods1 provided you have time4 ,i had still some days to spare before the conclusion of my holiday4 ,i therefore desired to see some of the beautiful scenery and objects of antiquarian interest before returning to work4 ,i made my way across country to ,kenilworth4 ,the weather was fine1 and the walk was perfect4 ,the wayside was bordered by grassy sward4 ,wide and irregular margins extended on each side of the road1 and noble trees and untrinnned hedges1 in their glowing autumnal tint1 extended far and wide4 ,everything was in the most gloriously neglected and therefore highly picturesque condition4 ,here and there old farmhouses and labourers' cottages peeped up from amidst the trees and hedges-- worthy of the landscape painter's highest skill4 ,i reached ,kenilworth about half an hour before sunset4 ,i made my way direct to the castle1 glorious in its decay4 ,the fine mellow glow of the setting sun lit up the grand and extensive ruins4 ,the massive ,norman keep stood up with melancholy dignity1 and attracted my attention more than any other part of the ruined building4 ,to me there is an impressiveness in the simple massive dignity of the ,norman castles and cathedrals1 which no other buildings possess4 ,there is an expression of terrible earnestness about them4 ,the last look ,i had of the ,norman keep was grand4 ,the elevated part was richly tinted with the last glow of the setting sun1 while the outline of the buildings beneath was shaded by a dark purply gray4 ,it was indeed a sight never to be forgotten4 ,i waited until the sun had descended beneath the horizon1 still leaving its glimmer of pink and crimson and gray1 and then ,i betook me to the little inn in the village1 where ,i obtained comfortable quarters for the night4 ,i visited the ruins again in the morning4 ,although the glory of the previous evening had departed1 ,i was much interested in observing the various styles of architecture adopted in different parts of the buildings--some old1 some comparatively new4 ,i found the older more grand and massive1 and the newer1 of the sixteenth century1 wanting in dignity of design1 and the workmanship very inferior4 ,the reign of ,shoddy had already begun before ,cromwell laid the castle in ruins4 ,in the course of the day ,i proceeded to ,warwick4 ,i passed along the same delightful grass-bordered roads1 shaded by noble trees4 ,i reached the grand old town1 with its antique buildings and its noble castle-- so famous in ,english history4 ,leaving the place with reluctance1 ,i left it late in the afternoon to trudge on to ,oxford4 ,but soon after ,i started the rain began to fall4 ,it was the first interruption to my walking journey which ,i had encountered during my three weeks' absence from ,london4 ,as it appeared from the dark clouds overhead that a wet night had set in1 ,i took shelter in a wayside inn at a place called ,steeple ,aston4 ,my clothes were dripping wet2 and after a glass of very hot rum and water ,i went to bed1 and had a sound sleep4 ,next morning it was fair and bright4 ,after a substantial homely breakfast ,i set out again4 ,nature was refreshed by the steady rain of the previous night1 and the day was beautiful4 ,i reached ,deddington and stayed there for the night1 and early next morning ,i set out for ,oxford4 ,i was greatly excited by the first sight ,i had of the crowd of towers and spires of that learned and illustrious city4 ,nor were my expectations at all disappointed by a nearer approach to the colleges of ,oxford4 ,after a most interesting visit to the best of the buildings1 ,i took in a1 fair idea of the admirable details of this noble city1 and left in the afternoon of next day4 ,i visited1 on my way to ,thame1 the old church of ,iffley4 ,i was attracted to it by the fine old ,norman work it contains1 which ,i found most quaint and picturesque4 ,i slept at ,thame for the night1 and next day walked to ,windsor4 ,i arrived there at sunset1 and had a fine view of the exterior of the castle and the surrounding buildings4 ,i was1 however1 much disappointed on examining the architectural details4 ,in sight of the noble trees about the castle1 and the magnificent prospect from the terrace1 ,i saw much that tended to make up for the disgust ,i felt at the way in which all that was so appropriate and characteristic in so historic a place as ,windsor ,castle should have been tampered with and rubbed out by the wretched conceit of the worst architects of our worst architectural period4 ,i left ,windsor next morning1 and walked direct for ,london4 ,my time was up1 but not my money4 ,i had taken eight sovereigns on setting out from ,london to ,liverpool by coach1 and ,i brought one sovereign back with me4 ,rather than break into it ,i walked all the way from ,windsor to ,london without halting for refreshment my entire expenditure during my three weeks' journey was thus seven pounds4 ,when ,i look back upon that tour1 ,i feel that ,i was amply rewarded4 ,it was throughout delightful and instructive4 ,the remembrance of it is as clear in my mind now as if ,i had performed the journey last year instead of fifty years ago4 ,there are thousands of details that pass before my mind's eye that would take a volume to enunerate4 ,i brought back a book full of sketches2 for graphic memoranda are much better fitted than written words to bring up a host of pleasant recollections and associations4 ,i came back refreshed for work1 and possessed by an anxious desire to press forward in the career of industry which ,i had set before me to accomplish4 ,,chapter #aj4 ,begin ,business at ,manchester ,mr4 ,maudslay arrived from ,berlin two days after my return to ,london4 ,he1 too1 had enjoyed his holiday4 ,during his stay in ,berlin he had made the friendship of the distinguished ,humboldt4 ,shenkel1 the architect1 had been very kind to him1 and presented him with a set of drawings and engravings of his great architectural works1 which ,mr4 ,maudslay exhibited to me with much delight4 ,what he most admired in ,shenkel was the great range of his talent in all matters of design1 his minute attention to detail1 and his fine artistic feeling4 ,soon after ,mr4 ,maudslay's return1 a very interesting job was brought to him1 in which he took even more than his usual interest4 ,it was a machine which his friend ,mr4 ,barton1 of the ,royal ,mint1 had obtained from ,france4 ,it was intended to cut or engrave the steel dies used for stamping coin4 ,it was a remarkable and interesting specimen of inventive ingenuity4 ,it copied any object in relief which had been cast in plaster of ,paris or brass from the artist's original wax model4 ,the minutest detail was transferred to soft steel dies with absolute accuracy4 ,this remarkable machine could copy and cut steel dies either in intaglio or in cameo of any size1 and1 in short1 enabled the mechanic who managed it to transfer the most minute and characteristic touches of the original model to the steel dies for any variety of size of coin4 ,nevertheless1 the execution of some of the details of the machine were so defective1 that after giving the most tempting proof of its capabilities at the ,royal ,mint1 ,mr4 ,barton found it absolutely necessary to place it in ,maudslay's hands1 in order to have its details thoroughly overhauled1 and made as mechanically perfect as its design and intention merited4 ,this interesting machine was accordingly brought to the private workshop1 and placed in the hands of the leading mechanic1 whom ,i had the pleasure of being associated with1 ,james ,sherriff1 one of our most skilled workmen4 ,we were both put to our mettle4 ,it was a job quite to my taste1 and being associated with so skilled a workman as ,sherriff1 and in constant communication with ,mr4 ,maudslay1 ,i had every opportunity of bringing my best manipulative ability into action and use while perfecting this beautiful machine4 ,it is sufficient to say that by our united efforts1 by the technical details suggested by ,mr4 ,maudslay and carried out by us1 and by the practical trials made under the superintendence of ,mr4 ,wyon of the ,mint1 the apparatus was at length made perfect and performed its duty to the satisfaction of every one concerned4 ,mr4 ,maudslay had next a pair of #bjj horse-power marine engines put in hand4 ,his sons and partners were rather opposed to so expensive a piece of work being undertaken without an order4 ,at that time such a power as #bjj horse nominal was scarcely thought of2 and the ,admiralty ,board were very cautious in ordering marine engines of any sort4 ,nevertheless1 the engines were proceeded with and perfected4 ,they formed a noble object in the great erecting shop4 ,they embodied in every detail all ,mr4 ,maudslay's latest improvements4 ,in fact the work was the sum total of the great master's inventions and adaptations in marine engines4 ,the ,admiralty at last secured them for the purpose of being placed in a very fine vessel1 the ,dee1 then in course of construction4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was so much pleased with the result that he had a very beautiful model made of the engines2 and finding that ,i had some artistic skill as a draughtsman1 he set me to work to make a complete perspective drawing of their great engines as they stood all perfect in the erecting-shop4 ,this was a work entirely to my taste4 ,in due time ,i completed a graphic portrait of these noble engines1 treated1 ,i hope1 in an artistic spirit4 ,indeed1 such a class of drawing was rarely to be had from any engineering draughtsman4 ,mere geometrical drawing could not give a proper idea1 as a whole1 of so grand a piece of mechanism4 ,it required something of the artistic spirit to fairly represent it4 ,at all events my performance won the entire approval of my master4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was a man of a wide range of mechanical abilities4 ,he was always ready to enter upon any new work requiring the exercise of special skill4 ,it did not matter whether it was machine tools1 engraving dies1 block machinery1 or astronomical instruments4 ,while at ,berlin he went to see the ,royal ,observatory4 ,he was naturally much interested by the fine instruments there--the works of ,repsoldt and ,hertz1 the pioneers of improved astronomical workmanship4 ,the continental instrument makers were then far in advance of those of ,england4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was greatly impressed with the sight of the fine instruments in the ,berlin ,observatory4 ,he was permitted to observe some of the most striking and remarkable of the heavenly bodies-- ,jupiter1 ,saturn1 and the ,moon4 ,it was almost a new revelation to him2 for the subject was entirely novel4 ,to be able to make such instruments seemed to him to be a glorious achievement of refined mechanism and manipulative skill4 ,he returned home full of the wonderful sights he had seen4 ,it was a constant source of pleasure to him to dwell upon the splendour and magnificence of the heavenly bodies4 ,he became anxious to possess a powerful telescope of his own4 ,his principal difficulty was in procuring a lens of considerable diameter1 possessed of high perfection of defining power4 ,i suggested to him the employment of a reflecting telescope1 by means of which the difficulties connected with the employment of glass could be avoided4 ,this suggestion was based upon some knowledge ,i had acquired respecting this department of refined mechanical art4 ,i knew that the elder ,herschel had by this means vastly advanced our knowledge of the heavenly bodies1 indeed to an extent far beyond what had been achieved by the most perfect of glass lens instruments4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was interested in the idea ,i suggested2 and he requested me to show him what ,i knew of the art of compounding the alloy called speculum metal4 ,he wished to know how so brittle a material could be cast and ground and polished1 and kept free from flaws or defects of every kind4 ,i accordingly cast for him a speculum of #h inches diameter4 ,i ground and polished it1 and had it fitted up in a temporary manner to exhibit its optical capabilities1 which were really of no mean order4 ,but1 as his ambition was to have a grand and powerful instrument of not less than #bd inches diameter1 the preparation for such a speculum became a subject to him of the highest interest4 ,he began to look out for a proper position for his projected observatory4 ,he made inquiry about a residence at ,norwood1 where he thought his instrument might have fair play4 ,it would there be free from the smoke and disturbing elements of such a place as ,lambeth4 ,his mind was full of this idea when he was called away by the claims of affection to visit a dear old friend at ,boulogne4 ,he remained there for more than a week1 until assured of his friend's convalescence4 ,but on his return voyage across the ,channel he caught a severe cold4 ,on reaching ,london he took to his bed and never left it alive4 ,after three or four weeks' suffering he died on the #adth of ,february #ahca4 ,it was a very sad thing for me to lose my dear old master4 ,he was so good and so kind to me in all ways4 ,he treated me like a friend and companion4 ,he was always generous1 manly1 and upright in his dealings with everybody4 ,how his workmen loved him2 how his friends lamented him6 ,he directed1 before his death1 that he should be buried in ,woolwich ,churchyard1 where a cast iron tomb1 made to his own design1 was erected over his remains4 ,he had ever a warm heart for ,woolwich1 where he had been born and brought up4 ,he began his life as a mechanic there1 and worked his way steadily upwards until he reached the highest point of his profession4 ,he often returned to ,woolwich after he had left it2 sometimes to pay a share of his week's wages to his mother1 while she lived2 sometimes to revisit the scenery of his youth4 ,he liked the green common1 with the soldiers about it2 ,shooter's ,hill1 with its wide look-out over ,kent and down the valley of the ,thames2 the river busy with shipping2 the ,dockyard wharf1 with the royal craft loading and unloading their armaments4 ,he liked the clangour of the arsenal smithy1 where he had first learned his art2 and all the busy industry of the place4 ,it was natural1 therefore1 that being so proud of his early connection with ,woolwich he should wish his remains to be laid there2 and ,woolwich1 on its part1 has equal reason to be proud of ,henry ,maudslay4 ,after the death of my master ,i passed over to the service of his worthy partner1 ,joshua ,field4 ,i had an equal pleasure in working under him4 ,his kindness in some degree mitigated the sad loss ,i had sustained by the death of my lamented friend and employer4 ,the first work ,i had to perform for ,mr4 ,field was to assist him in making the working drawings of a #bjj horse-power condensing steam-engine1 ordered by the ,lambeth ,waterworks ,company4 ,the practical acquaintance which ,i had by this time acquired of the mechanism of steam-engines enabled me to serve ,mr4 ,field in a satisfactory manner4 ,i drew out in full practical detail the rough but excellent hand sketches with which he supplied me4 ,they were handed out for execution in the various parts of the factory2 and ,i communicated with the foremen as to the details and workmanship4 ,while ,i was occupied beside ,mr4 ,field in making these working drawings1 he gave me many most valuable hints as to the designing of machinery in general4 ,in after years ,i had many opportunities of making good use of them4 ,one point he often impressed upon me4 ,it was1 he said1 most important to bear in mind the get-at-ability of parts--that is1 when any part of a machine was out of repair1 it was requisite to get at it easily without taking the machine to pieces4 ,this may appear a very simple remark1 but the neglect of such an arrangement occasions a vast amount of trouble1 delay1 and expense4 ,none but those who have had to do with the repair of worn-out or damaged parts of machinery can adequately value the importance of this subject4 ,i found ,mr4 ,field to be a most systematic man in all business affairs4 ,i may specially name one of his arrangements which ,i was quick to take up and appreciate4 ,i carried it out with great advantage in my after life4 ,it was1 to record subjects of conversation by means of graphic memoranda4 ,almost daily1 persons of note came to consult with him about machinery4 ,on these occasions the consultations took place either with reference to proposed new work1 or as to the progress of orders then in hand4 ,occasionally some novel scheme of applying power was under discussion1 or some new method of employing mechanism3 ,on ordinary occasions rough and rapid sketches are made on any stray pieces of waste paper that were about1 and after the conversation is over the papers are swept away into the waste basket and destroyed4 ,and yet some of these rapid drawings involve matters of great interest and importance for after consultations4 ,to avoid such losses1 ,mr4 ,field had always placed upon his table a talking book or graphic diary4 ,when his visitors called and entered into conversation with him about mechanical matters1 he made rapid sketches on the successive pages of the book1 and entered the brief particulars and date of the conversation1 together with the name and address of the visitor4 ,so that a conversation1 once begun1 might again be referred to1 and1 when the visitor called1 the graphic memoranda might be recalled without loss of time1 and the consultation again proceeded4 ,the pages of ,mr4 ,field's talking books were in many ways most interesting4 ,they contained data that1 in future years1 supplied valuable evidence in respect to first suggestions of mechanical contrivances1 and which sometimes were developed into very important results4 ,i may add that ,mr4 ,field kept these talking books on a shelf in front of his drawing table4 ,the back of each volume was marked with the year to which the entries referred1 and an index was appended to each4 ,a general index book was also placed at the end of the goodly range of these graphic records of his professional life4 ,the completion of the working drawings of the ,lambeth pumping engines occupied me until ,august #ahca4 ,i had then arrived at my twenty-third year4 ,i had no intention of proceeding further as an assistant or a journeyman4 ,i intended to begin business for my self4 ,of course ,i could only begin in a very small way4 ,i informed ,mr4 ,field of my intention1 and he was gratified with my decision4 ,not only so2 but he kindly permitted me to obtain castings of one of the best turning-lathes in the workshops4 ,i knew th at when ,i had fitted it up it would become the parent of a vast progeny of descendants--not only in the direct line1 but in planing machines1 screw-cutting lathes1 and many other minor tools4 ,at the end of the month1 after taking a grateful farewell of ,mr4 ,field and his partners1 ,i set sail for ,leith with my stock of castings1 and reached ,edinburgh in due time4 ,in order to proceed with the construction of my machine tools1 ,i rented a small piece of land at ,old ,broughton4 ,it was at the rear of my worthy friend ,george ,douglass's small foundry1 and was only about five minutes' walk from my father's house4 ,i erected a temporary workshop #bd feet long by #af feet wide4 ,i removed thither my father's foot-lathe1 to which ,i had previously added an excellent slide-rest of my own making4 ,i also added a slow motion1 which enabled me to turn cast-iron and cast-steel portions of my great ,maudslay lathe4 ,i soon had the latter complete and in action4 ,its first child was a planing machine capable of executing surfaces in the most perfect style--of #c feet long by #a foot #h inches wide4 ,armed with these two most important and generally useful tools1 and by some special additions1 such as boring machines and drilling machines1 ,i soon had a progeny of legitimate descendants crowded about my little workshop1 so that ,i often did not know which way to turn4 ,image ,my temporary workshop at ,edinburgh ,i had one labourer to drive the wheel which gave motion to my big lathe2 but ,i was very much in want of some one else to help me4 ,one day a young hearty fellow called upon me4 ,he had come from the ,shotts ,iron ,company's ,works in ,edinburgh4 ,having heard of what ,i was about1 he offered his services4 ,when he told me that he had been bred as a millwright1 and that he could handle the plane and the saw as well as the chisel and the file1 ,i closed with him at once4 ,he was to have fifteen shillings a week4 ,i liked the young man very much--he was so hearty and cheerful4 ,his name was ,archibald ,torry1 or ,archie1 as he was generally called during the twenty years that he remained in my service ,i obtained another assistant in the person of a young man whose father wished him to get an insight into practical engineering4 ,i was offered a premium of #ej for twelve months' experience in my workshop4 ,i arranged to take the young man1 and to initiate him in the general principles and practice of engineering4 ,the #ej premium was a very useful help to me1 especially as ,i had engaged the millwright4 ,it enabled me to pay ,torry's wages during the time that he remained with me in ,edinburgh4 ,i found it necessary1 however1 to take in some work in the regular way of business1 in order to supply me with the means of completing my proper supply of tools4 ,the chief of these extraneous and1 ,i may say1 disturbing jobs1 was that of constructing a rotary steam-engine4 ,mr4 ,robert ,steen had contrived and patented an engine of this sort4 ,he was a dangerously enthusiastic man1 and entertained the most visionary ideas as to steam power4 ,he was of opinion that his own contrivance was more compact and simple1 and possessed of more capability of producing power from the consumption of a given quantity of fuel1 than the best steam-engines then in use4 ,i warned him of his error2 but nothing but an actual proof would satisfy him4 ,he urgently requested me to execute his order4,he made me a liberal and tempting offer of weekly payments for my work during the progress of his engine4 ,he only required that ,i should give his invention the benefit of my careful workmanship4 ,he considered that this would be sufficient to substantiate all his enthusiastic expectations4 ,i was thus seduced to accept his order4 ,i made the requisite drawings1 and proceeded with the work4 ,at the same time my own machine tools were in progress1 though at a retarded pace4 ,the weekly payments we're regularly made1 and ,i was kept in a sort of financial ease4 ,after three months the rotary engine was finished to the inventor's complete satisfaction4 ,but when the power it gave out was compared with that of a good ordinary steam-engine1 the verdict as to consumption of fuel was against the new rotary engine4 ,nevertheless1 the enthusiastic projector1 tho' vanquished he would argue still1 insisted that the merits of his contrivance would sooner or later cause it to be a most formidable rival to the crank steam-engines4 ,as he was pleased with its performances1 ,i had no reason to be dissatisfied4 ,i had done my part in the matter1 and ,mr4 ,steen had done his4 ,his punctual weekly payments had assisted me in the completion of my tools2 and after a few months more labour ,i had everything ready for starting business on my own account4 ,my choice lay between ,liverpool and ,manchester4 ,i had seen both of these cities while on my visit to ,lancashire to witness the opening of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway4 ,i now proceeded to visit them again4 ,i was fortified with valuable introductions to leading men in both places4 ,i was received by them with great kindness and hospitality4 ,i have heard a great deal about the ingratitude and selfishness of the world4 ,it may have been my good fortune1 but ,i have never experienced either of those unfeeling conditions4 ,on the whole ,i have found a great deal of unselfish kindness among my fellow-beings4 ,they have often turned out of their way to do me a service2 and ,i can never be too grateful for the unwearied kindness1 civility1 and generosity of the friends ,i met with during my stay in ,lancashire4 ,it was a question which would be the best place to settle in-- ,liverpool or ,manchester4 ,i had seen striking evidences of the natural aptitude of ,lancashire workmen for every sort of mechanical employment1 and had observed their unsparing energy while at work4 ,i compared them with the workmen whom ,i had seen in ,london1 and found them superior4 ,they were men of greater energy of character2 their minds were more capacious2 their ingenuity was more inventive4 ,i felt assured that in either ,liverpool or ,manchester--the centres of commercial and manipulative energy--,i could settle down with my limited capital and tools1 and in course of time contrive to get on1 helped by energy1 self-reliance1 and determination4 ,i also found that the demand for machine-making tools was considerable1 and that their production would soon become an important department of business4 ,it might be carried on with little expenditure of capital1 as the risks were small and the returns were quick4 ,i resolved to cultivate that moderate and safe class of mechanical business1 at all events at the outset4 ,i first went to ,liverpool4 ,i presented my letter of introduction to ,mr4 ,roscoe1 head of the ,mersey ,steel and ,iron ,company4 ,he received me with great kindness1 and gave me much good advice4 ,i called upon ,edward ,berry1 engineer1 and also upon ,william ,fawcett1 who had received me with so much kindness on my former visit4 ,i cannot omit mentioning also the friendly reception which ,i received from ,dr4 ,sillar4 ,he had been a medical student at ,edinburgh1 and had during that time met with some kindness from my father4 ,he expressed his remembrance of it with grateful effusion2 and added his personal introduction1 with that of my letters1 to some of the leading men in ,liverpool4 ,i may mention that ,dr4 ,sillar was the son of ,burns's ,brother ,poet ,davie1 to whom the well-known ,epistle was addressed4 ,among the other well-known men to whom ,i was introduced at ,liverpool was ,john ,cragg1 an intelligent and enterprising ironfounder4 ,he was an extensive manufacturer of the large sugar-boiling pans used in the ,west ,indies4 ,he had also given his attention to the introduction of iron into buildings of different sorts4 ,being a man of artistic taste he had even introduced cast-iron into ,gothic architecture4 ,in order to exhibit1 in an impressive form1 the uses of his favourite metal1 he erected at his own cost a very elegant church in the northern part of ,liverpool499 footnote444 ,so far as ,i can recollect1 the name of the church was ,st4 ,james's4 ,it exhibited a very early introduction of iron as an important element in architectural construction4 ,iron was afterwards largely introduced into mills1 mill gearing1 and buildings generally4 444 ,cast-iron was introduced1 not only in the material parts of the structure1 but into the ,gothic columns and ,gothic tracery of the windows1 as well as into the lofty and elegant spire4 ,iron was also employed in the external ornamental details1 where delicate yet effective decoration was desirable4 ,the famous architect1 ,edward ,blore1 was the designer of the church2 and the whole details of the building--of which cast-iron formed the principal material-- were executed to his entire satisfaction99 footnote444 ,so far as ,i can recollect1 the name of the church was ,st4 ,james's4 ,it exhibited a very early introduction of iron as an important element in architectural construction4 ,iron was afterwards largely introduced into mills1 mill gearing1 and buildings generally4 444 ,my introduction to ,mr4 ,cragg led to an acquaintance1 and then to a friendship4 ,when the ice was broken which was very soon--he told me that he was desirous of retiring from the more active part of his business4 ,whether he liked my looks or not ,i do not know2 but1 quite unexpectedly1 he made me a very tempting offer to enter his works as his successor4 ,he had already amassed a fortune1 and ,i might do the same4 ,i could only thank him most sincerely for his kindness4 ,but1 on carefully thinking the matter over1 ,i declined the proposal4 ,my principal reason was1 that the special nature of his foundry work did not quite harmonise with my desire to follow the more strictly mechanical part of the iron business4 ,besides1 ,i thought ,i had a brighter prospect of success before me2 though ,i knew that ,i had many difficulties to contend against4 ,did ,i throw away my chances in declining the liberal proposal of ,mr4 ,cragg8 ,the reader will be able to judge from the following pages4 ,but to the last99 footnote444 ,mr4 ,cragg died in #ahec1 aged #hd4 444 ,i continued a most friendly intercourse with my intended patron1 while he on his part took an almost paternal interest in my progress4 ,after my visit to ,liverpool ,i passed on to ,manchester4 ,i was fortunate in having introductions to some of the leading men there1--to ,john ,kennedy1 ,william ,fairbairn1 the ,grant ,brothers1 and lastly1 to that most admirable man1 ,benjamin ,hick1 engineer1 ,bolton4 ,to narrate in detail all the instances of warm and hospitable kindnesses which ,i received from men in ,lancashire1 even from the outset of my career there1 would fill a volume4 ,i first went to see my friend ,edward ,tootal1 who had given me so kind a reception in #ahcj4 ,i was again cordially received2 he now promised to befriend me1 which he did most effectually4 ,i next visited ,john ,chippendale1 of the firm of ,thomson1 ,chippendale1 and ,company1 calico printers4 ,i had met him at a friend's house in ,london1 where he had offered1 if ,i ever visited ,manchester1 to introduce me to some of the best men there4 ,i accordingly called upon him at his counting-house4 ,it happened to be ,tuesday1 the market day1 when all the heads of manufacturing establishments in and round ,manchester met together at the ,exchange between #ab and #a2 and thus all were brought to a focus in a very convenient manner4 ,mr4 ,chippendale first introduced me to ,mr4 ,john ,kennedy1 one of the most distinguished men in ,manchester4 ,i had a special letter of introduction to him from ,buchanan of ,catrine1 and his partner ,smith of ,deanstone4 ,i explained to him the object of my visit to ,manchester1 and he cordially entered into my views4 ,he left his occupation at the time1 and went with me to see a place which he thought might be suitable for my workshop4 ,the building was new at hand--in ,dale ,street1 ,piccadilly4 ,it had been used as a cotton mill1 but was abandoned by the owner in favour of more suitable and extensive premises4 ,it was now let out in flats for manufacturing purposes4 ,power was supplied to each flat from a shaft connected with a large mill up the street1 the owner of which had power to spare4 ,the flat shown to me was #acj feet long by #bg feet wide1 and the rent was only #ej a year4 ,i thought the premises very suitable1 but ,i took a night to sleep over it4 ,i thanked ,mr4 ,kennedy very much for his kindness1 and for the trouble which he had taken on behalf of an unknown stranger4 ,on this memorable day ,i had another introduction1 through the kindness of ,mr4 ,chippendale1 which proved of great service to me4 ,it was to the ,messrs4 ,grant1 the famous ,brothers ,cheeryble of ,dickens4 ,i was taken to their counting-house in ,cannon ,street1 where ,i was introduced to ,daniel ,grant4 ,although business was at its full height1 he gave me a cordial reception4 ,but1 to save time1 he invited me to come after the ,exchange was over and take tiffin with him at his hospitable mansion in ,mosely ,street4 ,there1 he said1 ,i should meet some of the most enterprising men in ,lancashire4 ,i was most happy1 of course1 to avail myself of his invitation4 ,i went thither accordingly1 and the first thing that ,daniel did was to present me in the most cordial manner to his noble brother ,william1 as he always affectionately called him4 ,william was the head of the firm1 and he1 too1 gave me a warm and hearty welcome4 ,he asked me to sit beside him at the head of the table4 ,during dinner--for indeed it was such1 being the survival of the old-fashioned one o'clock dinner of a departing age--,william entered into conversation with me4 ,he took occasion to inquire into the object of my visit to ,manchester4 ,i told him1 as briefly as ,i could1 that ,i intended to begin the business of a mechanical engineer on a very moderate scale1 and that ,i had been looking out for premises wherein to commence operations4 ,he seemed interested1 and asked more questions4 ,i related to him my little history1 and told him of my desires1 hopes1 and aspirations4 ,what was my age8 ,twenty-six4 ,that is a very young age at which to begin business on your own account ,yes2 but ,i have plenty of work in me1 and ,i am very economical4 ,then he pressed his questions home4 ,but what is your capital8 ,i told him that my capital in cash was #fc4 ,what6 he said1 that will do very little for you when ,saturday nights come round4 ,that's true1 ,i answered2 but as there will be only myself and ,archy ,torry to provide for1 ,i think ,i can manage to get along very well until profitable work comes in4 ,he whispered to me1 ,keep your heart up6 ,with such views1 he said1 ,i was sure to do well4 ,and if1 he added1 on any ,saturday night ,i wanted money to pay wages or other expenses1 ,i would find a credit for #ejj at #c per cent at his office in ,cannon ,street1 and no security4 ,these were his very words4 ,what could have been more generous8 ,i could only whisper my earnest thanks for his warm-hearted kindness4 ,he gave me a kindly squeeze of the hand in return1 which set me in a glow of gladness4 ,he also gave me a sort of wink that ,i shall never forget--a most knowing wink4 ,in looking at me he seemed to turn his eye round and brought his eyebrows down upon it in a sudden and extraordinary manner4 ,i thought it was a mere confirmation of his kind advice to keep my heart up6 ,it was not until two years after that ,i found1 from a mutual friend1 that the eye in question was made of glass6 ,sometimes the glass eye got slightly out of its place1 and ,mr4 ,grant had to force it in again by this odd contortion of his eyebrows1 which ,i had translated into all manner of kind intentions4 ,as soon as the party broke up ,i went to ,wren and ,bennett1 the agents for the flat of the old mill which ,i had seen in ,dale ,street4 ,i inspected it again1 and found that it was in all respects suitable for my purpose4 ,i may mention in passing that the flat below mine was in the occupation of a glass-cutter1 whose glass-cutting lathes and grindstones were supplied with power from the same upright shaft that was to serve me in the same manner on the flat above1 ,encouraged by the support of ,william ,grant1 ,i immediately entered into a contract for the premises as a yearly tenant4 ,nothing could have been more happily arranged for my entering into business as a mechanical engineer and machine tool maker4 ,the situation of the premises was excellent1 being in the heart of ,manchester ,there was a powerful crab crane1 or hoisting apparatus1 in the upper story1 and the main chains came down in front of the wide door of my workshop1 so that heavy castings or cases of machinery might be lifted up or let down with the utmost case and convenience4 ,at the same time ,i was relieved from looking after the moving power and its natural accompaniment of trouble and expense in the way of fuel and attendance4 ,image ,my factory flat at ,manchester ,when ,i had settled the contract for taking the place1 ,i wrote down to ,edinburgh by that night's post to tell my father of the happy results of my visit to ,manchester1 and also to inform my right hand man1 ,archy ,torry1 that ,i should soon be with him4 ,he was to prepare for packing up my lathes1 planing machines1 drilling machines1 and other smaller tools1 not forgetting my father's foot lathe1 of which ,i had made such effective use499 footnote444 ,i have still this foot-lathe in full and perfect and almost daily action4 ,i continue to work with it now1 after sixty-three years of almost constant use4 ,it is a lathe that ,i duly prize and venerate1 not only because it was my father's1 but also because it was1 in practical fact1 the progenitor1 more or less directly1 of all the mechanical productions of my long and active life4 444 ,i soon followed up my letter4 ,i was in ,edinburgh in a few days' time1 and had all my tools packed up4 ,in the course of about ten days ,i returned to ,manchester1 and was followed by ,archy ,torry and the ponderous cases of machinery and engineer's tools4 ,they were all duly delivered1 hoisted to my flat1 and put in their proper places4 ,i was then ready for work4 ,the very first order ,i received was from my friend ,edward ,tootal4 ,it was a new metallic piston for the small steam-engine that gave motion to his silk-winding machinery4 ,it was necessary that it should be done over night1 in order that his factory should be at work as usual in the morning4 ,my faithful ,archy and ,i set to work accordingly4 ,we removed the old defective piston1 and replaced it by a new and improved one1 made according to my own ideas of how so important a part of a steam-engine should be constructed4 ,we conveyed it to ,mr4 ,tootal's factory over night1 and by five o'clock in the morning gave it a preliminary trial to see that everything was in order4 ,the hands came in at six1 and the machine was set to work4 ,it was no doubt a very small order1 but the piston was executed perfectly and satisfactorily4 ,the result of its easier action1 through reduced friction1 was soon observable in the smaller consumption of coal4 ,mr4 ,tootal and his brother were highly pleased at my prompt and careful attention to their little order1 and it was the forerunner of better things to come4 ,orders soon came in4 ,my planing machine was soon fully occupied4 ,when not engaged in executing other work it was employed in planing the flat cast-iron inking tables for printing machines4 ,these were made in considerable numbers by ,messrs4 ,wren and ,bennett 7my landlords7 under the personal superintendence of ,ebenezer ,cowper1 brother of the inventor1 who1 in conjunction with ,mr4 ,applegath1 was the first to produce a really effective newspaper printing machine4 ,i had many small subsidiary jobs sent to me to execute4 ,they not only served to keep my machine tools properly employed1 but tended in the most effective way to make my work known to some of the best firms in ,manchester1 who in course of time became my employers4 ,in order to keep pace with the influx of work ,i had to take on fresh hands4 ,i established a smithy down in the cellar flat of the old mill in ,dale ,street1 so that all forge work in iron and steel might be promptly and economically produced on the premises4 ,there was a small iron foundry belonging to a ,mr4 ,heath1 about three minutes walk from my workshop1 where ,i had all my castings of iron and brass done with promptness1 and of excellent quality4 ,mr4 ,heath very much wanted a more powerful steam-engine to drive his cupola blowing fan4 ,i had made a steam-engine in ,edinburgh and brought it with me4 ,there it lay in my workshop1 where it remained unused1 for ,i was sufficiently supplied with power from the rotating shaft4 ,mr4 ,heath offered to buy it4 ,the engine was accordingly removed to his iron foundry1 and ,i received my full quota of value in castings4 ,week by week my orders grew1 and the flat of the old mill soon assumed a very busy aspect4 ,by occasionally adding to the number of my lathes1 drilling machines1 and other engineers' tools1 ,i attracted the attention of employers4 ,when seen in action they not only facilitated and economised the production of my own work1 but became my best advertisements4 ,each new tool that ,i constructed had some feature of novelty about it4 ,i always endeavoured after greater simplicity and perfectness of workmanship4 ,i was punctual in all my engagements4 ,the business proved safe and profitable4 ,the returns were quick4 ,sometimes one-third of the money was paid in advance on receipt of the order1 and the balance was paid on delivery at my own premises4 ,all risk of bad debts was avoided4 ,thus ,i was enabled to carry on my business with a very moderate amount of capital4 ,my crowded workshop and the active scene it presented1 together with the satisfaction my work gave to my employers1 induced several persons to offer to enter into partnership with me4 ,sometimes it was on their own account1 or for a son or relation for whom they desired an opening4 ,but ,i fought shy of such proposals4 ,it was a very riskful affair to admit as partners young men whose character for ability might be very doubtful4 ,i was therefore satisfied to go on as before4 ,besides1 ,i had the kind and disinterested offer of the ,brothers ,grant1 which was always available1 though1 indeed1 ,i did not need to make use of it4 ,i had also the good fortune to be honoured by the friendship of ,edward ,lloyd1 the head of the firm of ,jones1 ,lloyd1 and ,co4 ,i had some moderate financial transactions with the bank4 ,mr4 ,lloyd had1 no doubt1 heard something of my industry and economy4 ,i never asked him for any accommodation2 but on one occasion he invited me into his parlour1 not to sweat me1 but to give me some most kindly hints and advice as to the conduct of my financial affairs4 ,he volunteered an offer which ,i could not but feel proud of4 ,he said that ,i should have a credit of #ajjj at my service1 at the usual bank rate4 ,he added1 ,as soon as you can1 lay by a little capital of your own1 and baste it with its own gravy6 ,a receipt which ,i have carefully followed through life1 and ,i am thankful to say with satisfactory results4 ,before ,i conclude this chapter1 let me add something more about my kind friends the ,brothers ,grant4 ,it is well that their history should be remembered1 as the men who personally knew them will soon be all dead4 ,the three brothers1 ,william1 ,daniel1 and ,john ,grant1 were the sons of a herdsman or cattle-dealer1 whose occupation consisted in driving cattle from the far north of ,scotland to the rich pastures of ,cheshire and ,lancashire4 ,the father was generally accompanied by his three sons1 who marched barefoot1 as was the custom of the north country lads in those days4 ,being shrewd fellows1 they observed with interest the thriving looks and well-fed condition of the ,lancashire folks4 ,they were attracted by the print works and cotton mills which lay by the ,irwell1 as it crept along in its bright and rural valley towards ,manchester4 ,when passing the works of ,sir ,robert ,peel at ,nuttal1 near ,bury1 they admired the beauty of the situation4 ,the thought possessed them that they would like to obtain some employment in the neighbourhood4 ,they went together in search of a situation4 ,it is said that when they reached the crown of the hill near ,walmsley1 from which a beautiful prospect is to be seen1 they were in doubt as to the line of road which they should pursue4 ,to decide their course1 a stick was put up1 and they agreed to follow the direction in which it should fall4 ,the stick fell in the direction of ,ramsbottom1 then a little village in the bottom of the valley1 on the river ,irwell4 ,there they went1 and found employment4 ,they were thrifty1 economical1 and hard-working2 and they soon saved money4 ,their savings became capital1 and they invested it in a little print work4 ,their capital grew1 and they went on investing it in print works and cotton mills4 ,they became great capitalists and manufacturers2 and by their industry1 ability1 and integrity1 were regarded as among the best men in ,lancashire4 ,as a memorial of the event which enabled them to take up their happy home at ,ramsbottom1 they caused to be erected at the top of ,walmsley ,hill a lofty tower1 overlooking the valley1 as a kind of public thank-offering for the prosperity and success which they had achieved in their new home4 ,their well-directed diligence made the valley teem with industry1 activity1 health1 joy1 and opulence4 ,they never forgot the working class from which they had sprung1 and as their labours had contributed to their wealth1 they spared no expense in providing for the moral1 intellectual1 and physical interests of their work-people4 ,whenever a worthy object was to be achieved1 the ,brothers ,grant were always ready with their hearty and substantial help4 ,they contributed to found schools1 churches1 and public buildings1 and many a deserving man did they aid with their magnanimous bounty4 ,i may also mention that they never forgot their first impression of the splendid position of the first ,sir ,robert ,peel's works at ,nuttal4 ,in course of time ,sir ,robert had1 by his skill and enterprise1 acquired a large fortune1 and desired to retire from business4 ,by this time the ,grant ,brothers had succeeded so well that they were enabled to purchase the whole of his works and property in the neighbourhood4 ,they proceeded to introduce every improvement in the way of machinery and calico printing1 and thus greatly added to the quality of their productions4 ,their name became associated with everything that was admirable4 ,they abounded in hospitality and generosity4 ,in the course of many long years of industry1 enterprise1 and benevolence1 they earned the goodwill of thousands1 the gratitude of many1 and the respect of all who knew them4 ,i was only one of many who had cause to remember them with gratefulness4 ,how could ,i acknowledge their kindness8 ,there was one way2 it was a very small way1 but ,i will relate it4 ,soon after my introduction to the ,grants1 and before ,i had brought my tools to ,manchester1 ,william invited me to join a gathering of his friends at ,ramsbottom4 ,the church built at his cost had just been finished1 and it was to be opened with great eclat on the following ,sunday4 ,he asked me to be his guest1 and ,i accepted his invitation with pleasure4 ,as it was a very fine day at the end of ,may1 ,i walked out to ,ramsbottom1 and enjoyed the scenery of the district4 ,here was the scene of the ,grant ,brothers' industry and prosperity4 ,i met many enterprising and intelligent men1 to whom ,william ,grant introduced me4 ,i was greatly pleased with the ceremonies connected with the opening of the church4 ,on the ,monday morning ,william ,grant1 having seen some specimens of my father's artistic skill as a landscape painter1 requested me to convey to him his desire that he should paint two pictures--one of ,castle ,grant1 the residence of the chief of the ,clan ,grant1 and the other of ,elgin ,cathedral4 ,these places were intimately associated with his early recollections1 ,the brothers had been born in the village adjoining ,castle ,grant2 and ,elgin ,cathedral was one of the principal old buildings of the north4 ,my father replied1 saying that he would be delighted to execute the pictures for a gentleman who had given me so kindly a reception1 but that he had no authentic data--no drawings1 no engravings--from which to paint them2 and that he was now too old to visit the places4 ,i therefore resolved to do what ,i could to help him to paint the pictures4 ,as it was necessary that ,i should go to ,london before returning to ,edinburgh to pack up my machine tools there1 ,i went thither1 and after doing my business1 ,i embarked for ,dundee by the usual steamer4 ,i made my way from there1 via ,perth and ,dunkeld1 to ,inverness1 and from thence ,i proceeded to ,elgin4 ,i made most careful drawings of the remains of that noble cathedral4 ,i endeavoured to include all that was most beautiful in the building and its surrounding scenery4 ,i then went on to ,castle ,grant1 through a picturesque and romantic country4 ,i found the castle amidst its deep forests of pine1 larch1 elm1 and chestnut4 ,the building consists of a high quadrangular pile of many stories1 projecting backwards at each end1 and pierced with windows of all shapes and sizes4 ,i did my best to carry away a graphic sketch of the old castle and its surroundings3 and then1 with my stock of drawings1 ,i prepared to return to ,inverness on foot4 ,the scenery was grand and beautiful4 ,the weather was fine1 although after mid-day it became very hot4 ,a thunder storm was evidently approaching4 ,the sun was obscured by a thunder-cloud2 the sky flashed with lightning1 and the rain began to pour down4 ,i was then high up on a wild looking moor1 covered with heather and vast boulders4 ,image ,an extemporised shower-bath ,there was no shelter to be had1 for not a house was in sight4 ,i did not so much mind for my clothes1 but ,i feared very much for my sketches4 ,taking advantage of the solitude1 ,i stripped myself1 put my sketches under my clothes1 and thrust them into a hollow underneath a huge boulder4 ,i sat myself down on the top of it1 and there ,i had a magnificent shower-bath of warm rain4 ,i never enjoyed a bath under such romantic circumstances4 ,the thunder-clouds soon passed over my head1 and the sun broke out again cheerily4 ,when the rain had ceased ,i took out my clothes and drawings from the hollow1 and found them perfectly dry4 ,i set out again on my long walk to ,inverness2 and reached it just in time to catch the ,caledonian ,canal steamer4 ,while passing down ,loch ,ness ,i visited the romantic ,fail of ,foyers2 then through ,loch ,lochy1 past ,ben ,nevis to ,loch ,linnhe1 ,oban1 and the ,kyles of ,bute1 to ,glasgow1 and from thence to ,edinburgh4 ,i had the pleasure of placing in my father's hands the sketches ,i had made4 ,he was greatly delighted with them4 ,they enabled him to set to work with his usual zeal1 and in the course of a short time he was able to execute1 con amore1 the commission of the ,brothers ,grant4 ,so soon as ,i had completed my sketches ,i wrote to ,daniel ,grant and informed him of the result of my journey4 ,he afterwards expressed himself most warmly as to my prompt zeal in obtaining for him authentic pictures of places so dear to the brothers1 and so much associated with their earliest and most cherished recollections4 ,i have already referred to the ,brothers ,cowper4 ,they were among my most attached friends at ,manchester4 ,many of my most pleasant associations are connected with them4 ,edward ,cowper was one of the most successful mechanics in bringing the printing machine to a state of practical utility4 ,he was afterwards connected with ,mr4 ,applegath of ,london1 the mechanical engineer of the ,times newspaper99 footnote444 ,mr4 ,koeig's machines1 first used at the ,times office1 were patented in #ahad4 ,they were too complicated and expensive1 and the inking was too imperfect for general adoption4 ,they were superseded by ,mr4 ,edward ,cowper's machine1 which he invented and patented in #ahaf4 ,he afterwards added the inking roller and table to the common press4 ,the effect of ,mr4 ,cowper's invention was to improve the quality and speed of printing1 and to render literature accessible to millions of readers4 444 he invented for the proprietors a machine that threw off from #dejj to #ejjj impressions in the hour4 ,in course of time the ,brothers ,cowper removed the manufacture of their printing machines from ,london 1to ,manchester4 ,there they found skilled and energetic workmen1 ready to carry their plans into effect4 ,they secured excellent premises1 supplied with the best modern machine tools1 in the buildings of ,wren and ,bennett1 about two minutes' walk from my workshop1 which ,i rented from the same landlords4 ,i had much friendly intercourse with the ,cowpers1 especially with ,ebenezer the younger brother1 who took up his residence at ,manchester for the purpose of specially superintending the manufacture of printing machines4 ,these were soon in large demand1 not only for the printing of books but of newspapers4 ,one of the first booksellers who availed himself of the benefits of the machine was ,mr4 ,charles ,knight1 who projected the ,penny ,magazine of #ahcb1 and sold it to the extent of about #ahj1jjj copies weekly4 ,it was also adopted by the ,messrs4 ,chambers of ,edinburgh1 and the proprietors of the ,magasin ,pittoresque of ,paris4 ,the ,universities of ,oxford and ,cambridge also used ,cowper's machine in printing vast numbers of bibles and prayer-books1 thereby reducing their price to one-third of the former cost4 ,there was scarcely a newspaper of any importance in the country that was not printed with a ,cowper's machine4 ,as ,i possessed some self-acting tools that were specially suited to execute some of the most refined and important parts of the printing machine1 the ,messrs4 ,cowper transferred their execution to me4 ,this was a great advantage to both4 ,they were relieved of the technical workmanship2 while ,i kept my men and machine tools fully employed at times when they might otherwise have been standing idle4 ,besides1 ,i derived another advantage from my connection with the ,brothers ,cowper1 by having frequent orders to supply my small steam-engines1 which were found to be so suitable for giving motion to the printing machines4 ,at first the machines were turned by hand1 and very exhausting work it was2 but the small steam-engine soon relieved the labourer from his heavy work4 ,edward frequently visited ,manchester to arrange with his brother as to the increasing manufacture of the printing machines1 and also to introduce such improvements in the minor details as the experience and special requirements of the printing trade suggested4 ,it was on these occasions that ,i had the happy opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with him2 and this resulted in a firm friendship which continued until the close of his admirable life4 ,the clear and masterly way in which1 by some happy special faculty1 he could catch up the essential principles and details of any mechanical combination1 however novel the subject might be1 was remarkable2 and the quaint and humorous manner in which he treated all such subjects1 in no small degree caused his shrewd and intelligent remarks to take a lasting hold of the memory4 ,on many occasions ,edward ,cowper gave ,friday evening lectures on technical subjects at the ,royal ,institution1 ,london4 ,next to ,faraday1 no one held the attention of a delighted audience in so charming a manner as he did4 ,like ,faraday1 he possessed the power of clearly unveiling his subject1 and stripping it of all its complicated perplexities4 ,his illustrations were simple1 clear1 and understandable4 ,technical words were avoided as much as possible4 ,he threw the ordinary run of lecturers far into the shade4 ,intelligent boys and girls could understand him4 ,next to ,faraday1 no one filled the theatre of the ,institution with such eager and crowded audiences as he did4 ,his choice of subjects1 as well as his masterly treatment1 always rendered his lectures instructive and attractive4 ,he was one of the most kind-hearted of men1 and the cheerful way in which he laid aside his ordinary business to give instruction and pleasure to others endeared him to a very wide circle of devoted friends4 ,,chapter #aa4 ,bridgewater ,foundry--,partnership4 ,my business went on prosperously4 ,i had plenty of orders1 and did my best to execute them satisfactorily4 ,shortly after the opening of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway there was a largely increased demand for machine-making tools4 ,the success of that line led to the construction of other lines1 concentrating in ,manchester2 and every branch of manufacture shared in the prosperity of the time4 ,there was a great demand for skilled1 and even for unskilled labour4 ,the demand was greater than the supply4 ,employers were subjected to exorbitant demands for increased rates of wages4 ,the workmen struck1 and their wages were raised4 ,but the results were not always satisfactory4 ,except in the cases of the old skilled hands1 the work was executed more carelessly than before4 ,the workmen attended less regularly2 and sometimes1 when they ought to have been at work on ,monday mornings1 they did not appear until ,wednesday4 ,their higher wages had been of no use to them1 but the reverse4 ,their time had been spent for the most part in two days' extra drinking4 ,the irregularity and carelessness of the workmen naturally proved very annoying to the employers4 ,but it gave an increased stimulus to the demand for self-acting machine tools by which the untrustworthy efforts of hand labour might be avoided4 ,the machines never got drunk2 their hands never shook from excess2 they were never absent from work2 they did not strike for wages2 they were unfailing in their accuracy and regularity1 while producing the most delicate or ponderous portions of mechanical structures4 ,it so happened that the demand for machine tools1 consequent upon the increasing difficulties with the workmen1 took place at the time that ,i began business in ,manchester1 and ,i had my fair share of the increased demand4 ,most of my own machine tools were self-acting--planing machines1 slide lathes1 drilling1 boring1 slotting machines1 and so on4 ,when set up in my workshop they distinguished themselves by their respective merits and efficiency4 ,they were1 in fact1 their own best advertisements4 ,the consequence was that orders for similar machines poured in upon me1 and the floor of my flat became completely loaded with the work in hand4 ,the tenant below me1 it will be remembered1 was a glass-cutter4 ,he observed1 with alarm1 the bits of plaster from the roof coming down among his cut glasses and decanters4 ,he thought that the rafters overhead were giving way1 and that the whole of my machinery and engines would come tumbling down upon him some day and involve him in ruin4 ,he probably exaggerated the danger2 still there was some cause for fear4 ,when the massive castings on my floor were moved about from one part to another1 the floor quivered and trembled under the pressure4 ,the glass-cutter complained to the landlord1 and the landlord expostulated with me4 ,i did all that ,i could to equalise the pressure1 and prevent vibration as much as possible4 ,but at length1 in spite of all my care1 an accident occurred which compelled me to take measures to remove my machinery to other premises4 ,as this removal was followed by consequences of much importance to myself1 ,i must endeavour to state the circumstances under which it occurred4 ,my kind friend1 ,john ,kennedy1 continued to take the greatest interest in my welfare4 ,he called in upon me occasionally4 ,he admired the quality of my work1 and the beauty of my self-acting machinery4 ,more than that1 he recommended me to his friends4 ,it was through his influence that ,i obtained an order for a high-pressure steam-engine of twenty horse-power to drive the machinery connected with a distillery at ,londonderry1 in ,ireland4 ,i was afraid at first that ,i could not undertake the job4 ,the size of the engine was somewhat above the height of my flat1 and it would probably occupy too much space in my already overcrowded workshop4 ,at the same time ,i was most anxious not to let such an order pass me4 ,i wished to please my friend ,mr4 ,kennedy2 besides1 the execution of the engine might lead to further business4 ,at length1 after consideration1 ,i undertook to execute the order4 ,instead of constructing the engine perpendicularly1 ,i constructed it lying upon its side4 ,there was a little extra difficulty1 but ,i managed to complete it in the best style4 ,it had next to be taken to pieces for the purpose of being conveyed to ,londonderry4 ,it was then that the accident happened4 ,my men had the misfortune to allow the end of the engine beam to crash through the floor6 ,there was a terrible scattering of lath and plaster and dust4 ,the glass-cutter was in a dreadful state4 ,he rushed forthwith to the landlord1 and called upon him to come at once and judge for himself6 ,mr4 ,wren did come1 and did judge for himself4 ,he looked in at the glass shop1 and saw the damage that had been done amongst the tumblers and decanters4 ,there was the hole in the roof1 through which the end of the engine beam had come and scattered the lath and plaster4 ,the landlord then came to me4 ,the whole flat was filled with machinery1 including the steam-engine on its side1 now being taken to pieces for the purpose of shipment to ,ireland4 ,mr4 ,wren1 in the kindest manner1 begged me to remove from the premises as soon as ,i could1 otherwise the whole building might be brought to the ground with the weight of my machinery4 ,besides1 he argued1 you must have more convenient premises for your rapidly extending business4 ,it was quite true4 ,i must leave the place and establish myself elsewhere4 ,the reader may remember that while on my journey on foot from ,liverpool to ,manchester in #ahcj1 ,i had rested myself for a little on the parapet of the bridge overlooking the canal near ,patricroft1 and gazed longingly upon a plot of land situated along the canal side4 ,on the afternoon of the day on which the engine beam crashed through the glass-cutter's roof1 ,i went out again to look at that favourite piece of land4 ,there it was1 unoccupied1 just as ,i had seen it some years before4 ,i went to it and took note of its dimensions4 ,it consisted of about six acres4 ,it was covered with turf1 and as flat and neat as a bowling-green4 ,it was bounded on one side by the ,bridgewater ,canal1 edged by a neat stone margin #ajej feet long1 on another side by the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 while on a third side it was bounded by a good road1 accessible from all sides4 ,the plot was splendidly situated4 ,i wondered that it had not been secured before4 ,it was evidently waiting for me6 ,i did not allow the grass to grow beneath my feet4 ,that very night ,i ascertained that the proprietor of this most beautiful plot was squire ,trafford1 one of the largest landed proprietors in the district4 ,next morning ,i proceeded to ,trafford ,hall for the purpose of interviewing the ,squire4 ,he received me most cordially4 ,after ,i had stated my object in calling upon him1 he said he would be exceedingly pleased to have me for one of his tenants4 ,he gave me a letter of introduction to his agent1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,lee1 of ,princes ,street1 ,manchester1 with whom ,i was to arrange as to the terms4 ,i was offered a lease of the six acre plot for #iii years1 at an annual rent of #a #c_/d;d per square yard4 ,this proposal was most favourable1 as ,i obtained the advantage of a fee-simple purchase without having to sink capital in the land4 ,all that ,i had to provide for was the annual rent4 ,my next step in this important affair was to submit the proposal to the judgment of my excellent friend ,edward ,lloyd1 the banker4 ,he advised me to close the matter as soon as possible1 for he considered the terms most favourable4 ,he personally took me to his solicitors1 ,dennison1 ,humphreys1 and ,cunliffe1 and introduced me to them4 ,mr4 ,humphreys took the matter in hand4 ,we went together to ,mr4,lee1 and within a few days the lease was signed and ,i was put into possession of the land upon which the ,bridgewater ,foundry was afterwards erected499 footnote444 ,i called the place the ,bridgewater ,foundry as an appropriate and humble tribute to the memory of the first great canal maker in ,britain the noble ,duke of ,bridgewater4 ,my ground was on the first mile of the ,bridgewater ,canal which the ,duke had constructed under the superintendence of ,brindley1 so that it might well be considered1 in an ,engineering sense1 classic ground4 444 ,i may mention briefly the advantages of the site4 ,the ,bridgewater ,canal1 which lay along one side of the foundry communicated with every waterway and port in ,england whilst the railway alongside enabled a communication to be kept up by rail with every part of the country4 ,the ,worsley coal-boats came alongside the wharf1 and a cheap and abundant supply of fuel was thus insured4 ,the railway station was near at hand1 and afforded every opportunity for travelling to and from the works1 while ,i was at the same time placed within twenty minutes of ,manchester4 ,another important point has to be mentioned4 ,a fine bed of brick-clay lay below the surface of the ground1 which supplied the material for bricks4 ,thus the entire works may be truly said to have risen out of the ground2 for the whole of the buildings rested upon the land from which the clay below was dug and burned into bricks4 ,then1 below the clay lay a bed of ,new ,red ,sandstone rock1 which yielded a solid foundation for any superstructure1 however lofty or ponderous4 ,as soon as the preliminary arrangements for the lease of the six acre plot had been made1 ,i proceeded to make working drawings of a temporary timber workshop2 as ,i was anxious to unload the floor of my flat in ,dale ,street1 and to get as much of my machinery as possible speedily removed to ,patricroft4 ,for the purpose of providing the temporary accommodation1 ,i went to ,liverpool and purchased a number of logs of ,new ,brunswick pine4 ,the logs were cut up into planks1 battens1 and roof-timbers1 and were delivered in a few days at the canal wharf in front of my plot4 ,the building of the workshops rapidly proceeded4 ,by the aid of some handy active carpenters1 superintended by my energetic foreman1 ,archy ,torry1 several convenient well-lighted workshops were soon ready for the reception of my machinery4 ,i had a four horsepower engine1 which ,i had made at ,edinburgh1 ready to be placed in position1 together with the boiler4 ,this was the first power ,i employed in starting my new works4 ,i must return for a moment to the twenty horse-power engine1 which had been the proximate cause of my removal from ,dale ,street4 ,it was taken to pieces1 packed1 and sent off to ,londonderry4 ,when ,i was informed that it was erected and ready for work ,i proceeded to ,ireland to see it begin it's operations4 ,i may briefly say that the engine gave every satisfaction1 and ,i believe that it continues working to this day4 ,i had the pleasure of bringing back with me an order for a condensing engine of forty horse-power1 required by ,mr4 ,john ,munn for giving motion to his new flax mill1 then under construction4 ,i mention this order because the engine was the first important piece of work executed at the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,this was my first visit to ,ireland4 ,being so near the ,giant's ,causeway1 ,i took the opportunity1 on my way homewards1 of visiting that object of high geologic interest1 together with the magnificent basaltic promontory of ,fairhead4 ,i spent a day in clambering up the terrible-looking crags4 ,in a stratum of red hematite clay1 underneath a solid basaltic crag of some sixty feet or more in thickness1 ,i found the charred branches of trees--the remains of some forest that had1 at some inconceivably remote period1 been destroyed by a vast out-belching flow of molten lava from a deep-seated volcanic store underneath4 ,i returned to ,patricroft1 and found the wooden workshops nearly finished4 ,the machine tools were1 for the most part1 fixed and ready for use4 ,in ,august #ahcf the ,bridgewater foundry was in complete and efficient action4 ,the engine ordered at ,londonderry was at once put in hand1 and the concern was fairly started in its long career of prosperity4 ,the wooden workshops had been erected upon the grass4 ,but the sward soon disappeared4 ,the hum of the driving belts1 the whirl of the machinery1 the sound of the hammer upon the anvil1 gave the place an air of busy activity4 ,as work increased1 workmen increased4 ,the workshops were enlarged4 ,wood gave place to brick4 ,cottages for the accommodation of the work-people sprang up in the neighbourhood2 and what had once been quiet grassy fields became the centre of a busy population4 ,image ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,from a sketch by ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,it was a source of vast enjoyment to me1 while engaged in the anxious business connected with the establishment of the foundry1 to be surrounded with so many objects of rural beauty4 ,the site of the works being on the west side of ,manchester1 we had the benefit of breathing pure air during the greater part of the year4 ,the scenery round about was very attractive4 ,exercise was a source of health to the mind as well as the body4 ,as it was necessary that ,i should reside as near as possible to the works1 ,i had plenty of opportunities for enjoying the rural scenery of the neighbourhood4 ,i had the good fortune to become the tenant of a small cottage in the ancient village of ,barton1 in ,cheshire1 at the very moderate rental of #ae a year4 ,the cottage was situated on the banks of the river ,irwell1 and was only about six minutes' walk from the works at ,patricroft4 ,it suited my moderate domestic arrangements admirably4 ,the village was surrounded by apple orchards and gardens1 and situated in the midst of tranquil rural scenery4 ,it was a great treat to me1 after a long and busy day at the foundry1 especially in summer time1 to take my leisure walks through the green lanes1 and pass the many picturesque old farmhouses and cottages which at that time presented subjects of the most tempting kind for the pencil4 ,such quiet summer evening strolls afforded me the opportunity for tranquil thought4 ,each day's transactions furnished abundant subjects for consideration4 ,it was a happy period in my life4 ,i was hopeful for the future1 as everything had so far prospered with me4 ,when ,i had got comfortably settled in my cosy little cottage1 my dear sister ,margaret came from ,edinburgh to take charge of my domestic arrangements4 ,by her bright and cheerful disposition she made the cottage a very happy home4 ,although ,i had neither the means nor the disposition to see much company1 ,i frequently had visits from some of my kind friends in ,manchester4 ,i valued them all the more for my sister's sake1 inasmuch as she had come from a bright household in ,edinburgh1 full of cheerfulness1 part of which she transferred to my cottage4 ,at the same time1 it becomes me to say a word or two about the great kindness which ,i received from my friends and well-wishers at ,manchester and the neighbourhood4 ,amongst these were the three brothers ,grant1 ,benjamin ,hick of ,bolton1 ,edward ,lloyd the banker1 ,john ,kennedy1 and ,william ,fairbairn4 ,i had not much leisure during the week days1 but occasionally on ,sunday afternoons my sister and myself enjoyed their cordial hospitality4 ,in this way ,i was brought into friendly intercourse with the most intelligent and cultivated persons in ,lancashire4 ,the remembrance of the delightful evenings ,i spent in their society will ever continue one of the most cherished recollections of my early days in ,manchester4 ,i may mention that one of the principal advantages of the site of my works was its connection with the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 as well as with the ,bridgewater ,canal4 ,there was a stone-edged roadway along the latter1 where the canal barges might receive and deliver traffic in the most convenient manner4 ,as the wharfage boundary was the property of the trustees of the ,bridgewater ,canal1 it was necessary to agree with them as to the rates to be charged for the requisite accommodation4 ,their agent deferred naming the rent until ,i had finally settled with ,squire ,trafford as to the lease of his land1 and then1 after he supposed he had got me into a cleft stick1 he proposed so extravagant a rate that ,i refused to use the wharf upon his terms4 ,it happened1 fortunately for me1 that this agent had involved himself in a ,chancery suit with the trustees1 which eventually led to his retirement4 ,the property then merged into the hands of ,lord ,francis ,egerton1 heir to the ,bridgewater ,estates4 ,the canal was placed under the management of that excellent gentleman1 ,james ,loch1 ,m4,p4 ,lord ,francis ,egerton1 on his next visit to ,worsley ,hall1 called upon me at the foundry4 ,he expressed his great pleasure at having us as his near neighbours1 and as likely to prove such excellent customers of the canal trustees4 ,because of this latter circumstance1 he offered me the use of the wharf free of rent4 ,this was quite in accordance with his generous disposition in all matters4 ,but as ,i desired the agreement to be put in a regular business-like form1 ,i arranged with ,mr4 ,loch to pay #es4 per annum as a formal acknowledgment1 and an agreement to this effect was accordingly drawn up and signed by both parties4 ,lord ,francis ,egerton was soon after created ,earl of ,ellesmere4 ,he became one of the most constant visitors at the foundry1 in which he always took a lively interest4 ,he delighted to go through the workshops1 and enjoy the sight of the active machinery and the work in progress4 ,when he had any specially intelligent visitors at ,worsley ,hall1 which was frequently the case1 he was sure to bring them down to the foundry in his beautiful private barge1 and lead them through the various departments of the establishment4 ,one of his favourite sights was the pouring out of the molten iron into the moulds for the larger class of castings2 when some twelve or sixteen tons1 by the aid of my screw safety ladle1 were decanted with as much neatness and exactness as the pouring out of a glass of wine from a decanter4 ,when this work was performed towards dark1 ,lord ,ellesmere's poetic fancy and artistic eye enabled him to enjoy the sight exceedingly499 footnote444 ,i had the happiness to receive the kindest and most hospitable attention from ,lord ,ellesmere and his family4 ,his death1 which occurred in #aheg1 at the early age of fifty-seven1 deprived me of one of my warmest friends4 ,the ,countess of ,ellesmere continued the friendship until her death1 which occurred several years later4 ,the same kindly feelings still exist in the children of the lamented pair1 all of whom evince the admirable qualities which so peculiarly distinguished their parents1 and made them universally beloved by all classes1 rich and poor4 444 ,i must here say a few words as to my ,screw ,safety ,ladle4 ,i had observed the great danger occasioned to workmen by the method of emptying the molten iron into the casting moulds4 ,the white-hot fluid was run from the melting furnace into a large ladle with one or two cross handles and levers1 worked by a dozen or fifteen men4 ,the ladle contained many tons of molten iron1 and was transferred by a crane to the moulds4 ,to do this required the greatest caution and steadiness4 ,if a stumble took place1 and the ladle was in the slightest degree upset1 there was a splash of hot metal on the floor1 which1 in the recoil1 flew against the men's clothes1 set them on fire1 or occasioned frightful scalds and burns4 ,image ,old foundry ladle ,to prevent these accidents ,i invented my ,safety ,foundry ,ladle4 ,i applied a screw wheel1 keyed to the trunnion of the ladle1 which was acted on by an endless screw attached to the sling of the ladle2 and by this means one man could move the largest ladle on its axis1 and pour out its molten contents with the most perfect ease and safety4 ,not only was all risk of accident thus removed1 but the perfection of the casting was secured by the steady continuous flow of the white-hot metal into the mould4 ,the nervous anxiety and confusion that usually attended the pouring of the metal required for the larger class of castings was thus entirely avoided4 ,image ,safety foundry ladle ,at the same time ,i introduced another improvement in connection with these foundry ladles which1 although of minor importance1 has in no small degree contributed to the perfection of large castings4 ,this consisted in hanging the skimmer to the edge of the ladle1 so as to keep back the scorae that invariably float on the surface of the melted metal4 ,this was formerly done by hand1 and many accidents were the consequence4 ,but now the clear flow of pure metal into the moulds was secured1 while the scoriae were mechanically held back4 ,all that the attendant has to do is to regulate the inclination of the ,skimmer so as to keep its lower edge sufficiently under the surface of the outflowing metal4 ,the preceding illustrations will enable the reader to understand these simple but important technical improvements4 ,these inventions were made in #ahch4 ,i might have patented them1 but preferred to make them over to the public4 ,i sent drawings and descriptions of the ,safety ,foundry ,ladle to all the principal founders both at home and abroad2 and ,i was soon after much gratified by their cordial expression of its practical value4 ,the ladle is now universally adopted4 ,the ,society of ,arts of ,scotland1 to whom ,i sent drawings and descriptions1 did me the honour to present me with their large silver medal in acknowledgment of the invention4 ,in order to carry on my business with effectiveness it was necessary that ,i should have some special personal assistance4 ,i could carry on the whole mechanical department as regards organisation1 designing1 and construction2 but there was the financial business to be attended to1--the counting-house1 the correspondence1 and the arrangement of money affairs4 ,i wanted some help with respect to these outer matters4 ,when ,i proceeded to take my plot of land at ,patricroft some of my friends thought it a very bold stroke1 especially for a young man who had been only about three years in business4 ,nevertheless1 there were others who watched my progress with special interest1 and were willing to join in my adventure--though adventure it was not4 ,they were ready to take a financial interest in my affairs4 ,they did me the compliment of thinking me a good investment1 by offering to place their capital in my concern as sleeping partners4 ,but ,i was already beyond the sleeping partner state of affairs4 ,whoever joined me must work as energetically as ,i did1 and must give the faculties of his mind to the prosperity of the concern4 ,i communicated the offers ,i had received to my highly judicious friend ,edward ,lloyd4 ,he was always willing to advise me1 though ,i took care never to encroach upon his kindness4 ,he concurred with my views1 and advised me to fight shy of sleeping partners4 ,i therefore continued to look out for a working partner4 ,in the end ,i was fortunate4 ,my friend1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,jeavons1 of ,liverpool1 having been informed of my desire1 made inquiries1 and found the man likely to suit me4 ,he furnished him with a letter of introduction to me1 which he presented one day at the works4 ,the young man became my worthy partner1 ,holbrook ,gaskell4 ,he had served his time with ,yates and ,cox1 iron merchants1 of ,liverpool4 ,having obtained considerable experience in the commercial details of that business1 and being possessed of a moderate amount of capital1 he was desirous of joining me1 and embarking his fortune with mine4 ,he was to take charge of the counting-house department1 and conduct such portion of the correspondence as did not require any special technical knowledge of mechanical engineering4 ,the latter must necessarily remain in my hands1 because ,i found that the off-hand sketches which ,i introduced in my letters as explanatory of mechanical designs and suggestions were much more intelligible than any amount of written words4 ,i was much pleased with the frank and friendly manner of ,mr4 ,gaskell1 and ,i believe that the feeling between us was mutual4 ,with the usual straight forwardness that prevails in ,lancashire1 the articles of partnership were at once drawn up and signed1 and the firm of ,nasmyth and ,gaskell began4 ,we continued working together with hearty zeal for a period of sixteen successive years2 and ,i believe ,mr4 ,gaskell had no reason to regret his connection with the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,the reason of ,mr4 ,gaskell leaving the concern was the state of his health4 ,after his long partnership with me1 he was attacked by a serious illness1 when his medical adviser earnestly recommended him to retire from all business affairs4 ,this was the cause of his reluctant retirement4 ,in course of time the alarming symptoms departed1 and he recovered his former health4 ,he then embarked in an extensive soda manufactory1 in conjunction with one of our pupils1 whose taste for chemistry was more attractive to him than engine-making4 ,a prosperous business was established1 and at the time ,i write these lines ,mr4 ,gaskell continues a hale and healthy man1 the possessor of a large fortune1 accumulated by the skilful manner in which he has conducted his extensive affairs4 ,,chapter #ab4 ,free ,trade in ,ability--,the ,strike--,death of my ,father ,i had no difficulty in obtaining abundance of skilled workmen in ,south ,lancashire and ,cheshire4 ,i was in the neighbourhood of ,manchester1 which forms the centre of a population gifted with mechanical instinct4 ,from an early period the finest sort of mechanical work has been turned out in that part of ,england4 ,much of the talent is inherited4 ,it descends from father to son1 and develops itself from generation to generation4 ,i may mention one curious circumstance connected with the pedigree of ,manchester3 that much of the mechanical excellence of its workmen descends from the ,norman smiths and armourers introduced into the neighbourhood at the ,norman ,conquest by ,hugo de ,lupus1 the chief armourer of ,william the ,conqueror1 after the battle of ,hastings1 in #ajff4 ,i was first informed of this circumstance by ,william ,stubbs of ,warrington1 then maker of the celebrated ,lancashire files4 ,the ,p4 ,s41 or ,peter ,stubbs's files1 were so vastly superior to other files1 both in the superiority of the steel and in the perfection of the cutting1 which long retained its efficiency1 that every workman gloried in the possession and use of such durable tools4 ,being naturally interested in everything connected with tools and mechanics1 ,i was exceedingly anxious to visit the factory where these admirable files were made4 ,i obtained an introduction to ,william ,stubbs1 then head of the firm1 and was received by him with much cordiality when ,i asked him if ,i might be favoured with a sight of his factory1 he replied that he had no factory1 as such2 and that all he had to do in supplying his large warehouse was to serve out the requisite quantities of pure cast steel as rods and bars to the workmen2 and that they1 on their part1 forged the metal into files of every description at their own cottage workshops1 principally situated in the neighbouring counties of ,cheshire and ,lancashire4 ,this information surprised as well as pleased me4 ,mr4 ,stubbs proceeded to give me an account of the origin of this peculiar system of cottage manufacture in his neighbourhood4 ,it appears that ,hugo de ,lupus1 ,william the ,conqueror's ,master of ,arms1 the first ,earl of ,chester1 settled in ,north ,cheshire shortly after the ,conquest4 ,he occupied ,halton ,castle1 and his workmen resided in ,warrington and the adjacent villages of ,appleton1 ,widnes1 ,prescot1 and ,cuerdley4 ,there they produced coats of steel1 mail armour1 and steel and iron weapons1 under the direct superintendence of their chief4 ,the manufacture thus founded continued for many centuries4 ,although the use of armour was discontinued1 the workers in steel and iron still continued famous4 ,the skill that had formerly been employed in forging chain armour and war instruments was devoted to more peaceful purposes4 ,the cottage workmen made the best of files and steel tools of other kinds4 ,their talents became hereditary1 and the manufacture of wire in all its forms is almost peculiar to ,warrington and the neighbourhood4 ,mr4 ,stubbs also informed me that most of the workmen's peculiar names for tools and implements were traceable to old ,norman-,french words4 ,he also stated that at ,prescot a peculiar class of workmen has long been established1 celebrated for their great skill in clock and watchmaking2 and that1 in his opinion1 they were the direct descendants of a swarm of workmen from ,hugo de ,lupus's original ,norman hive of refined metal-workers1 dating from the time of the ,conquest4 ,to return to my narrative4 ,in the midst of such a habitually industrious population1 it will be obvious that there was no difficulty in finding a sufficient supply of able workmen4 ,it was for the most part the most steady1 respectable1 and well-conducted classes of mechanics who sought my employment--not only for the good wages they received1 but for the sake of their own health and that of their families2 for it will be remembered that the foundry and the workmen's dwellings were surrounded by the fresh1 free1 open country4 ,in the course of a few years the locality became a thriving colony of skilled mechanics4 ,in order to add to the accommodation of the increasing numbers1 an additional portion of land1 amounting to eight acres1 was leased from ,squire ,trafford on the same terms as before4 ,on this land suitable houses and cottages for the foremen and workmen were erected4 ,at the same time substantial brick workshops were built in accordance with my original general plan1 to meet the requirements of our rapidly expanding business1 until at length a large and commodious factory was erected1 as shown in the annexed engraving4 ,image ,bridgewater ,foundry ,patricroft4 ,from a painting by ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,the village of ,worsley1 the headquarters of the ,bridgewater ,canal1 supplied us with a valuable set of workmen4 ,they were1 in the first place1 labourers2 but1 like all ,lancashire men1 they were naturally possessed of a quick aptitude for mechanical occupations connected with machinery4 ,our chief employment of these so-called labourers was in transporting heavy castings and parts of machinery from one place to another4 ,to do this properly required great care and judgment1 in order that the parts might not be disturbed1 and that the mechanics might proceed towards their completion without any unnecessary delay4 ,none but those who have had practical acquaintance with the importance of having skilful labourers to perform these apparently humble1 but in reality very important functions1 can form an adequate idea of the value of such services4 ,all the requisite qualities we required were found in the ,worsley labourers4 ,they had been accustomed to the heaviest class of work in connection with the ,bridgewater ,canal4 ,they had been thoroughly trained in the handling of all manner of ponderous objects4 ,they performed their work with energy and willingness4 ,it was quite a treat to me to look on and observe their rapid and skilful operations in lifting and transporting ponderous portions of machinery1 in which a vast amount of costly work had been embodied4 ,after the machines or engines had been finished1 it was the business of the same workmen to remove them from the workshops to the railway-siding alongside the foundry1 or to the boats at the canal wharf4 ,in all these matters the ,worsley men could be thoroughly depended upon4 ,where they showed the possession1 in any special degree1 of a true mechanical faculty1 ,i was enabled to select from the working labourers the most effective men to take charge of the largest and most powerful machine tools--such as planing machines1 lathes1 and boring machines4 ,the ease and rapidity with which they caught up all the technical arts and manipulations connected with the effective working of these machines was extraordinary4 ,the results were entirely satisfactory to myself1 as well as to the men themselves1 by the substantial rise in their wages which followed their advancement to higher grades of labour4 ,thus ,i had no difficulty in manning my machine tools by drawing my recruits from this zealous and energetic class of ,worsley labourers4 ,it is by this selection of the fittest that the true source of the prosperity of every large manufacturing establishment depends4 ,i believe that ,free ,trade in ,ability has a much closer relation to national prosperity than even ,free ,trade in ,commodities4 ,but here ,i came into collision with another class of workmen--those who are of opinion that employers should select for promotion1 not those who are the fittest and most skilful1 but those who have served a seven years' apprenticeship and are members of a ,trades' ,union4 ,it seemed to me that this interference with the free selection and promotion of the fittest was at variance with free choice of the best men1 and that it was calculated1 if carried out1 to strike at the root of the chief source of our prosperity4 ,if every workman of the same class went in the same rut1 and were paid the same uniform rate of wages1 irrespective of his natural or acquired ability1 such a system would destroy the emulative spirit which forms the chief basis of manipulative efficiency and practical skill1 and on which1 in my opinion1 the prosperity of our manufacturing establishments mainly depends4 ,but before ,i proceed to refer to the strike of ,unionists1 which for a time threatened to destroy1 or at all events to impede the spirit of enterprise and the free choice of skilful workmen1 in which ,i desired to conduct the ,bridgewater ,foundry1 ,i desire to say a few words about those excellent helpers1 the foremen engineers1 who zealously helped me in my undertaking from beginning to end4 ,i must place my most worthy1 zealous1 and faithful ,archy ,torry at the top of the list4 ,he rose from being my only workman when ,i first started in ,manchester1 to be my chief general foreman4 ,the energy and devotion which he brought to bear upon my interests set a high example to all in my employment4 ,although he was in some respects deficient in his knowledge of the higher principles of engineering and mechanical construction1 ,i was always ready to supply that defect4 ,his hearty zeal and cheerful temper1 and his energetic movement when among the men1 had a sympathetic influence upon all about him4 ,his voice had the same sort of influence upon them as the drum and fife on a soldier's march3 it quickened their movements4 ,we were often called in by our neighbour manufacturers to repair a breakdown of their engines4 ,that was always a sad disaster1 as all hands were idle until the repair was effected4 ,archy was in his glory on such occasions4 ,by his ready zeal and energy he soon got over the difficulty1 repaired the engines1 and set the people to work again4 ,he became quite famous in these cases of extreme urgency4 ,he never spared himself1 and his example had an excellent effect upon every workman under him4 ,another of my favourite workshop lieutenants was ,james ,hutton4 ,he had been leading foreman to my worthy friend ,george ,douglass1 of ,old ,broughton1 ,edinburgh4 ,he was fully ten years my senior1 and when working at ,douglass's ,i looked up to him as a man of authority4 ,i had obtained from him many a valuable wrinkle in mechanical and technical construction4 ,after ,i left ,edinburgh he had emigrated to the ,united ,states for the purpose of bettering his condition4 ,but he promised me that if disappointed in his hopes of settling there1 he should be glad to come into my service if ,i was ever in a position to give him employment4 ,shortly after my removal to ,patricroft1 and when everything had been got into full working order1 ,i received a letter from him in which he said that he was anxious to return to ,england1 and asking if there was any vacancy in our establishment that he might be employed to fill up4 ,it so happened that the foremanship of turners was then vacant4 ,i informed ,hutton of the post2 and on his return to ,england he was duly enrolled in our staff4 ,the situation was a very important one1 and ,hutton filled it admirably4 ,he was a sound practical man1 and thoroughly knew every department of engineering mechanism4 ,as ,i had provided small separate rooms or offices for every department of the establishment for the use of the foremen1 where they kept their memoranda and special tools1 ,i had often the pleasure of conferring with ,hutton as to some point of interest1 or when ,i wished to pass my ideas and designs through the ordeal of his judgment1 in order that ,i might find out any lurking defect in some proposed mechanical arrangement4 ,before he gave an opinion1 ,hutton always took a pinch of snuff to stimulate his intellect1 or rather to give him a little time for consideration4 ,he would turn the subject over in his mind4 ,but ,i knew that ,i could trust his keenness of insight4 ,he would give his verdict carefully1 shrewdly1 and truthfully4 ,hutton remained a faithful and valued servant in the concern for nearly thirty years1 and died at a ripe old age4 ,notwithstanding his mechanical intelligence1 ,hutton was of too cautious a temperament to have acted as a general foreman or manager1 otherwise he would have been elevated to that position4 ,a man may be admirable in details1 but be wanting in width1 breadth1 and largeness of temperament and intellect4 ,the man who possesses the latter gifts becomes great in organisation2 he soon ceases to be a hand1 and becomes a head1 and such men generally rise from the employed to be the employer4 ,another of my excellent assistants was ,john ,clerk4 ,he had been for a long time in the service of ,fairbairn and ,lillie2 but having had a serious difference with one of the foremen1 he left their service with excellent recommendations4 ,i soon after engaged him as foreman of the pattern-making department4 ,he was a most able man in some of the more important branches of mechanical engineering4 ,he had1 besides1 an excellent knowledge of building operations4 ,i found him of great use in superintending the erection of the additional workshops which were required in proportion as our business extended4 ,he made out full-sized chalk-line drawings from my original pencil sketches1 on the large floor of the pattern store1 and from these were formed the working drawings for the new buildings4 ,he had a wonderful power of rapidity and clearness in apprehending new subjects1 and the way in which he depicted them in large drawings was quite masterly4 ,john ,clerk and ,i spent many an hour on our knees together on the pattern store floor1 and the result of our deliberations usually was some substantial addition to the workshops of the foundry1 or some extra large and powerful machine tool4 ,this worthy man left our service to become a partner in an engineering concern in ,ireland2 and though he richly deserved his promotion1 he left us to our very great regret4 ,the last of our foremen to whom ,i shall refer was worthy ,thomas ,crewdson4 ,he entered our service as a smith1 in which pursuit he displayed great skill4 ,we soon noted the high order of his natural ability2 promoted him from the ranks1 and made him foreman of the smith's and forge-work department4 ,in this he displayed every quality of excellence1 not only in seeing to the turning out of the forge work in the highest state of perfection1 but in managing the men under his charge with such kind discretion as to maintain the most perfect harmony in the workshops4 ,this is always a matter of great importance --that the foreman should inspire the workmen with his own spirit1 and keep up their harmony and activity to the most productive point4 ,crewdson was so systematic in his use of time that we found that he was able also to undertake the foremanship of the boiler-making department1 in addition to that of the smith work2 and to this he was afterwards appointed1 with highly satisfactory results to all concerned4 ,so strongly and clearly impressed is my mind with the recollection of the valuable assistance which ,i received during my engineering life from those vicegerents of practical management at ,patricroft1 that ,i feel that ,i cannot proceed further in my narrative without thus placing the merits of these worthy men upon record4 ,it was a source of great good fortune to me to be associated with them1 and ,i consider them to have been among the most important elements in the prosperity of the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,there were many others1 in comparatively humble positions1 whom ,i have also reason to remember with gratitude4 ,in all well-conducted concerns the law of selection of the fittest sooner or later comes into happy action1 when a loyal and attached set of men work together harmoniously for their own advantage as well as for that of their employers4 ,it was not1 however1 without some difficulty that we were allowed to carry out our views as to ,free ,trade in ,ability4 ,as the buildings were increased1 more men were taken on--from ,manchester1 ,bolton1 ,liverpool1 as well as from more distant places4 ,we were soon made to feel that our idea of promoting workmen according to their merits1 and advancing them to improved positions and higher wages in proportion to their skill1 ability1 industry1 and natural intelligence1 was quite contrary to the views of many of our new employees4 ,they took advantage of a large access of orders for machinery1 which they knew had come into the foundry1 to wait upon us suddenly1 and to lay down their ,trade ,union law for our observance4 ,the men who waited upon us were deputed by the ,engineer ,mechanics' ,trades' ,union to inform us that there were men in our employment who were not1 as they termed it1 legally entitled to the trade2 that is1 they had never served a regular seven years' apprenticeship4 ,these men1 said the delegates1 are filling up the places1 and keeping out of work1 the legal hands4 ,we were accordingly requested to discharge the workmen whom we had promoted1 in order to make room for members of the ,trades' ,union4 ,to have complied with this request would have altered the whole principles and practice on which we desired to conduct our business4 ,i wished1 and my partner agreed with me1 to stimulate men to steadfast and skilful work by the hope of promotion4 ,it was thus that ,i had taken several of the ,worsley men from the rank of labourers1 and raised them to the class mechanics with correspondingly higher wages4 ,we were perfectly satisfied with the conduct of these workmen1 and with the productive results of their labour4 ,we thought it fair to them as well as to ourselves to resist the order to discharge them1 and we consequently firmly refused to submit to the dictation of the ,unionists4 ,the delegates left us with a distinct intimation that if we continued to retain the illegal men in our employment they would call out the ,union men1 and strike until the grievance was redressed4 ,the ,unionists1 no doubt1 fixed upon the right time to place their case before us4 ,we wanted more workmen to execute the advantageous orders which had come in2 and they thought that the strike would put an entire stop to our operations4 ,on engaging the workmen we had never up to this time concerned ourselves with the question of whether they belonged to the ,trades' ,union or not4 ,the only proof we required of a man was ,ability4 ,if1 after a week's experience1 he proved himself an efficient workman1 we engaged him4 ,the strike took place4 ,all the ,union men were called out1 and left the works4 ,many of them expressed their great regret at leaving us1 as they were perfectly satisfied with their employment as well as with their remuneration4 ,but they were nevertheless compelled to obey the mandate of the ,council4 ,the result was that more than half of our men left us4 ,those who remained were very zealous4 ,nothing could exceed their activity and workfulness4 ,we appealed to our employers4 ,they were most considerate in not pressing us for the speedy execution of the work we had in hand4 ,we made applications in the neighbourhood for other mechanics in lieu of those who had left us4 ,but the men on strike1 under orders from the ,union1 established pickets round the works1 who were only too efficient in preventing those desirous of obtaining employment from getting access to the foundry4 ,our position for a time seemed to be hopeless4 ,we could not find workmen enough to fill our shops or to execute our orders4 ,what were we to do under the circumstances8 ,we could not find mechanics in the neighbourhood2 but might they not1 be found elsewhere8 ,why not bring them from a distance8 ,we determined to try4 ,advertisements were inserted in the ,scotch newspapers1 announcing our want of mechanics1 smiths1 and foundrymen4 ,we appointed an agent in ,edinburgh1 to whom applications were to be made4 ,we were soon in receipt of the welcome intelligence that numbers of the best class of mechanics had applied1 and that our agent's principal difficulty consisted in making the proper selection from amongst them4 ,a selection was1 however1 made of over sixty men1 who appeared in every respect likely to suit us4 ,with true ,scotch caution they deputed two of their number to visit our works and satisfy themselves as to the real state of the case4 ,we had great pleasure in receiving these two clear-headed cautious pioneers4 ,we showed them over the workshops1 and pointed out the habitations in the neighbourhood with their attractive surroundings4 ,the men returned to their constituents1 and gave such a glowing account of their mission that we had no difficulty in obtaining the men we required4 ,indeed1 we might easily have obtained three times the number of efficient mechanics4 ,sixty-four of the most likely men were eventually selected1 men in the zenith of their physical powers4 ,we made arrangements for their conveyance to ,glasgow1 from whence they started for ,liverpool by steamer4 ,they landed in a body at the latter port1 many of them accompanied by their wives and children1 and eight-day clocks6 ,a special train was engaged for the conveyance of the whole--men1 women1 and children1 bag and baggage--from ,liverpool to ,patricroft1 where suitable accommodation had been provided for them4 ,the arrival of so powerful a body of men made a great sensation in the neighbourhood4 ,the men were strong1 respectable looking1 and well dressed4 ,the pickets were dumfoundered4 ,they were brushed to one side by the fresh arrivals4 ,they felt that their game was up1 and they suddenly departed4 ,the men were taken over the workshops1 with which they appeared quite delighted4 ,they were told to be ready to start next morning at six1 after which they departed to their lodgings4 ,the morning arrived and the gallant sixty-four were all present4 ,after allotting to each his special work1 they gave three hearty cheers1 and dispersed throughout the workshops4 ,we had no reason to regret the results which were effected through the strike ordered by the ,trades' ,union4 ,the new men worked with a will4 ,they were energetic1 zealous1 and skilful4 ,they soon gave evidence of their general handiness and efficiency in all the departments of work in which they were engaged4 ,we were thus enabled to carry out our practice of ,free ,trade in ,ability in our own way1 and we were no longer interfered with in our promotion of workmen who served us best4 ,in short1 we had scotched the strike2 we conquered the ,union in their wily attempt to get us under their withering control2 and the ,bridgewater ,foundry resumed its wonted activity in every department4 ,it was afterwards a great source of happiness to me to walk through the various workshops and observe the cheerful and intelligent countenances of the new men1 and to note the energetic skill with which they used their tools in the advancement of their work4 ,general handiness is one of the many valuable results that issues from the practice of handling the variety of materials which are more or less employed in mechanical structures4 ,at the time that ,i refer to1 the skilful workmen employed in the engineering establishments of ,scotland 7which were then comparatively small in size7 were accustomed to use all manner of mechanical tools4 ,they could handle with equally good effect the saw1 the plane1 the file1 and the chisel2 and1 as occasion required1 they could exhibit their skill at the smith's forge with the hammer and the anvil4 ,this was the kind of workmen with which ,i had reinforced the foundry4 ,the men had been bred to various branches of mechanics4 ,some had been blacksmiths1 others carpenters1 stone masons1 brass or iron founders2 but all of them were handy men4 ,they merely adopted the occupation of machine and steam-engine makers because it offered a wider field for the exercise of their skill and energy4 ,i may here be allowed to remark that we owe the greatest advances in mechanical invention to ,free ,trade in ,ability4 ,if we look carefully into the narratives of the lives of the most remarkable engineers1 we shall find that they owed very little to the seven years' rut in which they were trained4 ,they owed everything to innate industry1 energy1 skill1 and opportunity4 ,thus1 ,brindley advanced from the position of a millwright to that of a canal engineer2 ,smeaton and ,watt1 from being mathematical instrument makers1 advanced to higher positions1--the one to be the inventor of the modern lighthouse1 the other to be the inventor of the condensing steam-engine4 ,some of the most celebrated mechanical and civil engineers--such as ,rennie1 ,cubitt1 and ,fairbairn--were originally millwrights4 ,all these men were many-handed4 ,they had many sides to their intellect4 ,they were resourceful men4 ,they afford the best illustrations of the result of ,free ,trade in ,ability4 ,the persistent aim at an indolent equality which ,union men aim at1 is one of the greatest hindrances to industrial progress4 ,when the ,union ,delegates called upon me to insist that none but men who had served seven years' apprenticeship should be employed in the works1 ,i told them that ,i preferred employing a man who had acquired the requisite mechanical skill in two years rather than another who was so stupid as to require seven years' teaching4 ,the delegates regarded this statement as preposterous and heretical4 ,in fact1 it was utter high treason4 ,but in the long run we carried our point4 ,it is true1 we had some indenture-bound apprentices4 ,these were pupils who paid premiums4 ,in certain cases we could not very well refuse to take them4 ,some of them caused a great deal of annoyance and disturbance4 ,they were irregular in their attendance1 consequently they could not be depended upon for the regular operations of the foundry4 ,they were careless in their work1 and set a bad example to the others4 ,we endeavoured to check this disturbing element by stipulating that the premium should be payable in six months' portions1 and that each party should be free to terminate the connection at the end of each succeeding six months4 ,by this system we secured more care and regularity on the part of the pupil apprentices2 as1 while it checked inattention and irregularity1 it offered a direct and substantial encouragement to zeal and industry4 ,but the arrangement which we greatly preferred was to employ intelligent well-conducted young lads1 the sons of labourers or mechanics1 and advance them by degrees according to their merits4 ,they took charge of the smaller machine tools1 by which the minor details of the machines in progress were brought into exact form without having recourse to the untrustworthy and costly process of chipping and filing4 ,a spirit of emulation was excited amongst the lads4 ,they vied with each other in executing their work with precision4 ,those who excelled were paid an extra weekly wage4 ,in course of time they took pride1 not only in the quantity but in the quality of their work2 and in the long run they became skilful mechanics4 ,we were always most prompt to recognise their progress in a substantial manner4 ,there was the most perfect freedom between employer and employed4 ,every one of these lads was at liberty to leave at the end of each day's work4 ,this arrangement acted as an ever-present check upon master and apprentice4 ,the only bond of union between us was mutual interest4 ,the best of the lads remained in our service because they knew our work and were pleased with the surroundings2 while we on our part were always desirous of retaining the men we had trained1 because we knew we could depend upon them4 ,nothing could have been more satisfactory than the manner in which this system worked4 ,in ,may #ahce ,i had the great happiness of receiving a visit from my dear father4 ,i was then in ,dale ,street1 ,manchester1 where my floor was overloaded with the work in progress4 ,my father continued to take a great interest in mechanical undertakings1 and he was pleased with the prosperity which had followed my settlement in this great manufacturing centre4 ,he could still see his own lathe1 driven by steam power1 in full operation for the benefit of his son4 ,his fame as an artist was well known in ,manchester1 for many of his works were possessed by the best men of the town4 ,i had the pleasure of introducing him to the ,brothers ,grant1 ,john ,kennedy1 ,edward ,lloyd1 ,george ,murray1 ,james ,frazer1 ,william ,fairbairn1 and ,hugh and ,joseph ,birley1 all of whom gave him a most cordial welcome1 and invited him to enjoy their hospitality4 ,image ,alexander ,nasmyth4 ,after a cameo by ,samuel ,joseph ,in #ahch he visited me again4 ,i had removed to ,patricroft1 and the ,bridgewater ,foundry was in full operation4 ,my father was then in his eightieth year4 ,he was still full of life and intellect4 ,he was vastly delighted in witnessing the rapid progress which ,i had made since his first visit4 ,he took his daily walk through the workshops1 where many processes were going on which greatly interested him4 ,he was sufficiently acquainted with the technical details of mechanical work to enjoy the sight1 especially when self-acting tools were employed4 ,it was a great source of pleasure to him to have a crack with the most intelligent foremen and mechanics4 ,these1 on their part1 treated him with the most kind and respectful attention4 ,the ,scotch workmen regarded him with special veneration4 ,they knew that he had been an intimate friend of ,robert ,burns1 their own best-beloved poet1 whose verses shed a charm upon their homes1 and were recited by the fireside1 in the fields1 or at the workman's bench4 ,they also knew that he had painted the only authentic portrait of their national bard4 ,this fact invested my father with additional interest in their eyes4 ,their respect for him culminated in a rather extraordinary demonstration4 ,on the last day of his visit the leading ,scotch workmen procured on the sly an arm-chair1 which they fastened to two strong bearing poles4 ,when my father left the works at the bell-ringing at mid-day1 he was approached by the workmen1 and respectfully requested to take the chair4 ,he refused2 but it was of no use4 ,he was led to the chair1 and took it4 ,he was then raised and carried in triumph to my house4 ,he was carefully set down at the little garden-gate1 where the men affectionately took leave of him1 and ended their cordial good wishes for his safe return home with three hearty cheers4 ,i need scarcely say that my father was greatly affected by this kind demonstration on the part of the workmen4 ,his life was fast drawing to a close4 ,he had borne the heat and burden of the day2 and was about to be taken home like a shock of corn in full season4 ,after a long and happy life1 blessed and cheered by a most affectionate wife1 he laid down his brushes and went to rest4 ,in his later years he rejoiced in the prosperity of his children1 which was all the more agreeable as it was the result of the example of industry and perseverance which he had ever set before them4 ,my father untiringly continued his professional occupations until #ahdj1 when he had attained the age of eighty-two4 ,his later works may be found wanting in that degree of minute finish which characterised his earlier productions2 but in regard to their quality there was no falling off1 even to the last picture which he painted4 ,the delicate finish was amply compensated by the increase in general breadth and effectiveness1 so that his later works were even more esteemed by his brother-artists4 ,the last picture he painted was finished eight days before his death4 ,it was a small work4 ,the subject was a landscape with an autumnal evening effect4 ,there was a picturesque cottage in the middle distance1 a rustic bridge over a brook in the foreground1 and an old labouring man1 followed by his dog1 wearily passing over it on his way towards his home4 ,from the chimney of his cottage a thin streak of blue smoke passed upward through the tranquil evening air4 ,all these incidents suggested the idea1 which no doubt he desired to convey1 of the tranquil conclusion of his own long and active life1 which was then1 too evidently1 drawing to a close4 ,the shades of evening had come on when he could no longer see to work1 and he was obliged to lay down his pencil4 ,my mother was at work with her needle close by him2 and when he had finished he asked her what he should call the picture4 ,not being ready with an answer1 he leant back in his chair1 feeling rather faint1 and said1 ,well1 ,i think ,i had better call it ,going ,home4 ,and so it was called4 ,next morning his strength had so failed him that he could not get up4 ,he remained there for eight days1 and then he painlessly and tranquilly passed away4 ,while on his deathbed he expressed the desire that his remains should be placed beside those of a favourite son who had died in early youth4 ,let me lie1 he said1 beside my dear ,alick4 ,his desire was gratified4 ,he was buried beside his son in ,st4 ,cuthbert's churchyard1 under the grandest portion of the great basaltic rock on which ,edinburgh ,castle stands4 ,his grave is marked by a fine ,runic ,cross1 admirably sculptured by ,rhind of ,edinburgh4 ,image ,monument to ,alexander ,nasmyth ,one of the kindest letters my mother received after her great loss was one from ,sir ,david ,wilkie4 ,it was dated #ahth ,april #ahdj4 ,i hasten1 he said1 to assure you of my most sincere condolence on your severe affliction1 feeling that ,i can sympathise in the privation you suffer from losing one who was my earliest professional friend1 whose art ,i at all times admired1 and whose society and conversation was perhaps the most agreeable that ,i ever met with4 ,he was the founder of the ,landscape ,painting ,school of ,scotland1 and by his taste and talent has for many years taken a lead in the patriotic aim of enriching his native land with the representations of her romantic scenery2 and1 as the friend and contemporary of ,ramsay1 of ,gavin ,hamilton1 and the ,runcimans1 may be said to have been the last remaining link that unites the present with the early dawn of the ,scottish ,school of ,art4 ,i may add that my mother died six years later1 in #ahdf1 at the same age as my father1 namely eighty-two4 ,,chapter #ac4 ,my ,marriage--,the ,steam ,hammer ,before ,i proceed to narrate the later events of my industrial life1 it is necessary to mention1 incidentally1 an important subject4 ,as it has been the source of my greatest happiness in life1 ,i cannot avoid referring to it4 ,i may first mention that my earnest and unremitting pursuit of all subjects and occupations1 such as ,i conceived were essential to the acquirement of a sound practical knowledge of my profession1 rendered me averse to mixing much in general society4 ,i had accordingly few opportunities of enjoying the society of young ladies4 ,nevertheless1 occasions now and then occurred when bright beings passed before me like meteors4 ,they left impressions on my memory1 which in no small degree increased the earnestness of my exertions to press forward in my endeavours to establish myself in business1 and thereby acquire the means of forming a ,home of my own4 ,many circumstances1 however1 conspired to delay the ardently longed for condition of my means1 such as should induce me to solicit some dear one to complete my existence by her sweet companionship1 and enter with me into the most sacred of all the partnerships of life4 ,in course of time ,i was rewarded with that success which1 for the most part1 ensues upon all honourable and unremitting business efforts4 ,this cheered me on2 although there were still many causes for anxiety1 which made me feel that ,i must not yet solicit some dear heart to forsake the comforts of an affluent home to share with me what ,i knew must for some years to come be an anxious and trying struggle for comfort and comparative independence4 ,i had reached my thirtieth year before ,i could venture to think that ,i had securely entered upon such a course of prosperity as would justify me in taking this the most important step in life4 ,it may be a trite but not the less true remark that some of the most important events originate in apparently chance occurrences and circumstances1 which lead up to results that materially influence and even determine the subsequent course of our lives4 ,i had occasion to make a business journey to ,sheffield on the #b;d of ,march #ahch1 and also to attend to some affairs of a similar character at ,york4 ,as soon as ,i had completed my engagement at ,sheffield1 ,i had to wait for more than two dreary hours in momentary expectation of the arrival of the coach that was to take me on to ,york4 ,the coach had been delayed by a deep fall of snow1 and was consequently late4 ,when it arrived1 ,i found that there was only one outside place vacant2 so ,i mounted to my seat4 ,it was a very dreary afternoon1 and the snow was constantly falling4 ,as we approached ,barnsley ,i observed1 in the remaining murky light of the evening1 the blaze of some ironwork furnaces near at hand4 ,on inquiring whose works they were1 ,i was informed that they belonged to ,earl ,fitzwilliam1 and that they were under the management of a ,mr4 ,hartop4 ,the mention of this name1 coupled with the sight of the ironworks1 brought to my recollection a kind invitation which ,mr4 ,hartop had given me while visiting my workshop in ,manchester to order some machine tools1 that it ,i ever happened to be in his neighbourhood1 he would be most happy to show me anything that was interesting about the ironworks and colliery machinery under his management4 ,i at once decided to terminate my dreary ride on the top of the coach4 ,i descended1 and with my small valise in hand ,i trudged over some trackless snow-covered fields1 and made my way by the shortest cut towards the blazing iron furnaces4 ,on reaching them ,i was informed that ,mr4 ,hartop had just gone to his house1 which was about a mile distant4 ,i accordingly made my way thither the best that ,i could through the deep snow4 ,i met with a cordial welcome1 and with the hospitable request that ,i should take up my quarters there for the night1 and have a round of the ironworks and the machinery on the following day4 ,i cheerfully acceded to the kind invitation4 ,i was then introduced to his wife and daughter in a cosy room1 where ,i spent a most pleasant evening4 ,as ,mr4 ,hartop was an enthusiast in all matters relating to mechanism and mechanical engineering subjects generally1 we found plenty to converse about2 while his wife and daughter1 at their needlework1 listened to our discussions with earnest and intelligent attention4 ,on the following day ,i was taken a round of the ironworks1 and inspected their machinery1 as well as that of the collieries1 in the details of which ,mr4 ,hartop had introduced many common-sense and most effective improvements4 ,all of these interested me1 and gave me much pleasure4 ,in the evening we resumed our cracks on many subjects of mutual interest4 ,the daughter joined in our conversation with the most intelligent remarks2 for1 although only in her twenty-first year1 she had evidently made good use of her time1 aided by her clear natural faculties of shrewd observation4 ,mr4 ,hartop having met with some serious reverse of fortune1 owing to the very unsatisfactory conduct of a partner1 had in a manner to begin business life again on his own account2 and although he had to reduce his domestic establishment considerably in consequence1 there was in all its arrangements a degree of neatness and perfect systematic order1 combined with many evidences of elegant taste and good sense which pervaded the whole1 that enhanced in no small degree the attractiveness of the household4 ,the chief of these1 however1 was to me their daughter ,anne6 ,i soon perceived in her1 most happily and attractively combined1 all the conditions that ,i could hope for and desire to meet with in the dear partner of my existence4 ,as ,i had soon to proceed on my journey1 ,i took the opportunity of telling her what ,i felt and thought1 and so ardently desired in regard to our future intercourse4 ,what little ,i did say was to this great purpose2 and1 so far as ,i could judge1 all that ,i said was received in the best spirit that ,i could desire4 ,i then communicated my hopes and wishes to the parents4 ,i explained to them my circumstances1 which happily were then beginning to assume an encouraging prospect1 and realising1 in a substantial form1 a return for the earnest exertions that ,i had made towards establishing a home of my own4 ,they expressed their concurrence in the kindest manner2 and it was arranged that if business continued to progress as favourably as ,i hoped1 our union should take place in about two years from that time4 ,everything went on hopefully and prosperously4 ,the two years that intervened looked very long in some respects1 and very short in others2 for ,i was always fully occupied1 and labour shortens time4 ,at length the two years came to an end4 ,my betrothed and myself continued of the same mind4 ,the happy chance event of our meeting on the evening of the #b;d of ,march #ahch culminated in our marriage at the village church of ,wentworth on the #afth of ,june #ahdj--;a day of happy memory6 ,from that day to this the course of our united hearts and lives has continued to run on with steady uninterrupted harmony and mutual happiness4 ,forty-two years of our married life finds us the same affectionate and devoted cronies that we were at the beginning2 and there is every prospect that1 under ,god's blessing1 we shall continue to be so to the end4 ,i was present at the opening of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 on the #aeth of ,september #ahcj4 ,every one knows the success of the undertaking4 ,railways became the rage4 ,they were projected in every possible direction4 ,they were first made between all the large towns1 after which branches were constructed to place the whole country in connection with the main lines4 ,coaches were driven off the road1 and everything appeared to be thrown into a state of confusion4 ,people wondered greatly at the new conditions of travelling2 and they flocked from all quarters to see the railway at work4 ,when the line was opened from ,edinburgh to ,glasgow1 a shepherd and his wife came from beyond the ,pentlands to see the train pass4 ,on it came1 and flashed out of sight in a minute4 ,how wonderful are the works o' man6 exclaimed the shepherd4 ,but what's a' the hurry for81 rejoined his wife4 ,still more marvellous1 however1 was the first adventure by train of an old woman from ,newtyle to ,dundee4 ,in those days the train was let down part of the railway by a rope4 ,the woman was on her way down hill1 with a basket of eggs by her side4 ,suddenly the rope broke1 and the train dashed into the ,dundee ,station1 scattering the carriages1 and throwing out the old woman and her basket of broken eggs4 ,a porter ran to her help1 when1 gathering herself together1 she exclaimed1 ,odd sake1 sirs1 d'ye aye whummil99 footnote444 ,whummil1 to turn upside down4--,jamieson's ,scottish ,dictionary4 444 us oot this way8 ,she thought it was only the ordinary way of delivering railway passengers4 ,ropes1 however1 were merely exceptional methods of working railway trains4 ,eventually locomotives were invariably adopted4 ,when railways were extended in so many directions1 more and more locomotives were required to work them4 ,when ,george ,stephenson was engaged in building his first locomotive at ,killingworth1 he was greatly hampered1 not only by the want of handy mechanics1 but by the want of efficient tools4 ,but he did the best that he could4 ,his genius overcame difficulties4 ,it was immensely to his credit that he should have so successfully completed his engines for the ,stockton and ,darlington1 and afterwards for the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway4 ,only a few years had passed1 and self-acting tools were now enabled to complete1 with precision and uniformity1 machines that before had been deemed almost impracticable4 ,in proportion to the rapid extension of railways the demand for locomotives became very great4 ,as our machine tools were peculiarly adapted for turning out a large amount of first-class work1 we directed our attention to this class of business4 ,in the course of about ten years after the opening of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 we executed considerable orders for locomotives for the ,london and ,southampton1 the ,manchester and ,leeds1 and the ,gloucester railway companies4 ,the ,great ,western ,railway ,company invited us to tender for twenty of their very ponderous engines4 ,they proposed a very tempting condition of the contract4 ,it was1 that if1 after a month's trial of the locomotives1 their working proved satisfactory1 a premium of #ajj was to be added to the price of each engine and tender4 ,the locomotives were made and delivered2 they ran the stipulated number of test miles between ,london and ,bristol in a perfectly satisfactory manner2 and we not only received the premium1 but1 what was much more encouraging1 we received a special letter from the ,board of ,directors1 stating their entire satisfaction with the performance of our engines1 and desiring us to refer other contractors to them with respect to the excellence of our workmanship4 ,this testimonial was altogether spontaneous1 and proved extremely valuable in other quarters4 ,i may mention that1 in order to effect the prompt and perfect execution of this order1 ,i contrived several special machine tools1 which assisted us most materially4 ,these tools for the most part rendered us more independent of mere manual strength and dexterity1 while at the same time they increased the accuracy and perfection of the work4 ,they afterwards assisted us in the means of perfecting the production of other classes of work4 ,at the same time they had the important effect of diminishing the cost of production1 as was made sufficiently apparent by the balance-sheet prepared at the end of each year4 ,my connection with the ,great ,western ,company shortly led to a most important event in connection with my own personal history4 ,it appears that their famous steam-ship the ,great ,western had been very successful in her voyages between ,bristol and ,new ,york2 so much so1 indeed1 that the directors of the ,company ordered the construction of another vessel of much greater magnitude--the ,great ,britain4 ,mr4 ,francis ,humphries1 their engineer1 came to ,patricroft to consult with me as to the machine tools1 of unusual size and power1 which were required for the construction of the immense engines of the proposed ship1 which were to be made on the vertical trunk principle4 ,very complete works were erected at ,bristol for the accommodation of the requisite machinery4 ,the tools were made according to ,mr4 ,humphries' order2 they were delivered and fitted to his entire approval1 and the construction of the gigantic engines was soon in full progress4 ,an unexpected difficulty1 however1 was encountered with respect to the enormous wrought-iron intermediate paddleshaft4 ,it was required to be of a size and diameter the like of which had never been forged4 ,mr4 ,humphries applied to the largest forges throughout the country for tenders of the price at which they would execute this important part of the work1 but to his surprise and dismay he found that not one of them could undertake so large a forging4 ,in this dilemma he wrote a letter to me1 which ,i received on the #bdth of ,november #ahci1 informing me of the unlooked-for difficulty4 ,i find1 he said1 that there is not a forge hammer in ,england or ,scotland powerful enough to forge the intermediate paddle-shaft of the engines for the ,great ,britain6 ,what am ,i to do8 ,do you think ,i might dare to use cast-iron8 ,this letter immediately set me a-thinking4 ,how was it that the existing hammers were incapable of forging a wrought-iron shaft of thirty inches diameter8 ,simply because of their want of compass1 of range and fall1 as well as of their want of power of blow4 ,a few moment's rapid thought satisfied me that it was by our rigidly adhering to the old traditional form of a smith's hand hammer-- of which the forge and tilt hammer1 although driven by water or steam power1 were merely enlarged modifications--that the difficulty had arisen2 as1 whenever the largest forge hammer was tilted up to its full height1 its range was so small that when a piece of work of considerable size was placed on the anvil1 the hammer became gagged2 so that1 when the forging required the most powerful blow1 it received next to no blow at all1 as the clear space for the fall of the hammer was almost entirely occupied by the work on the anvil4 ,the obvious remedy was to contrive some method by which a ponderous block of iron should be lifted to a sufficient height above the object on which it was desired to strike a blow1 and then to let the block full down upon the forging1 guiding it in its descent by such simple means as should give the required precision in the percussive action of the falling mass following up this idea1 ,i got out my ,scheme ,book1 on the pages of which ,i generally thought out1 with the aid of pen and pencil1 such mechanical adaptations as ,i had conceived in my mind1 and was thereby enabled to render them visible4 ,i then rapidly sketched out my ,steam ,hammer1 having it all clearly before me in my mind's eye4 ,in little more than half an hour after receiving ,mr4 ,humphries' letter narrating his unlooked-for difficulty1 ,i had the whole contrivance in all its executant details1 before me in a page of my ,scheme ,book1 a reduced photographed copy of which ,i append to this description4 ,the date of this first drawing was the #bdth ,november1 #ahci4 ,image ,first drawing of steam hammer1 #bdth ,nov4 #ahci ,my ,steam ,hammer as thus first sketched1 consisted of1 first1 a massive anvil on which to rest the work2 second1 a block of iron constituting the hammer or blow-giving portion2 and1 third1 an inverted steam cylinder to whose piston-rod the hammer-block was attached4 ,all that was then required to produce a most effective hammer was simply to admit steam of sufficient pressure into the cylinder1 so as to act on the under-side of the piston1 and thus to raise the hammer-block attached to the end of the piston rod4 ,by a very simple arrangement of a slide valve1 under the control of all attendant1 the steam was allowed to escape and thus permit the massive block of iron rapidly to descend by its own gravity upon the work then upon the anvil4 ,thus1 by the more or less rapid manner in which the attendant allowed the steam to enter or escape from the cylinder1 any required number or any intensity of blows could be delivered4 ,their succession might be modified in an instant4 ,the hammer might be arrested and suspended according to the requirements of the work4 ,the workman might thus1 as it were1 think in blows4 ,he might deal them out on to the ponderous glowing mass1 and mould or knead it into the desired form as if it were a lump of clay2 or pat it with gentle taps according to his will1 or at the desire of the forgeman4 ,rude and rapidly sketched out as it was1 this1 my first delineation of the steam hammer1 will be found to comprise all the essential elements of the invention4 ,every detail of the drawing retains to this day the form and arrangement which ,i gave to it forty-three years ago4 ,i believed that the steam hammer would prove practically successful2 and ,i looked forward to its general employment in the forging of heavy masses of iron4 ,it is no small gratification to me now1 when ,i look over my rude and hasty first sketch1 to find that ,i hit the mark so exactly1 not only in the general structure but in the details2 and that the invention as ,i then conceived it and put it into shape1 still retains its form and arrangements intact in the thousands of steam hammers that are now doing good service in the mechanical arts throughout the civilised world4 ,but to return to my correspondence with the ,great ,western ,steamship ,company4 ,i wrote at once to ,mr4 ,humphries1 and sent him a sketch of my proposed steam hammer4 ,i told him that ,i felt assured he would now be able to overcome his difficulty1 and that the paddle-shaft of the ,great ,britain might now be forged4 ,mr4 ,humphries was delighted with my design4 ,he submitted it to ,mr4 ,brunel1 engineer-in-chief of the steamship3 to ,mr4 ,guppy1 the managing director2 and to other persons interested in the undertaking1--by all of whom it was heartily approved4 ,i accordingly gave the ,company permission to communicate my design to such forge proprietors as might feel disposed to erect the steam hammer1 the only condition that ,i made being1 that in the event of its being adopted ,i was to be allowed to supply it in accordance with my design4 ,but the paddle-shaft of the ,great ,britain was never forged4 ,about that time the substitution of the ,screw for the paddle-wheel as a means of propulsion was attracting much attention4 ,the performances of the ,archimedes1 as arranged by ,mr4 ,francis ,p4 ,smith1 were so satisfactory that ,mr4 ,brunel1 after he had made an excursion in that vessel1 recommended the directors to adopt the new propelling power4 ,after much discussion1 they yielded to his strongly-urged advice4 ,the consequence was1 that the great engines which ,mr4 ,humphries had so elaborately designed1 and which were far advanced in construction1 were given up1 to his inexpressible regret and mortification1 as he had pinned his highest hopes as a practical engineer on the results of their performance4 ,and1 to crown his distress1 he was ordered to produce fresh designs of engines specially suited for screw propulsion4 ,mr4 ,humphries was a man of the most sensitive and sanguine constitution of mind4 ,the labour and the anxiety which he had already undergone1 and perhaps the disappointment of his hopes1 proved too much for him2 and a brain fever carried him off after a few days' illness4 ,there was thus1 for a time1 an end of the steam hammer required for forging the paddle-shaft of the ,great ,britain4 ,very bad times for the iron-trade1 and for all mechanical undertakings1 set in about this time4 ,a wide-spread depression affected all conditions of industry ,although ,i wrote to the heads of all the great firms1 urging the importance of my invention1 and forwarding designs of my steam hammer1 ,i was unable to obtain a single order4 ,it is true1 they cordially approved of my plan1 and were greatly struck by its simplicity1 unity1 and apparent power499 footnote444 ,among the heads of firms who sent me cordial congratulations on my design1 were ,benjamin ,hick1 of the ,soho ,ironworks1 ,bolton1 a man1 whose judgment in all matters connected with engineering and mechanical construction was held in the very highest regard2 ,messrs4 ,rushton and ,eckersley1 ,bolton ,ironworks2 ,messrs4 ,howard and ,ravenhill1 ,rotherhithe ,ironworks1 ,london2 ,messrs4 ,hawkes1 ,crashaw1 and ,company1 ,newcastle-upon-,tyne2 ,george ,thorneycroft1 ,wolverhampton2 and others4 444 ,but the substance of their replies was1 that they had not sufficient orders to keep the forge hammers they already possessed in work4 ,they promised1 however1 that in the event of trade recovering from its depression1 they would probably adopt the new power4 ,in the meantime my invention was taken up in an entirely new and unexpected quarter4 ,i had for some years been supplying foreign customers with self-acting machine tools4 ,the principals of continental manufacturing establishments were accustomed to make frequent visits to ,england for the purpose of purchasing various machine tools required for the production of the ponderous as well as the lighter parts of their machinery4 ,we gave our foreign visitors every facility and opportunity for seeing our own tools at work1 and they were often so much pleased that1 when they came to order one special tool1 they ended by ordering many1--the machine tools in full activity thus acting as their most effective advertisements4 ,in like manner ,i freely opened my ,scheme ,book to any foreign visitors499 footnote444 ,some establishments in the same line of business were jealous of the visit of foreigners2 but to our views1 restriction in the communication of new ideas on mechanical subjects to foreigners of intelligence and enterprising spirit served no good purpose1 as the foreign engineer was certain to obtain all the information he was in quest of from the drawings in the ,patent ,office1 or from the admirable engravings contained in the engineering publications of the day4 ,it was better to derive the advantage of supplying them with the machines they were in quest of1 than to wait until the demand was supplied by foreigners themselves4 444 ,there ,i let them see the mechanical thoughts that were passing through my mind1 reduced to pen and ink drawings4 ,i did not hesitate to advocate the advantage of my steam hammer over every other method of forging heavy masses of iron2 and ,i pointed out the drawing in my ,scheme ,book in confirmation of my views4 ,the book was kept in the office to be handy for such occasions2 and in many cases it was the means of suggesting ideas of machine tools to our customers1 and thus led to orders which might not have been obtained without this effective method of prompting them4 ,amongst our foreign visitors was ,m4 ,schneider1 proprietor of the great ironworks at ,creuzot1 in ,france4 ,we had supplied him with various machine tools1 and he was so pleased with their action that the next time he came to ,england he called at our office at ,patricroft4 ,m4 ,bourdon1 his mechanical manager1 accompanied him4 ,i happened to be absent on a journey at the time2 but my partner1 ,mr4 ,gaskell1 was present4 ,after showing them over the works1 as an act of courtesy he brought them my ,scheme ,book and allowed them to examine it4 ,he pointed out the drawing of my steam hammer1 and told them the purpose for which it was intended4 ,they were impressed with its simplicity and apparent practical utility1--so much so1 that ,m4 ,bourdon took careful notes and sketches of the constructive details of the hammer4 ,i was informed on my return of the visit of ,,mm4,schneider and ,bourdon1 but the circumstance of their having inspected the designs in my ,scheme ,book1 and especially my original design of the steam hammer1 was regarded by my partner as too ordinary and trivial an incident of their visit to be mentioned to me4 ,the exhibition of my mechanical designs to visitors at the ,foundry was a matter of almost daily occurrence4 ,i was1 therefore1 in entire ignorance of the fact that these foreign visitors had taken with them to ,france a copy of the plan and details of my steam hammer4 ,it was not until my visit to ,france in ,april #ahdb that the upshot of their visit was brought under my notice in an extraordinary manner4 ,i was requested by ,m4 ,bouchier1 ,minister of ,marine1 to visit the ,french dockyards and arsenals for the purpose of conferring with the director of each with reference to the supply of various machine tools for the proper equipment of the marine engine factories in connection with the ,royal ,dockyards4 ,in order to render this journey more effective and instructive1 ,i visited most of the ,french engineering establishments which had been supplied with machine tools by our firm4 ,amongst these was of course the famous firm of ,schneider1 whose works at ,creuzot lay not far out of the way of my return journey accordingly made my way thither1 and found ,m4 ,bourdon at his post1 though ,m4 ,schneider was absent4 ,m4 ,bourdon received me with much cordiality4 ,as he spoke ,english with fluency ,i was fortunate in finding him present1 in order to show me over the works2 on entering which1 one of the things that particularly struck me was the excellence of a large wrought-iron marine engine single crank1 forged with a remarkable degree of exactness in its general form4 ,i observed also that the large eye of the crank had been punched and drifted with extraordinary smoothness and truth4 ,i inquired of ,m4 ,bourdon how that crank had been forged8 ,his immediate reply was1 ,it was forged by your steam hammer6 ,great was my surprise and pleasure at hearing this statement4 ,i asked him how he had come to be acquainted with my steam hammer8 ,he then narrated the circumstance of his visit to the ,bridgewater ,foundry during my absence4 ,he told me of my partner having exhibited to him the original design1 and how much he was struck by its simplicity and probable efficiency2 that he had taken careful note and sketches on the spot2 that among the first things he did after his return to ,creuzot was to put in hand the necessary work for the erection of a steam hammer2 and that the results had in all respects realised the high expectations he had formed of it4 ,m4 ,bourdon conducted me to the forge department of the works1 that ,i might1 as he said1 see my own child2 and there it was1 in truth--a thumping child of my brain4 ,until then it had only existed in my scheme book2 and yet it had often and often been before my mind's eye in full action4 ,on inspecting the steam hammer ,i found that ,bourdon had omitted some important details1 which had led to a few mishaps1 especially with respect to the frequent breaking of the piston-rod at its junction with the hammer block4 ,he had effected this1 in the usual way1 by means of a cutter wedge through the rod2 but he told me that it often broke through the severe jar during the action of the hammer4 ,i sketched for him1 then and there1 in full size on a board1the elastic packing under the end of the piston-rod1 which acted1 as ,i told him1 like the cartilage between the bones of the vertebrae1 preventing the destructive effects of violent jars4 ,i also communicated to him a few other important details1 which he had missed in his hasty inspection of my design4 ,indeed1 ,i felt great pleasure in doing so1 as ,i found ,bourdon to be a most intelligent mechanic1 and thoroughly able to appreciate the practical value of the information ,i communicated to him4 ,he expressed his obligation to me in the warmest terms1 and the alterations which he shortly afterwards effected in the steam hammer1 in accordance with my plans1 enabled it to accomplish everything that he could desire4 ,i had not yet taken out a patent for the steam hammer4 ,the reason was this4 ,the cost of a patent at the time ,i invented it was little short of #ejj1 all expenses included4 ,my partner was unwilling to lay out so large a sum upon an invention for which there seemed to be so little demand at that time2 and ,i myself had the whole of my capital embarked in the concern4 ,besides1 the general depression still continued in the iron trade2 and we had use for every farthing of money we possessed4 ,i had been warned of the risk ,i ran by freely exhibiting my original design1 as well as by sending drawings of it to those who ,i thought were most likely to bring the invention into use4 ,but nothing had as yet been done in ,england4 ,it was left for ,france1 as ,i have described1 to embody my invention in an actual steam hammer4 ,i now became alarmed1 and feared lest ,i should lose the benefits of my invention4 ,as my partner declined to help me1 ,i applied to my brother-in-law1 ,william ,bennett4 ,he was a practical engineer1 and had expressed himself as highly satisfied with its value4 ,he had also many times cautioned me against publishing its advantages so widely1 without having first protected it by a patent4 ,he was therefore quite ready to come to my assistance4 ,he helped me with the necessary money1 and the invention was placed in a position of safety so far as my interests were concerned4 ,in return for his kindness ,i stipulated that the reimbursement of his loan should be a first charge upon any profits arising from the manufacture of the steam hammer2 and also that he should have a share in the profits during the period of the patent rights4 ,mr4 ,bennett lived for many years1 rejoicing in the results of his kindness to me in the time of my difficulty4 ,i may add that the patent was secured in ,june #ahdb1 or less than two months after my return from ,france4 ,soon after this1 the iron trade recovered from its depression4 ,the tide of financial prosperity of the ,bridgewater ,foundry soon set in1 and my partner's sanguine confidence in my ability to raise it to the condition of a thriving and prosperous concern was justified in a most substantial manner4 ,in order to make the most effective demonstration of the powers and capabilities of my steam hammer1 ,i constructed one of #cj;cwt4 of hammer block1 with a clear four feet range of fall4 ,i soon had it set to work2 and its energetic services helped us greatly in our smith and forge work4 ,it was admired by all observers4 ,people came from a distance to see it4 ,mechanics and ironfounders wondered at the new power which had been born4 ,the precision and beauty of its action seemed marvellous4 ,the attendant could1 by means of the steam slide-valve lever in his hand1 transmit his will to the action of the hammer1 and thus think in blows4 ,the machine combined great power with gentleness4 ,the hammer could be made to give so gentle a blow as to crack the end of an egg placed in a wine glass on the anvil2 whilst the next blow would shake the parish or be instantly arrested in its descent midway499 footnote444 ,this is no mere figure of speech4 ,i have heard the tea-cups rattle in the cupboard in my house a quarter of a mile from the place where the hammer was at work4 ,i was afterwards informed that the blows of my great steam hammer at ,woolwich ,arsenal were sensibly felt at ,greenwich ,observatory1 about two miles distant4 444 ,hand-gear was the original system introduced in working the hammer4 ,a method of self-acting was afterwards added4 ,in #ahdc1 ,i admitted steam above the piston1 to aid gravitation4 ,this was an important improvement4 ,the self-acting arrangement was eventually done away with1 and hand-gear again became all but universal4 ,sir ,john ,anderson1 in his admirable ,report on the ,vienna ,exhibition of #ahgc1 says3 ,the most remarkable features of the ,nasmyth hammers were the almost entire abandonment of the old self-acting motion of the early hammers and the substitution of new devices1 and in the use of hand-gear only in all attempts to show off the working4 ,there is no real saving1 as a general rule1 by the self-acting arrangement1 because one attendant is required in either case1 and on the other hand there is frequently a positive loss in the effect of the blow4 ,by hand-working1 with steam on top of piston1 the full force can be more readily maintained until the blow is fully delivered2 it is thus more of a dead blow than was formerly the case with the other system4 ,there was no want of orders when the valuable qualities of the steam hammer came to be seen and experienced4 ,the first ,order came from ,rushton and ,eckersley of ,bolton1 who1 by the way1 had seen the first copy of my original design a few years before4 ,the steam hammer ,i made for them was more powerful than my own4 ,the hammer block was of five tons weight1 and had a clear fall of five feet4 ,it gave every satisfaction1 and the fame of its performances went abroad amongst the ironworkers4 ,the ,lowmoor ,ironworks ,company followed suit with an order for one of the same size and power2 and another came from ,hawkes and ,co41 of ,newcastle-upon-,tyne4 ,one of the most important uses of the steam hammer was in forging anchors4 ,under the old system1 anchors upon the soundness of which the safety of ships so often depends--were forged upon the bit by bit system4 ,the various pieces of an anchor were welded together1 but at the parts where the different pieces of iron were welded together1 flaws often occurred2 the parts would break off--blades from the stock1 or flukes from the blades--and leave the vessel1 which relied upon the security of its anchor1 at the risk of the winds and the waves4 ,by means of the steam hammer these risks were averted4 ,the slag was driven out during the hammering process4 ,the anchor was sound throughout because it was welded as a whole4 ,those who are technically acquainted with smith work as it used to be practised1 by what ,i term the bit by bit system--that is1 of building up from many separate parts of iron1 afterwards welded together into the required form--can appreciate the vast practical value of the ,die method brought into general use by the controllable but immense power of the steam hammer4 ,at a very early period of my employment of the steam hammer1 ,i introduced the system of stamping masses of welding hot iron as if it had been clay1 and forcing it into suitable moulds or dies placed upon the anvil4 ,this practice had been in use on a small scale in the ,birmingham gun trade1 ,the ironwork of firearms was thus stamped into exact form4 ,but1 until we possessed the wide range and perfectly controllable powers of the steam hammer1 the stamping system was confined to comparatively small portions of forge work4 ,the new power enabled the die and stamp system to be applied to the largest class of forge work2 and another era in the working of ponderous masses of smith and forge work commenced1 and has rapidly extended until the present time4 ,without entering into further details1 the steam hammer has advanced the mechanical arts1 especially with relation to machinery of the larger class1 to an extent that is of incalculable importance4 ,soon after my steam hammer had exhibited its merits as a powerful and docile agent in percussive force1 and shown its applicability to some of the most important branches of iron manufacture1 ,i had the opportunity of securing a patent for it in the ,united ,states4 ,this was through the kind agency of my excellent friend and solicitor1 the late ,george ,humphries of ,manchester4 ,mr4 ,humphries was a native of ,philadelphia1 and the intimate friend of ,samuel ,vaughan ,merrick1 founder of the eminent engineering firm of that city4 ,through his instrumentality ,i forwarded to ,mr4 ,merrick all the requisite documents to enable a patent to be secured at the ,united ,states ,patent ,office at ,washington4 ,i transferred the patent to ,mr4 ,merrick in order that it might be worked to our mutual advantage4 ,my invention was thus introduced into ,america under the most favourable auspices4 ,the steam hammer soon found its way into the principal ironworks of the country4 ,the admirable straightforward manner in which our ,american agent conducted the business from first to last will ever command my grateful remembrance4 ,,chapter #ad4 ,travels in ,france and ,italy4 ,i have already referred to my visit to ,creuzot1 in ,france4 ,i must explain how it was that ,i was induced to travel abroad4 ,the ,french ,government had ordered from our firm some powerful machine tools1 which were manufactured1 delivered1 and found to give every satisfaction4 ,shortly after1 ,i received a letter from ,m4 ,bouchier1 the ,minister of ,marine1 inviting me to make a personal visit to the ,french naval arsenals for the purpose of conferring with the directing officials as to the mechanical equipments of their respective workshops4 ,i accordingly proceeded to ,paris1 and was received most cordially by the ,minister of ,marine4 ,after conferring with him1 ,i was furnished with letters of introduction to the directing officers at ,cherbourg1 ,brest1 ,rochefort1 ,indret1 and ,toulon4 ,while in ,paris ,i visited some of the principal manufacturing establishments1 the proprietors of which had done business with our firm4 ,i also visited ,arago at the ,observatory1 and saw his fine array of astronomical instruments4 ,the magnificent collections of antiquities at the ,louvre and ,hotel ,cluny occupied two days out of the four ,i spent in ,paris2 after which ,i proceeded on my mission4 ,rouen lay in my way1 and ,i could not fail to stay there and indulge my love for ,gothic architecture4 ,i visited the magnificent ,cathedral and the ,church of ,st4 ,ouen1 so exquisite in its beauty1 together with the refined ,gothic architectural remains scattered about in that interesting and picturesque city4 ,i was delighted beyond measure with all that ,i saw4 ,with an eye to business1 however1 ,i paid a visit to the works which had been established by the late ,joseph ,locke in the neighbourhood of ,rouen for the supply of locomotives to the ,havre1 ,rouen1 and ,paris ,railway4 ,the works were then under the direction of ,mr4 ,buddicom4 ,i went onward through ,caen to ,bayeux4 ,there ,i rested for a few hours for the purpose of visiting the superb ,norman ,cathedral1 and also to inspect the celebrated ,bayeux tapestry4 ,i saw the needlework of ,queen ,matilda and her handmaidens1 which so graphically commemorates the history of the ,norman ,conquest4 ,in the evening ,i reached ,cherbourg4 ,i was cordially received by the directing officer of the dockyard1 which is of very large extent and surrounded by fortifications4 ,my business was with the smithy or atelier des forges1 and the workshops or ateliers des machiness4 ,there ,i recognised many of the machine-tools manufactured at the ,bridgewater ,foundry1 doing excellent work4 ,my next visit was to ,brest1 the chief naval arsenal of ,france4 ,it combines a dockyard1 arsenal1 and fortress of the first class4 ,everything has been done to make the place impregnable4 ,the harbour is situated on the north side of one of the finest havens in the world1 and is almost land-locked4 ,around the harbour run quays of great extent1 alongside of which the largest ships can lie--five artificial basins being excavated out of the solid rock4 ,the whole of the harbour is defended by tier above tier of batteries4 ,foreigners are not permitted to enter the dockyard without special permission2 but as ,i was armed with my letter of introduction from the ,minister of ,marine1 ,i was admitted and cordially received1 as at ,cherbourg4 ,i went through the ,government foundry and steam-factory1 for which ,i had supplied many of my machine tools4 ,i found the establishment to be the largest and most complete that ,i had seen4 ,from ,brest ,i went to ,rochefort1 an excellent naval arsenal1 though much smaller than those at ,cherbourg and ,brest4 ,next to ,indret on the ,loire4 ,here is the large factory where marine engines are made for the royal steamers4 ,the works were superintended by ,m4 ,rosine1 a most able man499 footnote444 ,the only man ,i ever met1 to whom ,i might compare ,rosine1 was my lamented friend ,francis ,humphries1 engineer of the ,great ,western ,steamship ,company4 ,both were men of the same type1 though ,rosine was several octaves-higher in the compass and vividness of his intellect4 444 ,i was so much pleased with him that ,i spent two days in his society4 ,i have rarely met with a more perfect union of the sound practical mechanic1 of strong common-sense1 and yet with a vivid imagination1 which threw a light upon every subject that he touched4 ,it was delightful to see the perfect manner in which he had arranged all the details of the engine factory under his superintendence1 and to observe the pride which he took in the accuracy of the work turned out by his excellent machinery4 ,it was a treat to see the magnificent and intricate iron castings produced there4 ,as ,m4 ,rosine spoke ,english fluently1 we had discussions on a vast variety of topics1 not only relating to technical subjects1 but on other matters relating to art and mechanical drawing4 ,he was one of the few men ,i have met who had in perfection the happy accomplishment of sketching with true artistic spirit any object that he desired to bring before you4 ,his pencil far outstripped language in conveying distinct ideas on constructive and material objects4 ,the time that ,i spent in the company of this most interesting man will ever remain vivid in my memory4 ,it grieved me greatly to hear of his premature death about two years after the date of my visit4 ,he must have been a sad loss to his deeply attached friends1 as well as to the nation whom he so faith fully served4 ,on my way to ,toulon ,i passed through ,bordeaux1 and by ,avignon to ,nismes4 ,at the latter city ,i was delighted with the sight of the exquisite ,roman temple1 the ,maison ,carree4 ,it is almost perfect4 ,but the most interesting of the ,roman remains at ,nismes is the magnificent ,amphitheatre4 ,in viewing this grand specimen of architecture1 as well as the old temples1 cathedrals1 and castles1 ,i felt that we moderns are comparative pigmies4 ,our architecture wants breadth1 grandeur1 sublimity4 ,it appears to me that one of the chief causes of the inferiority and defects of ,modern ,architecture is1 that our designers are so anxious to display their taste in ornamentation4 ,they first design the exterior1 and then fit into it the interior of their building4 ,the purpose of the building is thus regarded as a secondary consideration4 ,in short1 they utilise ornament instead of ornamenting utility--total inversion1 as it appears to me1 of the fundamental principle which ought to govern all classes of architectural structures4 ,this is1 unfortunately1 too evident in most of our public buildings4 ,see1 for instance1 our new ,law ,courts4 ,one thing ,i was especially struck with at ,nismes--the ease with which some thousands of people might issue1 without hindrance1 from the ,amphitheatre4 ,the wedge-shaped passages radiate from the centre1 and1 widening outwards1 would facilitate the egress of an immense crowd4 ,contrast this with the difficulty of getting out of any modern theatre or church in case of alarm or fire4 ,another thing is remarkable--the care with which the huge blocks of magnesian limestone99 footnote444 ,i believe ,dolomite is the proper geological term4 ,this fine material abounds in this part of ,france1 and has materially contributed to the durability of the ,roman mason work4 444 have been selected4 ,some of the stone slabs are eighteen feet long2 they roof over the corridors2 yet they still retain the marks of the ,roman chisel4 ,every individual chip is as crisp as on the day on which it was made2 even the delicate scribe marks1 by which the mason some #aijj years ago lined out his work on the blocks of stone he was about to chip into its required form1 are still perfectly distinct4 ,this wonderfully durable stone is of the same material as that employed by lithographers4 ,though magnesian1 it is of a different quality from that employed in building our ,houses of ,parliament4 ,as this was carefully selected1 the latter was carelessly unselected4 ,it was quarried at random1 in the most ignorant way2 some of it proved little better than chalk2 and though all sorts of nostrums have been tried1 nothing will cure the radical defect4 ,this1 however1 is a wide digression from my subject of the admirable mason work1 and the wonderful skill and forethought employed in erecting that superb arena and the other ,roman buildings at ,nismes4 ,i proceeded to ,marseilles1 where ,i had some business to transact with ,philip ,taylor and ,company1 the engineering firm4 ,they were most kind and attentive to me while there1 and greatly added to the enjoyment of my visit to that remarkable city4 ,from ,marseilles ,i proceeded to ,toulon1 the last of the marine dockyards ,i had to visit4 ,there was no railway between the places at that time1 and it was accordingly necessary that ,i should drive along the usual road4 ,in the course of my journey to ,toulon ,i went through the ,pass of ,col d',ollioulles4 ,it was awfully impressive4 ,the ,pass appeared to consist of a mighty cleft between two mountains2 the result of some convulsion of ,nature4 ,there was only room for the carriage road to pass between the cliffs4 ,the ruins of a ,saracenic castle stood on the heights to guard the passage4 ,it was certainly the most romantic scene ,i had ever beheld4 ,looking down into the deep cleft below me1 at the bottom of which ran a turbulent stream1 ,i saw the narrow road along which our carriage was to pass4 ,and then suddenly ,i emerged in full sight of the ,mediterranean1 with the calm blue heavens resting over the deep blue sea4 ,there were palms1 cactuses1 and orange trees1 mixed with olive groves4 ,the fields were full of tulips and narcissuses1 and the rocks by the roadside were covered with boxwood and lavender4 ,everything gave evidence of the sunny ,south4 ,i had got a glimpse of the ,mediterranean a few days before2 but now ,i saw it in its glory4 ,i arrived in due time at ,toulon4 ,the town is not very striking in itself4 ,it is surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains of hard magnesian limestone4 ,these are almost devoid of vegetation4 ,this it is which gives so arid an aspect to this part of the coast4 ,facing the south1 the sun's rays1 reflected from the bare surface of the rocks1 place one at mid-day as if in the focus of a great burning mirror1 and send every one in quest of shade4 ,this intense temperature has its due effect upon the workers in the dockyard4 ,i found the place far inferior to the others which ,i had visited4 ,the heat seemed to engender a sort of listlessness over the entire place4 ,the people seemed to be falling asleep4 ,though we complain of cold in our northern hemisphere1 it is a great incentive to work4 ,even our east wind is an invigorator2 it braces us up1 and strengthens our nerves and muscles4 ,it is quite possible that the workmen of the ,toulon dockyard might fire up and work with energy provided an occasion arose to call forth their dormant energy4 ,but without the aid of an almost universal introduction of self-acting tools in this sleepy establishment1 to break1 with the busy hum of active working machinery1 the spell of indolence that seemed to pervade it1 there appeared to me no hope of anything like continuous and effective industry or useful results4 ,the docks looked like one vast knacker's yard of broken-down obsolete ships and wretched old paraphernalia--unfortunately a characteristic of other establishments nearer home than ,toulon4 ,after transacting my business with the directing officers of this vast dockyard ,i returned to ,marseilles4 ,there ,i found letters requiring me to proceed to ,naples1 in order to complete some business arrangements in that city4 ,i was exceedingly rejoiced to have an opportunity of visiting the south of ,italy4 ,i set out at once4 ,a fine new steamer of the ,messageries ,imperiales1 the ,ercolano1 was ready to sail from the harbour4 ,i took my place on board4 ,i found that the engines had been made by ,maudsley ,sons and ,field2 they were of their latest improved double-cylinder construction4 ,when ,i went down into the engine-room ,i felt myself in a sense at home2 for the style of the engines brought to my mind many a pleasant remembrance of the days gone by4 ,we steamed out of the harbour1 and passed in succession the beautiful little islands which gem the bay of ,marseilles4 ,amongst others1 the isle of ,if1 crowned by its castle1 once a ,state prison1 and the ,chateau d',if1 immortalised by ,dumas4 ,then ,pomegne1 ,ratoneau1 and other islands4 ,we were now on the deep blue ,mediterranean1 watching the graceful curves of the coast as we steamed along4 ,soon after1 we came in sight of the snow-capped maritime ,alps behind ,nice4 ,the evening was calm and clear1 and a bright moon shone overhead4 ,next morning ,i awoke in the harbour of ,genoa1 with a splendid panoramic view of the city before me4 ,i shall never forget the glorious sight of that clear bright morning as long as ,i live4 ,as the steamer was to remain in the harbour until two o'clock next day1 ,i landed with the passengers and saw the wonders of the city4 ,i felt as if ,i were in a new world4 ,on every side and all around me were objects of art lighted up by glorious sunshine4 ,the picturesque narrow streets1 with the blue sky overhead and the bright sunshine lighting up the beautiful architecture of the palatial houses1 relieved by masses of clear shade1 together with the picturesque dresses of the people1 and the baskets of oranges and lemons with the leaves on the boughs on which they had been born and reared1 the brilliant greenery of the inner courts into which you peeped while passing along the ,strada ,nuova1 literally a street of palaces1 threw me into a fervency of delight4 ,here1 indeed1 was architecture to be proud of--grand1 imposing1 and massive--chastely yet gloriously ornamented4 ,there was nothing of the gingerbread order here6 ,the plan of these palaces is admirable4 ,they are open to the street1 so that all the inner arrangements may be seen4 ,there is the court1 surrounded by arcades1 the arches of which rest upon columns2 the flights of marble steps on each side1 leading to the great hall or the principal apartments2 and inside the court1 the pink daphnes and ,tangerine orange frees1 surrounded by greenery1 with which the splendour of the marble admirably contrasts2--the whole producing a magnificent effect4 ,i remembered that ,genoa la superba was one of my father's pet subjects when talking of his first visit to ,italy2 and now ,i could confirm all that he had said about the splendour of its palaces4 ,i do not know of anything more delightful than to grope one's way through a foreign city1 especially such a city as ,genoa1 and come unexpectedly upon some building that one has heard of--that has dimly lived in the mind like a dream--and now to see it realised in fact4 ,it suddenly starts into life1 as it were1 surrounded by its natural associations4 ,i hate your professional guides and their constant chatter4 ,much better to come with a mind prepared with some history to fall back upon1 and thus be enabled to compare the present with the past1 the living with the dead4 ,i climbed up some of the hills surrounding ,genoa--for it is a city of ups and downs4 ,i wandered about the terraced palaces surrounded by orange groves and surveyed the fortified heights by which the place is surrounded4 ,what exquisite bits of scenery there were to sketch2 what a rich combination of nature and art6 ,and what a world of colour1 with the clear blue sea in the distance6 ,altogether1 that one day at ,genoa--though but a succession of glimpses formed a bright spot in my life1 that neither time nor distance can dim or tarnish4 ,i returned to the harbour two hours before the steamer was to leave4 ,to commemorate my visit1 ,i mounted the top of the paddle-box1 took out my sketch book1 and made a panoramic view of ,genoa as seen from the harbour4 ,i did it in pencil at the time1 and afterwards filled it up with ink4 ,when the pages of the sketch book had been joined together the panoramic view extended to about eight feet long4 ,the accuracy of the detail1 as well as the speed with which the drawing was done1 were perhaps rather creditable to the draughtsman--at least so my artistic friends were pleased to tell me4 ,indeed1 many years after1 a friend at court desired to submit it to the highest ,lady in the land1 and1 being herself an artist1 she expressed herself as highly gratified with the performance4 ,image ,a monk on board ,the next station the steamer touched at was ,leghorn4 ,as the vessel was not to start until next day1 there was sufficient time for me to run up to ,pisa4 ,there ,i spent a delightful day principally in wandering about that glorious group of buildings situated so near to each other-- the ,cathedral1 the ,baptistery1 the ,campo ,santo1 and the ,campanile or ,leaning ,tower4 ,what interested me most at the ,cathedral was the two bronze lamps suspended at the end of the nave1 which suggested to the mind of ,galileo the invention of the pendulum4 ,thousands had seen the lamps swinging before them1 but he alone would know the reason why4 ,the one swung at a different rate as compared with the other1 being the result of the chains being hung of different lengths4 ,hence ,galileo's discovery of the principle or ,law of the ,pendulum4 ,this paved the way for ,newton's law of gravitation--one of the grandest laws of the universe4 ,some of the finest works of ,andrea del ,sarto1 son of the ,tailor1 are found here4 ,indeed1 the works of that great painter are little known out of ,pisa and ,florence4 ,i was reluctant to tear myself away from ,pisa2 but the ,ercolano could not wait1 and ,i was back in good time1 and soon under weigh4 ,the next port we touched at was ,civita ,vecchia1 one of the most dreary places that can be imagined1 though at one time an ,etruscan city1 and afterwards the port of ,trajan4 ,i did not land1 as there were some difficulties in the way of passports4 ,we steamed on2 and next morning when ,i awoke we were passing the coast of ,ischia4 ,we could scarcely see the island for a thick mist had over-spread the sea4 ,naples was still hidden from our sight1 but over the mist ,i could observe the summit of ,vesuvius vomiting forth dense clouds of white smoke4 ,the black summit of the crater appeared floating in the clear blue sky4 ,but the heat of the sun shortly warmed the mist1 and it floated away like a curtain4 ,image ,distant view of ,vesuvius ,a grand panorama then lay before us4 ,naples looked bright and magnificent under the sunlight4 ,the sea was so smooth that the buildings and towers and convents and spires were reflected in the water4 ,on our left lay the ,bay of ,baiae1 with its castles and temples and baths1 dating from the days of the ,roman ,republic4 ,to the right lay ,castellamare1 ,sorrento1 and the island of ,capri4 ,but the most prominent object was ,vesuvius in front1 with its expanding cloud of white smoke over the landscape4 ,on landing1 ,i took up my quarters at the ,hotel ,victoria4 ,i sallied forth to take my first hasty view of the ,chiaia1 the streets1 and the principal buildings4 ,but1 in accordance with my motto of ,duty first1 pleasure second1 ,i proceeded to attend to the business respecting which ,i had visited ,naples4 ,that1 however1 was soon disposed of4 ,in a few days ,i was able to attend to pleasure4 ,i made my way to the ,museo ,borbonico1 now called the ,national ,museum4 ,i found it a rich mine of precious treasures1 consisting of ,greek1 ,etruscan1 and ,roman antiquities of every description4 ,not the least interesting part of the ,museum is the collection of marbles1 pictures1 and articles of daily use1 dug from the ruins of the buried city of ,pompeii4 ,every spare hour that ,i could command was occupied in visiting and revisiting this wonderful ,museum4 ,herculaneum and ,pompeii were also visited1 but1 more than all1 the crater of ,vesuvius4 ,during my visit the mountain was in its normal state4 ,i mounted the volcanic ashes with which it is strewn1 and got to the top4 ,there ,i could look down into the pit from which the clouds of steam are vomited forth4 ,i went down to the very edge of the crater1 stood close to its mouth1 and watched the intermittent up-rushing of the blasts of vapour and sulphureous gases4 ,to keep clear of these ,i stood to the windward side1 and was thus out of harm's way4 ,what struck me most was the wonderfully brilliant colours of the rugged lava rocks forming the precipitous cliffs of the interior walls of the crater4 ,these brilliant colours were the result of the sublimation and condensation on their surfaces of the combinations of sulphur and chloride of iron1 quite as bright as if they had been painted with bright red1 chrome1 and all the most brilliant tints4 ,columns of all manner of chemical vapours ascended from the clefts and deep cracks1 at the bottom of which ,i clearly saw the bright hot lava4 ,i rolled as big a mass of cool lava as ,i could to the edge of the crater and heaved it down2 but ,i heard no sound4 ,doubtless the depth was vast1 or it might probably have fallen into the molten lava1 and thus made no noise4 ,on leaving this horrible pit edge1 ,i tied the card of the ,bridgewater ,foundry to a bit of lava and threw it in1 as token of respectful civility to ,vulcan1 the head of our craft4 ,i had considerably more difficulty in clambering up to the top edge of the crater than ,i had in coming down4 ,once or twice1 indeed1 ,i was half choked by the swirls of sulphureous and muriatic acid vapour that environed me before ,i could reach the upper edge4 ,i sat down in a nook1 though it was a very hot one1 and made a sketch or two of the appearance of the crater4 ,but ,i feel that it is quite beyond my power either by pen or pencil1 to convey an idea of the weird unearthly aspect which the funnel-shaped crater of ,vesuvius presented at that time4 ,an eruption of unusual violence had occurred shortly before ,i saw it4 ,great rounded blocks of lava had been thrown high into the air again and again1 and had fallen back into the terrible focus of volcanic violence4 ,vast portions of the rugged and precipitous sides of the crater had fallen in1 and were left in a state of the wildest confusion4 ,when ,i visited the place the eruption had comparatively subsided4 ,the throat of the crater was a rugged opening of more than forty feet diameter1 leading down to--,where8 ,echo answers1 ,where8 ,and yet there is no doubt but that the great mass of materials which lay around me as ,i made my sketches1 had been shot up from inconceivable depths beneath the solid crust of the earth4 ,there still remains an enormous mass of molten materials that has been shut up beneath that crust since the surface of the globe assumed its present condition4 ,the mineral matter that formed the globe had converged towards its centre of gravity1 and the arrestment of the momentum of the coalescing particles resulted in intense heat4 ,hence the molten condition of the globe in its primitive state4 ,the molten lava of volcanoes is the survival of that original cosmical heat4 ,this heat has played a great part in the physical history of the globe4 ,volcanic action has been1 as it were1 the universal plough6 ,it has given us mountains1 hills1 and valleys4 ,it has given us picturesque scenery1 gorges1 precipices1 waterfalls4 ,the up heaving agent has displayed the mineral treasures of the earth1 and enabled man1 by intelligent industry1 to use them as mines of material blessings4 ,this is indeed a great and sublime subject4 ,i had remained near the mouth of the crater for about five hours4 ,evening was approaching4 ,my drawings were finished1 and ,i prepared to leave4 ,my descent from the summit of the crater edge was comparatively rapid1 though every footstep went down some fifteen inches through the volcanic ashes4 ,i descended by the eastern side1 and was soon at the base of the great cone4 ,i made my way by tortuous walking round the erupted masses of lava1 and also by portions of the lava streams1 which1 on losing their original fluidity1 had become piled up and contorted into gigantic masses4 ,at the extreme edges of the flow1 where the lava had become viscid1 these folds and contortions were very remarkable4 ,they were piled fold over fold1--the result of the mighty pressure from behind4 ,it was sad to see so many olive gardens burnt and destroyed2 the trees were as black as charcoal4 ,it is singular to see the numbers of orange and olive growers who choose to live so near to the fiery element4 ,but the heat presses forward the growth of vegetation4 ,to be there is like living in a hothouse2 and the soil is extraordinarily fertile4 ,hence the number of vineyards quite close to the base of ,vesuvius4 ,the cultivators endeavour to enclose their gardens with hard masses of lava1 so as to turn off the flow of the molten streams in other directions2 but the lava bursts through the walls again and again1 and the gardens are often utterly burnt up and ruined4 ,almost every field at the base of ,vesuvius contains a neat little oratory1 with a statue of the ,virgin and ,child1 to which the cultivators repair in times of peril and calamity4 ,but chapel1 statue1 and gardens are alike swept away by the tremendous descent of the molten lava4 ,as the night was growing dark1 ,i made my way from these riskful farms to ,rosina1 a little village on the way back to ,naples4 ,as ,i had had nothing to eat or drink during this thirst-producing journey1 ,i went into a wine shop and asked for some refreshment4 ,the wine shop was a sort of vault1 with a door like that of a coach-house1 but with a bench and narrow table4 ,the good woman brought me a great green glass bottle like a vitriol carboy6 ,it contained more than six gallons of wine1 and she left me with a big glass to satisfy my wants4 ,the wine was the veritable ,lachryma1 ,christi--a delightful light claret--for producing which the vineyards at the base of ,vesuvius are famous4 ,after some most glorious swigs from this generous and jovial carboy1 accompanied with some delightful fresh made bread1 ,i felt myself up to anything4 ,after washing down the dust that ,i had swallowed during the day1 ,i settled with my liberal landlady 7indeed she was mightily pleased with only tenpence71 and started for ,naples4 ,i had still an eight-mile walk before me1 but that was nothing to my vigorous powers at that time4 ,the moon had risen during my stay in the wine house1 and it shone with a bright clear light4 ,after a few miles' walking ,i felt a little tired1 for the day's exercise had been rather toilsome4 ,a fine carriage passed me on the road with a most tempting platform behind4 ,i hailed the driver1 and was allowed to mount4 ,i was soon bowling along the lava paved road1 and in a short time ,i arrived at ,naples4 ,i made another excursion to the crater of ,vesuvius before ,i left1 as well as visits to ,herculaneum and ,pompeii1 which exceedingly interested me4 ,but these ,i need not attempt to relate4 ,i refer my readers to ,murray's ,guide ,book1 where both are admirably described4 ,after completing my business affairs at ,naples1 and sowing the seeds of several orders1 which afterwards bore substantial results1 ,i left the city by the same line of steamers4 ,i passed again ,civita ,vecchia1 ,leghorn1 ,genoa1 and ,marseilles4 ,on passing through the ,south of ,france ,i visited the works of several of our employers1 and carried back with me many orders4 ,it was when at ,creuzot that ,i saw the child of my brain1 the steam hammer1 in full and efficient work4 ,but this ,i have referred to in a previous chapter4 ,,chapter #ae4 ,steam ,hammer ,pile-driver4 ,in #ahdj ,i furnished ,sir ,edward ,parry with a drawing of my steam hammer1 in the hope that ,i might induce him to recommend its adoption in the ,royal ,dockyards4 ,sir ,edward was at that time the head director of the steam marine of ,england4 ,that was after the celebrity he had acquired through his ,arctic voyages4 ,i was of opinion that the hammer might prove exceedingly useful in forging anchors and large iron work in those great establishments4 ,sir ,edward appeared to be much struck with the simplicity and probable efficiency of the invention4 ,but the ,admiralty ,board were very averse to introducing new methods of manufacturing into the dockyards4 ,accordingly1 my interview with ,sir ,edward ,parry1 notwithstanding his good opinion1 proved fruitless4 ,time passed by4 ,i had furnished steam hammers to the principal foundries in ,england4 ,i had sent them abroad1 even to ,russia4 ,at length it became known to the ,lords of the ,admiralty that a new power in forging had been introduced4 ,this was in #ahdc1 three years after ,i had submitted my design to ,sir ,edward ,parry4 ,the result was that my ,lords appointed a deputation of intelligent officers to visit my foundry at ,patricroft to see the new invention4 ,it consisted of ,captain ,benison 7brother of the late ,speaker71 and ,captain ,burgman1 ,resident ,engineer at ,devonport ,dockyard4 ,they were well able to understand the powerful agency of the steam hammer for marine forge work4 ,i gave them every opportunity for observing its action4 ,they were much pleased1 and ,i may add astonished1 at its range1 power1 and docility4 ,besides showing them my own steam hammer1 ,i took the deputation to the extensive works of ,messrs4 ,rushton and ,eckersley1 where they saw one of my five-ton hammer-block steam hammers in full action4 ,it was hammering out some wrought-iron forgings of the largest class1 as well as working upon smaller forgings4 ,by exhibiting the wide range of power of the steam hammer1 these gentlemen were entirely satisfied of its fitness for all classes of forgings for the naval service4 ,they reported to the ,admiralty accordingly1 and in a few days we received an official letter1 with an order for a steam hammer having a #ej cwt4 hammer-block1 together with the appropriate boiler1 crane1 and forge furnace1 so as to equip a complete forge shop at ,devonport ,dockyard4 ,this was my first order from the ,government for a steam hammer4 ,when everything was ready1 ,i set out for ,devonport to see the hammer and the other portions of the machinery carefully erected4 ,in about a fortnight it was ready for its first stroke4 ,as good luck would have it1 the ,lords of the ,admiralty were making their annual visit of inspection to the dockyard that day4 ,they arrived too late in the afternoon for a general inspection of the establishment2 but they asked the superintending admiral if there was anything of importance which they might see before the day closed4 ,the admiral told them that the most interesting novelty in the dockyard was the starting of ,nasmyth's steam hammer4 ,very well1 they said1 let us go and see that4 ,i was there1 with the two mechanics ,i had brought with me from ,patricroft to erect the steam hammer4 ,i took share and share alike in the work4 ,the ,lords were introduced to me1 and ,i proceeded to show them the hammer4 ,i passed it through its paces4 ,i made it break an eggshell in a wine-glass without injuring the glass4 ,it was as neatly effected by the two-and-a-half ton hammer as if it had been done by an egg-spoon4 ,then ,i had a great mass of white-hot iron swung out of the furnace by a crane and placed upon the anvil block4 ,down came the hammer on it with ponderous blows4 ,my ,lords scattered to the extremities of the workshop1 for the splashes and sparks of hot metal flew about4 ,i went on with the hurtling blows of the hammer1 and kneaded the mass of iron as if it had been clay into its devised forms4 ,after finishing off the forging1 my ,lords gathered round the hammer again1 when ,i explained to them the rationale of its working1 and the details of its construction4 ,they were greatly interested1 especially ,mr4 ,sidney ,herbert 7afterwards ,lord ,herbert of ,lea71 then ,secretary to the ,admiralty1 and ,sir ,george ,cockburn1 a fine specimen of the old admiral4 ,indeed1 all the members of the ,board were more or less remarkable men4 ,they honoured me with their careful attention1 and expressed their admiration at the hammer's wonderful range of power and delicacy of touch1 in this new application of the force of steam4 ,the afternoon was a most important one for me in more ways than one1 although ,i cannot venture to trouble my readers with the details4 ,it was followed1 however1 by an order to supply all the ,royal ,dockyard forge departments with a complete equipment of steam hammers1 and all the requisite accessories4 ,these were supplied in due time1 and gave in every case the highest satisfaction4 ,the forgings were found to be greatly better1 and almost absurdly cheaper than those done by the old bit by bit building-up process4 ,the danger of flaws was entirely done away with2 and1 in the case of anchors1 this was a consideration of life and death to the seamen1 who depend for their safety upon the soundness of the forgings4 ,besides my introduction to that admirable man1 ,mr4 ,sidney ,herbert1 ,i had the happiness of being introduced to ,captain ,brandreth1 ,director of ,naval ,works4 ,the whole of the buildings on shore1 including the dockyards1 were under his control4 ,one of the most important affairs that the ,lords of the ,admiralty had to attend to on their visit to ,devonport was to conclude the contract for constructing the great docks at ,keyham4 ,this was a large extension of the ,devonport ,docks1 intended for the accommodation of the great steamships of the ,royal ,navy1 as well as for an increase of the graving docks and workshops for their repair4 ,an immense portion of the shore of the ,hamoaze had to be walled in so as to exclude the tide and enable the space to be utilised for the above purposes4 ,to effect this a vast amount of pile-driving was rendered necessary1 in order to form a firm foundation for the great outer dock wall1 about a mile and a quarter in length4 ,messrs4 ,baker and ,sons were the contractors for this work4 ,they were present at the first start of my steam hammer at ,devonport4 ,they were1 like the others1 much impressed by its vast power and manageableness4 ,they had an interview with me as to its applicability for driving piles for the immense dock1 this being an important part of their contract4 ,happily1 ,i had already given some attention to this application of the powers of the steam hammer4 ,in fact1 ,i had secured a patent for it4 ,i had the drawings for the steam hammer pile-driving machine with me4 ,i submitted them to ,mr4 ,baker1 and he saw its importance in a moment4 ,that1 he 'said1 is the very thing that ,i want to enable me to complete my contract satisfactorily4 ,thousands of enormous piles had to be driven down into the deep silt of the ,shore2 and to have driven them down by the old system of pile-driving would have occupied a long time1 and would also have been very expensive4 ,the drawings were of course submitted to ,captain ,brandreth4 ,he was delighted with my design4 ,the steam pile-driver would be1 in his opinion1 the prime agent for effecting the commencement of the great work originated by himself4 ,at first the feat of damming out such a high tide as that of the ,hamoaze seemed very doubtful1 because the stiff slate silt was a treacherous and difficult material to penetrate4 ,but now1 he thought1 the driving would be rendered comparatively easy4 ,with ,captain ,brandreth's consent the contractors ordered of me two of my steam hammer pile-drivers4 ,they were to be capable of driving #ah-;inch square piles of #gj feet in length into the silt of the ,hamoaze4 ,image ,space to be enclosed at the ,hamoaze ,this first order for my pile-driver was a source of great pleasure to me4 ,i had long contemplated this application of the power of the steam hammer4 ,the machine had long been in full action in my mind's eye1 and now ,i was to see it in actual reality4 ,i wrote down to my partner by that night's post informing him of the happy circumstance4 ,the order was for two grand steam hammer pile-drivers1 each with four-ton hammer-blocks4,the wrought-iron guide case and the steam cylinder were to weigh in all seven tons4 ,all this weight was to rest on the shoulders of the pile4 ,the blows were to be about eighty in the minute4 ,this1 ,i thought1 would prove thoroughly effective in rapidly driving the piles down into the earth4 ,i have said that the steam pile-driver was in my mind's eye long before ,i saw it in action4 ,it is one of the most delightful results of the possession of the constructive faculty1 that one can build up in the mind mechanical structures and set them to work in imagination1 and observe beforehand the various details performing their respective functions1 as if they were in absolute material form and action4 ,unless this happy faculty exists ab initio in the brain of the mechanical engineer1 he will have a hard and disappointing life before him4 ,it is the early cultivation of the imagination which gives the right flexibility to the thinking faculties4 ,thus business1 commerce1 and mechanics are all the better for a little healthy imagination4 ,so soon as ,i had returned home1 ,i set to work and prepared the working drawings of the steam pile-drivers4 ,they were soon completed1 conveyed to ,devonport1 and erected on the spot where they were to be used4 ,they were ready on the #c;d of ,july #ahde4 ,some preliminary pile-driving had been done in the usual way1 in order to make a stage or elevated way for my pile-driver to travel along the space where the permanent piles were to be driven4 ,i arranged my machines so that they might travel by their own locomotive powers along the whole length of the coffer dam1 and also that they should hoist up the great logs of ,baltic timber which formed the ,piles into their proper places before being driven4 ,the entire apparatus of the machine was erected on a strong timber platform1 and was placed on wheels1 so that it might move along the rails laid down upon the timber way4 ,the same boiler that supplied the steam hammer part of the apparatus served to work the small steam-engine fixed to the platform for its locomotion1 and also to perform the duty of rearing the next pile which had to be driven4 ,the steam was conveyed to the hammer cylinder by the jointed pipe seen in the annexed engraving4 ,the pipe accommodated itself to any elevation or descent of the hammer4 ,the whole weight of the cylinder1 hammer-block1 and guide box1 supported by the shoulders of the pile1 amounting to seven tons in all1 rested upon the shoulders of the pile as a persuader2 and the eighty blows per minute of the four-ton hammer came down with tremendous energy upon the top of the pile head4 ,no soil1 that piles could penetrate1 could resist such effective agencies4 ,image ,diagram of the ,steam ,pile-,driver ,explanation of the ,diagram of the ,steam ,pile-,driver4--,the chief feature of novelty of this pile-driving machine consists in the employment of the direct action of the ,steam ,hammer as the blow giving agent1 and also in the manner in which the dead weight of the entire apparatus1 consisting of the hammer-block ,c1 the steam cylinder ,a1 and its guide-case ,b1 is employed to importantly aid the effect of the rapid and energetic blows of the steam hammer4 ,these ponderous parts rest on the shoulders of the pile ,h all the while it is being driven1 the pile in this respect being the only support of the apparatus ,a ,b ,c4 ,so that1 besides the eighty blows per minute that the four-ton steam hammer energetically deals out to the head of the pile from a four foot fall the dead weight of the apparatus constantly acts as a most effective predisposer to the sinking of the pile into the ground2 the hoisting chain ,d being let slack the while1 so as to allow ,a ,b ,c to follow down the pile ,h1 while the eighty blows per minute are incessantly showered on its head4 ,the upward stroke of the piston1 with its attached hammer-block ,c1 is arrested at the proper height not only by allowing the steam that raised it to escape1 but as soon as the piston passes the escape holes ,x ,x1 the confined air above the piston at ,o rebounds1 and so aids most effectively in increasing the energy of the fall of the hammer-block ,c on the pile head4 ,there was a great deal of curiosity in the dockyard as to the action of the new machine4 ,the pile-driving machine-men gave me a good-natured challenge to vie with them in driving down a pile4 ,they adopted the old method1 while ,i adopted the new one4 ,the resident managers sought out two great pile logs of equal size and length--#gj feet long and #ah inches square4 ,at a given signal we started together4 ,i let in the steam1 and the hammer at once began to work4 ,the four-ton block showered down blows at the rate of eighty a minute2 and in the course of four and a half minutes my pile was driven down to the required depth4 ,the men working at the ordinary machine had only begun to drive4 ,it took them upwards of twelve hours to complete the driving of their pile6 ,such a saving of time in the performance of similar work--by steam versus manual labour--had never before been witnessed4 ,the energetic action of the steam hammer1 sitting on the shoulders of the pile high up aloft1 and following it suddenly down1 the rapidly hammered blows keeping time with the flashing out of the waste steam at the end of each stroke1 was indeed a remarkable sight4 ,when my pile was driven1 the hammer-block and guide case were speedily re-hoisted by the small engine that did all the labouring and locomotive work of the machine2 the steam hammer portion of which was then lowered on to the shoulders of the next pile in succession4 ,again it set to work4 ,at this the spectators crowding about in boats1 pronounced their approval in the usual ,british style of three cheers6 ,my new pile-driver was thus acknowledged as another triumphant proof of the power of steam4 ,the whole of the piles for this great work were speedily driven in4 ,the wall was constructed1 and the docks were completed in an unusually short time4 ,the success of my pile-driver was followed by numerous orders4 ,it was used for driving the immense piles required for the ,high ,level ,bridge at ,newcastle1 the great ,border ,bridge at ,berwick-upon-tweed1 the ,docks at ,tynemouth1 the ,docks at ,birkenhead1 the ,docks at ,grimsby1 the new ,westminster ,bridge1 the great bridge at ,kief in ,russia1 the bridge at ,petersburg1 the forts at ,cronstadt1 the ,embarrage of the ,nile1 at ,yokohama in ,japan1 and at other places4 ,it enabled a solid foundation to be laid for the enormous superstructures erected over them1 and thus contributed to the permanence of many important undertakings4 ,the mechanical principles on which the efficiency of the steam pile-driver chiefly depends are as simple as ,i believe they are entirely novel and original4 ,the shoulder of the pile acts as the sole supporter of the ponderous mass of the hammer-block1 cylinder1 and guide-box4 ,this heavy weight acts as a predisposing agency to force the pile down1 while the momentum given by the repeated fall of the hammer1 at eighty blows the minute1 brings the constant dead weight into full action4 ,i am not aware of any other machine in which such a combination of mechanical forces is employed4 ,another very effective detail consisted in employing the waste steam in the upper part of the cylinder for the purpose of acting as a buffer to resist any undue length of the upward stroke of the piston4 ,but for this the cylinder covers might have been knocked off4 ,the elastic buffer of waste steam also acted as a help to the downward blow of the hammer-block4 ,the simplicity and effectiveness of these arrangements form--if ,i may be allowed to say so--a happy illustration of my ,definition of ,engineering1 the application of common sense in the use of materials4 ,the folding-up steam pipe with which the steam was conveyed from the boiler to the cylinder at all heights1 and the way in which the folding joints accommodated themselves to the varying height of the cylinder1 was another of my happy thoughts4 ,in fact1 this invention1 like most others1 was the result of a succession of happy thoughts4 ,the machine in its entirety was the result of a number of common-sense contrivances1 such as ,i generally delight in4 ,at all events1 this most effective and novel machine was a special favourite with me4 ,i may mention1 before concluding this branch of my subject1 that pile-driving had before been conducted on what ,i might term the artillery or cannon-ball principle4 ,a small mass of iron was drawn slowly up1 and suddenly let down on the head of the pile at a high velocity4 ,this was destructive1 not impulsive action4 ,sometimes the pile was shivered into splinters1 without driving it into the soil2 in many cases the head of the pile was shattered into matches1 and this in spite of a hoop of iron about it to keep the layers of wood together4 ,yet the whole was soon beat into a sort of brush4 ,indeed1 a great portion of the men's time was consumed in reheading the piles4 ,on the contrary1 ,i employed great mass and moderate velocity4 ,the fall of the steam hammer-block was only three or four feet1 but it went on at eighty blows the minute1 and the soil into which the pile was driven never had time to grip or thrust it up-- an impediment well known to ordinary pile-drivers4 ,at the end of the driving by my steam hammer1 the top of the pile was always found neat and smooth1 indeed more so than when the driving began4 ,i may again revert to my interview with the ,lords of the ,admiralty on the occasion of my first meeting them at ,devonport4 ,i was residing at the hotel where they usually took up their quarters while making their annual visitation of the dockyard4 ,i was honoured with an invitation to confer with ,sir ,george ,cockburn1 ,mr4 ,sidney ,herbert1 and ,captain ,brandreth on a subject of considerable importance2 namely1 the proving of chain cables and anchors required for the ,royal ,navy4 ,the question was mooted as to whether or not some permanent injury was done to both by the test strains to which they were submitted before being put on board ship4 ,this was a subject of vital importance4 ,the members of the ,board requested me to act as one of a committee to inquire into the subject4 ,i felt much gratified by the invitation and gladly accepted it4 ,on discussing the subject with these gentlemen that evening1 ,i found that ,sir ,george ,cockburn entertained an ingenious theory in support of his apprehensions as the effect of over-proof straining of cables and anchors4 ,it was that they were originally in the condition of a strong man who had to lift some heavy weight1 requiring him to exert his muscular strength to the utmost2 and1 although he might perform the feat1 it was at the cost of a permanent injury1 and that he might never be able to lift the same weight again4 ,this1 however true it might be with regard to flesh and bone structures1 was scarcely true with respect to mechanical agencies4 ,i proposed a simple experiment with chain cables1 which1 it occurred to me1 would show quite a different result--namely1 that the capability of resisting the severest proof-strain would rise rather than fall at each successive proof of the same chain cable4 ,to test the correctness of my supposition1 we had a first-class chain cable put into the proof machine1and subjected it to such a strain as to break it again and again1 until at last it was divided almost into single links4 ,as ,i expected1 the proof or breaking strain kept rising and rising as each successive remaining portion of the cable was torn asunder1 thus showing that no injury to the natural tenacity of the chain had resulted from the increased proofs to which it had been subjected1 and that the last broken links had been much more resisting than the first4 ,the same class of demonstrative experiments was made with anchors1 and other wrought-iron work used in the service4 ,the ,admiralty officers were much gratified with the result1 as removing a groundless but very natural apprehension1 heightened1 no doubt1 by the suggestions that had been made to the ,admiralty1 that their standard proof strain was not only too high in itself1 but produced permanent damage to what at the outset was of the toughest iron4 ,my system of continued proof-straining was1 in fact1 another exemplification of the ,survival of the ,fittest6 ,a very interesting truth came out in the course of our experiments4 ,it was that the chief cause of failure in the links of chain cables arose1 not so much from their want of tenacity1 or from the quality of the iron1 but from some defective welding in the making of the links4 ,to get at this truth1 many excellent cables as received from the contractors1 as well as veteran ones that had held great ships riding at anchor in terrible gales1 were pulled asunder link by link by an intentional destructive strain by the proving machine4 ,an exact account was taken of the nature of the fracture of each4 ,the result was that in eight cases out of ten1 the fracture was found to result from a defectively welded part of the chain-link4 ,the practically trained eye could see the scoria which indicates the defective welding4 ,though long unseen1 it was betrayed at once when the link was torn open by the proof strain4 ,my services on this committee proved a source of great enjoyment to me4 ,i had frequent occasion to visit the dockyards and workshops1 accompanied by ,captain ,brandreth1 surveyor-general of the ,admiralty landworks1,mr4 ,thomas ,lloyd1 engineer-in-chief of the ,admiralty1 and ,mr4 ,jeremiah ,owen1 chief of the metal material required in the equipment of the navy ,i was requested to suggest any improvement in the workshops that ,i thought would add to the efficiency of the department2 and ,i trust that my recommendations proved of practical good to the service4 ,at the same time1 ,i have reason to know that many of the recommendations of the committee1 though cordially acknowledged by the higher powers1 were by a sort of passive resistance practically shelved4 ,i was much amused1 when ,i first went to ,devonport dockyard1 to notice the punctilious observance of forms and ceremonies with respect to the various positions of officials--from the admiral-superintendent down the official grades of dignity1 to the foremen of departments1 and so on4 ,i did not care for all this panjandrum of punctiliousness1 but was1 ,i hope1 civil and chatty with everybody4 ,i had a good word for the man as well as for the foreman4 ,i received some kind and good-natured hints as to the relative official superiority that prevailed in the departments1 and made out a scale or list of the various strata accordingly4 ,this gamut of eminence was of use to me in my dealings with dockyard officials4 ,i was enabled to mind my p's and q's in communicating with them4 ,the first ,sunday that ,i spent at ,devonport ,i went to the dockyard church--the church appointed for officials and men employed by the ,government4 ,the seats were appointed in the order of rank1 employments1 and rate of pay4 ,the rows of seats were all marked with the class of employers that were expected to sit in them4 ,labourers were near the door4 ,the others were in successive rows forward1 until the pew of the ,admiral ,superintendent1 next the ,altar rails1 was reached4 ,i took my seat among the artificers1 being of that order4 ,on coming out of church the master-attendant1 next in dignity to the admiral-superintendent1 came up to me to say how distressed he was to see me among the artificers1 and begged me in future to use his seat4 ,no doubt this was kindly intended1 and ,i thanked him for his courtesy4 ,nevertheless ,i kept to my class of artificers4 ,i did not like the breest o' the laft'99 footnote444 ,the breest o' the laft is the seat of dignity4 ,the best places in churches are occupied by superior people4 ,in ,scotland the chief men --the ,provosts1 ,bailies1 and ,councillors--have a seat appropriated to them in the front part of the gallery1 generally opposite the minister4 ,that is the breest o' the laft4 ,the same principle pervades society generally4 444 principle4 ,no doubt the love of distinction1 within reasonable limits1 is a great social prime mover2 but at ,devonport1 with the splitting up into ranks1 even amongst workmen1 ,i found it simply amusing1 especially when introduced into a church4 ,i afterwards met with several veterans in the service of the ,admiralty1 who are well served by such experienced and well-selected men4 ,it is the schemers and the satellites who haunt the contractors that are the vermin of dockyards4 ,i gave them all a very wide berth4 ,but worst of all are the men who get their employment through parliamentary influence4 ,they are a detestable set4 ,they always have some grievance to pester people about4 ,i hope things are better now4 ,i may add1 with respect to the steam hammer pile-driving machines1 that ,i received an order for two of them from ,mohammed ,ali1 the ,pasha of ,egypt4 ,these were required for driving the piles in that great work --the barrage of the ,nile near ,cairo4 ,the good services of these machines so pleased the ,pasha that he requested us to receive three selected ,arab men into our works4 ,he asked that they should have the opportunity of observing the machinery processes and the system of management of an ,english engineering factory4 ,the object of the ,pasha was that the men should return to ,egypt and there establish an engine manufactory1 so as to render him in a measure independent of foreign help4 ,for ,british workmen1 when imported into ,egypt1 had a great tendency to degenerate when removed from the wholesome stimulus to exertion in competition with their fellows4 ,my firm had no objection to the introduction of the ,arab workmen4 ,accordingly1 one day we received a visit from an excellent ,egyptian officer1 ,edim ,bey1 accompanied by his secretary ,rushdi ,effendi1 who spoke ,english fluently4 ,he thus made our interview with the ,bey easy and agreeable4 ,he conveyed to us1 in the most courteous manner1 the wishes of the ,pasha2 and the three workmen were at once received4 ,every opportunity was given them to observe and understand the works going forward4 ,they were intelligent-looking young men1 about twenty-five years of age4 ,one of them was especially bright looking1 quick in the expression of his eyes1 and active in his manner1 ,his name was ,affiffi ,lalli2 the names of the others ,i forget4 ,these young men were placed under charge of the foremen of the departments that each fancied to be most to his taste4 ,affiffi was placed in the fitting department1 in which skilful manipulation was required4 ,he exhibited remarkable aptitude1 and was soon able to hold his own alongside of our best workmen4 ,another was set to the turning department1 and did fairly well4 ,the third was placed in the foundry1 where he soon became efficient in moulding and casting brass and iron work4 ,he lent a hand all round1 and picked up a real practical knowledge of the various work in his department4 ,during their sojourn in our works they became friendly with their colleagues2 and in fact became quite favourites with the men1 who were always willing to help them4 ,but ,affiffi ,lalli was regarded as the genius of the trio4 ,he showed a marked and intelligent aptitude for acquiring technical skill in all the branches of our business4 ,after remaining with us for about four years they were ready to return to ,cairo1 and show what they had learned in practical and technical mechanical knowledge during their stay in ,england4 ,the three ,arab workmen were placed in their suitable departments in the ,pasha's work shops4 ,but such was the natural energy of ,affiffi1 that when he was set to work beside the slow1 dilatory1 and stupid native workmen1 he became greatly irritated4 ,the contrast between the active energetic movements which he had seen at the ,bridgewater ,foundry and the ineffective1 blundering1 and untechnical work of his fellows was such that he could not stand it any longer4 ,so one fine day he disappeared from the works1 took refuge on board a ,british steamer1 and at the risk of his neck made his way back to the ,bridgewater ,foundry6 ,as we were reluctant to take back a man who had escaped from the ,pasha's employment--excellent workman though he was--we declined to employ him4 ,but ,i gave ,affiffi a note of introduction to ,boulton and ,watt of ,soho1 ,birmingham1 and there he was employed4 ,he afterwards passed into other firms1 and having employed his skill in making some needle machinery at ,redditch1 he settled down there4 ,he married a ,warwickshire lass1 and had a family--half ,arab1 half ,english-- and has now a thriving foundry and engineer workshop of his own4 ,this little narrative shows that the ,arab has still much of the wonderful energy and skill that once made the ,moors masters of a large part of ,south-,western ,europe4 ,we had many visitors at the foundry--from ,london1 from the manufacturing districts1 and from foreign countries4 ,one day a young gentleman presented a letter from ,michael ,faraday1 dated ,royal ,institution1 #bith ,may #ahdg1 requesting me to pay him some attention and show him round the works4 ,i did so with all my heart1 and wrote to ,mr4 ,faraday intimating how much pleasure it gave me to serve him in any respect4 ,i cannot refrain from giving his answer4 ,he said3 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir--,that you should both show kindness to the bearer of my letter1 and prove that you did so with pleasure by writing me a letter in return1 was indeed more than ,i ought or could have expected2 but it was very gratifying and pleasant to my mind4 ,i only wish that the circumstances of my life were such as to enable me to take advantage of such goodwill on your part1 and to be more in your company and conversation than is at present possible4 ,i could imagine great pleasure from such a condition of things2 but though our desires1 and even our hopes at times spread out beforehand over a large extent1 it is wonderful how1 as the future becomes the present1 the circumstances that surround us limit the sphere to which our real life is circumscribed ,if ever ,i come your way ,i hope to see your face2 and the hope is pleasant1 though the reality may never arrive4 ,you tell me of the glorious work of your pile-driver1 and it must be indeed a great pleasure to witness the result4 ,is it not ,shakespeare who says1 ',the pleasure we delight in physics pain'8 ,in all your fatigue and labour you must have this pleasure in abundance1 and a most delightful and healthy enjoyment it is4 ,i shall rejoice to see some day a blow of the driver and a tap of the hammer4 ,you speak of some experiments on hardening and tempering steel in which we can help you4 ,i hope when you do come to town you will let us have the pleasure of doing so4 ,our apparatus1 such as it is1 shall be entirely at your service4 ,i made1 a long while ago1 a few such experiments on steel wire1 but could eliminate no distinct or peculiar results4 ,you will know how to look at things1 and at your hand ,i should expect much4 ,here we are just lecturing away1 and ,i am too tired to attempt anything1 much less to do anything just now2 but the goodwill of such men as you is a great stimulus1 and will1 ,i trust even with me1 produce something else praiseworthy4 ,ever1 my dear ,nasmyth1 yours most truly1 ,m4 ,,faraday4 ,,chapter #af4 ,nuremberg--,st4 ,petersburg--,dannemora4 ,in the autumn of #ahdb ,i had occasion to make a journey to ,nuremberg in company with my partner ,mr4 ,gaskell4 ,we had been invited to a conference with the directors of the ,nuremberg and ,munich ,railroad as to the supply of locomotives for working their line4 ,as this was rather an important and extensive transaction1 we thought it better not to trust to correspondence1 but to see the directors on the spot4 ,we found that there were several riskful conditions attached to the proposed contract1 which we considered it imprudent to agree to4 ,we had afterwards good reason to feel satisfied that we had not yielded to the very tempting commercial blandishments that were offered to us1 but that we refrained from undertaking an order that required so many important modifications4 ,nevertheless1 ,i was exceedingly delighted with the appearance of the city of ,nuremberg4 ,it carries one back to the mediaeval times6 ,the architecture1 even of the ordinary houses1 is excellent4 ,st4 ,lawrence1 ,st4 ,sebald's1 and the ,frauenkirche1 are splendid specimens of ,gothic design4 ,the city is surrounded by old walls and turrets1 by ramparts and bastions1 enclosed by a ditch faced with masonry4 ,very few cities have so well escaped the storm of war and sieges in the ,middle ,ages1 and even in modern times4 ,everything has been carefully preserved1 and many of the best houses are still inhabited by the families whose forefathers originally constructed them4 ,but progress is beginning to affect ,nuremberg4 ,it is the centre of railways2 buildings are extending in all directions2 tram-cars are running in the streets2 and before long1 ,i fear1 the ditch will be filled up1 the surrounding picturesque walls and towers demolished1 and the city thrown open to the surrounding country4 ,i visited the house of ,albert ,durer1 one of the greatest artists who ever lived4 ,he was a man of universal genius--a painter1 sculptor1 engraver1 mathematician1 and engineer4 ,he was to ,germany what ,leonardo da ,vinci was to ,italy4 ,his house is wonderfully preserved4 ,you see his entrance hall1 his exhibition room1 his bedroom1 his studio1 and the opening into which his wife--that veritable ,xantippe --thrust the food that was to sustain him during his solitary hours of labour4 ,i saw his grave1 too1 in the old churchyard beyond the ,thiergarten gate4 ,i saw the bronze plate commemorating the day of his death4 ,emigravit #h idus ,aprilis #aebh4 ,emigravit only1 for the true artist never dies4 ,hans ,sachs's grave is there too--the great ,reformation poet of ,luther's time4 ,adam ,krafft must have been a great sculptor1 though his name is little known out of ,nuremberg4 ,perhaps his finest work is in ,st4 ,lawrence ,cathedral--the ,sacramentshauslein1 or the repository for the sacred wafer--a graceful tapering stone spire of florid ,gothic open work1 more than sixty feet high1 which stands at the opening of the right transept4 ,its construction and decoration occupied the sculptor and his two apprentices no less than five years2 and all that he received for his hard labour and skilful work was #ggj gulden1 or about #hj sterling4 ,no wonder that he died in the deepest distress4 ,st4 ,sebald's and the ,frauenkirche also contain numerous specimens of his admirable work4 ,in the course of the following year 7#ahdc7 it was necessary for me to make a journey to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,my object was to endeavour to obtain an order for a portion of the locomotives required for working the line between that city and ,moscow4 ,the railway had been constructed under the engineership of ,major ,whistler1 father of the well-known artist2 and it was shortly about to be opened4 ,it appeared that the ,emperor ,nicholas was desirous of securing a home supply of locomotives1 and that1 like a wise monarch1 he wished to employ his own subjects rather than foreigners in producing them4 ,no one could object to this4 ,the ,english locomotive manufacturers were not aware of the ,emperor's intention4 ,when ,i arrived in the city ,i expected an order for locomotives4 ,the representatives of the principal ,english firms were there like myself2 they1 too1 expected a share of the order4 ,it so happened that at the table d'hote dinner ,i sat near a very intelligent ,american1 with whom ,i soon became intimate4 ,he told me that he was very well acquainted with ,major ,whistler1 and offered to introduce me to him4 ,by all means6 ,there is no thing like friendly feelings in matters of business4 ,the ,major gave me a frank and cordial reception1 and informed me of the position of affairs4 ,the ,emperor1 he said1 was desirous of training a class of ,russian mechanics to supply not only the locomotives but to keep them constantly in repair4 ,he could not solely depend upon foreign artisans for the latter purpose4 ,the locomotives must be made in ,russia4 ,the ,emperor had given up the extensive premises of the ,imperial ,china ,manufactory1 which were to be devoted to the manufacture of engines4 ,the ,major appointed ,messrs4 ,eastwick1 ,harrison1 and ,wynants1 to supply the entire mechanical plant of the railway4 ,i saw that it would be of no use to apply for any order for locomotives2 but ,i offered to do all that ,i could to supply the necessary details4 ,in the course of a few days ,i was introduced to ,joseph ,harrison1 the chief mechanic of the firm2 and ,i then entered into a friendship which proved long and lasting4 ,he gave me a large order for boilers1 and for detail parts of the ,moscow engines--all of which helped him forward in the completion of the locomotives4 ,we also supplied many of our special machine tools1 without which engines could not then be very satisfactorily made or kept in repair4 ,in this way ,i was in all respects highly remunerated for my journey4 ,the enjoyment of my visit to ,st4 ,petersburg was much enhanced by frequent visits to my much valued friend ,general ,alexander ,wilson4 ,he was a native of ,edinburgh1 and delighted to enjoy cracks with me upon subjects of mutual interest4 ,his sister1 who kept house for him1 joined in our conversation4 ,she had been married to the ,emperor ,paul's physician1 who was also a ,scotsman1 and was able to narrate many terrible events in relation to ,russian ,court affairs4 ,the ,general had worked his way upwards1 like the rest of us4 ,during the principal part of his life he had superintended the great mechanical establishments at ,alexandrosky and ,colpenha1 where about #cjjj operatives were employed4 ,these establishments were originally founded by the ,empress ,catherine for the purpose of creating a native manufacturing population capable of carrying on textile and mechanical works of all kinds4 ,the sail-cloth for the ,russian navy was manufactured at ,alexandrosky by excellent machinery4 ,cotton fabrics were also manufactured1 as well as playing cards1 which were a ,crown monopoly4 ,the great establishment at ,colpenha consisted of a foundry1 a machine manufactory1 and a mint-- where the copper money of the empire was coined4 ,general ,wilson was the directing chief officer of all these establishments4 ,through him ,i had the happiness of being introduced to ,general ,greg1 son of the great admiral who shed such honour on the ,russian flag during the reign of the ,empress ,catherine4 ,he was then well advanced in years1 but full of keen intelligence and devoted to astronomical pursuits4 ,he was in a great measure the founder of the ,imperial ,observatory at ,pulkowa1 situated on an appropriate eminence about eight miles from ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,the observatory was furnished under his directions with the most magnificent astronomical instruments4 ,i had the honour to be introduced by him to the elder ,struve1 whose astronomical labours procured him a well-earned reputation throughout ,europe4 ,i had the rare happiness of spending some nights with ,struve1 when he showed me the wonderful capabilities of his fine instruments4 ,the observatory is quite imperial in its arrangement and management1 and was supported in the most liberal manner by the ,emperor ,nicholas4 ,indeed1 it is a perfect example of what so noble an establishment should be4 ,struve most kindly invited me to come whenever the state of the weather permitted him to show forth the wonderful perfection of his instruments1--a rare chance1 which ,i seized every opportunity of enjoying4 ,it was quite a picture to see the keen interest and intense enjoyment with which the profound astronomer would seat himself at his instrument and pick out some exquisite test objects1 such as the double stars in ,virgo1 ,cygnus1 or ,ursa ,major4 ,the beautiful order and neatness with which the instruments were kept in their magnificent appropriate apartments1 each having its appropriate observer proceeding quietly with his allotted special work1 with nothing to break the silence but the tick1 tack6 of the sidereal clock--this was indeed a most impressive sight6 ,and the kindly companionable manner of the great master of the establishment was in all respects in harmony with the astronomical work which he conducted in this great ,temple of the ,universe6 ,through my friendship with ,general ,wilson ,i was enabled to extend my acquaintance with many of my countrymen who had been long settled at ,st4 ,petersburg in connection with commercial affairs4 ,i enjoyed their kind hospitality1 and soon found myself quite at home amongst them4 ,i remained in the city for about two months4 ,during that time ,i was constantly about4 ,the shops1 the streets1 the houses1 the museums1 were objects of great interest4 ,the view of the magnificent buildings along the sides of the quay is very imposing4 ,looking from the front of the statue of ,peter the ,great you observe the long facade of the ,admiralty1 the column of ,alexander1 the ,winter ,palace1 and other public buildings4 ,the ,neva flows in front of them in a massive volume of pure water4 ,on an island opposite stands the citadel4 ,the whole presents a coup d'oeil of unexampled architectural magnificence4 ,i was much interested by the shops and their signboards4 ,the latter were fixed all over the fronts of the shops1 and contained a delineation of the goods sold within4 ,there was no necessity for reading4 ,the pictorial portraits told their own tale4 ,they were admirable specimens of what is called still-life pictures2 not only as regards the drawing and colouring of each object1 but with respect to the grouping1 which was in most cases artistic and natural4 ,two reasons were given me for this style of artistic sign-painting3 one was that many of the people could not read the written words defining the articles sold within2 and the other was that the severe and long-continued frosts of the ,st4 ,petersburg winter rendered large shop windows impossible for the proper display of the goods4 ,hence the small shop-windows to keep out the cold1 and the large painted signboards to display the articles sold inside4 ,i was also greatly pleased with the manner in which the ,russians employ ivy in screening their windows during summer4 ,ivy is a beautiful plant1 and is capable of forming a most elegant window-screen4 ,nothing can be more beautiful than to look through green leaves4 ,nearly every window of the ground flat of the houses in ,st4 ,petersburg is thus screened4 ,the neat manner in which the ivy plants are trained over ornamental forms of cane is quite a study in its way4 ,and though the ivy is very common1 yet a common thing1 being a thing of beauty1 may be a joy for ever4 ,in the finer and most important mansions1 the sides of the flight of wide steps that lead up to the reception rooms were beautifully decorated by oleander plants1 growing in great vigour1 with their fine flowers as fresh as if in a carefully-kept conservatory4 ,other plants of an ornamental kind were mixed with the oleander1 but the latter appeared to be the favourite499 footnote444 ,while passing through ,lubeck on my way out to ,st4 ,petersburg ,i was much struck with the taste for flower-plants displayed by the people of that old-world city4 ,the inner side of the lower house windows were all beautifully decorated with flowers1 which were evidently well cared for4 ,some of the windows were almost made up with flowers4 ,perhaps the long-continued winter of these parts has caused the people to study and practise within-door culture with such marked success4 ,it is a most elegant pursuit1 and should be cultivated everywhere4 ,it is thoroughly in character with the exquisite cleanliness and tidiness of the houses at ,lubeck4 444 ,about the end of my visit ,i was about to call upon one of my customers with reference to my machine tools2 for though ,i pursued pleasure at occasional times1 ,i never lost sight of business4 ,it was a very dull day1 and the streets about the ,winter ,palace were almost deserted4 ,i was sitting in my drosky with my roll of drawings resting on my thigh --somewhat in the style of a commander-in-chief as represented in the old pictures--when ,i noticed a drosky coming out of the gates of the ,winter ,palace4 ,i observed that it contained a noble-looking officer in a blue military cloak sitting behind his drosky driver4 ,my driver instantly took off his hat1 and ,i1 quickly following his example1 took off my hat and bowed gracefully1 keeping my extended hand on the level of my head--a real royal salute4 ,the person was no other than the ,emperor ,nicholas6 ,he fixed his pecuniarily fine eyes upon me and gave me one of the grandest military salutes1 accompanied1 as ,i thought1 with a kindly smile from his magnificent eyes as he passed close by me4 ,as ,i had been lunching with a ,dutch engineer about half an hour before1 and had a glass or two of champagne1 this may have had something to do with my daring to give the ,emperor1 in his own capital1 what ,i was afterwards told was not a bow but a brotherly recognition between potentates1 and only by royal usage allowed to be so given1--namely1 swaying off the hat at arm's length level with the head1 so as to infer royal equality1 or something of that sort4 ,when ,i narrated to some ,russian friends what ,i had done1 they told me that ,i need not be surprised if ,i received a visit from the chief of police next morning for my daring to salute the ,emperor in such a style4 ,but the ,emperor was doubtless more amused than offended1 and ,i never received the expected visit4 ,to anticipate a little4 ,soon afterwards the ,emperor sent me a present of a magnificent diamond ring through his ambassador in ,england-- ,baron ,brunnow4 ,it was also accompanied1 as the ,baron informed me1 with the ,emperor's most gracious thanks for the manner in which my steam hammer had driven the piles for his new forts at ,cronstadt1 which he had seen in full action4 ,the steam-hammer pile-driver had also been used for driving the piles of the great bridge at ,kieff4 ,i next received an order for one of my largest steam hammers for the ,imperial ,arsenal1 and it was followed by many more4 ,it is a singular fact1 as showing the readiness of the ,russian and other foreign ,governments to adopt at an early date any mechanical improvement of ascertained utility1 that ,i supplied steam hammers to the ,russian ,government twelve months before our ,admiralty availed themselves of its energetic action4 ,the ,french were the first to adopt the invention2 thanks to the insight of ,m4 ,bourdon1 who had the opportunity of recognising its importance4 ,before ,i leave this part of my subject1 ,i must not omit to mention my friend ,mr4 ,francis ,baird1 the zealous son of ,sir ,charles ,baird4 ,the latter was among the first to establish iron foundries and engine works at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,at the time of my visit he was far advanced in years1 and unable to attend personally to the very large business which he had established4 ,but he was nevertheless full of geniality4 ,he greatly enjoyed the long conversations which he had with me about his friends in ,scotland1 many of whom ,i knew4 ,he also told me about the persons in his employment4 ,he said that the workmen were all serfs1 or the sons of serfs4 ,the ,empress ,catherine had given them to him for the purpose of being trained in his engine foundry1 and in his sugar refinery1 which was another part of the business4 ,i had rarely seen a more faithful and zealous set of workmen than these ,russian serfs4 ,they were able and skilful1 and attached to their employers by some deeper and stronger tie than that of mere money wages4 ,indeed1 they were treated by ,sir ,charles ,baird and his son with the kindest and most paternal care1 and they duly repaid their attachment by their zeal in his service and the excellent quality of their work4 ,the most important business in hand at the time of my visit to the foundry was the moulding and casting of the magnificent bronze capitals of the grand portico of the ,izak ,church4 ,this building is one of the finest in ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,it is of grand proportions1--simple1 noble1 and massive4 ,it is built upon a forest of piles4 ,the walls of the interior are covered with marble4 ,the malachite columns for the screen are fifty feet high1 and exceed everything that has yet been done in that beautiful mineral4 ,the great dome is of iron covered with gilt copper4 ,this1 as well as the ,corinthian capitals of bronze1 was manufactured at the foundry of the ,bairds4 ,the tympanum of the four great porticos consisted of colossal groups of alto-relievo figures1 many of which were all but entirely detached from the background4 ,it was a kind of foundry work of the highest order1 all the details and processes requiring the greatest care4 ,to my surprise every one engaged in this gigantic and refined metal work was a serf4 ,the full-sized plaster models which they used in moulding were executed by a resident ,french sculptor4 ,he was a true artist1 and of the highest order4 ,but to see the skilful manner in which these native workmen1 drawn from the staff of the ,bairds' ordinary foundry workers1 performed their duties1 was truly surprising4 ,it would make our best bronze statuary founders wince to be asked to execute such work4 ,judging from what ,i saw of the ,russian workmen in this instance1 ,i should say that ,russia has a grand future before it4 ,having satisfactorily completed all my business arrangements in ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,i prepared to set out homewards4 ,but as ,i had some business to transact at ,stockholm and ,copenhagen ,i resolved to visit those cities4 ,i left ,st4 ,petersburg for ,stockholm by a small steamer1 which touched at ,helsingfors and ,abo1 both in ,finland4 ,the weather was beautiful4 ,clear blue shy and bright sunshine by day1 and the light prolonged far into the night4 ,even in ,september the duration of the sunshine is so great and the night so short that the air has scarcely time to cool till it gets heated again by the bright morning rays4 ,even at twelve at night the sun dips but a little beneath the bright horizon on the north4 ,the night is so bright in the ,abo latitude that one can read the smallest print4 ,nothing can be more beautiful than the charming scenery we passed through in our tortuous voyage to ,stockholm4 ,we threaded between the granite islands which crowd the shores of the ,baltic4 ,they are covered with pines1 which descend to the water's edge4 ,we swept them with our paddle-boxes1 and dipped their bright green fronds into the perfectly clear sea4 ,for about two days our course lay through those beautiful small islands4 ,it seemed like a voyage through fairyland4 ,and it continued in this exquisite tranquil way until we reached that crowning feature of all--the magnificent city of ,stockholm1 sleeping1 as it were1 on the waters of the ,malar ,lake1 and surrounded by noble mountains clad with pines4 ,with the exception of ,edinburgh1 ,genoa1 and ,naples1 ,i had never beheld so noble a city with such magnificent surroundings4 ,i spent but a short time in ,stockholm1 but quite sufficient to enable me to see much that was grandly beautiful in its neighbourhood4 ,lakes1 rocks1 and noble trees abounded1 and exquisite residences peeped out through the woods1 giving evidences of high civilisation4 ,elegance of taste and perfect domestic arrangements supplied every form of rational comfort and enjoyment4 ,my old friend ,sir ,john ,ross1 of ,arctic celebrity1 was settled at ,stockholm as chief consul for ,her ,majesty4 ,he introduced me to several of the leading ,english merchants1 from whom ,i received much kind attention4 ,mr4 ,erskine invited me to spend a day or two at his beautiful villa in the neighbourhood4 ,it was situated on the side of a mountain1 and overlooked a lake that reminded me very much of ,loch ,katrine4 ,fine timber grew about1 in almost inaccessible places1 on the tops of precipices1 and in shelves and clefts among the rocks4 ,the most important result of my visit was an introduction to ,baron ,tam1 the proprietor and chief director of the great ,dannemora ,iron ,mine4 ,i was at once diverted for a time from my voyage to ,copenhagen4 ,i was most desirous of seeing in person this celebrated mine4 ,the baron most willingly furnished me with several letters of introduction to his managers1 and ,i proceeded to ,dannemora by way of ,upsala4 ,i was much interested by this city1 by its cathedral1 containing the tomb of ,gustavas ,vasa1 and by its many historical associations4 ,but ,i was still more impressed by ,old ,upsala1 about three miles distant4 ,this is a place of great antiquity4 ,it is only a little hamlet now1 though at one time it must have been the centre of a large population4 ,the old granite church was probably at one time a pagan temple4 ,outside1 and apart from it1 is a wooden bell-tower1 erected in comparatively modem times4 ,in a wooden box inside the church is a wooden painted god1 a most unlikely figure to worship4 ,and yet the ,swedes in remote parts of the country carefully preserve their antique wooden gods4 ,the great sacrifices to ,odin were made at ,old ,upsala4 ,outside the church1 in a row1 are three great mounds of earth1 erected in commemoration of ,odin1 ,thor1 and ,freia--hence our ,wednesday1 ,thursday1 and ,friday4 ,these mounds1 of about #fj feet high and #bcb feet in diameter1 were in former times used as burying-places for the great and valiant4 ,i went into a cottage near the tumuli1 and drank a bumper of mead to the memory of ,thor from a very antique wooden vessel4 ,i made an especial reverential obeisance to ,thor1 because ,i had a great respect for him as being the great ,hammerman1 and one of our craft1-- the ,scandinavian ,vulcan4 ,i drove back to ,upsala1 and remained there for the night4 ,it is a sleepy silent place4 ,the only sound ,i heard was the voice of the watchman calling out the small hours of the morning from his station on the summit of the cathedral tower4 ,as the place is for the most part built of wood1 this precaution in the shape of a watchman who can see all points of the city is a necessary one in case of fire4 ,next morning ,i hired a small sort of gig of a very primitive construction1 with a boy for driver4 ,his duty was to carry me to the next post-house1 and there leave me to be carried forward by another similar conveyance4 ,but the pony ,no4 #b was about a mile off1 occupied in drawing a plough1 so that ,i had to wait until the job was over4 ,in about an hour or so ,i was again under weigh4 ,and so on da capo1 until about six in the evening1 when ,i found myself within sight of the great mine4 ,the post-house where ,i was set down was an inn1 though without a signboard4 ,the landlady was a bright1 cheery1 jolly woman4 ,she could not speak a word of ,english1 nor ,i a word of ,dannemora ,swedish4 ,i was very thirsty and hungry1 and wanted something to eat4 ,how was ,i to communicate my wishes to the landlady8 ,i resorted1 as ,i often did1 to the universal language of the pencil4 ,i took out my sketch-book1 and in a few seconds made a sketch of a table1 with a dish of smoking meat upon it1 a bottle and a glass1 a knife and fork1 a loaf1 a saltcellar1 and a corkscrew4 ,she looked at the drawing and gave a hearty laugh4 ,she nodded pleasantly1 showing that she clearly understood what ,i wanted4 ,she asked me for the sketch1 and went into the back garden to show it to her husband1 who inspected it with great delight4 ,i went out and looked about the place1 which was very picturesque4 ,after a short time1 the landlady came to the door and beckoned me in1 and ,i found spread out on the table everything that ,i desired--a broiled chicken1 smoking hot from the gridiron1 a bottle of capital home-brewed ale1 and all the et ceteras of an excellent repast4 ,i made use of my pencil in many ways4 ,i always found that a sketch was more useful than a blundering sentence4 ,besides1 it generally created a sympathy between me and my entertainers4 ,image ,the order for dinner ,my visit to the ,dannemora ,mine at ,osterby was one of peculiar interest4 ,i may in the first place say that the immense collection of iron ore at that point has been the result of the upheaval of a vast volume of molten igneous ore1 which has been injected into the rock1 or deposited in masses under the crust of the earth4 ,in some cases the quarried ore yields from #ej to #gj1 and even as much as #ij per cent of iron4 ,the ,dannemora ,mine is a vast quarry open to the sky4 ,when you come near it the place looks like a vast deep pit1 with an unfathomable bottom4 ,ghostlike1 weird-looking pinnacles of rocks stand out from its profound depths2 but beyond these you see nothing but wreaths of smoke curling up from below4 ,the tortuous chasm in the earth1 caused by the quarries beneath1 is about half a mile long1 and about a thousand feet wide4 ,image ,dannemora iron mine4 ,after a drawing by ,james ,nasmyth4 ,the first process of the workmen in the quarries below is devoted to breaking into small fragments the great masses of ore scattered about by the previous night's explosions4 ,these are sent to the surface in great tubs attached to wire ropes1 which are drawn up by gins worked by horses4 ,other miners are engaged in boring blast holes in the ore1 which displays itself in great wide veins in the granite sides of the vast chasm4 ,these blast holes are charged with gunpowder1 each with a match attached4 ,at the end of the day the greater number of the miners are drawn up in the cages or tubs1 while a few are left below to light the slow-burning matches attached to about a hundred charged bore holes4 ,the rest of the miners are drawn up1 and then begins the tremendous bombardment4 ,i watched the progress of it from a stage projecting over the wild-looking yawning gulph4 ,it was grand to hear the succession of explosions that filled the bottom of the mine far beneath me4 ,then the volumes of smoke1 through the surface of which masses of rock were sometimes sent whirling up into the clear blue sky1 and fell back again into the pit below4 ,such an infernal cannonade ,i have never witnessed4 ,in some respects it reminded me of the crater of ,vesuvius1 from which such dense clouds of steam and smoke and fire are thrown up4 ,in the course of the night1 the suffocating smoke and sulphureous gases has time to pass away1 and next morning the workmen were ready to begin their operations as before4 ,the ore extracted from this great mine is smelted in blast furnaces with wood charcoal1 and forged into bars4 ,the charcoal is1 of course1 entirely free from sulphur4 ,when sent to ,sheffield the iron is placed in fire-brick troughs closely surrounded by powdered charcoal4 ,after a few days' exposure to red heat1 the iron is converted into splendid steel1 which has given such a reputation to that great manufacturing town4 ,it is also the steel from which the firm of ,stubbs and ,company1 of ,warrington 7to which ,i have already referred71 produce their famous ,p4,s4 files4 ,after the explosions had ceased at the mine1 ,i went with one of the managers to see the great ,bar forge4 ,it was a picturesque sight to see the forgemen at work with the tilt hammers under the glowing light of the furnaces4 ,i inspected the machinery and forge works throughout1 and had thus the opportunity of seeing the whole proceeding1 from the blasting and quarrying of the ore in the mine1 the forging and rolling of the worked iron into their proper lengths1 down to the final stamp or mark driven in by the blow of the tilt hammer at the end of each bar4 ,having now thoroughly examined everything connected with this celebrated iron mine1 ,i prepared to set out for ,stockholm in the same way as ,i had come4 ,to prepare the landlord for my setting out1 ,i again resorted to my pencil4 ,i made a drawing of the little gig and pony1 with the sun rising1 and the hour at which ,i wished to start4 ,he understood it in a moment1 and next morning the trap was at the door at the specified time4 ,before ,i left ,stockholm ,i made a careful and elaborate panoramic sketch of the city1 as a companion to the one ,i had made of ,genoa from the harbour a year before4 ,i made this one from the summit of the ,king's ,park1 which is the favourite pleasure-ground of the people4 ,i was ferried across in a little paddle-wheel boat1 worked by ,dalecarlian women in their peculiar costumes4 ,the ,king's ,park1 or ,djurgard1 is doubly beautiful1 not only from its panoramic view of the city1 the ,malar ,lake1 and the arm of the ,baltic1 which comes up to the ,skeppsbron ,quay1 but also from the magnificent oak trees with which it is studded4 ,these noble trees1 as foreground objects1 are perfect pictures4 ,the masses of rock are grand1 and the drives are beautifully kept4 ,no wonder that the ,swedes are so proud of this beautiful park1 for it is the finest in ,europe4 ,i left ,stockholm for ,gottenburg by steamer4 ,this is one of the most picturesque routes in ,sweden4 ,first1 we passed through the ,malar ,lake --one of the most beautiful pieces of water in the world4 ,it contains no less than fourteen hundred islands1 mostly covered with wood4 ,of course we did not see one twentieth part of the lake2 we only steamed along its eastern shore for about twenty miles on our way to ,sodertelye1 where the ,gotha ,canal begins4 ,we then reached the small ,maran ,lake1 and afterwards an arm of the ,baltic4 ,we passed numberless islands and rocks and reached the ,slatbacken ,fiord1 which we entered4 ,beautiful scenery surrounds the entrance to the fiord4 ,in the morning1 after rising up the locks between ,mariehop and ,wenneberga1 and passing through ,lakes ,roxen and ,boren1 we found ourselves at ,motala1 near the entrance to the ,wettern ,lake4 ,motala is a place of great importance in the manufacturing industry of ,sweden4 ,when ,i visited it1 the iron-foundry was in charge of ,mr4 ,caulson1 a native of the country4 ,i had known him some years before in ,london1 and had the highest opinion of his ability as a constructive engineer4 ,he was surrounded at ,motala with everything in the way of excellently arranged workshops1 good machine tools1 as well as abundant employment for them4 ,indeed1 this is the largest iron-foundry in ,sweden1 where iron steamers1 steam-engines1 and rolling mills are made4 ,from its central position it has a great future before it4 ,the steamer crosses the lake to ,carlsborg1 at the entrance to the fiord and canal that leads to ,lakes ,wiken and ,wenern4 ,the latter is an immense lake--in fact1 an inland sea4 ,during a great part of the time we were out of sight of land4 ,at length we reached ,wenersborg1 and passed down the ,charles ,canal4 ,a considerable time is required to enable the steamer to pass from lock to lock--nine locks in all-- down to the level of the ,gotha ,river4 ,during that time an opportunity was afforded us for seeing the famous ,trollhatten ,falls--a very fine piece of ,nature's workmanship4 ,image ,part of ,trollhatten ,falls ,before leaving the subject of ,sweden1 ,i feel that ,i must say a word or two about the ,swedish people4 ,i admired them exceedingly4 ,they are tall1 fair1 good-looking4 ,they are among the most civil and obliging people that ,i have ever met4 ,i never encountered a rude word or a rude look from them4 ,in their homes they are simple and natural4 ,i liked the pleasing softness of their voices1 so sweet and musical-- a most excellent thing in woman4 ,there was a natural gentleness in their deportment4 ,all classes1 even the poorest1 partook of it4 ,their domestic habits are excellent4 ,they are fond of their homes2 and1 above all things1 they are clean and tidy4 ,they strew the floors of their ground apartments with spruce pine twigs1 which form a natural carpet as well as give out a sweet balsamic perfume4 ,these are swept away every morning and replaced with fresh material4 ,with their many virtues1 the ,swedes are a most self-helping people4 ,they are hard-working and honest1 true and straightforward4 ,in matters of commerce they are men of their word4 ,they are clear-headed1 honest-minded1 and keen in their desire for knowledge4 ,their natural simple common sense enables them to clear away all parasitical and traditional rubbish from their minds1 and to stand before us as men of the highest excellence4 ,all happiness and prosperity to dear old ,sweden6 ,i set out from ,gottenburg to ,helsingborg1 along the shores of the ,kattegat4 ,from ,helsingborg ,i crossed the ,sound by a small steamer to ,elsinore1 famous for its connection with ,hamlet1 ,prince of ,denmark4 ,the old dreary looking castle still stands there4 ,from ,elsinore ,i went to ,copenhagen1 and occupied myself for a few days in visiting the wonderful museums4 ,there ,i saw1 in the ,northern ,antiquities ,collection1 the unwritten history of civilisation in the stone1 bronze1 and iron tools which have brought the world to what it is now4 ,this museum is perfectly unrivalled4 ,i saw there the first section of kitchen-middens--that is1 the refuse of oyster shells1 fish-bones1 and other stuff thrown out by the ancient inhabitants of the country after their meals2 together with accumulations of rude stone implements1 kelts1 arrow-heads1 and such like4 ,then there were the articles of the ,bronze ,age1 with war trumpets2 the articles of the early ,iron ,age1 which also contain some remarkable golden war horns4 ,these are followed by the middle ,iron ,age1 and then by the later ,iron ,age4 ,this part of the collection is superb4 ,but it is impossible for me to describe the wonders of the museum4 ,i was greatly interested too by the collection of articles at the ,rosenburg ,castle4 ,this is the only museum at ,copenhagen which is not free2 but the price charged is very small4 ,it contains an extraordinary collection of royal clothes 7what would ,sartor ,resartus say871 armour1 furniture1 drinking vessels1 and all manner of personal antiquities connected with the ,kings of ,denmark4 ,i was especially interested by the collection of royal drinking vessels1 from the earliest1 made of wood1 down to the latest1 grand gold and silver flagons4 ,what most amused me in respect to these boozing implements were the pegs that marked the depths down to which the stalwart ,dane was able to swig at a pull one enormous draught of wine4 ,in some cases the name and date of the achievement of the heavy drinker was engraved on the flagon to record his feat4 ,take him a peg down was the ordinary saying1 and the words have become a proverb amongst ourselves4 ,for we unquestionably have derived a great deal of our drinking capabilities from our ancestors the ,danes4 ,the whole of the museums at ,copenhagen are excellent4 ,besides those ,i have mentioned1 are the ,ethnographic ,museum--the best of its kind2 the ,museum of ,coins1 the most complete ,i have seen2 the ,thorwaldsen ,museum2 the ,mineralogical ,museum2 the ,zoological ,museum1 and many more4 ,the custodians are most kind and civil2 and when they see any visitor interested in the collection1 they take a special pleasure in going round with him and pointing out the beauty and rarity of the articles1 imparting at the same time most interesting information4 ,i wish those melancholy taciturn staff-in-hand attendant custodians of our ,british ,museums could or would follow their example1 and thus aid the chief object of these costly institutions4 ,holding the memory of ,tycho ,brahe in the highest regard as one of the great pioneers of astronomy1 ,i was much interested by a contemporary portrait of him in the ,town ,hall2 but still more so by the remains of his observatory at the top of the great ,round ,tower1 where he carried on his careful observations by instruments of his own design and construction4 ,these1 with many additions1 he afterwards transported to the island of ,hveen1 where the remains of his castle and observatory are still to be seen2 ,while ,i was mounting the ,round ,tower ,i could not but think of the footsteps of the great astronomer who has made it classic ground4 ,i left ,copenhagen for ,hamburg by coach4 ,after passing through the island of ,zealand1 ,i was ferried across to the island of ,fyen1 and after that ,i proceeded along the mainland of ,sleswick and ,holstein4 ,i was much pleased with what ,i saw of the people of these provinces4 ,their farmhouses and cottages were wonderfully clean and neat4 ,the women were all engaged in scrubbing and polishing4 ,i believe ,i saw more brass in the shape of bright door-knockers during my journey than ,i had seen in all ,england4 ,even the brass and iron hoops round the milk pails1 by constant scrubbing1 looked like gold and silver4 ,every window had its neat dimity curtains edged with snow-white trimming4 ,the very flower-pots were painted red1 to fetch up their brightness to the general standard4 ,i never saw a more cheerful and happy-looking people than those whom ,i observed between ,copenhagen and ,hamburg4 ,they seemed to me to be very like the people of ,england-- especially in the northern and eastern parts--in their oval faces1 their bright blue eyes1 and their light and golden hair1 as well as their active minds and bodies1 which enable them to do their work with hearty cheerful energy4 ,i went from ,hamburg to ,amsterdam by steamer2 and after doing a few days' business ,i went to take a peep at the fine collections of pictures there1 as well as at the ,hague4 ,then ,i proceeded to ,rotterdam1 and took ship for ,england by the ,batavian steamer4 ,i reached home safely after my prolonged tour4 ,everything was going on well at the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,the seeds which ,i had sown in the northern countries of ,europe were already springing up plentifully in orders for machine tools2 and the clang of the hammer and the whirl of the lathes and planing machines were working cheerily on from morning till night4 ,,chapter #ag4 ,more about ,bridgewater ,foundry--,woolwich ,arsenal4 ,the rapid extension of railways and steam navigation1 both at home and abroad1 occasioned a largely increased demand for machinery of all kinds4 ,our order-book was always full2 and every mechanical workshop felt the impulse of expanding trade4 ,there was an increased demand for skilled mechanical labour--a demand that was far in excess of the supply4 ,employers began to outbid each other1 and wages rapidly rose4 ,at the same time the disposition to steady exertion on the part of the workmen began to decline4 ,this state of affairs had its usual effect4 ,it increased the demand for self-acting tools1 by which the employers might increase the productiveness of their factories without having resort to the costly and untrustworthy method of meeting the demand by increasing the number of their workmen4 ,machine tools were found to be of much greater advantage4 ,they displaced hand-dexterity and muscular force4 ,they were unfailing in their action4 ,they could not possibly go wrong in planing and turning1 because they were regulated by perfect self-acting arrangements4 ,they were always ready for work1 and never required a ,holiday or a ,saint ,monday4 ,as the ,bridgewater ,foundry had been so fortunate as to earn for itself a considerable reputation for mechanical contrivances1 the workshops were always busy4 ,they were crowded with machine tools in full action1 and exhibited to all comers their effectiveness in the most satisfactory manner1 ,every facility was afforded to those who desired to see them at work2 and every machine and machine tool that was turned out became in the hands of its employers the progenitor of a numerous family4 ,indeed1 on many occasions ,i had the gratification of seeing my mechanical notions adopted by rival or competitive machine constructors1 often without acknowledgment2 though1 notwithstanding this point of honour1 there was room enough for all4 ,though the parent features were easily recognisable1 ,i esteemed such plagiarisms as a sort of left-handed compliment to their author4 ,i also regarded them as a proof that ,i had hit the mark in so arranging my mechanical combinations as to cause their general adoption1 and many of them remain unaltered to this day4 ,the machine tools when in action did not require a skilled workman to guide or watch them4 ,all that was necessary to superintend them was a well-selected labourer4 ,the self-acting machine tools already possessed the requisite ability to plane1 to turn1 to polish1 and to execute the work when firmly placed in situ4 ,the work merely required to be shifted from time to time1 and carefully fixed for another action of the machine4 ,besides selecting clever labourers1 ,i made an extensive use of active handy boys to superintend the smaller class of self-acting machine tools4 ,to do this required little exertion of muscular force1 but only observant attention4 ,the machine tools did all the working 7for the thinking had been embodied in them beforehand71 and they turned out all manner of geometrical forms with the utmost correctness4 ,this sort of training educated the faculties of the lads1 and trained their ideas to the perception of exactness of form1 at the same time that it gave them an intimate acquaintance with the nature of the materials employed in mechanical structures4 ,the rapidity with which they thus acquired the efficiency of thoroughly practical mechanics was surprising4 ,as the lads grew in strength they were promoted to the higher classes of work4 ,we gave to the foreman of each department the right to recommend to a special rise of wages any lad who showed an extra intelligent earnestness and assiduity in superintending his machine4 ,this produced an active spirit of emulation1 which not only advanced their efficiency but relieved the foreman from a source of irritation in the discharge of his duties4 ,i have already referred to the subject in a former portion of this narrative2 but it cannot be too strongly urged upon the attention of proprietors of mechanical works4 ,besides making first-rate workmen1 this method prevents the lads from getting into habits of workshop dishonesty1 i4e4 skulking1 and other annoyances4 ,my system of non-binding of apprentices was the perfect cure1 if ,i may so speak4 ,all that existed between us was mutual satisfaction with each other1 and that alone proved from first to last in every respect a perfect bond4 ,so completely were the workmen in attendance on self-acting machines relieved from the necessity of labour1 that many of the employers1 to keep the men from falling asleep1 allowed them to attend to other machines within their powers of superintendence4 ,this kept them fully awake4 ,the workmen cheerfully acquiesced in this arrangement1 as a relief from tedium1 and especially when a shilling extra was added to their wages for each additional machine4 ,all went well for a time1 for men as well as masters4 ,but now came the difficulty4 ,the system was opposed to the rules of the ,trades' ,union4 ,their committee held that setting one man to superintend more than one machine was keeping out of employment some other man who ought to be employed4 ,and yet1 at the time that the objection was made1 such persons were not to be had4 ,the increased demand for skilled labour had employed every spare workman4 ,nevertheless the system1 in the eyes of the ,union1 must be put down4 ,the demand was made that every machine must have a ,union man to superintend it1 and that he must be paid the full ,union regulation wages4 ,all labourers and lads were to be discharged1 and ,union men employed in their places4 ,as the times were good1 and the workshops were full of orders1 it was thought by the ,union that the time had come to put the matter to the test4 ,the campaign was opened by the organisation of a powerful body1 entitled ,the ,amalgamated ,society of ,mechanical ,engineers4 ,it included every class of workmen employed in the trade--ironfounders1 turners1 fitters1 erectors1 pattern-makers1 and such like4 ,all were invited to make common cause against the employers4 ,in order to make a conspicuous demonstration of their power1 the ,council of the ,union first attacked the extensive firm of ,platt ,brothers1 ,oldham4 ,the ,council sent them a mandate to discharge all their labourers or other illegal hands from their works--all who were employed in superintending their vast assortment of machinery-- and to fill their places with legal mechanics at the then regulation wages4 ,the plan of the ,union was to attack the employers one by one-- to call out the hands of one particular workshop until the employers were subdued and obeyed the commands of the ,union2 and then to attack another employer in the same way4 ,the sagacity of this policy very much resembled that of the ostrich1 which hides its head in hole and thinks it is concealed4 ,the employers knew the drift of the policy1 and took steps to circumvent it4 ,a mutual defence association was formed1 and a decree was issued that1 unless the demand of the ,council against ,platt's factory was withdrawn by a certain day1 every employer would at once close his concern4 ,the ,union1 nevertheless1 stuck to their guns--but only for a time4 ,a strike took place4 ,the works of some of the most extensive employers of labour were closed4 ,everything was paralysed for a time2 the men went about with their hands in their pockets1 while the women and children at home were wanting food4 ,after a few weeks the funds of the ,amalgamated ,society became so reduced that the men gradually retired from the contest4 ,meanwhile1 such concerns as contrived to keep their workmen in full employment--of whom we were one made use of the occasion to act on the healthy system of what ,i have termed ,free trade in ability4 ,we added1 so far as we could1 to the number of intelligent labourers1 advanced them to the places which the ,unionist workmen had left at the order of their ,council1 and thus kept our men on full wages until the strike was over4 ,this was the last contest ,i had with ,trades' ,unions4 ,one of the results was that ,i largely increased the number of self-acting machines1 and gave a still greater amount of employment to my unbound apprentices4 ,i placed myself in an almost impregnable position1 and showed that ,i could conduct my business with full activity and increasing prosperity1 and at the same time maintain good-feeling between employed and employer4 ,another important point was this1--that ,i always took care to make my foremen comfortable1 and consequently loyal4 ,a great part of a man's success in business consists in his knowledge of character4 ,it is not so much what he himself does1 as what he knows his heads of departments can do4 ,he must know them intimately1 take cognisance of the leading points of their character1 pick and choose from them1 and set them to the work which they can most satisfactorily superintend4 ,edward ,tootal1 of ,manchester1 said to me long before1 ,never give your men cause to look over the hedge4 ,he meant that ,i should never give them any reason for looking for work elsewhere4 ,it was a wise saying1 and ,i long remembered it4 ,i always endeavoured to make my men and foremen as satisfied as possible with their work1 as well as with their remuneration4 ,i never had any cause to regret that ,i had struck out an independent course in managing the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,the works were always busy4 ,a cheerful sort of contentment and activity pervaded the entire establishment4 ,our order-book continued to be filled with the most satisfactory class of entries4 ,the railway trucks in the yard1 and the canal barges at the wharf1 presented a busy scene1-- showing the influx of raw material and the output of finished work4 ,this happy state of affairs went on in its regular course without any special incident worthy of being mentioned4 ,the full and steady influx of prosperity that had been the result of many years of interesting toil and cheerful exertion1 had caused the place to assume the aspect of a smoothly working self-acting machine4 ,being blessed with a sound constitution1 ,i was enabled to perform all my duties with hearty active good-will4 ,and as ,i had occasional journeys to make in connection with our affairs and interests1 these formed a very interesting variety in the ordinary course of my daily work4 ,the intimate and friendly intercourse which ,i was so fortunate as to cultivate with the heads of the principal engineering firms of my time1 kept me well posted up in all that was new and advanced in the way of improvements in mechanical processes4 ,i had at the same time many pleasant opportunities of making suggestions as to further improvements1 some of which took root and yielded results of no small importance4 ,these visits to my friends were always acceptable1 if ,i might judge from the hearty tone of welcome with which ,i was generally received4 ,i do not know what may be the case in other classes of businesses or professions1 but as regards engineer mechanists and metal workers generally1 there is an earnest and frank intercommunication of ideas-- an interchange of thoughts and suggestions--which has always been a source of the highest pleasure to me1 and which ,i have usually found thoroughly reciprocated4 ,the subjects with which engineers have to deal are of a wide range1 and jealousy in intercommunication is almost entirely shut out4 ,many of my friends were special characters4 ,for the most part they had made their own way in the world1 like myself4 ,i found among them a great deal of quaint humour4 ,their talk was quite unconventional2 and yet their remarks were well worth being treasured up in the memory as things to be thought about and pondered over4 ,sometimes they gave the key to the comprehension of some of the grandest functions in ,nature1 and an insight into the operation of those invariable laws which regulate the universe4 ,for all ,nature is1 as it were1 a grand workshop1 ruled over by an ever present ,almighty ,master1--of whose perfect designs and works we are as yet only permitted to obtain hasty and imperfect glimpses4 ,to return to my own humbler progress4 ,from an early period of my efforts as a mechanical engineer1 ,i had been impressed with the great advantages that would result from the employment of small high-pressure steam-engines of a simple and compact construction4 ,these1 ,i thought1 might suit the limited means and accommodation of small factories and workshops where motive power was required4 ,the highly satisfactory results which followed the employment of steam-engines of this class1 such as ,i supplied shortly after beginning business in ,manchester1 led to a constantly increasing demand for them4 ,they were used for hoisting in and out the weighty bales of goods from the lofty ,manchester warehouses4 ,they worked the lifts1 and also the pumps of the powerful hydraulic presses used in packing the bales4 ,these small engines were found of service in a variety of ways4 ,when placed in the lower parts of the building the waste steam was utilised in warming the various apartments of the house4 ,the steam was conveyed in iron pipes1 and thus obviated the risk of fire which attended the use of stoves and open fire-grates4 ,i remember being much pleased with seeing a neat arrangement of a hot-closet heated by the waste steam conveyed from the bottom of the building4 ,this was used for holding the dinners and teas of the minor clerks and workpeople4 ,another enclosed place1 heated by waste steam1 was used for drying wet clothes and jackets during rainy weather4 ,much attention was paid by the employers to their workpeople in these respects4 ,the former exhibited a great deal of kindly thoughtfulness4 ,but men and master were alike4 ,it was a source of the greatest pleasure to me1 when looking round the warehouses and factories1 to see the intelligent steady energy that pervaded every department1 from the highest to the lowest4 ,i never lost sight of the importance of extending the use of my small steam-engine system4 ,it was the most convenient method of applying steam power to individual machines4 ,formerly1 the power to drive a machine was derived from a very complicated arrangement of shafting and gearing brought from a distant engine4 ,but by my system ,i conveyed the power to the machine by means of a steam pipe1 which enabled the engine to which it was attached to be driven either fast or slow1 or to be stopped or started1 just as occasion required4 ,it might be run while all the other machines were at rest2 or1 in the event of a breakdown of the main engine of the factory1 the small engine might still be kept going or even assist in the repairs of the large one4 ,an important feature in this mode of conveying power by means of piping --in place of gearing and shifting belts and belt pulleys--was the ease with which the steam could be conveyed into intricate parts of the building4 ,the pipes which ,i used were of wrought-iron1 similar to those used in conveying gas4 ,they could be curved to suit any peculiarity of the situation2 and when the pipes were lapped with felt1 or enclosed in wooden troughs filled with sawdust1 the loss of heat by radiation was reduced to a minimum4 ,the loss of power was certainly much less than in the friction of a long and perhaps tortuous line of shafting4 ,with steam of #ej lbs4 to the inch1 a pipe of one-inch bore will convey sufficient steam to give forth five horse-power at a distance of two or three hundred feet from the boiler499 footnote444 ,in the case of rambling premises1 such as iron shipbuilding yards1 the conveyance of steam by well-protected pipes put underground for the purpose of driving engines to work punching and plate-shearing machines 7which have to be near at hand when the work is required71 has very great practical advantages4 444 ,i adopted the same practice in working the refined and complex machines used in printing coloured patterns on calico4 ,a great variety of colours has to be transferred by a combination of rollers--each carrying its proper colour2 these are printed on the calico with the utmost exactness1 and result in the complete pattern4 ,my system of having a separate engine to give motion to these colour-printing machines was found to be of great service1 and its value was recognised by its speedy and almost universal adoption4 ,every connection with the main shaft1 with its gearing and belts and pulleys--by which colour-printing had before been accomplished--was entirely done away with1 because each machine had its own special engine4 ,the former practice had led to much waste1 and the printing was often confused and badly done4 ,the power was conveyed from a great central steam-engine2 the printing machines were ranged by the side of a long gallery1 and by means of a clutch each machine was started at once into action4 ,the result of this was a considerable shock to the machine1 and an interference with the relative adjustments of the six or eight colour rollers1 which were often jerked out of their exact relative adjustment4 ,then the machines had to be stopped and the rollers readjusted1 and sometimes many yards of calico had been spoiled before this could be done4 ,these difficulties were now entirely removed4 ,when all was adjusted1 the attendant of the print-machine had only to open gradually the steam admission valve of his engine1 and allow it to work the machine gently at its first off-go2 and when all was seen to be acting in perfect concert1 to open the valve further and allow the machine to go at full speed4 ,the same practice was adopted in slowing off the machine1 so as to allow the attendant to scrutinise the pattern and the position of the work1 or in stopping the machine altogether4 ,so satisfactory were the results of the application of this mode of driving calico printing machines1 that it was adopted for the like processes as applied to other textile fabrics2 and it is now1 ,i believe1 universally applied at home as well as abroad4 ,i may also add that the waste steam1 as it issued from the engine after performing its mechanical duty there1 was utilised in a most effective manner by heating a series of steam-tight cylinders1 over which the printed cloth travelled as it issued from the printing machine1 when it was speedily and effectively dried4 ,in these various improvements in calico printing ,i was most ably seconded by ,mr4 ,joseph ,lese1 of ,manchester1 whose practical acquaintance with all that related to that department of industry rendered him of the greatest service4 ,there was no ,invention1 so to speak1 in this almost obvious application of the steam-engine to calico-printing4 ,it required merely the faculty of observation1 and the application of means to ends4 ,the main feature of the system1 it will be observed1 was in enabling the superintendent of each machine to have perfect control over it1--to set it in motion and to regulate its speed without the slightest jerk or shock to its intricate mechanism4 ,in this sense the arrangement was of great commercial value4 ,i had another opportunity of introducing my small engine system into the ,government ,arsenal at ,woolwich4 ,in #ahdg the attention of the ,board of ,ordnance was1 directed to the inadequacy of the equipment of the workshops there4 ,the mechanical arrangements1 the machine tools1 and other appliances1 were found insufficient for the economical production of the apparatus of modern warfare4 ,the ,board did me the honour to call upon me to advise with them1 and also with the heads of departments at the arsenal4 ,sir ,thomas ,hastings1 then head of the ,ordnance1 requested me to accompany him at the first inspection4 ,i made a careful survey of all the workshops1 and although the machinery was very interesting as examples of the old and primitive methods of producing war material1 ,i found that it was better fitted for a ,museum of ,technical ,antiquity than for practical use in these days of rapid mechanical progress4 ,everything was certainly far behind the arrangements which ,i had observed in foreign arsenals4 ,the immediate result of my inspection of the workshops and the processes conducted within them was1 that ,i recommended the introduction of machine tools specially adapted to economise labour1 as well as to perfect the rapid production of war material4 ,in this ,i was heartily supported by the heads of the various departments4 ,after several conferences with them1 as well as with ,sir ,thomas ,hastings1 it was arranged that a large extension of the workshop space should be provided4 ,i was so fortunate as to make a happy suggestion on this head4 ,it was1 that by a very small comparative outlay nearly double the workshop area might be provided--by covering in with light iron roofs the long wide roadway spaces that divided the parallel ranges of workshops from each other4 ,this plan was at once adopted4 ,messrs4 ,fox and ,henderson1 the well-known railway roofing contractors1 were entrusted with the order2 and in a very short time the arsenal was provided with a noble set of light and airy workshops1 giving ample accommodation for present requirements1 as well as surplus space for many years to come4 ,in order to supply steam power to each of these beautiful workshops1 and for working the various machines placed within them1 ,i reverted to my favourite system of small separate steam-engines4 ,this was adopted1 and the costly ranges of shafting that would otherwise have been necessary were entirely dispensed with4 ,a series of machine tools of the most improved modern construction1 specially adapted for the various classes of work carried on in the arsenal1 together with improved ranges of smiths' forge hearths1 blown by an air blast supplied by fans of the best construction1 and a suitable supply of small hand steam hammers1 completed the arrangements2 and quite a new era in the forge work of the arsenal was begun4 ,i showed the managers and the workmen the docile powers of the steam hammer1 in producing in a few minutes1 by the aid of dies1 many forms in wrought-iron that had heretofore occupied hours of the most skilful smiths1 and that1 too1 in much more perfect truth and exactitude4 ,both masters and men were delighted with the result3 and as such precise and often complex forms of wrought-iron work were frequently required by hundreds at a time for the equipment of naval gun carriages and other purposes1 it was seen that the steam hammer must henceforward operate as a powerful auxiliary in the productions of the arsenal4 ,in the introduction of all these improvements ,i received the frank and cordial encouragement of the chief officers of the ,board of ,ordnance and ,admiralty4 ,my suggestions were zealously carried out by ,colonel ,j4 ,n4 ,colquhoun1 then head of the chief mechanical department of the ,ordnance works at ,woolwich4 ,he was one of the most clear-headed and intelligent men ,i have ever met with4 ,he had in a special degree that happy power of inspiring his zeal and energy into all who worked under his superintendence1 whether foremen or workmen4 ,a wonderfully sympathetic effect is produced when the directing head of the establishment is possessed of the valuable faculty of cheerful and well-directed energy4 ,it works like an electric thrill1 and soon pervades the whole department4 ,i may also mention ,general ,dundas1 director of the ,royal ,gun-,factory1 and ,general ,hardinge1 head of the ,royal ,laboratories499 footnote444 ,the term ,laboratory may appear an odd word to use in connection with machinery and mechanical operations4 ,yet its original signification was quite appropriate1 inasmuch as it related to the preparation of explosive substances1 such as shells1 rockets1 fusees1 cartridges1 and percussion caps1 where chemistry was as much concerned as mechanism in producing the required results4 444 ,this latter department included all processes connected with explosives4 ,it was superintended by ,captain ,boxer1 an officer of the highest talent and energy1 who brought everything under his control to the highest pitch of excellence4 ,i must also add a most important person1 my old and much esteemed friend ,john ,anderson1 then general director of the ,machinery of the arsenal4 ,he was an admirable mechanic1 a man of clear practical good sense and judgment1 and he eventually raised himself to the highest position in the public service4 ,the satisfactory performance of the machinery which had been supplied to the workshops of the royal dock yards and arsenals1 led to further demands for similar machinery for foreign ,governments4 ,foreign visitor were allowed freely to inspect all that had been done whatever may be said of the wisdom of this proceeding it is certainly true that no mechanical improvement can long be kept secret nowadays4 ,everything is published and illustrated in our engineering journals4 ,and if the foreigners had not been allowed to obtain their new machines from ,england1 they were provided with facilities enough for constructing them for themselves4 ,at all events1 one result of the improved working of the new machines at the ,royal ,arsenal at ,woolwich1 was the receipt of large orders for our firm for the supply of foreign ,governments4 ,for instance1 that of ,spain employed us liberally1 principally tor the equipment of the royal dockyards of ,ferrol and ,cartagena4 ,these orders came to us through ,messrs4 ,zuluatta ,brothers1 who conducted their proceedings with us in a prompt and business-like way for many years4 ,through the same firm we obtained orders to furnish machinery for the ,spanish royal dockyard at ,havana4 ,in #ahdi we received an extensive order from the ,russian ,government4 ,this was transmitted to us through the ,imperial ,consulate in ,london4 ,the machinery was required for the equipment of a very extensive rope factory at the naval arsenal of ,nicolaiev1 on the ,black ,sea ,this order included all the machinery requisite for the factory1 from the heckling of the hemp to the twisting of the largest ropes and cables required in the ,russian naval service4 ,the design and organisation of this machinery in its minutest detail caused me to made a special study of the art of rope-making4 ,it was a comparatively new subject to me2 but ,i found it full of interest4 ,it was difficulty1 and therefore to be overcome4 ,and in this lies a great deal of the pleasure of contriving and inventing4 ,during the progress of the work ,i had the advantage of the frequent presence of an able ,russian officer1 ,captain ,putchkraskey1 whose intelligent supervision was a source of much satisfaction4 ,we had also occasional visits from ,admiral ,kornileff1 a man of the highest order of intelligence4 ,he was not only able to appreciate our exertions to execute the order in first-rate style1 but to enter into all the special details and contrivances of the work while in progress4 ,i had often occasion to meet ,russian officers while at the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,they were usually men of much ability1 selected by the ,russian ,government to act as their agents abroad1 in order to keep them well posted up in all that had a bearing upon their own interests4 ,they certainly reflected the highest credit on their ,government1 as proving their careful selection of the best men to advance the interests of ,russia4 ,during the visit of the ,grand ,duke ,constantine to ,england about that time1 he resided for some days with the ,earl of ,ellesmere at ,worsley ,hall1 about a mile and a half from ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,we were favoured with several visits from the ,grand ,duke1 accompanied by ,baron ,brunnow1 ,admiral ,hoyden1 and several other ,russian officials4 ,they came by ,lord ,ellesmere's beautiful barge1 which drew up alongside our wharf1 where the party landed and entered the works4 ,the ,grand ,duke carefully inspected the whole place1 and expressed himself as greatly pleased with the complete mastery which man had obtained over obdurate materials1 through the unfailing agency of mechanical substitutes for manual dexterity and muscular force4 ,i was invited to meet this distinguished party at ,worsley ,hall on more than one occasion1 and was much pleased with the frank and intelligent conversation of the ,grand ,duke1 in his reference to what he had seen in his visits to our works4 ,it was always a source of high pleasure to me to receive visits from ,lord ,ellesmere1 as he was generally accompanied by men of distinction who were well able to appreciate the importance of what had been displayed before them4 ,the visits1 for instance1 of ,rajah ,brooke1 the ,earl of ,elgin1 the ,duke of ,argyll1 ,chevalier ,bunsen1 and ,count ,flahault1 stand out bright in my memory4 ,but to return to my rope-making machinery4 ,it was finished to the satisfaction of the ,russian officers4 ,it was sent off by ship to the ,black ,sea in ,july #ahea1 and fitted up at ,nicolaiev shortly after4 ,i received a kind and pressing invitation from ,admiral ,kornileff to accompany him on the first trip of a magnificent steamer which had been constructed in ,england under his supervision4 ,his object was1 not only that ,i might have a pleasant voyage in his company1 but that ,i might see my machinery in full action at ,nicolaiev1 and also that ,i might make a personal survey of the arsenal workshops at ,sebastopol4 ,it would1 no doubt1 have been a delightful trip1 but it was not to be4 ,the unfortunate disruption occurred between our ,government and that of ,russia1 which culminated in the disastrous ,crimean ,war4 ,one of the first victims was ,admiral ,kornileff4 ,he was killed by one of our first shots while engaged in placing some guns for the defence of the entrance to the harbour of ,sebastopol4 ,,chapter #ah4 ,astronomical pursuits4 ,let me turn for a time from the ,foundry1 the whirr of the self-acting tools1 and the sound of the steam hammers1 to my quieter pursuits at home4 ,there ,i had much tranquil enjoyment in the company of my dear wife4 ,i had many hobbies4 ,drawing was as familiar to me as language4 ,indeed1 it was often my method of speaking4 ,it has always been the way in which ,i have illustrated my thoughts4 ,in the course of my journeys at home and abroad ,i made many drawings of places and objects1 which were always full of interest1 to me at least2 and they never ceased to bring up a store of happy remembrances4 ,now and then ,i drew upon my fancy1 and with pen and ink ,i conjured up ,the ,castle of ,udolpho1 ,a ,bit of ,old ,england1 ,the ,fairies are ,out1 and ,everybody for ,ever4 ,the last is crowded with thousands of figures and heads1 so that it is almost impossible to condense the drawing into a small compass4 ,to these ,i added ,the ,alchemist1 ,old ,mortality1 ,robinson ,crusoe1 and a bit of ,english scenery1 which ,i called ,gathering ,sticks4 ,i need not say with how much pleasure ,i executed these drawings in my evening hours4 ,they were not published1 but ,i drew them with lithographic ink1 and had them printed by ,mr4 ,maclure4 ,i afterwards made presents of the series to some of my most intimate friends4 ,image ,the ,antiquarian4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth 7,facsimile7 ,in remembrance of the great pleasure which ,i had derived from the perusal of ,washington ,irving's fascinating works1 ,i sent him a copy of my sketches4 ,his answer was charming and characteristic4 ,his letter was dated ,sunnyside1 ,massachusetts1 where he lived4 ,he said 7#agth ,january #ahei73 ,,dear ,,sir--,accept my most sincere and hearty thanks for the exquisite fancy sketches which you have had the kindness to send me1 and for the expressions of esteem and regard in the letter which accompanied them4 ,it is indeed a heartfelt gratification to me to think that ,i have been able by any exercise of my pen to awaken such warm and delicate sympathies1 and to call forth such testimonials of pleasure and approbation from a person of your cultivated taste and intellectual elevation4 ,with high respect and regard1 ,i remain1 nay dear sir1 your truly obliged friend1 ,washington ,irving4 ,image ,the ,fairies4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth4 7,facsimile7 ,viscount ,duncan1 afterwards ,earl ,camperdown1 also acknowledged receipt of the drawings in a characteristic letter4 ,he said3 --,we are quite delighted with them1 especially with ',the ,fairies1' which a lady to whom ,i showed them very nearly stole1 as she declared that it quite realised her dreams of fairyland4 ,i am only surprised that amidst your numerous avocations you have found time to execute such detailed works of art2 and ,i shall have much pleasure in being reminded as ,i look at the drawings that the same hand and head that executed them invented the steam hammer1 and many other gigantic pieces of machinery which will tend to immortalise the ,anglo-saxon race4 ,but my most favourite pursuit1 after my daily exertions at the ,foundry1 was ,astronomy4 ,there were frequently clear nights when the glorious objects in the ,heavens were seen in most attractive beauty and brilliancy4 ,i cannot find words to express the thoughts which the impressive grandeur of the ,stars1 seen in the silence of the night1 suggested to me2 especially when ,i directed my ,telescope1 even at random1 on any portion of the clear sky1 and considered that each ,star of the multitude it revealed to me1 was a ,,sun6 the centre of a system6 ,myriads of such stars1 invisible to the unassisted eye1 were rendered perfectly distinct by the aid of the telescope4 ,the magnificence of the sight was vastly increased when the telescope was directed to any portion of the ,milky ,way4 ,it revealed such countless multitudes of stars that ,i had only to sit before the eyepiece1 and behold the endless procession of these glorious objects pass before me4 ,the motion of the earth assisted in changing this scene of inexpressible magnificence1 which reached its climax when some object such as the ,cluster in ,hercules came into sight4 ,the component stars are so crowded together there as to give the cluster the appearance of a gray spot2 but when examined with a telescope of large aperture1 it becomes resolved into such myriads of stars as to defy all attempts to count them4 ,nothing can convey to the mind1 in so awful and impressive a manner1 the magnificent and infinite extent of ,creation1 and the inconceivable power of its ,creator6 ,i had already a slight acquaintance with ,astronomy4 ,my father had implanted in me the first germs4 ,he was a great admirer of that sublimest of sciences4 ,i had obtained a sufficient amount of technical knowledge to construct in #ahbg a small but very effective reflecting telescope of six inches diameter4 ,three years later ,i initiated ,mr4 ,maudslay into the art and mystery of making a reflecting telescope4 ,i then made a speculum of ten inches diameter1 and but for the unhappy circumstance of his death in #ahca1 it would have been mounted in his proposed observatory at ,norwood4 ,after ,i had settled down at ,fireside1 ,patricroft1 ,i desired to possess a telescope of considerable power in order to enjoy the tranquil pleasure of surveying the heavens in their impressive grandeur at night4 ,as ,i had all the means and appliances for casting specula at the factory1 ,i soon had the felicity of embodying all my former self-acquired skill in this fine art by producing a very perfect casting of a ten-inch diameter speculum4 ,the alloy consisted of fifteen parts of pure tin and thirty-two parts of pure copper1 with one part of arsenic4 ,it was cast with perfect soundness1 and was ground and polished by a machine which ,i contrived for the purpose4 ,the speculum was so brilliant that when my friend ,william ,lassell saw it1 he said it made his mouth water4 ,it was about this time 7#ahdj7 that ,i had the great happiness of becoming acquainted with ,mr4 ,lassell199 footnote444 ,mr4 ,lassell was a man of superb powers4 ,like many others who have done so much for astronomy1 he started as an amateur4 ,he was first apprenticed to a merchant at ,liverpool4 ,he then began business as a brewer4 ,eventually he devoted himself to astronomy and astronomical mechanics4 ,when in his twenty-first year he began constructing reflecting telescopes for himself4 ,he proceeded to make a ,newtonian of nine inches aperture1 which he erected in an observatory at his residence near ,liverpool1 happily named ,starfield4 ,with this instrument he worked diligently1 and detected the sixth star in the trapezium of ,orion4 ,in #ahdd he conceived the bold idea of constructing a reflector of two feet aperture1 and twenty feet focal length1 to be mounted equatorially4 ,sir ,john ,herschel1 in mentioning ,mr4 ,lassell's work1 did me the honour of saying that in ,mr ,nasmyth he was fortunate to find a mechanist capable of executing in the highest perfection all his conceptions1 and prepared by his own love of astronomy and practical acquaintance with astronomical observations1 and with the construction of specula1 to give them their full effect4 ,with this fine instrument ,mr4 ,lassell discovered the satellite of ,neptune4 ,he also discovered the eighth satellite of ,saturn1 of extreme minuteness1 as well as two additional satellites of ,uranus4 ,but perhaps his best work was done at ,malta with a much larger telescope1 four feet in aperture1 and thirty-seven feet focus1 erected there in #ahfa4 ,he remained at ,malta for three years1 and published a catalogue of #fjj new nebulae1 which will be found in the ,memoirs of the ,royal ,astronomical ,society4 ,one of his curious sayings was1 ,i have had a great deal to do with opticians1 some of them--like ,cooke of ,york--are really opticians2 but the greater number of them are merely shopticians6 444 and profiting by his devotion to astronomical pursuits and his profound knowledge of the subject4 ,he had acquired much technical skill in the construction of reflecting telescopes1 and the companionship between us was thus rendered very agreeable4 ,there was an intimate exchange of opinions on the subject1 and my friendship with him continued during forty successive years4 ,i was perhaps a little ahead of him in certain respects4 ,i had more practical knowledge of casting1 for ,i had begun when a boy in my bedroom at ,edinburgh4 ,in course of time ,i contrived many practical dodges 7if ,i may use such a word71 and could nimbly vault over difficulties of a special kind which had hitherto formed a barrier in the way of amateur speculum makers when fighting their way to a home-made telescope4 ,i may mention that ,i know of no mechanical pursuit in connection with science1 that offers such an opportunity for practising the technical arts1 as that of constructing from first to last a complete ,newtonian or ,gregorian ,reflecting ,telescope4 ,such an enterprise brings before the amateur a succession of the most interesting and instructive mechanical arts1 and obliges the experimenter to exercise the faculty of delicate manipulation4 ,if ,i were asked what course of practice was the best to instil a true taste for refined mechanical work1 ,i should say1 set to and make for yourself from first to last a reflecting telescope with a metallic speculum4 ,buy nothing but the raw material1 and work your way to the possession of a telescope by means of your own individual labour and skill4 ,if you do your work with the care1 intelligence1 and patience that is necessary1 you will find a glorious reward in the enhanced enjoyment of a night with the heavens--all the result of your own ingenuity and handiwork4 ,it will prove a source of abundant pleasure and of infinite enjoyment for the rest of your life4 ,i well remember the visit ,i received from my dear friend ,warren de la ,rue in the year #ahdj4 ,i was executing some work for him with respect to a new process which he had contrived for the production of white lead4 ,i was then busy with the casting of my thirteen-inch speculum4 ,he watched my proceedings with earnest interest and most careful attention4 ,he told me many years after1 that it was the sight of my special process of casting a sound speculum that in a manner caused him to turn his thoughts to practical astronomy1 a subject in which he has exhibited such noble devotion as well as masterly skill4 ,soon after his visit ,i had the honour of casting for him a thirteen-inch speculum1 which he afterwards ground and polished by a method of his own4 ,he mounted it in an equatorial instrument of such surpassing excellence as enabled him1 aided by his devotion and pure love of the subject1 to record a series of observations and results which will hand his name down to posterity as one of the most faithful and patient of astronomical observers4 ,image ,fireside1 ,patricroft4 ,after a drawing by ,james ,nasmyth ,but to return to my own little work at ,patricroft4 ,i mounted my ten-inch home-made reflecting telescope1 and began my survey of the heavens4 ,need ,i say with what exquisite delight the harmony of their splendour filled me4 ,i began as a learner1 and my learning grew with experience4 ,there were the prominent stars1 the planets1 the ,milky ,way --with thousands of far-off suns--to be seen4 ,my observations were at first merely general2 by degrees they became particular4 ,i was not satisfied with enjoying these sights myself2 ,i made my friends and neighbours sharers in my pleasure2 and some of them enjoyed the wonders of the heavens as much as ,i did4 ,in my early use of the telescope ,i had fitted the speculum into a light square tube of deal to which the eye-piece was attached1 so as to have all the essential parts of the telescope combined together in the most simple and portable form4 ,i had often to remove it from place to place in my small garden at the side of the ,bridgewater ,canal1 in order to get it clear of the trees and branches which intercepted some object in the heavens which ,i wished to see4 ,how eager and enthusiastic ,i was in those days6 ,sometimes ,i got out of bed in the clear small hours of the morning1 and went down to the garden in my night-shirt4 ,i would take the telescope in my arms and plant it in some suitable spot1 where ,i might get a peep at some special planet or star then above the horizon4 ,it became bruited about that a ghost was seen at ,patricroft6 ,a barge was silently gliding along the canal near midnight1 when the boatman suddenly saw a figure in white4 ,it moved among the trees with a coffin in its arms6 ,the apparition was so sudden and strange that he immediately concluded that it was a ghost4 ,the weird sight was reported at the stations along the canal1 and also at ,wolverhampton1 which was the boatman's headquarters4 ,he told the people at ,patricroft on his return journey what he had seen1 and great was the excitement produced4 ,the place was haunted3 there was no doubt about it6 ,after all1 the rumour was founded on fact1 for the ghost was merely myself in my night-shirt1 and the coffin was my telescope1 which ,i was quietly shifting from one place to another in order to get a clearer sight of the heavens at midnight4 ,my ambition expanded4 ,i now resolved to construct a reflecting telescope of considerably greater power than that which ,i possessed4 ,i made one of twenty inches diameter1 and mounted it on a very simple plan1 thus removing many of the inconveniences and even personal risks that attend the use of such instruments4 7,for illustration of the plan of mounting a large telescope1 see p4 #cch7 ,it had been necessary to mount steps or ladders to get at the eyepiece1 especially when the objects to be observed were at a high elevation above the horizon4 ,i now prepared to do some special work with this instrument4 ,in #ahdb ,i began my systematic researches upon the ,moon4 ,i carefully and minutely scrutinised the marvellous details of its surface1 a pursuit which ,i continued for many years1 and still continue with ardour until this day4 ,my method was as follows3 -- ,i availed myself of every favourable opportunity for carrying on the investigation4 ,i made careful drawings with black and white chalk on large sheets of grey-tinted paper1 of such selected portions of the ,moon as embodied the most characteristic and instructive features of her wonderful surface4 ,i was thus enabled to graphically represent the details with due fidelity as to form1 as well as with regard to the striking effect of the original in its masses of light and shade4 ,i thus educated my eye for the special object by systematic and careful observation1 and at the same time practised my hand in no less careful delineation of all that was so distinctly presented to me by the telescope--at the side of which my sheet of paper was handily fixed4 ,i became in a manner familiar with the vast variety of those distinct manifestations of volcanic action1 which at some inconceivably remote period had produced these wonderful features and details of the moon's surface4 ,so far as could be observed1 there was an entire absence of any agency of change1 so that their formation must have remained absolutely intact since the original cosmical heat of the moon had passed rapidly into space4 ,the surface1 with all its wondrous details1 presents the same aspect as it did probably millions of ages ago4 ,this consideration vastly enhances the deep interest with which we look upon the moon and its volcanic details4 ,it is totally without an atmosphere1 or of a vapour envelope1 such as the earth possesses1 and which must have contributed to the conservation of the cosmical heat of the latter orb4 ,the moon is of relatively small mass1 and is consequently inferior in heat-retaining power4 ,it must thus have parted with its original stock of cosmical heat with such rapidity as to bring about the final termination of those surface changes which give it so peculiar an aspect4 ,in the case of the earth the internal heat still continues in operation1 though in a vastly reduced degree of activity4 ,again in the case of the moon1 the total absence of water as well as atmosphere has removed from it all those denudative activities which1 in the earth1 have acted so powerfully in effecting changes of its surfaces as well as in the distribution of its materials4 ,hence the appearance of the wonderful details of the moon's surface presents us with objects of inconceivably remote antiquity4 ,image ,general structure of ,lunar craters4 ,another striking characteristic of the moon's surface is the enormous magnitude of its volcanic crater formations4 ,in comparison with these1 the greatest on the surface of the earth are reduced to insignificance4 ,paradoxical as the statement may at first appear1 the magnitude of the remains of the primitive volcanic energy in the moon is simply due to the smallness of its mass4 ,being only about one-eightieth part of the bulk of the earth1 the force of gravity on the moon's surface is only about one-sixth4 ,and as eruptive force is quite independent1 as a force1 of the law of gravitation1 and as it acted with its full energy on matter1 which in the moon is little heavier than cork1 it was dispersed in divergent flight from the vent of the volcanoes1 free from any atmospheric resistance1 and thus secured an enormously wider dispersion of the ejected scoriae4 ,hence the building up of those enormous ring-formed craters which are seen in such vast numbers on the moon's surface--some of them being no less than a hundred miles in diameter1 with which those of ,etna and ,vesuvius are the merest molehills in comparison4 ,i may mention1 in passing1 that the frequency of a central cone within these ring-shaped lunar craters supplies us with one of the most distinct and unquestionable evidences of the true nature and mode of the formation of volcanoes4 ,they are the result of the expiring energy of the volcanic discharge1 which1 when near its termination1 not having sufficient energy to eject the matter far from its vent1 becomes deposited around it1 and thus builds up the central cone as a sort of monument to commemorate its expiring efforts4 ,in this way it recalls the exact features of our own terrestrial craters1 though the latter are infinitely smaller in comparison4 ,when we consider how volcanoes are formed-- by the ejection and exudation of material from beneath the solid crust-- it will be seen how the lunar eminences are formed2 that is1 by the forcible projection of fluid molten matter through cracks or vents1 through which it makes its way to the surface4 ,image ,pico1 an isolated ,lunar ,mountain #hjjj feet high4 ,it was in reference to this very interesting subject that ,i made a drawing of the great isolated volcanic mountain ,pico1 about #hjjj feet high499 footnote444 this illustration exhibits a class of volcanic formations that may be seen on many portions of the moon's surface4 ,they are what ,i would term exudative volcanic mountains1 the results of a comparatively gentle discharge of volcanic matter1 which has resulted in heaped up eminences2 a vast group of which were displayed in the illustration1 some of them being upwards of #bj1jjj feet high4 444 ,it exhibits a very different appearance from that of our mountain ranges1 which are for the most part the result of a tangential action4 ,in the case of the earth1 the hard stratified crust had to adapt itself to the shrunken diameter of the once much hotter globe4 ,this tangential action is illustrated in our own persons1 when age causes the body to shrink in bulk1 while the skin1 which does not shrink to the same extent1 has to accommodate itself to the shrunken interior1 and so forms wrinkles--the wrinkles of age4 ,this theory opens up a chapter in geology and physiology well worthy of consideration4 ,it may alike be seen in the structure of the surface of the earth1 in an old apple1 and in an old hand499 footnote444 ,the shrunken hand on the other side is that of ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 photographed by himself4 ,according to ,the ,psychonomy of the ,hand1 by ,r4 ,beamish1 ,f4,r4,s41 author of ,the ,life of ,sir ,m4 ,i4 ,brunel1 it exhibits a thoroughly mechanical hand1 as well as the hand of a delicate manipulator2 illustrating that remarkable expression in the ,book of ,job1 that in the hand of all the sons of men ,god places marks1 that all the sons of men may know their own works4--,,ed4 444 ,image ,shrunken ,apple and ,hand499 footnote444 ,these illustrations serve to illustrate one of the most potent of geological agencies which has given the earth's surface its grandest characteristics4 ,i mean the elevation of mountain ranges through the contraction of the globe as a whole4 ,by the action of gravity the former larger surface crushes down1 as it were1 the contracting interior2 and the superfluous matter1 which belonged to a bigger globe1 arranges itself by tangential displacement1 and accommodates itself to the altered or decreased size of the globe4 ,hence our mountain ranges1 which though apparently enormous when seen near at hand are merely the wrinkles on the face of the earth4 444 ,while earnestly studying the details of the moon's surface1 it was a source of great additional interest to me to endeavour to realise in the mind's eye the possible landscape effect of its marvellous elevations and depressions4 ,here my artisic faculty came into operation4 ,i endeavoured to illustrate the landscape4 scenery of the ,moon1 in like manner as we illustrate the landscape scenery of the ,earth4 ,the telescope revealed to me distinctly the volcanic craters1 the cracks1 and the ranges of mountains--by means of the light and shade on the moon's surface4 ,one of the most prominent conditions of the awful grandeur of lunar scenery is the brilliant light of the sun1 far transcending that which we experience upon the earth--enhanced by the contrast with the jet-black background of the lunar heavens1-- the result of the total absence of atmosphere4 ,one portion of the moon1 on which the sun is shining1 is brilliantly illuminated1 while all in shade is dark4 ,while the disc of the sun appears a vast electric light of overpowering rayless brilliancy1 every star and planet in the black vault of the lunar heavens is shining with steady brightness at all times2 as1 whether the ,sun be present or absent during the long fourteen days' length of the lunar day or night1 no difference on the absolutely black aspect of the lunar heavens can appear4 ,that aspect must be eternal there4 ,no modification99 footnote444 a small degree of illumination is1 however1 given to some portions of the ,moon's surface by the ,earth-shine1 when the earth is in such a position with regard to the ,moon1 as to reflect some light on to it1 as the ,moon does to the earth4 444 of the darkness of shadows in the ,moon can result from the illuminative effect1 as in our case in the earth1 from light reflected into shadows by the blue sky of our earthly day ,the intensity of the contrast between light and shade must thus lend another awful aspect to the scenery of the ,moon1 while deprived of all those charming effects which artists term aerial perspective1 by which relative distances are rendered cognisable with such tender and exquisite beauty4 ,the absence of atmosphere on the ,moon causes the most distant objects to appear as close as the nearest2 while the comparatively rapid curvature of the moon1 owing to its being a globe only one-fourth the diameter of the earth1 must necessarily limit very considerably the range of view4 ,image ,lunar ,mountains and ,extinct ,volcanic ,craters ,it is the combination of all these circumstances1 which we know with absolute certainty must exist in the ,moon1 that gives to the contemplation of her marvellous surface1 as revealed by the aid of powerful telescopes1--one of the grandest and most deeply interesting subjects that can occupy our thoughts2 especially when we regard the physical constitution and the peculiar structure of her surface1 as that of our nearest planetary neighbour1 and also as our serviceable attendant by night4 ,then there are the ,tides1 so useful to man1 preserving the sanitary condition of the river mouths and tide-swept shores4 ,we must be grateful for the ,moon's existence on that account alone4 ,she is the grand scavenger and practical sanitary commissioner of the earth4 ,then consider the work she does6 ,she moves hundreds of ships and barges1 filled with valuable cargoes1 up our tidal rivers1 to the commercial cities on their banks4 ,she thus performs a vast amount of daily and nightly mechanical drudgery4 ,she is the most effective of all ,tugs2 and now that we understand the convertibility and conservation of force1 we may be able to use her ,tide-producing powers through the agency of electricity for mechanical purposes4 ,it is even possible that the ,tides may yet light our streets and houses699 footnote444 ,it is not quite a century since ,london was in part supplied with water by the ,moon1 through employing the tidal action by the waters at ,old ,london ,bridge1 where the tide mills worked the water-supplying pumps4 444 ,is the moon inhabited8 ,it seems to me that the entire absence of atmosphere and water forbids the supposition--at least of any form of life with which we are acquainted4 ,add to this adverse condition1 the fact of the moon's day being equal to fourteen of our days2 the sun shining with much more brilliancy of effect in the moon than on the earth1 where atmosphere and moisture act as an important agent in modifying its scorching rays2 whilst no such agency exists in the moon4 ,the sun shines there without intermission for fourteen days and nights4 ,during that time the heat must accumulate to almost the melting point of lead2 while1 on the other hand1 the absence of the sun for an equal period must be followed by a period of intense cold1 such as we have no experience of1 even in the ,arctic regions4 ,the highest authorities state that the cold during the ,moon's long night must reach as low as #bej degrees below the freezing point of water4 ,these considerations1 ,i think1 reasonably suggest that the existence of any form of life in the ,moon is in the highest degree improbable4 ,the first occasion on which ,i exhibited my series of drawings of the ,moon1 together with a map six feet in diameter of its entire visible surface1 was at the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,edinburgh in #ahej4 ,i always looked forward to these meetings with great pleasure1 and attended them with supreme interest4 ,my dear wife always accompanied me4 ,it was our scientific holiday4 ,it was also our holiday of friendship4 ,we met many of our old friends1 and made many new friends4 ,alas1 how many of them have departed6 ,herschel1 ,faraday1 ,robinson1 ,taylor1 ,phillips1 ,brewster1 ,rosse1 ,fairbairn1 ,lassell1 and a host of minor stars1 who1 although perhaps wanting in the brightness or magnitude of those ,i have named1 made good amends by the warmth of their cheerful rays4 ,we saw the younger lights emerging above the horizon3 the men who still continue to shed their glory over the meetings of the ,association4 ,how delightful was our visit to ,edinburgh in #ahej4 ,it was mine own romantic town4 ,i remembered its striking features so well4 ,there was the broad mass of the ,old ,town1 with its endless diversity of light and shade4 ,there was the grand old fortress1 with its towers and turrets and black portholes4 ,towards evening the distant glories of the departing sun threw forward1 in dark outline1 the wooded hill of ,corstorphine4 ,the rock and ,castle assumed a new aspect every time ,i looked at them4 ,the long-drawn gardens filling the valley between the ,old ,town and the ,new1 and the thickly-wooded scars of the ,castle rock1 were a charm of landscape and a charm of art4 ,arthur's ,seat1 like a lion at rest1 seemed perfect witchcraft4 ,and from the streets in the ,new ,town1 or from ,calton ,hill1 what singular glances of beauty were observed in the distance--the gleaming waters of the ,firth1 and the blue shadows among the hills of ,fife4 ,i remembered it all1 from the days in which ,i sat1 as a child1 beside the lassies watching the claes on the ,calton ,hill and hearing the chimes of ,st4 ,giles's tinkling across the ,nor' ,loch from the ,old ,town2 the walks1 when a boy1 in the picturesque country round ,edinburgh1 with my father and his scientific and artistic friends2 my days at the ,high ,school1 and then my evenings at the ,school of ,arts2 my castings of brass in my bedroom1 and the technical training ,i enjoyed in the workshop of my old schoolfellow2 my roadway locomotive and its success2 and finally1 the making of my tools and machines intended for ,manchester1 at the foundry of my dear old friend ,douglass4 ,it all came back to me like a dream4 ,and now1 after some twenty years1 ,i had returned to ,edinburgh on a visit to the ,british ,association4 ,many things had been changed--many relatives and friends had departed--but still ,edinburgh remained to me as fascinating as ever4 ,the excursions formed our principal source of enjoyment during these scientific gatherings4 ,the season was then at its happiest4 ,nature was in her most enjoyable condition1 and the excursionists were usually in their holiday mood4 ,the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,edinburgh was presided over by ,sir ,david ,brewster4 ,the geologists visited the remarkable displays of volcanic phenomena with which the neighbourhood of ,edinburgh singularly abounds4 ,indeed1 ,edinburgh owes much of its picturesque beauty to volcanoes and earthquake upheavings4 ,our excursions culminated in a visit to the ,bass ,rock4 ,the excursion had been carefully planned1 and was successfully carried out4 ,the day was beautiful1 and the party was of the choicest4 ,after reaching the little cove of ,canty ,bay1 overlooked by the gigantic ruins of ,tantallon ,castle1 we were ferried across to the ,bass2 through a few miles of that capricious sea1 the ,firth of ,forth1 near to where it joins the ,german ,ocean4 ,we were piloted by that fine old ,british tar1 ,admiral ,malcolm1 while the commissariat was superintended by ,general ,pasley4 ,we were safely landed on that magnificent sea-girt volcanic rock-- the ,bass4 ,after inspecting the ruins of what was once a castellated ,state prison1 where the ,covenanters were immured for conscience' sake1 we wandered up the hill towards the summit4 ,there we were treated to a short lecture by ,professor ,owen on the ,solan ,goose1 which was illustrated by the clouds of geese flying over us4 ,they freely exhibited their habits on land as well as in mid-air1 and skimmed the dizzy crags with graceful and apparently effortless motions4 ,the vast variety of seafowl screamed their utmost1 and gave a wonderfully illustrative chorus to the lecture4 ,it was a most impressive scene4 ,we were high above the deep blue sea of the ,german ,ocean1 the waves of which leapt up as if they would sweep us away into the depths below4 ,another of our delightful excursions was made under the guidance of my old and dear friend ,robert ,chambers499 footnote444 ,i cannot pass over the mention of ,robert ,chambers's name without adding that ,i was on terms of the most friendly intimacy with him from a very early period of his life to its termination in #ahga4 ,i remember when he made his first venture in business in ,leith ,walk4 ,by virtue of his industry1 ability1 and energy1 he became a prosperous man4 ,i had the happiness of enjoying his delightful and instructive society on many occasions4 ,we had rare cracks on all subjects1 but especially respecting old places and old characters whom we had known at ,edinburgh4 ,his natural aptitude to catch up the salient and most humorous points of character1 with the quaint manner in which he could describe them1 gave a vast charm to his company and conversation4 ,added to which1 the wide range and accuracy of his information1 acquired by his own industry and quick-witted penetration1 caused the hours spent in his society to remain among the brightest points in my memory4 444 ,the object of this excursion was to visit the remarkable series of grooved and scratched rocks which had been discovered99 footnote444 ,they had been first seen1 some twenty years before1 by ,sir ,james ,hall1 one of the geologic lights of ,edinburgh4 444 on the western edge of the cliff-like boundary of ,corstorphine ,hill4 ,the glacial origin of these groovings on the rocks was then occupying the attention of geologists4 ,it was a subject that ,robert ,chambers had carefully studied1 in the ,lowlands1 in the ,highlands1 in ,rhine-land1 in ,switzerland1 and in ,norway4 ,he had also published his ,ancient ,sea ,margins and his ,tracings of the ,north of ,europe in illustration of his views4 ,he was now enabled to show us these groovings and scratchings on the rocks near ,edinburgh4 ,in order to render the records more accessible1 he had the heather and mossy turf carefully removed-- especially from some of the most distinct evidences of glacial rock-grooving4 ,thus no time was lost1 and we immediately saw the unquestionable markings4 ,such visits as these are a thousand times more instructive and interesting than long papers read at scientific meetings4 ,they afford the best opportunity for interchange of ideas1 and directly produce an emphatic result2 for one cannot cavil about what he has seen with his eyes and felt with his hands4 ,we returned to the city in time to be present at a most interesting lecture by ,hugh ,miller on the ,boulder ,clay4 ,he illustrated it by some scratched boulders which he had collected in the neighbourhood of ,edinburgh4 ,he brought the subject before his audience in his own clear and admirable viva voce style4 ,the ,duke of ,argyll was in the chair1 and a very animated discussion took place on this novel and difficult subject4 ,it was humorously brought to a conclusion by the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,fleming1 a shrewd and learned geologist4 ,like many others1 he had encountered great difficulties in arriving at definite conclusions on this mysterious subject4 ,he concluded his remarks upon it by describing the influence it had in preventing his sleeping at night4 ,he was so restless on one occasion that his wife became seriously alarmed4 ,what's the matter wi' ye1 ,john8 are ye ill8 ,on no1 replied the doctor1 it's only that confounded ,bounder ,clay6 ,this domestic anecdote brought down the house1 and the meeting terminated in a loud and hearty laugh4 ,i1 too1 contributed my little quota of information to the members of the ,british ,association4 ,i had brought with me from ,lancashire a considerable number of my large graphic illustrations of the details of the ,moon's surface4 ,i gave a viva voce account of my lunar researches at a crowded meeting of the ,physical ,section ,a4 ,the novel and interesting subject appeared to give so much satisfaction to the audience that the ,council of the ,association requested me to repeat the account at one of the special evenings1 when the members of all the various sections were generally present4 ,it was quite a new thing for me to appear as a public lecturer2 but ,i consented4 ,the large hall of the ,assembly ,rooms in ,george ,street was crowded with an attentive audience4 ,the ,duke of ,argyll was in the chair4 ,it is a difficult thing to give a public lecture especially to a scientific audience4 ,to see a large number of faces turned up1 waiting for the words of the lecturer1 is a somewhat appalling sight4 ,but the novelty of the subject and the graphic illustrations helped me very much4 ,i was quite full of the ,moon4 ,the words came almost unsought2 and ,i believe the lecture went off very well1 and terminated with great applause4 ,and thus the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,edinburgh came to an end4 ,this1 however1 was not the end of our visit to ,scotland4 ,i was strongly urged by the ,duke of ,argyll to pay him a visit at his castle at ,inverary4 ,i had frequently before had the happiness of meeting the ,duke and ,duchess at the ,earl of ,ellesmere's mansion at ,worsley ,hall ,he had made us promise that if we ever came to ,scotland we were not to fail to pay him a visit4 ,it was accordingly arranged at ,edinburgh that we should carry out our promise1 and spend some days with him at ,inverary before our return home4 ,we were most cordially welcomed at the castle1 and enjoyed our visit exceedingly4 ,we had the pleasure of seeing the splendid scenery of the ,western ,highlands the mountains round the head of ,loch ,fyne1 ,loch ,awe1 and the magnificent hoary-headed ,ben ,cruachan1 requiring a base of more than twenty miles to support him1--besides the beautiful and majestic scenery of the neighbourhood4 ,but my chief interest was in the specimens of high geological interest which the ,duke showed me4 ,he had discovered them in the ,island of ,mull1 in a bed of clay shale1 under a volcanic basaltic cliff over eighty feet high1 facing the ,atlantic ,ocean4 ,he found in this bed many beautifully perfect impressions of forest tree leaves1 chiefly of the plane-tree class4 ,they appeared to have been enveloped in the muddy bottom of a lake1 which had been sealed up by the belching forth from the bowels of the earth of molten volcanic basaltic lava1 and which indeed formed the chief material of the ,island of ,mull4 ,this basaltic cliff now fronts the ,atlantic1 and resists its waves like a rock of iron4 ,to see all the delicate veins and stalklets1 and exact forms of what had once been the green fresh foliage of a remotely primeval forest1 thus brought to light again1 as preserved in their clay envelope1 after they had lain for ages and ages under what must have been the molten outburst of some tremendous volcanic discharge1 and which now formed the rock-bound coast of ,mull1 filled one's mind with an idea of the inconceivable length of time that must have passed since the production of these ,wonderful geological phenomena4 ,i felt all the more special interest in these specimens1 as ,i had many years before1 on my return visit from ,londonderry1 availed myself of the nearness of the ,giant's ,causeway to make a careful examination of the marvellous volcanic columns in that neighbourhood4 ,having scrambled up to a great height1 ,i found a thick band of hematitic clay underneath the upper bed of basalt1 which was about sixty feet thick4 ,in this clay ,i detected a rich deposit of completely charred branches of what had once been a forest tree4 ,the bed had been burst through by the outburst of molten basalt1 and converted the branches into charcoal4 ,i dug out some of the specimens1 and afterwards distributed them amongst my geological friends4 ,the ,duke was interested by my account1 which so clearly confirmed his own discovery4 ,on a subsequent occasion ,i revisited the ,giant's ,causeway in company with my dear wife4 ,i again scrambled up to the hematitic bed of clay under the basaltic cliff1 and dug out a sufficient quantity of the charred branches1 which ,i sent to the ,duke1 in confirmation of his theory as to the origin of the leaf-beds at ,mull499 footnote444 ,i received the following reply from the ,duke of ,argyll dated ,inverary1 ,nov4 #ai1 #ahej3 -- ,,my ,,dear ,,sir--,am ,i right in concluding1 from the description which2 you were so kind as to send to me1 that the lignite bed1 with its superincumbent basalts1 lies above those particular columnar basalts which form the far-famed ,giant's ,causeway8 ,i see from your sketch that basalts of great thickness1 and in some views beautifully columnar1 do underlie the lignite bed2 but ,i am not quite sure that these columnar basalts are those precisely which are called the ,causeway4 ,i had never heard before that the ,giant's ,causeway rested on chalk1 which all the basalts in your sketch do4 ,image ,the ,astrologers ,tower--,a ,day ,dream4 ,by ,james ,nasmyth4 7,facsimile47 ,i have been showing your drawing of ',udolpho ,castle' and ',the ,astrologer's ,tower' to the ,duchess of ,sutherland1 who is enchanted with the beauty of the architectural details1 and wishes she had seen them before ,dunrobin was finished2 for hints might have been taken from bits of your work4 --,very truly yours1 ,,argyll4 444 ,in the year following the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,edinburgh1 the great ,exhibition of all nations at ,london took place4 ,the ,commissioners appointed for carrying out this noble enterprise had made special visits to ,manchester and the surrounding manufacturing districts for the purpose of organising local committees1 so that the machinery and productions of each might be adequately represented in the ,world's ,great ,industrial ,exhibition4 ,the ,commissioners were met with enthusiasm2 and nearly every manufacturer was found ready to display the results of his industry4 ,the local engineers and tool-makers were put upon their mettle1 and each endeavoured to do his best4 ,like others1 our firm contributed specimens of our special machine tools1 and a fair average specimen of the steam hammer1 with a #cj cwt4 hammer-block4 ,i also sent one of my very simple and compact steam-engines1 in the design of which ,i had embodied the form of my steam hammer--placing the crank where the anvil of the hammer usually stands4 ,the simplicity and grace of this arrangement of the steam-engine were much admired4 ,its merits were acknowledged in a way most gratifying to me1 by its rapid adoption by engineers of every class1 especially by marine engineers4 ,it has been adopted for driving the shafts of screw-propelled steamships of the largest kind4 ,the comparatively small space it occupies1 its compactness1 its get-at-ability of parts1 and the action of gravity on the piston1 which1 working vertically1 and having no undue action in causing wearing of the cylinder on one side 7which was the case with horizontal engines71 has now brought my ,steam ,hammer ,engine into almost universal use99 footnote444 ,sir ,john ,anderson1 in his ,report on the machine tools1 textile1 and other machinery exhibited at ,vienna in #ahgc1 makes the following observations3 --,perhaps the finest pair of marine engines yet produced by ,france1 or any other country1 were those exhibited by ,schneider and ,company1 the leading firm in ,france4 ,these engines were not large1 but were perfect in many respects2 yet comparatively few of those who were struck with admiration seemed to know that the original of this style of construction came from the same mind as the ,steam ,hammer4 ,nasmyth's ,infant ,hercules was the forerunner of all the steam hammer engines that have yet been made from that type1 which is now being so extensively employed for working the screw propeller of steam vessels4 444 ,the ,commissioners1 acting on the special recommendation of the jury1 awarded me a medal for the construction of this form of steam-engine99 footnote444 ,the ,council of the ,exhibition thus describe the engine in the awards3 -- ,nasmyth1 ,j41 ,patricroft1 ,manchester1 a small portable direct-acting steam-engine4 ,the cylinder is fixed1 vertical and inverted1 the crank being placed beneath it1 and the piston working downwards4 ,the sides of the frame which support the cylinder serve as guides1 and the bearings of the crank-shaft and fly-wheel are firmly fixed in the bed-plate of the engine4 ,the arrangement is compact and economical1 and the workmanship practically good and durable4 7,see illustration of the design1 page #dbd47 444 as it was merely a judicious arrangement of the parts1 and not1 in any correct sense of the term1 an invention1 ,i took out no patent for it1 and left it free to work its own way into general adoption4 ,it has since been used for high as well as low-pressure steam-- an arrangement which has come into much favour on account of the great economy of fuel which results from using it4 ,a ,council ,medal was also awarded to me for the ,steam ,hammer4 ,but perhaps what pleased me most was the ,prize ,medal which ,i received for my special hobby--the drawings of the ,moon's surface4 ,i sent a collection of these1 with a map1 to the ,exhibition4 ,they attracted considerable attention1 not only because of their novelty1 but because of the accurate and artistic style of their execution4 ,the ,jurors1 in making the award1 gave the following description of them3 ,mr4 ,nasmyth exhibits a well-delineated map of the ,moon on a large scale1 which is drawn with great accuracy1 the irregularities upon the surface being shown with much force and spirit2 also separate and enlarged representations of certain portions of the ,moon as seen through a powerful telescope3 they are all good in detail1 and very effective4 ,my drawings of the ,moon attracted the special notice of the ,prince ,consort4 ,shortly after the closing of the ,exhibition1 in ,october #ahea1 the ,queen and the ,prince made a visit to ,manchester and ,liverpool1 during which time they were the guests of the ,earl of ,ellesmere at ,worsley ,hall4 ,finding that ,i lived near at hand1 the ,prince expressed his desire to the ,earl that ,i should exhibit to ,her ,majesty some of my graphic lunar studies4 ,on receiving a note to that effect from the ,countess of ,ellesmere1 ,i sent a selection of my drawings to the ,hall1 and proceeded there in the evening4 ,i had then the honour of showing them to the ,queen and the ,prince1 and explaining them in detail4 ,her ,majesty took a deep interest in the subject1 and was most earnest in her inquiries4 ,the ,prince ,consort' said that the drawings opened up quite a new subject to him1 which he had not before had the opportunity of considering4 ,it was as much as ,i could do to answer the numerous keen and incisive questions which he put to me4 ,they were all so distinct and cogent4 ,their object was1 of course1 to draw from me the necessary explanations on this rather recondite subject4 ,i believe1 however1 that notwithstanding the presence of ,royalty1 ,i was enabled to place all the most striking and important features of the ,moon's surface in a clear and satisfactory manner before ,her ,majesty and the ,prince1 ,i find that the ,queen in her ,diary alludes in the most gratifying manner to the evening's interview4 ,in the ,life of the ,prince ,consort 7vol4 ii4 p4 #cih71 ,sir ,theodore ,martin thus mentions the subject3 -- ,the evening was enlivened by the presence of ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 the inventor of the steam hammer1 who had extensive works at ,patricroft4 ,he exhibited and explained the map and drawings in which he had embodied the results of his investigations of the conformations of the surface of the ,moon4 ,the ,queen in her ,diary dwells at considerable length on the results of ,mr4 ,nasmyth's inquiries4 ,the charm of his manner1 in which the simplicity1 modesty1 and enthusiasm of genius are all strikingly combined1 are warmly dwelt upon4 ,mr4 ,nasmyth belongs to a family of painters1 and would have won fame for himself as an artist --for his landscapes are as true to ,nature as his compositions are full of fancy and feeling--had not science and mechanical invention claimed him for their own4 ,his drawings were submitted on this occasion4 and their beauty was generally admired499 footnote444 ,in his lecture on the ,geological ,features of ,edinburgh and its ,neighbourhood1 in the following year1 ,hugh ,miller1 speaking of the ,castle ,rock1 observed3 --,the underlying strata1 though geologically and in their original position several hundred feet higher than those which underlie the ,castle esplanade1 are now1 with respect to the actual level1 nearly #bjj feet lower4 ,in a lecture on what may be termed the geology of the ,moon1 delivered in the ,october of last year before ,her ,majesty and ,prince ,albert by ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 he referred to certain appearances on the surface of that satellite that seemed to be the results1 in some very ancient time1 of the sudden falling in of portions of an unsupported crust1 or a retreating nucleus of molten matter2 and took occasion to suggest that some of the great slips and shifts on the surface of our own planet1 with their huge downcasts1 may have had a similar origin4 ,the suggestion is at once bold and ingenious4 444 ,the next time ,i visited ,edinburgh was in the autumn of #ahec4 ,lord ,cockburn1 an old friend1 having heard that ,i was sojourning in the city1 sent me the following letter1 dated ,bonally1 #crd ,september1 inviting me to call a meeting of the ,faithful3 ,,my ,,dear ,sir--,instead of being sketching1 as ,i thought1 in ,switzerland1 ,i was told yesterday that you were in ,auld ,reekie4 ,then why not come out here next ,thursday1 or ,friday1 or ,saturday1 and let us have a ,hill ,day8 ,i suppose ,i need not write to summon the ,faithful1 because not having been in ,edinburgh except once for above a month1 ,i don't know where the ,faithful are4 ,but you must know their haunts1 and it can't give you much trouble to speak to them4 ,i should like to see ,lauder here4 ,and don't forget the ,gaberlunzie4--,ever1 ,h4 ,,cockburn99 footnote444 ,james ,ballantine1 author of ,the ,gaberlunzie's ,wallet4 ,in ,august #ahfe ,mr4 ,ballantine wrote to me saying3 ,if ever you are in ,auld ,reekie ,i should feel proud of a call from you4 ,i have not forgotten the delightful day we spent together many years ago at ,bonny ,bonally with the eagle-eyed ,henry ,cockburn6 444 ,the meeting came off4 ,i collected a number of special friends about me1 and ,i took my wife to the meeting of the ,faithful4 ,there were present ,david ,roberts1 ,clarkson ,stanfield1 ,louis and ,carl ,haag1 ,sir ,george ,harvey1 ,james ,ballantine1 and ,d4 ,o4 ,hill--all artists4 ,we made our way to ,bonny ,bonally1 a charming residence1 situated at the foot of the ,pentland ,hills499 footnote444 ,the house was afterwards occupied by the lamented ,professor ,hodgson1 the well-known ,political ,economist4 444 ,the day was perfect--in all respects equal to bespoke4 ,with that most genial of men1 ,lord ,cockburn1 for our guide1 we wandered far up the ,pentland ,hills4 ,after a rather toilsome walk we reached a favourite spot4 ,it was a semicircular hollow in the hillside1 scooped out by the sheep for shelter4 ,it was carpeted and cushioned with a deep bed of wild thyme1 redolent of the very essence of rural fragrance4 ,we sat down in a semicircle1 our guide in the middle4 ,he said in his quaint peculiar way1 ,here endeth the first lesson4 ,after gathering our breath1 and settling ourselves to enjoy our well-earned rest1 we sat in silence for a time4 ,the gentle breeze blew past us1 and we inhaled the fragrant air4 ,it was enough for a time to look on1 for the glorious old city was before us1 with its towers1 and spires1 and lofty buildings between us and the distance4 ,on one side ,arthur's ,seat1 and on the other the ,castle1 the crown of the city4 ,the view extended far and wide--on to the waters of the ,forth and the blue hills of ,fife4 ,the view is splendidly described by ,delta3 -- ,traced like a map1 the landscape lies ,in cultured beauty1 stretching wide3 ,here ,pentland's green acclivities1-- ,there ocean1 with its swelling tide1-- ,there ,arthur's ,seat and gleaming through ,thy ,southern wing1 ,dull ,edin blue6 ,while1 in the ,orient1 ,lammer's daughters1-- ,a distant giant range1 are seen2 ,north ,berwick ,law1 with cone of green1 ,and ,bass amid the waters4 ,then we began to crack1 our host leading the way with his humorous observations4 ,after taking our fill of rest and talk1 we wended our way down again1 with the wimplin' burn by our side1 fresh from the pure springs of the hill1 whispering its welcome to us4 ,we had earned a good appetite for dinner1 which was shortly laid before us4 ,the bill of fare was national1 and included a haggis3 ,fair fa' your honest sonsie face1 ,great chieftain o' the puddin' race6 ,weel are ye wordy o'a grace ,as lang's my arm6 ,the haggis was admirably compounded and cooked1 and was served forth by our genial host with all appropriate accompaniments4 ,but the most enjoyable was the conversation of ,lord ,cockburn1 who was a master of the art--quick ready1 humorous1 and full of wit4 ,at last1 the day came to a close1 and we wended our way towards the city4 ,let me1 however1 before concluding1 say a few words in reference to my dear departed friend ,david ,oswald ,hill4 ,his name calls up many recollections of happy hours spent in his company4 ,he was1 in all respects1 the incarnation of geniality4 ,his lively sense of humour1 combined with a romantic and poetic constitution of mind1 and his fine sense of the beautiful in ,nature and art1 together with his kindly and genial feeling1 made him1 all in all1 a most agreeable friend and companion4 ,d4 ,o4 ,hill1 as he was generally called1 was much attached to my father4 ,he was a very frequent visitor at our ,edinburgh fireside1 and was ever ready to join in our extemporised walks and jaunts1 when he would overflow with his kindly sympathy and humour4 ,he was a skilful draughtsman1 and possessed a truly poetic feeling for art4 ,his designs for pictures were always attractive1 from the fine feeling exhibited in their composition and arrangement4 ,but somehow1 when he came to handle the brush1 the result was not always satisfactory--a defect not uncommon with artists4 ,altogether1 he was a delightful companion and a staunch friend1 and his death made a sad blank in the artistic society of ,edinburgh4 ,,chapter #ai4 ,more about ,astronomy4 ,astronomy1 instead of merely being an amusement1 became my chief study4 ,it occupied many of my leisure hours4 ,desirous of having the advantage of a ,reflecting ,telescope of large aperture1 ,i constructed one of twenty-inches diameter4 ,in order to avoid the personal risk and inconvenience of having to mount to the eye-piece by a ladder1 ,i furnished the telescope tube with trunnions1 like a cannon1 with one of the trunnions hollow so as to admit of the eye-piece4 ,opposite to it a plain diagonal mirror was placed1 to transmit the image to the eye4 ,the whole was mounted on a turn-table1 having a seat opposite to the eye-piece1 as will be seen in the engraving on the other side4 ,image ,trunnion ,vision ,reflecting telescope of #bj-;inch diameter mounted on a turn-table4 ,the observer1 when seated1 could direct the telescope to any part of the heavens without moving from his seat4 ,although this arrangement occasioned some loss of light1 that objection was more than compensated by the great convenience which it afforded for the prosecution of the special class of observations in which ,i was engaged namely1 that of the ,sun1 ,moon1 and ,planets4 ,i wrote to my old friend ,sir ,david ,brewster1 then living at ,st4 ,andrews1 in #ahdi1 about this improvement and he duly congratulated me upon my devotion to astronomical science4 ,in his letter to me he brought to mind many precious memories4 ,i recollect1 he said1 with much pleasure the many happy hours that ,i spent in your father's house2 and ever since ,i first saw you in your little workshop at ,edinburgh1--then laying the foundation of your future fortunes1--,i have felt a deep interest in your success1 and rejoiced at your progress to wealth and reputation4 ,i have perused with much pleasure the account you have sent me of your plan of shortening and moving large telescopes1 and ,i shall state to you the opinion which ,i have formed of it4 ,if you will look into the article ',optics' in the ,edinburgh ,encyclopedia 7vol4 xv4 p4 #fdc71 you will find an account of what has been previously done to reduce by one-half the length of reflecting telescopes4 ,the advantage of substituting1 as you propose1 a convex for a plane mirror arises from two causes that a spherical surface is more easily executed than a plane one2 and that the spherical aberration of the larger speculum1 if it be spherical1 will be diminished by the opposite aberration of the convex one4 ,this advantage1 however1 will disappear if the plane mirror of the old construction is accurately plane2 and in your case1 if the large speculum is parabolic and the small one elliptical in their curvature4 ,the only objection to your construction is the loss of light2 first of one-fourth of the whole incident light by obstruction1 and then one-half of the remainder by reflection from the convex mirror1 thus reducing #ajj rays of incident light to #cg #a_/b before the pencil is thrown out of the tube by a prism or a third reflector4 ,this loss of light1 it is true1 may be compensated by an additional inch or two to the margin of the large speculum2 but still it is the best part of the large speculum that is made unproductive by the eclipse of it by the convex speculum4 ,with regard to the mechanical contrivance which you propose for working the instrument1 ,i think it is singularly ingenious and beautiful1 and will compensate for any imperfection in the optical arrangements which are rendered necessary for its adoption4 ,the application of the railway turn-table is very happy1 and not less so is the extraction of the image through the hollow trunnions4 ,i am much obliged to you for the beautiful drawing of the apparatus for grinding and polishing specula1 invented by ,mr4 ,lassell and constructed by yourself4 ,i shall be glad to hear of your further progress in the construction of your telescope2 and ,i trust that ,i shall have the pleasure of meeting you and ,mr4 ,lassell at the ,birmingham meeting of the ,british ,association4 ,in the course of the same year 7#ahdi7 ,i sent a model of my ,trunnion turn-table telescope for exhibition at a lecture at the ,royal ,institution1 given by my old friend ,edward ,cowper4 ,in the model ,i had placed a neat little figure of the observer1 but the head had unfortunately been broken off during its carriage to ,london4 ,mrs4 ,nasmyth had made the wearing apparel2 but ,edward ,cowper wrote to her1 before the lecture1 that he had put ,sir ,fireside ,brick all to rights in respect of his garb4 ,his letter after the lecture was quite characteristic4 ,the lecture1 he said1 went off very well last night4 ,all the models performed their duty1 and were duly applauded for doing so4 ,my new equatorial was approved of by astronomers and by instrument-makers4 ,the last gun ,i fired was a howitzer1 but mounted swivel-gun fashion2 on a sort of revolving platform1 or something like a turn-table proper --the gunner at the side of the carriage4 ,do you know anything of the kind8 ,bang6 ,invented by one ,nasmyth4 ,bang6 ,the observer is sitting at ease2 the stars are brought down to you instead of your creeping up a scaffolding after the stars4 ,well1 the folks came to the table after the lecture1 and ',the ,nasmyth ,telescope' kept banging away for a quarter of an hour1 and was admired by everybody4 ,the loss of light was not much insisted on1 but it was said that you ran the risk of error of form in three surfaces instead of two4 ,i see that ,sir ,j4 ,south states that ,lord ,rosse would increase the light of his telescope from five to seven by adopting ,herschel's plan4 ,de ,la ,rue was quite delighted4 ,he said1 ',well1 ,i congratulate you on a most splendid lecture--,i cannot call it anything else4' ,my father1 who takes very little interest in these things1 said1 ',well1 ,edward has made me understand more about telescopes than ,i ever did in my life4' ,the theatre was full1 gallery and all4 ,they were very attentive1 and ,i never felt more comfortable in a lecture4 ,i am happy to say that1 having administered a dose of cement to ,mrs4 ,nasmyth's friend1 ,sir ,fireside ,brick of ,green ,lanes1 he is now in a convalescent state4 ,the lecture is to be repeated in another fortnight4 ,with many thanks for your kind assistance1 yours very sincerely1 ,,edward ,,cowper4 ,in the course of my astronomical inquiries ,i had occasion to consider the causes of the sun's light4 ,i observed the remarkable phenomena of the variable and some times transitory brightness of the stars4 ,in connection with geology1 there was the evidence of an arctic or glacial climate in regions where such cannot now naturally exist2 thus giving evidence of the existence of a condition of climate1 for the explanation of which we look in vain for any at present known cause4 ,i wrote a paper on the subject1 which ,i sent to the ,astronomical ,society4 ,it was read in ,may #ahea4 ,in that paper ,i wrote as follows3 ,a course of observations on the solar spots1 and on the remarkable features which from time to time appear on the sun's surface1 which ,i have examined with considerable assiduity for several years1 had in the first place led me to entertain the following conclusion3 namely1 that whatever be the nature of solar light1 its main source appears to result from an action induced on the exterior surface of solar sphere1-- a conclusion in which ,i doubt not all who have attentively pursued observations on the structure of the sun's surface will agree4 ,impressed with the correctness of this conclusion1 ,i was led to consider whether we might not reasonably consider the true source of the latent element of light to reside1 not in the solar orb1 but in space itself2 and that the grand function and duty of the sun was to act as an agent for bringing forth into vivid existence its due portion of the illuminating or luciferous element1 which element ,i suppose to be diffused throughout the boundless regions of space1 and which in that case must be exhaustless4 ,assuming1 therefore1 that the sun's light is the result of some peculiar action by which it brings forth into visible existence the element of light1 which ,i conceive to be latent in1 and diffused throughout space1 we have but to imagine the existence of a very probable condition1 namely1 the unequal diffusion of this light-yielding element1 to catch a glimpse of a reason why our sun may1 in common with his solar brotherhood1 in some portions of his vast stellar orbit1 have passed1 and may yet have to pass1 through regions of space1 in which the light-yielding element may either abound or be deficient1 and so cause him to beam forth with increased splendour1 or fade in brilliancy1 just in proportion to the richness or poverty of this supposed light-yielding element as may occur in those regions of space through which our sun1 in common with every stellar orb1 has passed1 is now passing1 or is destined to pass1 in following up their mighty orbits4 ,once admit that this light-yielding element resides in space1 and that it is not equally diffused1 we may then catch a glimpse of the cause of the variable and transitory brightness of stars1and more especially of those which have been known to beam forth with such extraordinary splendour1 and have again so mysteriously faded away2 many instances of which abound in historical record4 ,finally1 in reference to such a state of change having come over our sun1 as indicated by the existence of a glacial period1 as is now placed beyond doubt by geological research1 it appears to me no very wild stretch of analogy to suppose that in such former periods of the earth's history our sun may have passed through portions of his stellar orbit in which the light-yielding element was deficient1 and in which case his brilliancy would have suffered the while1 and an arctic climate in consequence spread from the poles towards the equator1 and thus leave the record of such a condition in glacial handwriting on the everlasting walls of our mountain ravines1 of which there is such abundant and unquestionable evidence4 ,as before said1 it is the existence of such facts as we have in stars of transitory brightness1 and the above named evidence of an arctic climate existing in what are now genial climates1 that renders some adequate cause to be looked for4 ,i have accordingly hazarded the preceding remarks as suggestive of a cause1 in the hope that the subject may receive that attention which its deep interest entitles it to obtain4 ,this view of the source of light1 as respects the existence of the luciferous element throughout space1 accords with the ,mosaic account of creation1 in so far as that light is described as having been created in the first instance before the sun was called forth4 ,dr ,siemens read a paper before the ,royal ,society in ,march #ahhb1 on ,a ,new ,theory of the ,sun4 ,his views in many respects coincided with mine499 footnote444 ,interstellar space1 according to ,dr4 ,siemens1 is filled with attenuated matter1 consisting of highly rarefied gaseous bodies-- including hydrogen1 oxygen1 nitrogen1 carbon1 and aqueous vapour2 that these gaseous compounds are capable of being dissociated by radiant solar energy while in a state of extreme attenuation2 and that the vapours so dissociated are drawn towards the sun in consequence of solar rotation1 are flashed into flame in the photosphere1 and rendered back into space in the condition of products of combustion4 ,with respect to the influence of the sun's light on geology1 ,dr4 ,siemens says3 ,the effect of this continuous outpour of solar materials could not be without very important influences as regards the geological conditions of our earth4 ,geologists have long acknowledged the difficulty of accounting for the amount of carbonic acid that must have been in our atmosphere at one time or another in order to form with lime those enormous beds of dolomite and limestone of which the crust of our earth is in great measure composed4 ,it has been calculated that if this carbonic acid had been at one and the same time in our atmosphere it would have caused an elastic pressure fifty times that of our present atmosphere2 and if we add the carbonic acid that must have been absorbed in vegetation in order to form our coal-beds we should probably have to double that pressure4 ,animal life1 of which we had abundant traces in these 'measures1' could not have existed under such conditions1 we are almost forced to the conclusion that the carbonic acid must have been derived from an external source4 444 ,soon after my paper was read1 ,lord ,murray of ,henderland1 an old friend1 then a ,judge on the ,scottish ,bench1 wrote to me as follows3 --,i shall be much obliged to you for a copy1 if you have a spare one1 of your printed note on ,light4 ,it is expressed with great clearness and brevity4 ,if you wish to have a quotation for it1 you may have recourse to the blind ,milton1 who has expressed your views in his address to ,light3 -- ',hail1 holy ,light6 offspring of heaven first-born ,or of the ,eternal co-eternal beam ,may ,i express thee unblamed8 since ,god is light1 ,and never but in unapproached light ,dwelt from eternity--dwelt then in thee1 ,bright effluence of bright essence increate6' ,about the same time ,sir ,thomas ,mitchell1 ,surveyor ,general of ,australia1 communicated his notions on the subject4 ,my dear ,sir1 he wrote1 ,your kind and valuable communications are as welcome to me as the sun's light1 and ,i now thank you most gratefully for the last1 with its two enclosures4 ,these1 and especially your views as to the source of light1 afford me new scope for satisfactory thinking--a sort of treasure one can always carry about1 and1 unlike other treasures1 is most valuable in the solitude of a desert4 ,the beauty of your theory as to the nature of the source of light is1 that it rather supports all preconceived notions respecting the soul1 heaven1 and an immortal state4 ,i still continued the study of astronomy4 ,the sun1 moon1 and planets yielded to me an inexhaustible source of delight4 ,i gazed at them with increasing wonder and awe4 ,among the glorious objects which the telescope reveals1 the most impressive is that of the starry heavens in a clear dark night4 ,when ,i directed my #bj-;inch reflecting telescope almost at random to any part of the firmament1 especially to any portion of the ,milky ,way1 the sight of myriads of stars brought into view within the field of the eye-piece was overpoweringly sublime4 ,when it is considered that every one of these stars which so bewilderingly crowd the field of vision is1 according to rational probability1 and1 ,i might even say1 absolute certainty1 are ,suns as vast in magnitude as that which gives light to our globe1 and yet situated so inconceivably deep in the abyss of space as to appear minute points of light even to the most powerful telescope1 it will be felt what a sublime subject appears before us4 ,turn the telescope to any part of the heavens1 it is the same4 ,let us suppose ourselves perched upon the farthest star which we are enabled to see by the aid of the most powerful telescope4 ,there1 too1 we should see countless myriads of ,suns1 rolling along in their appointed orbits1 and thus on and on throughout eternity4 ,what an idea of the limitless extent of ,creative ,power--filling up infinite space with the evidences of ,his ,almighty ,presence6 ,the human mind feels its utter impotency in endeavouring to grasp such a subject4 ,i also turned my attention to the microscope4 ,in #ahea ,i examined1 by the aid of this instrument1 the infusoria in the ,bridgewater ,canal4 ,i found twenty-seven of them1 of the most varied form1 colour1 and movements4 ,this was almost as remarkable a revelation as the mighty phenomena of the heavens4 ,i found these living things moving about in the minutest drop of water4 ,the sight of the wonderful range of creative power--from the myriads of suns revealed by the telescope1 to the myriads of moving organisms revealed by the microscope--filled me with unutterably devout wonder and awe4 ,moreover1 it seemed to me to confer a glory even upon the instruments of human skill1 which elevated man to the ,unseen and the ,divine4 ,when we examine the most minute organisms1 we find clear evidence in their voluntary powers of motion that these creatures possess a will1 and that such ,will must be conveyed by a nervous system of an infinitesimally minute description4 ,when we follow out such a train of thought1 and contrast the myriads of suns and planets at one extreme1 with the myriads of minute organised atoms at the other1 we cannot but feel inexpressible wonder at the transcendent range of ,creative ,power4 ,shortly after1 ,i sent to the ,royal ,astronomical ,society a paper on another equally wonderful subject1 ,the ,rotatory ,movements of the ,celestial ,bodies4 ,as the paper is not very long1 and as ,i endeavoured to illustrate my ideas in a familiar manner1 ,i may here give it entire3 ,what first set me thinking on this subject was the endeavour to get at the reason of why water in a basin acquires a rotatory motion when a portion of it is allowed to escape through a hole in the bottom4 ,every well-trained philosophical judgment is accustomed to observe illustrations of the most sublime phenomena of creation in the most minute and familiar operations of the ,creator's laws1 one of the most characteristic features of which consists in the absolute and wonderful integrity maintained in their action whatsoever be the range as to magnitude or distance of the objects on which they operate4 ,for instance1 the minute particles of dew which whiten the grass-blade in early morn are moulded into spheres by the identical law which gives to the mighty sun its globular form6 ,let us pass from the rotation of water in a basin to the consideration of the particles of a nebulous mass just summoned into existence by the fiat of the ,creator--the law of gravitation coexisting4 ,the first moment of the existence of such a nebulous mass would be inaugurated by the election of a centre of gravity1 and1 instantly after1 every particle throughout the entire mass of such nebulae would tend to and converge towards that centre of gravity4 ,now let us consider what would be the result of this4 ,it appears to me that the inevitable consequence of the convergence of the particles towards the centre of gravity of such a nebulous mass would not only result in the formation of nucleus1 but by reason of the physical impossibility that all the converging particles should arrive at the focus of convergence in directions perfectly radial and diametrically opposite to each other1 however slight the degree of deviation from the absolute diametrically opposite direction in which the converging particles coalesce at the focus of attraction1 a twisting action would result1 and ,rotation ensue1 which1 once engendered1 be its intensity ever so slight1 from that instant forward the nucleus would continue to revolve1 and all the particles which its attraction would subsequently cause to coalesce with it1 would do so in directions tangential to its surface1 and not diametrically towards its centre4 ,in due course of time the entire of the remaining nebulous mass would become affected with rotation from the more rapidly moving centre1 and would assume what appears to me to be their inherent normal condition1 namely1 spirality1 as the prevailing character of their structure2 and as that is actually the aspect which may be said to characterise the majority of those marvellous nebulae1 as revealed to us by ,lord ,rosse's magnificent telescope1 ,i am strongly impressed with the conviction that such reasons as ,i have assigned have been the cause of their spiral aspect and arrangement4 ,and by following up the same train of reasoning1 it appears to me that we may catch a glimpse of the primeval cause of the rotation of every body throughout the regions of space1 whether they be nebulae1 stars1 double stars1 or planetary systems4 ,the primary cause of rotation which ,i have endeavoured to describe in the preceding remarks is essentially cosmical1 and is the direct and immediate offspring of the action of gravitation on matter in a diffused1 nebulous1 and1 as such1 highly mobile condition4 ,it will be obvious that in the case of a nebulous mass1 whose matter is unequally distributed1 that in such a case several sub-centres of gravity would be elected1 that is to say1 each patch of nebulous matter would have its own centre of gravity2 but these in their turn subordinate to that of the common centre of gravity of the whole system1 about which all such outlaying parts would revolve4 ,each of the portions above alluded to would either be attracted by the superior mass1 and pass in towards it as a wisp of nebulous matter1 or else establish perfect individual and distinct rotation within itself1 and finally revolve about the great common centre of gravity of the whole4 ,bearing this in mind1 and referring to some of the figures of the marvellous spiral nebulae which ,lord ,rosse's telescope has revealed to us1 ,i shall now bring these suggestions to a conclusion4 ,i have avoided expanding them to the extent ,i feel the subject to be worthy and capable of2 but ,i trust such as ,i have offered will be sufficient to convey a pretty clear idea of my views on this sublime subject1 which ,i trust may receive the careful consideration its nature entitles it to4 ,let any one carefully reflect on the reason why water assumes a rotatory motion when a portion of it is permitted to escape from an aperture in the bottom of the circular vessel containing it2 if they will do so in the right spirit1 ,i am fain to think they will arrive at the same conclusion as the contemplation of this familiar phenomenon has brought me to4 ,,bridgewater ,,foundary1 ,june #g1 #ahee4 ,i was present at a meeting of the ,geological ,society at ,manchester in #ahec1 in the discussions of which ,i took part4 ,i was much impressed by an address of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,vaughan 7then ,principal of the ,independent ,college at ,manchester71 which is as interesting now as it was then4 ,after referring to the influence which geological changes had produced upon the condition of nations1 and the moral results which oceans1 mountains1 islands1 and continents have had upon the social history of man1 he went on to say3 ,is not this island of ours indebted to these great causes8 ,oh1 that blessed geological accident that broke up a strait between ,calais and ,dover6 ,it looks but a little thing2 it was a matter to take place2 but how mighty the moral results upon the condition and history of this country1 and1 through this country's influence1 upon humanity6 ,bridge over the space between1 and you have directly the huge continental barrack-yard system all over ,england4 ,and once get into the condition of a great continental military power1 and you get the arbitrary power2 you cramp down the people1 and you unfit them from being what they ought to be--,,free ,and all the good influences together at work in this country could not have secured us against this1 but for that blessed separation between this ,isle and the ,continent4 ,in #ahec ,i was appointed a member of the ,small ,arms ,committee for the purpose of re-modelling and1 in fact1 re-establishing the ,small ,arms ,factory at ,enfield4 ,the wonderful success of the needle gun in the war between ,prussia and ,denmark in #ahdh occasioned some alarm amongst our military authorities as to the state of affairs at home4 ,the ,duke of ,wellington to the last proclaimed the sufficiency of ,brown ,bess as a weapon of offence and defence2 but matters could no longer be deferred4 ,the ,united ,states ,government1 though possessing only a very small standing army1 had established at ,springfield a small arms factory1 where1 by the use of machine tools specially designed to execute with the most unerring precision all the details of muskets and rifles1 they were enabled to dispense with mere manual dexterity1 and to produce arms to any amount4 ,it was finally determined to improve the musketry and rifle systems of the ,english army4 ,the ,government resolved to introduce the ,american system1 by which ,arms might be produced much more perfectly1 and at a great diminution of cost4 ,it was under such circumstances that the ,small ,arms ,committee was appointed4 ,colonel ,colt had brought to ,england some striking examples of the admirable machine tools used at ,springfield1 and he established a manufactory at ,pimlico for the production of his well-known revolvers4 ,the committee resolved to make a personal visit to the ,united ,states ,factory at ,springfield4 ,my own business engagements at home prevented me accompanying the members who were selected2 but as my friend ,john ,anderson 7now ,sir ,john71 acted as their guide1 the committee had in him a most able and effective helper4 ,he directed their attention to the most important and available details of that admirable establishment4 ,the ,united ,states ,government acted most liberally in allowing the committee to obtain every information on the subject2 and the heads of the various departments1 who were intelligent and zealous1 rendered them every attention and civility4 ,the members of the mission returned home enthusiastically delighted with the results of their inquiry4,the committee immediately proceeded with the entire re-modelling of the ,small ,arms ,factory at ,enfield4 ,the workshops were equipped with a complete series of special machine tools1 chiefly obtained from the ,springfield factory4 ,the ,united ,states ,government also permitted several of their best and workman and superintendents to take service under the ,english ,government4 ,such was the origin of the ,enfield rifle4 ,the weapon came as near to absolute perfection as possible1 ,it was perfect in action1 durable and excellent in every respect even in it's conversion to the breechloader it is still one of the best weapons4 ,it is impossible to give too much praise to ,sir ,john ,anderson and ,colonel ,dixon for the untiring and intelligent zeal with which they carried out the plans1 as well as for the numerous improvements which they introduced4 ,these have rendered the ,enfield ,small ,arms ,factory one of the most perfect and best regulated establishments in the kingdom4 ,,chapter #bj4 ,retirement from ,business4 ,i had been for some time contemplating the possibility of retiring altogether from business4 ,i had got enough of the world's goods1 and was willing to make way for younger men4 ,but ,i found it difficult to break loose from old associations4 ,like the retired tallow-chandler1 ,i might wish to go back on melting days4 ,i had some correspondence with my old friend ,david ,roberts1 ,royal ,academician1 on the subject4 ,he wrote to me on the #b;d ,june #ahec1 and said3 ,i rejoice to learn1 from the healthy tone that breathes throughout your epistle1 that you are as happy as every one who knows you wishes you to be1 and as prosperous as you deserve4 ,knowing1 also1 as ,i do1 your feeling for art and all that tends to raise and dignify man1 ,i most sincerely congratulate you on the prospect of your being able to retire1 in the full vigour of manhood1 to follow out that sublime pursuit1 in comparison with which the painter's art is but a faint glimmering4 ',the ,landscape of other worlds' you alone have sketched for us1 and enlightened us on that with which the ancient world but gazed upon and worshipped in the symbol of ,astarte1 ,isis1 and ,diana4 ,we are matter-of-fact now1 and have outlived childhood4 ,what say you to a photograph of those wonderful drawings8 ,it may come to that499 footnote444 ,it did indeed come to that1 for ,i shortly after learned the art of photography1 chiefly for this special purpose4 444 ,but ,i had something else yet to do in my special vocation4 ,in #ahed ,i took out a patent for puddling iron by means of steam4 ,many of my readers may not know that cast-iron is converted into malleable iron by the process called puddling4 ,the iron1 while in a molten state1 is violently stirred and agitated by a stiff iron rod1 having its end bent like a hoe or flattened hook1 by which every portion of the molten metal is exposed to the oxygen of the air1 and the supercharge of carbon which the cast iron contains is thus burnt out4 ,when this is effectually done the iron becomes malleable and weldable4 ,this state of the iron is indicated by a general loss of fluidity1 accompanied by a tendency to gather together in globular masses4 ,the puddler1 by his dexterous use of the end of the rabbling bar1 puts the masses together1 and1 in fact1 welds the new-born particles of malleable iron into puddle-balls of about three-quarters of a hundredweight each4 ,these are successively removed from the pool of the puddling furnace1 and subjected to the energetic blows of the steam hammer1 which drives out all the scoriae lurking within the spongy puddle-balls1 and thus welds them into compact masses of malleable iron4 ,when reheated to a welding heat1 they are rolled out into flat bars or round rods1 in a variety of sizes1 so as to be suitable for the consumer4 ,the manual and physical labour of the puddler is tedious1 fatiguing1 and unhealthy4 ,the process of puddling occupies about an hour's violent labour1 and only robust young men can stand the fatigue and violent heat4 ,i had frequent opportunities of observing the labour and unhealthiness of the process1 as well as the great loss of time required to bring it to a conclusion4 ,it occurred to me that much of this could be avoided by employing some other means for getting rid of the superfluous carbon1 and bringing the molten cast-iron into a malleable condition4 ,the method that occurred to me was the substitution of a small steam pipe in the place of the puddler's rabbling bar4 ,by having the end of this steam pipe bent downwards so as to reach the bottom of the pool1 and then to discharge a current of steam beneath the surface of the molten cast iron1 ,i thought that ,i should by this simple means supply a most effective carbon-oxidating agent1 at the same time that ,i produced a powerful agitating action within the pool4 ,thus the steam would be decomposed and supply oxygen to the carbon of the cast-iron1 while the mechanical action of the rush of steam upwards would cause so violent a commotion throughout the pool of melted iron as to exceed the utmost efforts of the labour of the puddler4 ,all the gases would pass up the chimney of the puddling furnace1 and the puddler would not be subject to their influence4 ,such was the method specified in my patent of l#hed99 footnote444 ,specification of ,james ,nasmyth--,employment of steam in the process of puddling iron4 ,may #d1 #ahed2 ,no4 #ajja4 444 ,my friend1 ,thomas ,lever ,rushton1 proprietor of the ,bolton ,ironworks1 was so much impressed with the soundness of the principle1 as well as with the great simplicity of carrying the invention into practical effect1 that he urged me to secure the patent1 and he soon after gave me the opportunity of trying the process at his works4 ,the results were most encouraging4 ,there was a great saving of labour and time compared with the old puddling process2 and the malleable iron produced was found to be of the highest order as regarded strength1 toughness1 and purity4 ,my process was soon after adopted by several iron manufacturers with equally favourable results4 ,such1 however1 was the energy of the steam1 that unless the workmen were most careful to regulate its force and the duration of its action1 the waste of iron by undue oxidation was such as in a great measure to neutralise its commercial gain as regarded the superior value of the malleable iron thus produced4 ,before ,i had time or opportunity to remove this commercial difficulty1 ,mr4 ,bessemer had secured his patent of the l#gth of ,october1 #ahee4 ,by this patent he employed a blast of air to do the same work as ,i had proposed to accomplish by means of a blast of steam1 forced up beneath the surface of the molten cast iron4 ,he added some other improvements1 with that happy fertility of invention which has always characterised him4 ,the results were so magnificently successful as to totally eclipse my process1 and to cast it comparatively into the shade4 ,at the same time ,i may say that ,i was in a measure the pioneer of his invention1 that ,i initiated a new system1 and led to one of the most important improvements in the manufacture of iron and steel that has ever been given to the world4 ,mr4 ,bessemer brought the subject of his invention before the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,cheltenham in the autumn of #ahef4 ,there he read his paper ,on the ,manufacture of ,iron into ,steel without ,fuel499 footnote444 ,on the morning of the day on which the paper was to be read1 ,mr4 ,bessemer was sitting at breakfast at his hotel1 when an ironmaster 7to whom he was unknown7 said1 laughing1 to a friend within his hearing1 ,do you know that there is somebody come down from ,london to read us a paper on making steel from cast iron without fuel8 ,did you ever hear of such nonsense8 ,the title of the paper was perhaps a misnomer1 but the correctness of the principles on which the pig iron was converted into malleable iron1 as explained by the inventor1 was generally recognised1 and there seemed every reason to anticipate that the process would before long come into general use4 444 ,i was present on the occasion1 and listened to his statement with mingled feelings of regret and enthusiasm--of regret1 because ,i had been so clearly superseded and excelled in my performances2 and of enthusiasm--because ,i could not but admire and honour the genius who had given so great an invention to the mechanical world4 ,i immediately took the opportunity of giving my assent to the principles which he had propounded4 ,my words were not reported at the time1 nor was ,mr4 ,bessemer's paper printed by the ,association1 perhaps because it was thought of so little importance but1 on applying to ,mr4 7now ,sir ,henry7 ,bessemer1 he was so kind as to give me the following as his recollection of the words which ,i used on the occasion4 ,i shall ever feel grateful1 says ,sir ,henry1 for the noble way in which you spoke at the meeting at ,cheltenham of my invention4 ,if ,i remember rightly1 you held up a piece of my malleable iron1 saying words to this effect3 ',here is a true ,british nugget6 ,here is a new process that promises to put an end to all puddling2 and ,i may mention that at this moment there are puddling furnaces in successful operation where my patent hollow steam ,rabbler is at work1 producing iron of superior quality by the introduction of jets of steam in the puddling process4 ,i do not1 however1 lay any claim to this invention of ,mr4 ,bessemer2 but ,i may fairly be entitled to say that ,i have advanced along the road on which he has travelled so many miles1 and has effected such unexpected results that ,i do not hesitate to say that ,i may go home from this meeting and tear up my patent1 for my process of puddling is assuredly superseded4' ,after giving an account of the true origin of his process1 in which he had met with failures as well as successes1 but at last recognised the decarburation of pig iron by atmospheric air1 ,sir ,henry proceeds to say3 ,i prepared to try another experiment1 in a crucible having no hole the the bottom1 but which was provided with an iron pipe put through a hole in the cover1 and passing down nearly to the bottom of the crucible4 ,the small lumps and grains of iron were packed around fit1 so as nearly to fill the crucible4 ,a blast of air was to be forced down the pipe so as to rise up among the pieces of granular iron and partially decarburise them4 ,the pipe could then be withdrawn1 and the fire urged until the metal with its coat of oxyde was fused1 and cast steel thereby produced4 ,while the blowing apparatus for this experiment was being fitted up1 ,i was taken with one of those short but painful illnesses to which ,i was subject at that time4 ,i was confined to my bed1 and it was then that my mind1 dwelling for hours together on the experiment about to be made1 suggested that instead of trying to decarburise the granulated metal by forcing the air down the vertical pipe among the pieces of iron1 the air would act much more energetically and more rapidly if ,i first melted the iron in the crucible1 and forced the air down the pipe below the surface of the fluid metal1 and thus burn out the carbon and silicum which it contained4 ,this appeared so feasible1 and in every way so great an improvement1 that the experiment on the granular pieces was at once abandoned1 and1 as soon as ,i was well enough1 ,i proceeded to try the experiment of forcing the air under the fluid metal4 ,the result was marvellous4 ,complete decarburation was effected in half an hour4 ,the heat produced was immense1 but1 unfortunately more than half the metal was blown out of the pot4 ,this led to the use of pots with large hollow perforated covers1 which effectually prevented the loss of metal4 ,these experiments continued from ,january to ,october #ahee4 ,i have by me on the mantelpiece at this moment1 a small piece of rolled bar iron which was rolled at ,woolwich arsenal1 and exhibited a year later at ,cheltenham4 ,i then applied for a patent1 but before preparing my provisional specification 7dated ,october #ag1 #ahee71 ,i searched for other patents to ascertain whether anything of the sort had been done before4 ,i then found your patent for puddling with the steam rabble1 and also ,martin's patent for the use of steam in gutters while molten iron was being conveyed from the blast furnace to a finery1 there to be refined in the ordinary way prior to puddling4 ,i then tried steam in my cast steel process1 alone1 and also mixed with air4 ,i found that it cooled the metal very much1 and of itself could not be used1 as it always produced solidification4 ,i was nevertheless advised to claim the use of steam as well as air in my particular process 7lest it might be used against me71 at the same time disclaiming its employment for any purpose except in the production of fluid malleable iron or steel4 ,and ,i have no doubt it is to this fact that ,i referred when speaking to you on the occasion you mention4 ,i have deemed it best that the exact truth--so far as a short history can give it--should be given at once to you1 who are so true and candid4 ,had it not been for you and ,martin ,i should probably never have proposed the use of steam in my process1 but the use of air came by degrees1 just in the way ,i have described4 ,it was thoroughly consistent with ,mr4 ,bessemer's kindly feelings towards me1 that1 after our meeting at ,cheltenham1 he made me an offer of one-third share of the value of his patent4 ,this would have been another fortune to me4 ,but ,i had already made money enough4 ,i was just then taking down my signboard and leaving business4 ,i did not need to plunge into any such tempting enterprise1 and ,i therefore thankfully declined the offer4 ,many long years of pleasant toil and exertion had done their work4 ,a full momentum of prosperity had been given to my engineering business at ,patricroft4 ,my share in the financial results accumulated with accelerated rapidity to an amount far beyond my most sanguine hopes4 ,but finding1 from long continued and incessant mental efforts1 that my nervous system was beginning to become shaken1 especially in regard to an affection of the eyes1 which in some respects damaged my sight1 ,i thought the time had arrived for me to retire from commercial life4 ,some of my friends advised me to slack off1 and not to retire entirely from ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,but to do so was not in my nature4 ,i could not be indifferent to any concern in which ,i was engaged4 ,i must give my mind and heart to it as before4 ,i could not give half to leisure1 and half to business4 ,i therefore concluded that a final decision was necessary4 ,fortunately ,i possessed an abundant and various stock of hobbies4 ,i held all these in reserve to fall back upon4 ,they would furnish me with an almost inexhaustible source of healthy employment4 ,they might give me occupation for mind and body as long as ,i lived4 ,i bethought me of the lines of ,burns3 ,wi' steady aim some ,fortune chase2 ,keen hope does ev'ry sinew brace2 ,thro' fair1 thro' foul1 they urge the race1 ,and seize the prey3 ,then cannie1 in some cosy place1 ,they close the day4 ,it was no doubt a great sorrow for me and my dear wife to leave the ,home in which we had been so happy and prosperous for so many years4 ,it was a cosy little cottage at ,patricroft4 ,we had named it ,fireside4 ,it was small1 but suitable for our requirements4 ,we never needed to enlarge it1 for we had no children to accommodate4 ,it was within five minutes' walk of the ,foundry1 and ,i was scarcely ever out of reach of the ,fireside1 where we were both so happy4 ,it had been sanctified by our united love for thirteen years4 ,it was surrounded by a nice garden1 planted with trees and shrubs4 ,though close to the ,bridgewater ,canal1 and a busy manufacturing population was not far off1 the cottage was perfectly quiet4 ,it was in this garden1 when ,i was arranging the telescope at night1 that ,i had been detected by the passing boatman as ,the ,patricroft ,ghost ,when we were about to leave ,patricroft1 the ,countess of ,ellesmere1 who1 as well as the ,earl1 had always been our attached friends1 wrote to my wife as follows3 ,i can well understand ,mr4 ,nasmyth's satisfaction at the emancipation he looks forward to in ,december next4 ,but ,i hope you do not expect us to share it6 for what is so much natural pleasure to you is a sad loss and privation to us4 ,i really don't know how we shall get on at ,worsley without you4 ,you have nevertheless my most sincere and hearty good wishes that the change may be as grateful to you both as anything in this world can be4 ,yet we had to tear ourselves away from this abode of peace and happiness4 ,i had given notice to my partner99 footnote444 ,the ,partner here referred to1 was my excellent friend ,henry ,garnett1 ,esq41 of ,wyre ,side1 near ,lancaster4 ,he had been my sleeping partner or ,co4 for nearly twenty years1 and the most perfect harmony always existed between us4 444 that it was my intention to retire from business at the end of #ahef4 ,the necessary arrangements were accordingly made for carrying on the business after my retirement4 ,all was pleasantly and satisfactorily settled several months before ,i finally left2 and the character and prosperity of the ,bridgewater ,foundry have been continued to the present day4 ,but where was ,i to turn to for a settled home8 ,many years before ,i had seen a charming picture by my brother ,patrick of ,a ,cottage in ,kent ,it took such a hold of my memory and imagination that ,i never ceased to entertain the longing and ambition to possess such a cottage as a cosy place of refuge for the rest of my life4 ,accordingly1 about six months before my final retirement1 ,i accompanied my wife in a visit to the south4 ,in the first place we made a careful selection from the advertisements in the ,times of desirable residences in ,kent4 ,one in particular appeared very tempting4 ,we set out to view it4 ,it seemed to embody all the conditions that we had pictured in our imagination as necessary to fulfil the idea of our ,cottage in ,kent4 ,it had been the property of ,f4 ,r4 ,lee1 the ,royal ,academician4 ,with a few alterations and additions it would entirely answer our purpose4 ,so we bought the property4 ,i may mention that when ,i retired from business1 and took out of it the fortune that had accumulated during my twenty-two years of assiduous attention and labour1 ,i invested the bulk of it in ,three per cent ,consols4 ,the rate of interest was not high1 but it was nevertheless secure4 ,high interest1 as every one knows1 means riskful security4 ,i desired to have no anxiety about the source of my income1 such as might hinder my enjoying the rest of my days in the active leisure which ,i desired4 ,i had for some time before my retirement been investing in consols1 which my dear wife termed the true antibilious stock1 and ,i have ever since had good reason to be satisfied with that safe and tranquillising investment4 ,all who value the health-conserving influence of the absence of financial worry will agree with me that this antibilious stock is about the best4 ,the ,cottage in ,kent was beautiful1 especially in its rural surroundings4 ,the view from it was charming1 and embodied all the attractive elements of happy-looking ,english scenery4 ,the noble old forest trees of ,penshurst ,park were close alongside1 and the grand old historic mansion of ,penshurst ,place was within a quarter of a mile's distance from our house4 ,there were many other beautiful parks and country residences in our neighbourhood2 the railway station1 which was within thirty-five minutes' pleasant walk1 enabling us to be within reach of ,london1 with its innumerable attractions1 in little more than an hour and a quarter4 ,six acres of garden-ground at first surrounded our cottage1 but these were afterwards expanded to sixteen2 and the whole was made beautiful by the planting of trees and shrubs over the grounds4 ,in all this my wife and myself took the greatest delight4 ,image ,hammerfield1 ,penshurst4 ,from my hereditary regard for hammers--two broken hammer-shafts being the crest of our family for hundreds of years--,i named the place ,hammerfield2 and so it remains to this day4 ,the improvements and additions to the house and the grounds were considerable4 ,a greenhouse was built1 #abj feet long by #cb feet wide4 ,roomy apartments were added to the house4 ,the trees and shrubs planted about the grounds were carefully selected4 ,the coniferae class were my special favourites4 ,i arranged them so that their natural variety of tints should form the most pleasing contrasts4 ,in this respect ,i introduced the beech-tree with the happiest effect4 ,it is bright green in spring1 and in the autumn it retains its beautiful ruddy-tinted leaves until the end of winter1 when they are again replaced by the new growth4 ,the warm tint of the beech contrasts beautifully with the bright green of the coniferae1 especially of the ,lawsoniania and the ,douglassi-- the latter being one of the finest accessions to our list of conifers4 ,it is graceful in form1 and perfectly hardy4 ,i also interspersed with these several birch-trees1 whose slender and graceful habit of growth forms so fine a contrast to the dense foliage of the conifers4 ,to thus paint1 as it were1 with trees1 is a high source of pleasure in gardening4 ,among my various enjoyments this has been about the greatest4 ,during the time that the alterations and enlargements were in progress we rented a house for six months at ,sydenham1 close to the beautiful grounds of the ,crystal ,palace4 ,this was a most happy episode in our lives1 for1 besides the great attractions of the place1 both inside and out1 there were the admirable orchestral daily concerts1 at which we were constant attendants4 ,we had the pleasure of listening to the noble compositions of the great masters of music1 the perfectly trained band being led by ,herr ,manns1 who throws so much of his fine natural taste and enthusiastic spirit into the productions as to give them every possible charm4 ,from a very early period of my life ,i have derived the highest enjoyment from listening to music1 especially to melody1 which is to me the most pleasing form of composition4 ,when ,i have the opportunity of listening to such kind of music1 it yields me enjoyment that transcends all others4 ,it suggests ideas1 and brings vividly before the mind's eye scenes that move the imagination4 ,this is1 to me1 the highest order of excellence in musical composition4 ,i used long ago1 and still continue1 to whistle a bit1 especially when engaged in some pleasant occupation4 ,i can draw from my mental repository a vast number of airs and certain bits of compositions that ,i had once heard4 ,i possess that important qualification for a musician--a good ear2 and ,i always worked most successfully at a mechanical drawing when ,i was engaged in whistling some favourite air4 ,the dual occupation of the brain had always the best results in the quick development of the constructive faculty4 ,and even in circumstances where whistling is not allowed ,i can think airs1 and enjoy them almost as much as when they are distinctly audible4 ,this power of the brain1 ,i am fain to believe1 indicates the natural existence of the true musical faculty4 ,but ,i had been so busy during the course of my life that ,i had never any opportunity of learning the practical use of any musical instrument4 ,and here ,i must leave this interesting subject4 ,so soon as ,i was in due possession of my house1 ,i had speedily transported thither all my art treasures--my telescopes1 my home stock of tools1 the instruments of my own construction1 made from the very beginning of my career as a mechanic1 and associated with the most interesting and active parts of my life4 ,i lovingly treasured them1 and gave them an honoured place in the workshop which ,i added to my residence4 ,there they are now1 and ,i often spend a busy and delightful hour in handling my tools4 ,it is curious how the mere sight of such objects brings back to the memory bygone incidents and recollections4 ,friends long dead seem to start up while looking at them4 ,you almost feel as if you could converse with the departed4 ,i do not know of anything so touchingly powerful in vividly bringing back the treasured incidents and memories of one's life as the sight of such humble objects4 ,every one has1 no doubt1 a treasured store of such material records of a well-remembered portion of his past life4 ,these strike1 as it were1 the keynote to thoughts that bring back in vivid form the most cherished remembrances of our lives4 ,on many occasions ,i have seen at sale rooms long treasured hoards of such objects thrown together in a heap as mere rubbish4 ,and yet these had been to some the sources of many pleasant thoughts and recollections1 ,but the last final break-up has come1 and the personal belongings of some departed kind heart are scattered far and wide4 ,these touching relics of a long life1 which had almost become part of himself1 are knocked down to the lowest class of bidders4 ,it is a sad sight to witness the uncared for dispersion of such objects--objects that had been lovingly stored up as the most valued of personal treasures4 ,i could have wished that1 as was the practice in remote antiquity1 such touching relics were buried with the dead1 as their most fitting repository4 ,then they might have left some record1 instead of being desecrated by the harpies who wait at sales for such job lots4 ,behold us1 then1 settled down at ,hammerfield for life4 ,we had plenty to do4 ,my workshop was fully equipped4 ,my hobbies were there1 and ,i could work them to my heart's content4 ,the walls of our various rooms were soon hung with pictures1 and other works of art1 suggestive of many pleasant associations of former days4 ,our library book-case was crowded with old friends1 in the shape of books that had been read and re-read many times1 until they had become almost part of ourselves4 ,old ,lancashire friends made their way to us when up in town1 and expressed themselves delighted with our pleasant house and its beautiful surroundings4 ,the continuous planting of the shrubs and trees gave us great pleasure4 ,those already planted had grown luxuriantly1 fed by the fertile soil and the pure air4 ,indeed1 in course of time they required the judicious use of the axe in order to allow the fittest to survive and grow at their own free will4 ,trees contrive to manage their own affairs without the necessity of much labour or interference4 ,the survival of the fittest prevails here as elsewhere4 ,it is always a pleasure to watch them4 ,there are many ordinary old-fashioned roadside flowering plants which ,i esteem for their vigorous beauty1 and ,i enjoy seeing them assume the careless grace of ,nature4 ,the greenhouse is also a source of pleasure1 especially to my dear wife4 ,it is full of flowers of all kinds1 of which she is devotedly fond4 ,they supply her with subjects for her brush or her needle4 ,she both paints them and works them by her needle in beautiful forms and groups4 ,this is one of her many favourite hobbies4 ,all this is suitable to our fireside employments1 and makes the days and the evenings pass pleasantly away4 ,,chapter #ba4 ,active leisure4 ,when ,james ,watt retired from business towards the close of his useful and admirable life1 he spoke to his friends of occupying himself with ingenious trifles1 and of turning some of his idle thoughts upon the invention of an arithmetical machine and a machine for copying sculpture4 ,these and other useful works occupied his attention for many years4 ,it was the same with myself4 ,i had good health 7which ,watt had not7 and abundant energy4 ,when ,i retired from business ,i was only forty-eight years old1 which may be considered the prime of life4 ,but ,i had plenty of hobbies1 perhaps the chief of which was ,astronomy4 ,no sooner had ,i settled at ,hammerfield than ,i had my telescopes brought out and mounted4 ,the fine clear skies with which we were favoured1 furnished me with abundant opportunities for the use of my instruments4 ,i began again my investigations on the ,sun and the ,moon1 and made some original discoveries1 of which more anon4 ,early in the year #aheh ,i received a pressing invitation from the ,council of the ,edinburgh ,philosophical ,society to give a lecture before their members on the ,structure of the ,lunar ,surface4 ,as the subject was a favourite one with me1 and as ,i had continued my investigations and increased my store of drawings since ,i had last appeared before an ,edinburgh audience1 ,i cheerfully complied with their request4 ,i accordingly gave my lecture before a crowded meeting in the ,queen ,street ,lecture ,hall4 ,the audience appeared to be so earnestly interested by the subject that ,i offered to appear before them on two successive evenings and give any viva voce explanations about the drawings which those present might desire4 ,this deviation from the formality of a regular lecture was attended with the happiest results4 ,edinburgh always supplies a highly-intelligent audience1 and the cleverest and brightest were ready with their questions4 ,i was thus enabled to elucidate the lecture and to expand many of the most interesting points connected with the moon's surface1 such as might formerly have appeared obscure4 ,these questioning lectures gave the highest satisfaction4 ,they satisfied myself as well as the audience1 who went away filled with the most graphic information ,i could give them on the subject4 ,but not the least interesting part of my visit to ,edinburgh on this occasion was the renewed intercourse which ,i enjoyed with many of my old friends4 ,among these were my venerable friend ,professor ,pillans1 ,charles ,maclaren 7editor of the ,scotsman71 and ,robert ,chambers4 ,we had a long dander together through the ,old ,town1 our talk being in broad ,scotch4 ,pillans was one of the fine old ,edinburgh ,liberals1 who stuck to his principles through good report and through evil4 ,in his position as ,rector of the ,high ,school1 he had given rare evidence of his excellence as a classical scholar4 ,he was afterwards promoted to be a ,professor in the ,university4 ,he had as his pupils some of the most excellent men of my time4 ,amongst his intimate friends were ,sydney ,smith1 ,brougham1 ,jeffrey1 ,cockburn--men who gave so special a character to the ,edinburgh society of that time4 ,we had a delightful stroll through some of the most remarkable parts of the ,old ,town1 with ,robert ,chambers as our guide4 ,we next mounted ,arthur's ,seat to observe some of the manifestations of volcanic action1 which had given such a remarkable structure to the mountain4 ,on this subject1 ,charles ,maclaren was one of the best living expounders4 ,he was an admirable geologist1 and had closely observed the features of volcanic action round his native city4 ,robert ,chambers then took us to see the glacial grooved rocks on another part of the mountain4 ,on this subject he was a master4 ,it was a vast treat to me to see those distinct evidences of actions so remotely separated in point of geological time--in respect to which even a million of years is a humble approximate unit99 footnote444 ,it is to our ever-dropping climate1 with its hundred and fifty-two days of annual rain1 that we owe our vegetable mould with its rich and beauteous mantle of sward and foliage4 ,and next1 stripping from off the landscape its sands and gravels1 we see its underlying boulder-clays1 dingy and gray1 and here presenting their vast ice-borne stones1 and there its iceberg pavements4 ,and these clays in turn stripped away1 the bare rocks appear1 various in colour and uneven in surface1 but everywhere grooved and polished1 from the sea level and beneath it1 to the height of more than a thousand feet1 by evidently the same agent that careered along the pavements and transported the great stones4 ,,hugh ,,miller',s ,geological ,features of ,edinburgh and its ,neighbourhood4 444 ,what a fine subject for a picture the group would have made6 with the great volcanic summit of the mountain behind1 the noble romantic city in the near distance1 and the animated intelligent countenaces of the demonstrators1 with the venerable ,pillans eagerly listening--for the ,professor was then in his eighty-eighth year4 ,i had the happiness of receiving a visit from him at ,hammerfield in the following year4 ,he was still hale and active2 and although ,i was comparatively a boy to him1 he was as bright and clear-headed as he had been forty years before4 ,in the course of the same year ,i accompanied my wife and my sister ,charlotte on a visit to the ,continent4 ,it was their first sojourn in foreign parts4 ,i was able1 in some respects1 to act as their guide4 ,our visit to ,paris was most agreeable4 ,during the three weeks we were there1 we visited the ,louvre1 the ,luxembourg1 ,versailles1 and the parts round about4 ,we made many visits to the ,hotel ,cluny1 and inspected its most interesting contents1 as well as the ,roman baths and that part of the building devoted to ,roman antiquities4 ,we were especially delighted with the apartments of the ,archbishop of ,paris1 now hung with fine old tapestry and provided with authentic specimens of mediaeval furniture4 ,the quaint old cabinets were beautiful studies2 and many artists were at work painting them in oil4 ,everything was in harmony4 ,when the sun shone in through the windows in long beams of coloured light1 illuminating portions of the antique furniture1 the pictures were perfect4 ,we were much interested also by the chapel in which ,mary ,queen of ,scots was married to the ,dauphin4 ,it is still in complete preservation4 ,the ,gothic details of the chapel are quite a study2 and the whole of these and the contents of this interesting ,museum form a school of art of the best kind4 ,from ,paris we paid a visit to ,chartres1 which contains one of the most magnificent cathedrals in ,france4 ,its dimensions are vast1 its proportions are elegant1 and its painted glass is unequalled4 ,nothing can be more beautiful than its three rose-windows4 ,but ,i am not writing a guide-book1 and ,i must forbear4 ,after a few days more at ,paris we proceeded south1 and visited ,lyons1 ,avignon1 and ,nismes1 on our way to ,marseilles4 ,i have already described ,nismes in my previous visit to ,france4 ,i revisited the ,roman amphitheatre1 the ,maison ,quarree1 that perfect ,roman temple1 which1 standing as it does in an open square1 is seen to full advantage4 ,we also went to see the magnificent ,roman aqueduct at ,pont du ,gard4 ,the sight of the noble structure well repays a visit4 ,it consists of three tiers of arches4 ,its magnitude1 the skilful fitting of its enormous blocks1 makes a powerful impression on the mind4 ,it has stood there1 in that solitary wooded valley1 for upwards of sixteen centuries2 and it is still as well fitted for conveying its aqueduct of water as ever4 ,i have seen nothing to compare with it1 even at ,rome4 ,it throws all our architectural buildings into the shade4 ,on our way back from ,marseilles to ,paris we visited ,grenoble and its surrounding beautiful ,alpine scenery4 ,then to ,chambery1 and afterwards to ,chamounix1 where we obtained a splendid view of ,mont ,blanc4 ,we returned home by way of ,geneva and ,paris1 vastly delighted with our most enjoyable journey4 ,i return to another of my hobbies4 ,i had an earnest desire to acquire the art and mystery of practical photography4 ,i bought the necessary apparatus1 together with the chemicals2 and before long ,i became an expert in the use of the positive and negative collodion process1 including the printing from negatives1 in all the details of that wonderful and delightful art4 ,to any one who has some artistic taste1 photography1 both in its interesting processes and glorious results1 becomes a most attractive and almost engrossing pursuit4 ,it is a delightful means of educating the eye for artistic feeling1 as well as of educating the hands in delicate manipulation4 ,i know of nothing equal to photography as a means of advancing one's knowledge in these respects4 ,i had long meditated a work ,on the ,moon1 and it was for this purpose more especially that ,i was earnest in endeavouring to acquire the necessary practical skill4 ,i was soon enabled to obtain photographic copies of the elaborate models of parts of the moon's1 surface1 which ,i had long before prepared4 ,these copies were hailed by the highest authorities in this special department of astronomical research as the best examples of the moon's surface which had yet been produced4 ,in reference to this subject1 as well as to my researches into the structure of the sun's surface1 ,i had the inestimable happiness of securing the friendship of that noble philosopher1 ,sir ,john ,herschel4 ,his visits to me1 and my visits to him1 have left in my memory the most cherished and happy recollections4 ,of all the scientific men ,i have had the happiness of meeting1 ,sir ,john stands supremely at the head of the list4 ,he combined profound knowledge with perfect humility4 ,he was simple1 earnest1 and companionable1 ,he was entirely free from assumptions of superiority1 and1 still learning1 would listen attentively to the humblest student4 ,he was ready to counsel and instruct1 as well as to receive information4 ,he would sit down in my workshop1 and see me go through the various technical processes of casting1 grinding1 and polishing specula for reflecting telescopes4 ,that was a pleasure to him1 and a vast treat to me4 ,i had been busily occupied for some time in making careful investigations into the dark spots upon the ,sun's surface4 ,these spots are of extraordinary dimensions1 sometimes more than #aj1jjj miles in diameter4 ,our world might be dropped into them4 ,i observed that the spots were sometimes bridged over by a streak of light1 formed of willow-leaf-shaped objects4 ,they were apparently possessed of voluntary motion1 and moved from one side of the spot to the other4 ,these flakes were evidently the immediate sources of the solar light and heat4 ,i wrote a paper on the subject1 which ,i sent to the ,literary and ,philosophical ,society of ,manchester499 footnote444 ,memoirs of the ,literary and ,philosophical ,society of ,manchester1 #c;d series1 vol4 i4 p4 #djg4 ,my first discovery of the ,willow-leaf objects on the ,sun's surface was made in ,june #ahfj4;,i afterwards obtained several glimpses of them from time to time4,but the occasions are very rare when the bright sun can be seen in a tranquil atmosphere free from vibrations1 and when the delicate objects on its surface can be clearly defined4 ,it was not until the #eth of ,june #ahfd that ,i obtained the finest sight of the ,sun's spots and the ,willow-leaf objects2 it was then that ,i made a careful drawing of them1 from which the annexed faithful engraving has been produced4 ,indeed ,i never had a better sight of this extraordinary aspect of the ,sun than on that day4 444 ,the results of my observations were of so novel a character that astronomers for some time hesitated to accept them as facts4 ,yet ,sir ,john ,herschel1 the chief of astronomers1 declared them to be a most wonderful discovery ,image ,group of sun spots as seen by ,james ,nasmyth1 #eth ,june #ahfd4 ,i received a letter from ,sir ,john1 dated ,collingwood1 #blst of ,may #ahfa1 in which he said3 ,i am very much obliged to you for your note1 and by the sight of your drawings1 which ,mr4 ,maclaren was so kind as to bring over here the other day4 ,i suppose there can be no doubt as to the reality of the willow-leaved flakes1 and in that case they certainly are the most marvellous phenomena that have yet turned up--had almost said in all ,nature--certainly in all ,astronomy4 ,what can they be8 ,are they huge phosphorised fishes8 ,if so1 what monsters6 ,or are they crystals8 a kind of igneous snow-flakes8 floating in a fluid of their own1 or very nearly their own1 specific gravity8 ,some kind of solidity or coherence they must have1 or they would not retain their shape in the violent movements of the atmosphere which the change of the spots indicate4 ,i observe that in the bridges all their axes have an approximate parallelism1 and that in the penumbra they are dispersed1 radiating from the inside and the outside of the spot1 giving rise to that striated appearance which is familiar to all observers of the spots4 ,i am very glad that you have pitched your tent in this part of the world1 and ,i only wish it were a little nearer4 ,you will anyhow have the advantage at ,penshurst of a much clearer atmosphere than in the north2 but here1 nearer the coast1 ,i think we are still better off4 ,mr4 ,maclaren holds out the prospect of our meeting you at ,pachley at no distant period1 and ,i hope you will find your way ere long to ,collingwood4 ,i have no instruments or astronomical apparatus to show you1 but a remarkably pretty country1 which is beginning to put on 7rather late7 its gala dress of spring8' ,sir ,john afterwards requested my permission to insert in his ,outlines of ,astronomy1 of which a new edition was about to appear1 a representation of the willow-leaved structure of the ,sun's surface1 --which had been published in the ,manchester transactions1--to which ,i gladly gave my assent4 ,sir ,john thus expresses himself on the subject3 --,the curious appearance of the 'pores' of the ,sun's surface has lately received a most singular and unexpected interpretation from the remarkable discovery of ,mr4 ,j4 ,nasmyth1 who1 from a series of observations made with a reflecting telescope of his own construction under very high magnifying powers1 and under exceptional circumstances of tranquillity and definition1 has come to the conclusion that these pores are the polygonal interstices between certain luminous objects of an exceedingly definite shape and general uniformity of size1 whose form 7at least as seen in projection in the central portions of the disc7 is that of the oblong leaves of a willow tree4 ,these cover the whole disc of the ,sun 7except in the space occupied by spots7 in countless millions1 and lie crossing each other in every imaginable direction4444 ,this most astonishing revelation has been confirmed to a certain considerable extent1 and with some modifications as to the form of the objects1 their exact uniformity of size and resemblance of figure1 by ,messrs4 ,de la ,rue1 ,pritchard and ,stone in ,england1 and ,m4 ,secchi in ,rome4 ,on the #beth of ,february #ahfd1 ,i received a communication from ,mr4 ,e4 ,j4 ,stone1 first assistant at the ,royal ,observatory1 ,greenwich4 ,the ,astronomer-,royal1 he said1 has placed in my hands your letter of ,february #bj4 ,your discovery of the 'willow leaves' on the ,solar photosphere having been brought forward at one of the late meetings of the ,royal ,astronomical ,society1 my attention was attracted to the subject4 ,at my request1 the ,astronomer-,royal ordered of ,mr4 ,j4 ,simms a reflecting eye-piece for our great equatorial4 ,the eye-piece was completed about the end of ,january last1 and at the first good opportunity ,i turned the telescope on the ,sun4 ,i may state that my impression was1 and it appears to have been the impression of several of the assistants here1 that the willow leaves stand out dark against the luminous photosphere4 ,on looking at the ,sun1 ,i was at once struck with the apparent resolvability of its mottled appearance4 ,the whole disc of the ,sun1 so far as ,i examined it1 appeared to be covered over with relatively bright rice-like particles1 and the mottled appearance seemed to be produced by the interlacing of these particles4 ,i could not observe any particular arrangement of the particles1 but they appeared to be more numerous in some parts than in others4 ,i have used the word 'rice-like' merely to convey a rough impression of their form4 ,i have seen them on two occasions since1 but not so well as on the first day1 when the definition was exceedingly good4 on the first day that ,i saw them ,i called ,mr ,dunkin's attention to them4 ,he appears to have seen them4 ,he says1 however1 that he should not have noticed them if his attention had not been called to them4 ,the ,astronomer ,royal1 in his report to the ,admiralty on my discovery1 said3 an examination of the ,sun's surface with the ,south-,east ,equatorial1 under favourable circumstances1 has convinced me of the accuracy of the description1 which compares it with interlacing willow leaves or rice grains4 ,in ,march #ahfd ,i received a letter from my friend ,de la ,rue1 dated from his observatory at ,cranford1 ,middlesex1 in which he said3 ,i like good honest doubting4 ,before ,i had seen with my own eyes your willow leaves1 ,i doubted their real existence1 but ,i did not doubt your having seen what you had drawn4 ,but when ,i actually saw them for the first time1 ,i could not restrain the exclamation1 ' ,why1 here are ,nasmyth's willow leaves6 ' ,it requires a very fine state of the atmosphere to permit of their being seen1 as ,i have seen them on three or four occasions1 when their substantial reality can no longer be doubted499 footnote444 ,let me give another letter from my friend1 dated the ,observatory1 ,cranford1 ,middlesex1 ,october #bf1 #ahfd4 ,he said3- ,i am quite pleased to learn that you like the large photograph4 ,the first given to my friend was destined for and sent to you4 ,no one has so great a claim on the fruit of my labours2 for you inoculated me with the love of star-gazing1 and gave me invaluable aid and advice in figuring specula4 ,i daresay you may remember the first occasion on which ,i saw a reflecting telescope1 which was then being tried on the sun in a pattern loft at ,patricroft4 ,you may also recall the volumes you wrote in answer to my troublesome questions4 ,yours very sincerely ,,warren ,,de ,,la ,,rue4 444 ,sir ,john ,herschel confirmed this information in a letter which ,i received from him in the following ,may4 ,he said that ,mr4 ,de la ,rue and a foreign gentleman1 ,hugo ,muller1 had been very successful in seeing and delineating the 'willow leaves' ,they are represented by ,mr4 ,m4 as packed together on the edge of a spot1 and appear rather like a bunch of bristles or thorns4 ,in other respects the individual forms agree very well with your delineations4 ,another observer had discovered a marvellous resemblance between the solar spots and the hollows left by the breaking and subsidence of bubbles1 which rise when oil varnish1 which has moisture in it1 is boiled1 and the streaky channels are left by the retiring liquid4 ,i cannot help1 adds ,sir ,john1 fancying a bare possibility of some upward outbreak1 followed by a retreat of some gaseous matter1 or some dilated portion of the general atmosphere struggling upwards1 and at the same time expanding outwards4 ,i can conceive of an up-surge of some highly compressed matter1 which relieved of pressure1 will dilate laterally and upwards to an enormous extent 7as ,poullett ,scrope supposes of his lavas full of compressed gases and steam71 producing the spots1 and1 in that case1 the furrows might equally well arise in the origination as in the closing in of a spot4 ,i had the honour and happiness of receiving a visit from ,sir ,john ,herschel at my house at ,hammerfield in the summer of #ahfd4 ,he was accompanied by his daughter4 ,they spent several days with us4 ,the weather was most enjoyable4 ,i had much conversation with ,sir ,john as to the ,sun spots and willow-leaf-shaped objects on the ,sun's surface1 as well as about my drawings of the ,moon4 ,i exhibited to him my apparatus for obtaining sound castings of specula for reflecting telescopes4 ,i compounded the alloy1 melted it1 and cast a #aj-;inch speculum on my peculiar common-sense system4 ,i introduced the molten alloy1 chilled it in a metal mould1 by which every chance of flaws and imperfections is obviated4 ,i also showed him the action and results of my machine1 by which ,i obtained the most exquisite polish and figure for the speculum4 ,sir ,john was in the highest degree cognisant of the importance of these details1 as contributing to the final excellent result4 ,it was therefore with great pleasure that ,i could exhibit these practical details before so competent a judge4 ,we had a great set-to one day in blowing iridescent soap bubbles from a mixture of soap and glycerine4 ,some of the bubbles were of about fifteen inches diameter4 ,by carefully covering them with a bell glass1 we kept them for about thirty-six hours1 while they went through their changes of brilliant colour1 ending in deep blue4 ,i contrived this method of preserving them by placing a dish of water below1 within the covering bell glass1 by means of which the dampness of the air prevented evaporation of the bubble4 ,this dodge of mine vastly delighted ,sir ,john1 as it allowed him to watch the exquisite series of iridescent tints at his tranquil leisure4 ,image ,from a photograph of the ,moon1 exhibiting the bright radial lines4 ,image ,glass globe cracked by internal pressure1 in illustration of the cause of the bright radial lines seen on the moon4 ,i had also the pleasure of showing him my experiment of cracking a glass globe filled with water and hermetically sealed4 ,the water was then slightly expanded1 on which the glass cracked4 ,this was my method of explaining the nature of the action which1 at some previous period of the cosmical history of the ,moon1 had produced those bright radiating lines that diverge from the lunar volcanic craters4 ,sir ,john expressed his delight at witnessing my practical illustration of this hitherto unexplained subject1 and he considered it quite conclusive4 ,i also produced my enlarged drawings of the ,moon's surface1 which ,i had made at the side of my telescope4 ,these greatly pleased him and he earnestly urged me to publish them1 accompanied with a descriptive account of the conclusions ,i had arrived at4 ,i then determined to proceed with the preparations which ,i had already made for my long contemplated work4 ,among the many things that ,i showed ,sir ,john while at ,hammerfield1 was a piece of white calico on which ,i had got printed one million spots4 footnote444 ,at a recent meeting of the ,metropolitan ,railway ,company ,i exhibited one million of letters1 in order to show the number of passengers 7thirty-seven millions7 that had been conveyed during the previous twelve months4 ,this number was so vast that my method only helped the meeting to understand what had been done in the way of conveyance4 ,mr4 ,macdonald of the ,times1 supplied me with one million type impressions1 contained in sixty average columns of the ,times newspaper4 444 ,this was for the purpose of exhibiting one million in visible form4 ,in astronomical subjects a million is a sort of unit1 and it occurred to me to show what a million really is4 ,sir ,john was delighted and astonished at the sight4 ,he went carefully over the outstretched piece with his rule1 measured its length and breath1 and verified its correctness4 ,i also exhibited to him a diagram1 which ,i had distributed amongst the geologists at the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,ipswich in #ahea1 showing a portion of the earth's curve1 to the scale of one-tenth of an inch to a mile4 ,i set out the height of ,mont ,blanc1 ,etna1 and also the depth of the deepest mine1 as showing the almost incredible minimum of knowledge we possess about even the merest surface of the globe4 ,this diagram was hailed by many as of much value1 as conveying a correct idea of the relative magnitude of geological phenomena in comparison with that of the earth itself3 ,on this subject ,sir ,thomas ,mitchell1 ,surveyor-,general of ,australia1 wrote to me at the time3 ,i will not obtrude upon you my crude notions of my own1 but merely say that you could not have sent the ',geological ,standard ,scale' to one who better deserved it1 if the claim in such favour is1 as ,i suppose1 to be estimated by the amount of the time of one whole life1 applied to the survey of great mountain ranges1 and coasts1 rivers1 etc4 ,by this long practice of mine1 you may know how appreciable this satisfactory standard scale is to your humble servant4 ,in the winter of #ahfe ,i visited ,italy4 ,while at ,rome1 in ,april1 ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,otto ,w4 von ,struve1 the celebrated ,russian astronomer4 ,he invited me to accompany him on a visit to ,father ,secchi at his fine observatory of the ,collegio ,romano4 ,i accepted the invitation with pleasure4 ,we duly reached the ,observatory when ,struve introduced me to the ,father4 ,secchi gave me a most cordial and unlooked-for welcome4 ,this1 he said1 is a most extraordinary interview2 as ,i am at this moment making a representation of your willow-leaf-shaped constituents of the ,solar surface6 ,he then pointed to a large black board1 which he had daubed over with glue and was sprinkling over 7 when we came in7 with rice grains ,that1 said he1 is what ,i feel to be a most excellent representation of your discovery as ,i see it1 verified by the aid of my telescope4 ,it appeared to ,father ,secchi so singular a circumstance that ,i should come upon him in this sudden manner1 while he was for the first time engaged in representing what ,i had 7on the spur of the moment when first seeing them7 described as willow-leaf-shaped objects4 ,i thought that his representation of them1 by scattering rice grains over his glue-covered black board1 was apt and admirable2 and so did ,otto ,struve4 ,this chance meeting with these two admirable astronomers was one of the little bits of romance in my life4 ,i returned to ,england shortly after4 ,among our visitors at ,hammerfield was ,lord ,lyndhurst4 ,he was in his ninetieth year when he paid a visit to ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,charles ,greville1 ,secretary to the ,privy ,council1 wrote to me1 saying that his ,lordship complained much of the want of society1 and asked me to call upon him4 ,i did so1 and found him cheerful and happy4 ,i afterwards sent him a present of some of my drawings4 ,he answered3 ,a thousand thanks for the charming etchings4 ,i am especially interested in ,robinson ,crusoe4 ,he looks very comfortable1 but ,i can't see his bed1 which troubles me4 ,the election 7',everybody for ever6'7 is wonderful4 ,i should not like to be there4 ,i hope we shall go to you again one of these days1 and have another peep into that wonderful telescope4 ,to return to ,sir ,john ,herschel1 ,we returned his visit at his house at ,collingwood1 near ,hawkhurst4 ,i found him in the garden1 down upon his knees1 collecting crocus bulbs for next year's planting4 ,like myself1 he loved gardening1 and was never tired of it4 ,i mention this as an instance of his simple zeal in entering practically into all that interested him4 ,at home he was the happy father and lover of his family4 ,one of his favourite pastimes1 when surrounded by his children in the evening1 was telling them stories4 ,he was most happy and entertaining in this tranquil occupation4 ,his masterly intellect could grasp the world and all its visible contents1 and yet descend to entertain his children with extemporised tales4 ,he possessed information of the most varied kind1 which he communicated with perfect simplicity and artlessness6 ,his profound astronomical knowledge was combined with a rich store of mechanical and manipulative faculty1 which enabled him to take a keen interest in all the technical arts which so materially aid in the progress of science4 ,i shall never forget the happy days that he spent with me in my workshop4 ,his visits have left in my mind the most cherished recollections4 ,our friendly intercourse continued unbroken to the day of his death4 ,the following is the last letter ,i received from him3 ,,collingwood1 ,march #aj1 #ahga4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir--,a great many thanks for the opportunity of seeing your most exquisite photographs from models of lunar mountains4 ,i hope you will publish them4 ,they will create quite an electric sensation4 ,would not one or two specimens of the apparently nonvolcanic mountain ranges1 bordering on the great plains1 add to the interest8 ,excuse my writing more1 as ,i pen this lying on my back in bed1 to which a fierce attack of bronchitis condemns me4 ,with best regards to ,mrs4 ,nasmyth1 believe me yours very truly1 ,j4 ,f4 ,w4 ,,herschel4 ,scientific knowledge seems to travel slowly1 ,it was not until the year #ahge1 more than fourteen years after my discovery of the willow-leaved bridges over the ,sun's spots that ,i understood they had been accepted in ,america4 ,i learned this from my dear friend ,william ,lassell4 ,his letter was as follows3 --,i see the ,americans are appreciating your solar observations4 ,a communication ,i have lately received from the ,alleghany ,observatory remarks 'that he 7,mr4 ,nasmyth7 appears to have been the first to distinctly call attention to the singular individuality of the minute components of the photosphere2 and this seems in fairness to entitle him to the credit of an important discovery1 with which his name should remain associated4' ,i proceeded to do that which ,sir ,john ,herschel had so earnestly recommended1 that is1 to write out my observations on the ,moon4 ,it was a very serious matter1 for ,i had never written a book before4 ,it occupied me many years1 though ,i had the kind assistance of my friend ,james ,carpenter1 then of the ,royal ,observatory1 ,greenwich4 ,the volcanoes and craters1 and general landscape scenery of the ,moon1 had to be photographed and engraved1 and this caused great labour4 ,at length the book1 entitled ,the ,moon1 considered as a ,planet1 a ,world1 and a ,satellite1 appeared in ,november #ahgd4 ,it was received with much favour and passed into a second edition4 ,a courteous and kind review of the book appeared in the ,edinburgh2 and the notices in other periodicals were equally favourable4 ,i dedicated the volume to the ,duke of ,argyll1 because ,i had been so long associated with him in geological affairs1 and also because of the deep friendship which ,i entertained for his ,grace4 ,i presented the volume to him as well as to many other of my astronomical friends4 ,i might quote their answers at great length1 from the ,astronomer-,royal downwards4 ,but ,i will quote two--one from a ,royal ,academician and another from a ,cardinal4 ,the first was from ,philip ,h4 ,calderon4 ,he said3 ,let me thank you many times for your kind letter1 and for your glorious book4 ,it arrived at twelve to-day1 and there has been no painting since4 ,once having taken it up1 attracted by the illustrations1 ,i could not put it down again4 ,i forgot everything2 and1 indeed1 ,i have been up in the ,moon4 ,as soon as these few words of thanks are given1 ,i am going up into the ,moon again4 ,what a comfort it is to read a scientific work which is quite clear1 and what a gift it is to write thus6 ,the photographs took my breath away4 ,i could not understand how you did them1 and your explanation of how you built the models from your drawings only changed the wonder into admiration4 ,only an artist could have said what you say about the education of the eye and of the hand4 ,you may well understand how it went home to me4 ,ever gratefully yours1 ,,philip ,h4 ,,calderon4 ,i now proceed to the ,cardinal4 ,i was present at one of the receptions of the ,president of the ,royal ,society at ,burlington ,house1 when ,i was introduced to ,cardinal ,manning as ,the ,steam ,hammer6 ,after a cordial reception he suddenly said1 ,but are you not also the ,man in the ,moon8 ,yes1 your ,eminence4 ,i have written a book about the ,moon1 and ,i shall be glad if you will accept a copy of it8 ,by all means1 he said1 and ,i thank you for the offer very much4 ,i accordingly sent the copy1 and received the following answer3 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4,,nasmyth--,when ,i asked you to send me your book on the ,moon1 ,i had no idea of its bulk and value1 and ,i feel ashamed of my importunity1 yet more than half delighted at my sturdy begging4 ,i thank you for it very sincerely4 ,my life is one of endless work1 leaving me few moments for reading4 ,but such books as yours refresh me like a clover field4 ,i hope ,i may have an opportunity of renewing our conversation4 ,believe me always truly yours1 ,,henry1 ,,cardinal ,,manning4 ,i may also mention that ,i received a charming letter from ,miss ,herschel1 the daughter of the late ,astronomer4 ,is it possible1 she said1 that this beautiful book is destined by you as a gift to my most unworthy self8 ,i do not know1 indeed1 how sufficiently to thank you1 or even to express my delight in being possessed of so exquisite and valuable a work1 made so valuable1 too1 by the most kind inscription on the first page6 ,i fear ,i shall be very very far from understanding the theories developed in the book1 though we have been endeavouring to gather some faint notion of them from the reviews we have seen2 but it will be of the greatest interest for us to try and follow them under your guidance1 and with the help of these perfectly enchanting photographs1 which1 ,i think1 one could never be tired of looking at4 ,how well ,i remember the original photographs1 and the oil painting which you sent for dear papa's inspection1 and which he did so enjoy6 and also the experiment with the glass globe1 in which he was so interested1 at your own house4 ,we cannot but think how he would have appreciated your researches1 and what pleasure this lovely book would have given him4 ,indeed1 ,i shall treasure it especially as a remembrance of that visit1 which is so completely connected in my thoughts with him1 as well as with your cordial kindness1 as a precious souvenir1 of which let me once more offer you my heartfelt thanks4 ,i remain1 my dear sir1 yours very truly and gratefully1 ,,isabella ,,herschel4 ,i cannot refrain from adding the communication ,i received from my dear old friend ,william ,lassell4 ,i do not know1 he said1 how sufficiently to thank you for your most kind letter1 and the superb present which almost immediately followed it4 ,my pleasure was greatly enhanced by the consideration of how far this splendid work must add to your fame and gratify the scientific world4 ,the illustrations are magnificent1 and ,i am persuaded that no book has ever been published before which gives so faithful1 accurate1 and comprehensive a picture of the surface of the ,moon4 ,the work must have cost you much time1 thought1 and labour1 and ,i doubt not you will now receive a gratifying1 if not an adequate reward4 ,after reading the book ,mr4 ,lassell again wrote to me4 ,i am indebted to your beautiful book1 he said1 for a deeper interest in the ,moon than ,i ever felt before4444 ,i see many of your pictures have been taken when the ,moon was waning1 which tells me of many a shivering exposure you must have had in the early mornings1444 ,i was sorry to find from your letter that you had a severe cold1 which made you very unwell4 ,i hope you have ere this perfectly recovered4 ,i suppose maladies of this kind must be expected to take rather severe hold of us now1 as we are both past the meridian of life4 ,i am1 however1 very thankful for the measure of health ,i enjoy1 and the pleasure mechanical pursuits give me4 ,i fully sympathise with you in the contempt 7shall ,i say87 which you feel for the taste of so many people who find their chief pleasure in 'killing something1' and how often their pleasures are fatal6 ,two distinguished men killed only the other day in hunting4 ,for my part ,i would rather take to the bicycle and do my seventeen miles within the hour4 ,he proceeds3 ,i have no doubt your windmill is very nicely contrived1 and has afforded you much pleasure in constructing it4 ,the only drawback to it is1 that in this variable climate it is apt to strike work1 and in the midst of a job of polishing ,i fear no increase of wages would induce it to complete its task6 ,if water were plentiful1 you might make it pump up a quantity when the wind served1 to be used as a motive power when you chose4 ,this reference alludes to a windmill which ,i erected on the top of my workshop1 to drive the apparatus below4 ,it was the mirror of a reflecting telescope which was in progress4 ,the windmill went on night and day1 and polished the speculum while ,i slept4 ,in the small hours of the morning ,i keeked through the corner of the window blinds and saw it hard at work4 ,i prefer1 however1 a small steam-engine1 which works much more regularly4 ,it is time to come to an end of my ,recollections4 ,i have endeavoured to give a brief resume of my life and labours4 ,i hope they may prove interesting as well as useful to others4 ,thanks to a good constitution and a frame invigorated by work1 ,i continue to lead1 with my dear wife1 a happy life4 ,i still take a deep interest in mechanics1 in astronomy1 and in art4 ,it is a pleasure to me to run up to ,london and enjoy the collections at the ,national ,gallery1 ,south ,kensington1 and the ,royal ,academy4 ,the ,crystal ,palace continues to attract a share of my attention1 though1 since the fire1 it has been greatly altered4 ,i miss1 too1 many of the dear accustomed faces of the old friends we used to meet there4 ,still we visit it1 and leave to memory the filling up of what is gone4 ,all things change1 and we with them4 ,the following ,dial of ,life gives a brief summary of my career4 ,it shows the brevity of life1 and indicates the tale that is soon told4 ,the first part of the semicircle includes the passage from infancy to boyhood and manhood4 ,while that period lasts1 time seems to pass very slowly4 ,we long to be men1 and doing men's work4 ,what ,i have called ,the ,tableland of ,life is then reached4 ,ordinary observation shows that between thirty and fifty the full strength of body and mind is reached2 and at that period we energise our faculties to the utmost4 ,image ,the ,dial of ,life ,those who are blessed with good health and a sound constitution may prolong the period of energy to sixty or even seventy2 but ,nature's laws must be obeyed1 and the period of decline begins1 and goes on with accelerated rapidity4 ,then comes ,old ,age2 and as we descend the semicircle towards eighty1 we find that the remnant of life becomes vague and cloudy4 ,by shading off1 as ,i have done1 the portion of the area of the diagram according to the individual age1 every one may see how much of life is consumed1 and what is left--,d4,v44 ,here is my brief record3 ,,age ,,year4 -- #ahjh4 ,,born #ai,,th ,,august4 #i #ahag4 ,,went ,,to ,,the ,,high ,,school1 ,,edinburgh4 #ac #ahba4 ,,attended ,,the ,,school ,,of ,,arts4 #ba #ahbi4 ,,went ,,to ,,london1 ,,to ,,maudslay',s4 #bc #ahca4 ,,returned ,,to ,,edinburgh1 ,,to ,,make ,,my ,,engineers' ,,tools4 #bf #ahcd4 ,,went ,,to ,,manchester1 ,,to ,,begin ,,business4 #bh #ahcf4 ,,removed ,,to ,,patricroft1 ,,and ,,built ,,the ,,bridgewater ,,foundry4 #ca #ahci4 ,,invented ,,the ,,steam ,,hammer4 #cb #ahdj4 ,,marriage4 #cd #ahdb4 ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,france ,,and ,,italy4 #ce #ahdc4 ,,visit ,,to ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,,stockholm1 ,,dannemora4 #cg #ahde4 ,,application ,,of ,,the ,,steam ,,hammer ,,to ,,pile-,,driving4 #dh #ahef4 ,,retired ,,from ,,business1 ,,to ,,enjoy ,,the ,,rest ,,of ,,my ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,active ,,pursuit ,,of ,,my ,,most ,,favourite ,,occupations4 ,i have not in this list referred to my investigations in connection with astronomy4 ,all this will be found referred to in the text4 ,it only remains for me to say that ,i append a resume of my inventions1 contrivances1 and workshop dodges1 to give the reader a summary idea of the ,active ,life of a working mechanic4 ,and with this ,i end my tale4 ,,chronological ,,list ,,of ,,mechanical ,,inventions ,,and ,,technical ,,contrivances4 by ,james ,nasmyth4 #ahbe4 ,a mode of applying ,steam ,power for the ,traction of ,canal ,barges1 without injury to the ,canal ,banks4 ,a ,,canal having been formed to connect ,edinburgh with the ,forth and ,clyde ,canal1 and so to give a direct waterway communication between ,edinburgh and ,glasgow1 ,i heard much talk about the desirableness of substituting ,steam for ,horse power as the means of moving the boats and barges along the canal4 ,but1 as the action of paddle wheels had been found destructive to the canal banks1 no scheme of that nature could be entertained4 ,although a tyro in such matters1 ,i made an attempt to solve the problem1 and accordingly prepared drawings1 with a description of my design1 for employing ,steam power as the tractive agency for trains of canal barges1 in such a manner as to obviate all risk of injury to the banks4 ,image ,the scheme consisted in laying a chain along the bottom of the canal1 and of passing any part of its length between three grooved and notched pulleys or rollers1 made to revolve with suitable velocity by means of a small steam-engine placed in a tug-boat1 to the stern of which a train of barges was attached499 footnote444 ,had this simple means of tugging vessels through water-ways been employed in our late attempts to ascend the rapids of the ,nile1 some very important results might have issued from its adoption4 444 ,the steam-engine could thus warp its way along the chain1 taking it up between the rollers of the bow of the tug-boat1 and dropping it into the water at the stern1 so as to leave the chain at the service of the next following tug-boat with its attached train of barges4 ,by this simple mode of employing the power of a steam-engine for canal boat traction1 all risk of injury to the banks would be avoided1 as the chain and not the water of the canal was the fulcrum or resistance which the steam-engine on the tug-boat operated upon in thus warping its way along the chain2 and thus effectually1 without slip or other waste of power1 dragging along the train of barges attached to the stern of the steam-tug4 ,i had arranged for two separate chains1 so as to allow trains of barges to be conveyed along the canal in opposite directions1 without interfering with each other4 ,i submitted a complete set of drawings1 and a full description of my design in all its details1 to the directors of the ,canal ,company2 and ,i received a complimentary acknowledgment of them in writing4 ,but such was the prejudice that existed1 in consequence of the injury to the canal banks resulting from the use of paddle ,wheels1 that it extended to the use of steam power in any form1 as a substitute for ordinary horse traction2 and although ,i had taken every care to point out the essential difference of my system 7as above indicated7 by which all such objections were obviated1 my design was at length courteously declined1 and the old system of horse traction continued4 ,in #ahde ,i had the pleasure to see this simple mode of moving vessels along a definite course in most successful action at the ferry across the ,hamoaze at ,devonport1 in which my system of employing the power of a steam-engine on board the ferry boat1 to warp its way along a submerged chain lying along the bottom of the channel from side to side of the ferry1 was most ably carried out by my late excellent friend1 ,james ,rendell1 ,esq41 ,c4,e41 and is still1 ,i believe1 in daily action1 giving every satisfaction4 #ahbf4 ,an ,instrument for ,measuring the ,total and ,comparative ,expansion of all ,solid ,bodies4 ,my kind friend and patron1 ,professor ,leslie1 being engaged in some investigations in which it was essential to know the exact comparative total expansion in bulk of metals and other solid bodies1 under the same number of degrees of heat1 mentioned the subject in the course of conversation4 ,the instrument at that time in use was defective in principle as well as in construction1 and the results of its application were untrustworthy4 ,as the ,professor had done me the honour to request me to assist him in his experiments1 ,i had the happiness to suggest an arrangement of apparatus which ,i thought might obviate the sources of error2 and1 with his approval1 ,i proceeded to put it in operation4 ,my contrivance consisted of an arrangement by means of which the metal bar or other solid substance1 whose total expansion under a given number of degrees of heat had to be measured1 was in a manner itself converted into a thermometer4 ,absolutely equal bulks of each solid were placed inside a metal tube or vessel1 and surrounded with an exact equal quantity of water at one and the same normal temperature4 ,a cap or cover1 having a suitable length of thermometer tube attached to it1 was then screwed down1 and the water of the index tube was adjusted to the zero point of the scale attached to it1 the whole being at say #ej;deg of heat1 as the normal temperature in each case4 ,the apparatus was then heated up to say #bjj;deg by immersion in water at that temperature4 ,the expansion of the enclosed bar of metal or other solid substance under experiment caused the water to rise above the zero1 and it was accordingly so indicated on the scale attached to the cap tube4 ,in this way we had a thermometer whose bulb was for the time being filled with the solid under investigation1--the water surrounding it imply acting as the means by which the expansion of each solid under trial was rendered visible1 and its amount capable of being ascertained and recorded with the utmost exactness1 as the expansion of the water was in every case the same1 and also that of the instrument itself which was a constant quantity4 ,in this way we obtained the correct relative amount of expansion in bulk of all the solid substances experimented upon4 ,that each bar of metal or other solid substance was of absolutely equal bulk1 was readily ascertained by finding that each1 when weighed in water1 lost the exact same weight4 ,image ,james ,nasmyth's ,expansometer1 #ahbf4 ,my friend1 ,sir ,david ,brewster1 was so much pleased with the instrument that he published a drawing and description of it in the ,edinburgh ,philosophical ,journal1 of which he was then editor4 #ahbg4 ,a ,method of increasing the ,effectiveness of ,steam by super-heating it on its ,passage from the ,boiler to the ,engine4 ,one or the earliest mechanical contrivances which ,i made was for preventing water1 in a liquid form1 from passing along with the steam from the boiler to the cylinder of the steam-engine4 ,the first steam-engine ,i made was employed in grinding oil colours for my father's use in his paintings4 ,when ,i set this engine to work for the first time ,i was annoyed by slight jerks which now and then disturbed the otherwise smooth and regular action of the machine4 ,after careful examination ,i found that these jerks were caused by the small quantities of water that were occasionally carried along with the current of the steam1 and deposited in the cylinder1 where it accumulated above and below the piston1 and thus produced the jerks4 ,in order to remove the cause of these irregularities1 ,i placed a considerable portion of the length of the pipe which conveyed the steam from the boiler to the engine within the highly heated side flue of the boiler1 so that any portion of water in the liquid form which might chance to pass along with the steam1 might1 ere it reached the cylinder1 traverse this highly-heated steam pipe1 and1 in doing so1 be converted into perfectly dry steam1 and in that condition enter the cylinder4 ,on carrying this simple arrangement into practice1 ,i found the result to be in every way satisfactory4 ,the active little steam-engine thence-forward performed its work in the most smooth and regular manner4 ,so far as ,i am aware1 this early effort of mine at mechanical contrivance was the first introduction of what has since been termed super-heated steam--a system now extensively employed1 and yielding important results1 especially in the case of marine steam-engines4 ,without such means of supplying dry steam to the engines1 the latter are specially liable to break-downs1 resulting from water1 in the liquid form1 passing into the cylinders along with the steam4 #ahbh4 ,a ,method of chucking delicate ,metal-work1 in order that it may be turned with perfect truth ,in fixing portions of work in the turning-lathe1 one of the most important points to attend to is1 that while they are held with sufficient firmness in order to be turned to the required form1 they should be free from any strain which might in any way distort them4 ,in strong and ponderous objects this can be easily accomplished by due care on the part of an intelligent workman4 ,it is in operating by the lathe on delicate and flexible objects that the utmost care is requisite in the process of chucking1 as they are easily strained out of shape by fastening them by screws and bolts1 or suchlike ordinary means4 ,this is especially the case with disc-like objects4 ,as ,i had on several occasions to operate in the lathe with this class of work ,i contrived a method of chucking or holding them firm while receiving the required turning process1 which has in all cases proved most handy and satisfactory4 ,this method consisted of tinning three1 or1 if need be1 more parts of the work1 and laying them down on a tinned face-plate or chuck1 which had been heated so as just to cause the solder to flow4 ,as soon as the solder is cooled and set1 the chuck with its attached work may then be put in the lathe1 and the work proceeded with until it is completed4 ,by again heating the chuck1 by laying upon it a piece of red-hot iron1 the work1 however delicate1 can be simply lifted off1 and will be found perfectly free from all distortion4 ,i have been the more particular in naming the use of three points of attachment to the chuck or face-plate1 as that number is naturally free from any risk of distortion4 ,i have on so many occasions found the great value of this simple yet most secure mode of fixing delicate work in the lathe1 that ,i feel sure that any one able to appreciate its practical value will be highly pleased with the results of its employment4 ,the same means can1 in many cases1 be employed in fixing delicate work in the planing-machine4 ,all that is requisite is to have a clean-planed wrought-iron or brass fixing-plate1 to which the work in hand can be attached at a few suitable parts with soft solder1 as in the case of the turning lathe above described4 #ahbh4 ,a ,method of casting ,specula for ,reflecting ,telescopes1 so as to ensure perfect ,freeness from ,defects1 at the same time enhancing the ,brilliancy of the ,alloy4 ,my father possessed a very excellent achromatic spy-glass of #b inches diameter4 ,the object-glass was made by the celebrated ,ramsden4 ,when ,i was about fifteen ,i used it to gaze at the moon1 planets1 and sun-spots4 ,although this instrument revealed to me the general characteristic details of these grand objects1 my father gave me a wonderful account of what he had seen of the moon's surface by means of a powerful reflecting telescope of #ab inches diameter1 made by ,short-- that justly celebrated pioneer of telescope making4 ,it had been erected in a temporary observatory on the ,calton ,hill1 ,edinburgh4 ,these descriptions of my father's so fired me with the desire to obtain a sight of the glorious objects in the heavens through a more powerful instrument than the spy-glass1 that ,i determined to try and make a reflecting telescope which ,i hoped might in some degree satisfy my ardent desires4 ,i accordingly searched for the requisite practical instruction in the pages of the ,encyclopedia ,britannica1 and in other books that professed to give the necessary technical information on the subject4 ,i found1 however1 that the information given in books--at least in the books to which ,i had access was meagre and unsatisfactory4 ,nevertheless ,i set to work with all earnestness1 and began by compounding the requisite alloy for casting a speculum of #h inches diameter4 ,this alloy consisted of #cb parts of copper1 #ae parts of grain tin1 and #a part of white arsenic4 ,these ingredients1 when melted together1 yielded a compound metal which possessed a high degree of brilliancy4 ,having made a wooden pattern for my intended #h-;inch diameter speculum1 and moulded it in sand1 ,i cast this my first reflecting telescope speculum according to the best book instructions4 ,i allowed my casting to cool in the mould in the slowest possible manner2 for such is the excessive brittleness of this alloy 7though composed of two of the toughest of metals7 that in any sudden change of temperature1 or want of due delicacy in handling it1 it is very apt to give way1 and a fracture more or less serious is sure to result4 ,even glass1 brittle though it be1 is strong in comparison with speculum metal of the above proportions1 though1 as ,i have said1 it yields the most brilliant composition4 ,notwithstanding the observance of all due care in respect of the annealing of the casting by slow cooling1 and the utmost care and delicate handling of it in the process of grinding the surface into the requisite curve and smoothness suitable to receive the final polish1-- ,i was on more than one occasion inexpressibly mortified by the sudden disruption and breaking up of my speculum4 ,thus many hours of anxious care and labour proved of no avail4 ,i had to begin again and proceed da capo4 ,i observed1 however1 that the surplus alloy that was left in the crucible1 after ,i had cast my speculum1 when again melted and poured out into a metal ingot mould1 yielded a cake that1 brittle though it might be1 was yet strong in comparison with that of the speculum cast in the sand mould2 and that it was also1 judging from the fragments chipped from it1 possessed of even a higher degree of brilliancy4 ,the happy thought occurred to me of substituting an open metal mould for the closed sand one4 ,i soon had the metal mould ready for casting4 ,it consisted of a base plate of cast iron1 on the surface of which ,i placed a ring or hoop of iron turned to fully the diameter of the intended speculum1 so as to anticipate the contraction of the alloy4 ,the result of the very first trial of this simple metal mould was most satisfactory4 ,it yielded me a very perfect casting3 and it passed successively through the ordeal of the first rough grinding1 and eventually through the processes of polishing1 until in the end it exhibited a brilliancy that far exceeded that of the sand mould castings4 ,the only remaining difficulty that ,i had to surmount was the risk of defects in the surface of the speculum4 ,these sometimes result from the first splash of the melted metal as it is poured into the ring mould4 ,the globules sometimes got oxidised before they became incorporated with the main body of the inflowing molten alloy3 and dingy spots in the otherwise brilliant alloy were thus produced4 ,i soon mastered this1 the only remaining source of defect1 by a very simple arrangement4 ,in place of pouring the melted alloy direct into the ring mould1 ,i attached to the side of it what ,i termed a pouring pocket2 which communicated with an opening at the lower edge of the ring1 and by a self-acting arrangement by which the mould plate was slightly tilted up1 the influx of the molten alloy advanced in one unbroken tide4 ,as soon as the entire surface of the mould plate was covered by the alloy1 its weight overcame that of my up-tilting counterpoise1 and allowed the entire apparatus to resume its exact level4 ,the resulting speculum was1 by these simple arrangements1 absolutely perfect in soundness4 ,it was a perfect casting1 in all respects worthy of the care and labour which ,i invested in its future grinding and polishing1 and enabled it to perform its glorious duties as the grand essential part of a noble reflecting telescope6 ,image ,a4 ,chill plate of cast iron turned to the curve of the speculum ,b4 ,turned hoop of wrought iron with opening at ,o4 ,c4 ,pouring pocket4 ,d4 ,counterpoise1 ,by which the chill plate is tilted up ,the largest figure in the engraving is the annealing tub of cast iron filled with sawdust1 where the speculum is placed to cool as slowly as possible4 ,the rationale of the strength of specula cast in this metal mould system1 as compared with the treacherous brittleness of those cast in sand moulds1 arises simply from the consolidation of the molten metal pool taking place first at the lower surface1 next the metal base of the mould--the yet fluid alloy above satisfying the contractile requirements of that immediately beneath it2 and so on in succession1 until the last to consolidate is the top or upper stratum4 ,thus all risk of contractile tension1 which is so dangerously eminent and inherent in the case of sand-mould castings1 made of so exceedingly brittle an alloy as that of speculum metal1 is entirely avoided4 ,by the employment of these simple and effective improvements in the art of casting the specula for reflecting telescopes1 and also by the contrivance and employment of mechanical means for grinding and polishing them1 ,i at length completed my first #h-;inch diameter speculum1 and mounted it according to the ,newtonian plan4 ,i was most amply rewarded for all the anxious labour ,i had gone through in preparing it1 by the glorious views it yielded me of the wonderful objects in the heavens at night4 ,my enjoyment was in no small degree enhanced by the pleasure it gave to my father1 and to many intimate friends4 ,amongst these was ,sir ,david ,brewster1 who took a most lively and special interest in all my labours on this subject4 ,in later years ,i resumed my telescope making enjoyments1 as a delightful and congenial relaxation from the ordinary run of my business occupations4 ,i constructed several reflecting telescopes1 of sizes from #aj-;inch to #bj-;inch diameter specula4 ,i had also the pleasure of assisting other astronomical friends1 by casting and grinding specula for them4 ,among these ,i may mention my late dear friend ,william ,lassell1 and my excellent friend ,warren de la ,rue1 both of whom have indelibly recorded their names in the annals of astronomical science4 ,i know of no subject connected with the pursuit of science which so abounds with exciting and delightful interest as that of constructing reflecting telescopes4 ,it brings into play every principle of constructive art1 with the inexpressibly glorious reward of a more intimate acquaintance with the sublime wonders of the heavens1 ,i communicated in full detail all my improvements in the art of casting1 grinding1 and polishing the specula of reflecting telescopes1 to the ,literary and ,philosophical ,society of ,manchester1 illustrating my paper with many drawings4 ,but as my paper was of considerable length1 and as the illustrations would prove costly to engrave1 it was not published in the ,society's ,transactions4 ,they are still1 however1 kept in the library for reference by those who take a special interest in the subject4 #ahbi4 ,a ,mode of transmitting ,rotary ,motion by means of a ,flexible ,shaft1 formed of a ,coiled ,spiral ,wire or ,rod of ,steel4 ,while assisting ,mr4 ,maudslay in the execution of a special piece of machinery1 in which it became necessary to have some holes drilled in rather inaccessible portions of the work in hand1 and where the employment of the ordinary drill was impossible1 it occurred to me that a flexible shaft1 formed of a closely coiled spiral of steel wire1 might enable us to transmit the requisite rotary motion to a drill attached to the end of this spiral shaft4 ,mr4 ,maudslay was much pleased with the notion1 and ,i speedily put it in action by a close coiled spiral wire of about two feet in length4 ,this was found to transmit the requisite rotary motion to the drill at the end of the spiral with perfect and faithful efficiency4 ,the difficulty was got over1 to ,mr4 ,maudslay's great satisfaction4 ,so far as ,i am aware1 such a mode of transmitting rotary motion was new and original4 ,the device was useful1 and proved of essential service in other important applications4 ,by a suitably close coiled spiral steel wire ,i have conveyed rotary motion quite round an obstacle1 such as is indicated in the annexed figure4 ,image ,it has acted with perfect faithfulness from the winch handle at ,a to the drill at ,b4 ,any ingenious mechanic will be able to appreciate the value of such a flexible shaft in many applications4 ,four years ago ,i saw the same arrangement in action at a dentist's operating-room1 when a drill was worked in the mouth of a patient to enable a decayed tooth to be stopped4 ,it was said to be the last thing out in ,yankee notions4 ,it was merely a replica of my flexible drill of #ahbi4 #ahbi4 ,a ,mode of cutting ,square or ,hexgonal ,collares ,nuts or ,bolt-,heads by means of a ,revolving ,file or ,cutter4 ,this method is refrered to1 and drawings given1 in the text1 pp4 #ada1 #adb4 #ahbi4 ,a ,investigation into the ,origin and ,mode of writing the ,cuneiform ,character ,this will be found described in the next and final chapter #ahcf4 ,a ,machine for cutting the ,key-,grooves in ,metal ,wheels and ,belt ,pulleys1 of ,,any ,diameter4 ,the fastening of wheels and belt pulleys to shafts1 so as to enable them to transmit rotary motion1 is one of the most frequently-recurring processes in the construction of machinery4 ,this is best effected by driving a slightly tapered iron or steel wedge1 or key as it is technically termed1 into a corresponding recess1 or flat part of the shaft1 so that the wheel and shaft thus become in effect one solid structure4 ,the old mode of cutting such key-grooves in the eyes of wheels was accomplished by the laborious and costly process of chipping and filing4 ,maudslay's mortising machine1 which he contrived for the ,block machinery1 although intended originally to operate upon wood1 contained all the essential principles and details required for acting on metals4 ,mr4 ,richard ,roberts1 by some excellent modifications1 enabled it to mortise or cut out the key-grooves in metal wheels1 and this method soon came into general use4 ,this machine consisted of a vertical slide bar1 to the lower end of which was attached the steel mortising tool1 which received its requisite up and down motion from an adjustable crank1 through a suitable arrangement of the gearing4 ,the wheel to be operated upon was fixed to a slide-table1 and gradually advanced1 so as to cause the mortising tool to take successive cuts through the depth of the eye of the wheel1 until the mortise or key-groove had attained its required depth4 ,the only drawback to this admirable machine was that its service was limited in respect to admitting wheels whose half diameter did not exceed the distance from the back of the jaw of the machine to the face of the mortise tool2 so that to give to this machine the requisite rigidity and strength to resist the strain on the jaw1 due to the mortising of the key-grooves1 in wheels of say #f feet diameter1 a more massive and cumbrous frame work was required1 which was most costly in space as well as in money4 ,in order to obviate this inconvenience1 ,i designed an arrangement of a key-groove mortising machine4 ,it was capable of operating upon wheels of any diameter1 having no limit to it capacity in that respect4 ,it was1 at the same time1 possessed in respect of the principle on which it was arranged1 of the power of taking a much deeper cut1 there being an entire absence of any source of springing or elasticity in its structure4 ,this not only enabled the machine to perform its work with more rapidity1 but also with more precision4 ,besides1 it occupied much less space in the workshop1 and did not cost above one-third of the machines formerly in use4 ,it gave the highest satisfaction to those who availed themselves of its effective ,services4 ,image ,a comparison of ,fig4 #a--which represents the general arrangement of the machine in use previous to the introduction of mine--with that of ,fig4 #b1 may serve to convey some idea of their relative sizes4 ,fig4 #a shows a limit to the admission of wheels exceeding #f feet diameter1 ,fig4 #b shows an unlimited capability in that respect4 #ahcf4 ,an ,instrument for finding and marking the ,centres of ,cylindrical ,rods or ,bolts about to be turned on the ,lathe4 ,one of the most numerous details in the structure of all classes of machines is the bolts which serve to hold the various parts together4 ,as it is most important that each bolt fits perfectly the hole it belongs to1 it is requisite that each bolt should1 by the process of turning1 be made perfectly cylindrical4 ,in preparing such bolts1 as they come from the forge1 in order to undergo the process of turning1 they have to be centred2 that is1 each end has to receive a hollow conical indent1 which must agree with the axis of the bolt4 ,to find this in the usual mode1 by trial and frequent error1 is a most tedious process1 and consumes much valuable time of the workman as well as his lathe4 ,image ,in order to obviate the necessity for this costly process1 ,i devised the simple instrument1 a drawing of which is annexed4 ,the use of this enabled any boy to find and mark with absolute exactness and rapidity the centres of each end of bolts1 or suchlike objects4 ,all that was required was to place the body of the bolt in the ,v-shaped supports1 and to gently cause it to revolve1 pressing it longitudinally against the steel-pointed marker1 which scratched a neat small circle in the true centre or axis of the bolt4 ,this small circle had its centre easily marked by the indent of a punch1 and the work was thus ready for the lathe4 ,this humble but really important process was accomplished with ease1 rapidity1 and great economy4 #ahcf4 ,improvement in ,steam-,engine ,pistons1 and in ,water and ,air-,pump ,buckets1 so as to lessen ,friction and dispense with ,packing4 ,the desire to make the pistons of steam-engines and air-pump buckets of condensing engines perfectly steam and water tight has led to the contrivance of many complex and costly constructions for the purpose of packing them4 ,when we take a commonsense view of the subject1 we find that in most cases the loss of power resulting from the extra friction neutralises the expected saving4 ,this is especially the case with the air-pump bucket of a condensing steam-engine1 as it is in reality much more a water than an air pump4 ,but when it is constructed with a deep well-fitted bucket1 entirely without packing1 the loss sustained by such an insignificant amount of leakage as may occur from the want of packing is more than compensated by the saving of power resulting from the total absence of friction4 ,the first condensing steam-engine to which ,i applied an air-pump bucket1 entirely without packing1 was the forty horsepower engine1 which ,i constructed for the ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,it answered its purpose so well that1 after twenty years' constant working1 the air-pump cover was taken off1 out of curiosity1 to examine the bucket1 when it was found in perfect order4 ,this system1 in which ,i dispensed with the packing for air-pump buckets of condensing steam-engines1 ,i have also applied to the pistons of the steam cylinders1 especially those of high-pressure engines of the smaller vertical construction1 the stroke of which is generally short and rapid4 ,provided the cylinder is bored true1 and the piston is carefully fitted1 and of a considerable depth in proportion to its diameter1 such pistons will be found to perform perfectly all their functions1 and with a total absence of friction as a direct result of the absence of packing4 ,by the aid of our improved machine tools1 cylinders can now be bored with such perfect accuracy1 and the pistons be fitted to them with such absolute exactness1 that the small quantity of water which the steam always deposits on the upper side of the piston1 not only serves as a frictionless packing1 but also serves as a lubricant of the most appropriate kind4 ,i have applied the same kind of piston to ordinary water-pumps1 with similar excellent results4 ,in most cases of right packed pistons we spend a shilling--to save sixpence-- a not unfrequent result of so-called refined improvements4 #ahcf4 ,an instantaneous ,mode of producing graceful ,curves1 suitable for designing ,vases and other graceful objects in ,pottery and ,glass4 ,the mode referred to consists in giving a rapid switch motion to a pencil upon a piece of paper1 or a cardboard1 or a smooth metal plate2 and then cutting out the curve so produced1 and employing it as a pattern or template1 to enable copies to be traced from it4 ,when placed at equal distances1 and at equal angles on each side of a central line1 so as to secure perfect symmetry of form according to the nature of the required design1 the beauty of these instantaneous curves1 as ,i term them1 arises from the entire absence of any sudden variation in their course4 ,this is due to the momentum of the hand when switching the pencil at a high velocity over the paper4 ,by such simple means was the beautiful curve produced1 which is given on the following page4 ,it was produced in a twinkling1 if ,i may use the term to express the rapidity with which it was switched4 ,the chief source of the gracefulness of these curves consists in the almost imperceptible manner in which they pass in their course from one degree of curvature into another4 ,i have had the pleasure of showing this simple mode of producing graceful curves to several potters1 who have turned the idea to good account4 ,the illustrative figures on the next page have all been drawn from templates whose curves were switched in the manner of ,fig4 ,a4 ,image #ahcf4 ,a ,machine for planing the smaller or detail parts of ,machinery1 whether ,flat or ,cylindrical4 ,although the introduction of the planing machine into the workshops of mechanical engineers yielded results of the highest importance in perfecting and economising the production of machinery generally1 yet1 as the employment of these valuable machine tools was chiefly intended to assist in the execution of the larger parts of machine manufacture1 a very considerable proportion of the detail parts still continued to be executed by hand labour1 in which the chisel and the file were the chief instruments employed4 ,the results were consequently very unsatisfactory1 both as regards inaccuracy and costliness4 image ,with the desire of rendering the valuable services of the ,planing ,machine applicable to the smallest detail parts of machine manufacture1 ,i designed a simple and compact modification of it1 such as should enable any attentive lad to execute all the detail parts of the machines in so unerring and perfect a manner as not only to rival the hand work of the most skilful mechanic1 but also at such a reduced cost as to place the most active hand workman far into the background4 ,the contrivance ,i refer to is usually known as ,nasmyth's ,steam ,arm4 ,none but those who have had ample opportunities of watching the process of executing the detail parts of machines1 can form a correct idea of the great amount of time that is practically wasted and unproductive1 even when highly-skilled and careful workmen are employed4 ,they have so frequently to stop working1 in order to examine the work in hand1 to use the straight edge1 the square1 or the calipers1 to ascertain whether they are working correctly4 ,during that interval1 the work is making no progress3 and the loss of time on this account is not less than one-sixth of the working hours1 and sometimes much more2 though all this lost time is fully paid for in wages4 ,image ,apparatus for enabling the machine to execute segmented work ,but by the employment of such a machine as ,i describe1 even when placed under the superintendence of well-selected intelligent lads1 in whom the faculty of good sight and nicety of handling is naturally in a high state of perfection1 any deficiency in their physical strength is amply compensated by these self-acting machines4 ,the factory engine supplies the labour or the element of ,force1 while the machines perform their work with practical perfection4 ,the details of machinery are thus turned out with geometrical accuracy1 and are in the highest sense fitted to perform their intended purposes4 #ahcg4 ,solar ,ray ,origin of the form of the ,egyptian ,pyramids1 ,obelisks1 etc4 ,this will be found described summarily in the next and final chapter4 #ahcg4 ,method of reversing the action of ,slide ,lathes4 ,in the employment of ,slide ,turning ,lathes1 it is of great advantage to be able to reverse the motion of the ,slide so as to enable the turning tool to cut towards the ,head of the ,lathe or away from it1 and also to be able to arrest the motion of the ,slide altogether1 while all the other functions of the lathe are continued in action4 ,all these objects are attained by the simple contrivance represented in the annexed illustration4 ,image ,it consists of a lever ,e1 moving on a stud-pin ,s1 attached to the back of the head stock of the lathe ,t4 ,this lever carries two wheels of equal diameter marked ,b and ,g4 ,these wheels can pitch into a corresponding wheel ,a1 fixed on the back end of the lay spindle4 ,when the handle of the lever ,e is depressed 7as seen in the drawing7 the wheel ,b is in gear with wheel ,a4 while ,c is in gear with the slidescrew wheel ,d1 and so moves the slide 7say from the ,head ,stock of the lathe74 ,on the other hand1 when the lever ,e is elevated in position ,e1 wheel ,b is taken out of gear with ,a1 while ,g is put in gear with ,a1 and ,b is put in gear with ,d2 and thus the ,slide is caused to move towards the ,head ,stock of the lathe4 ,again1 where it is desired to arrest the motion of the ,slide altogether1 or for a time1 as occasion may require1 the lever handle is put into the intermediate position ,e'1 which entirely severs the communication between ,a and ,d1 and so arrests the motion of the slide4 ,this simple contrivance effectually served all its purposes1 and was adopted by many machine tool-makers and engineers4 #ahch4 ,self-adjusting ,bearings for the ,shafts of ,machinery ,a frequent cause of undue friction and heating of rapidly rotating machinery arises from some inaccuracy or want of due parallelism between the rotating shaft or spindle and its bearing4 ,this is occasioned in most cases by some accidental change in the level of the supports of the bearings4 ,many of the bearings are situated in dark places1 and cannot be seen4 ,there are others that are difficult of access--as in the case of bearings of screw-propeller shafts4 ,serious mischief may result before the heating of the bearing proclaims its dangerous condition4 ,in some cases the timber work is set on fire1 which may result in serious consequences4 ,in order to remove the cause of such serious mischief1 ,i designed an arrangement of bearing1 which enabled it1 and the shaft working in it1 to mutually accommodate themselves to each other under all circumstances1 and thus to avoid the danger of a want of due and mutual parallelism in their respective axes4 ,this arrangement consisted in giving to the exterior of the bearing a spherical form1 so as1 within moderate limits1 to allow it to accommodate itself to any such changes in regard to mutual parallelism1 as above referred to4 ,in other cases1 ,i employed what ,i may call ,rocking centres1 on which the ,pedestal or ,plumber ,block rested2 and thus supplied a self-adjusting means for obviating the evils resulting from any accidental change in the proper relative position of the shaft and its bearing4 ,in all cases in which ,i introduced this arrangement1 the results were most satisfactory4 ,in the case of the bearings of ,blowing ,fans1 in which the rate of rotation is naturally excessive1 a spherical resting-place for the bearings enabled them to keep perfectly cool at the highest speed4 ,this was also the case in the driving apparatus for machine tools1 which is generally fixed at a considerable height above the machine4 ,these spherical or self-adjusting bearings were found of great service4 ,the apparatus1 being generally out of convenient reach1 is apt to get out of order unless duly attended to4 ,but1 whether or not1 the saving of friction is in itself a reason for the adoption of such bearings4 ,this may appear a trifling technical matter of detail2 but its great practical value must be my excuse for mentioning it4 #ahch4 ,invention of ,safety ,foundry ,ladle4 ,the safety ladle is described in the text1 p4 #bjb4 #ahch4 ,invention of the ,steam ,ram ,my invention was made at this early date1 long before the attack by the steam-ram ,merrimac upon the ,cumberland1 and other ships1 in ,hampton ,roads1 ,united ,states4 ,i brought my plans and drawings under the notice of the ,admiralty in #ahde2 but nothing was done for many years4 ,much had been accomplished in rendering our ships shot-proof by the application of iron plates2 but it appeared to me that not one of them could exist above water after receiving on its side a single blow from an iron-plated steam-ram of #bjjj tons4 ,i said1 in a letter to the ,times1 ,as the grand object of naval warfare is the destruction by the most speedy mode of the ships of the enemy1 why should we continue to attempt to attain this object by making small holes in the hull of the enemy when1 by one single masterly crashing blow from a steam ram1 we can crush in the side of any armour-plated ship1 and let the water rush in through a hole1 'not perhaps as wide as a church door or as deep as a well1 but 'twill serve'2 and be certain to send her below water in a few minutes499 footnote444 ,in these days of armour-clad warships1 when plates of enormous thickness are relied on as invulnerable1 our ,naval ,constructors appear to forget that the actual structural strength of such ships depends on the backing of the plates1 which1 be it ever so thick1 would yield to the cramming blow of a moderate-sized ,ram4 444 ,i published my description of the steam ram and its apparatus in the ,times of ,january #ahec1 and again addressed the ,editor on the subject in ,april #ahfb4 ,general ,sir ,john ,burgoyne took up the subject1 and addressed me in the note at the foot of this page499 footnote444 ,the following is the letter of ,general ,sir ,john ,burgoyne3 ,,war ,,office1 ,,pall ,,mall1 ,,london1 #hth ,april #ahfb4 ,general ,sir ,john ,burgoyne presents his compliments to ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 and was much pleased to find1 by ,mr4 ,nasmyth's letter in the ,times of this day1 certain impressions that he has held for some time confirmed by so good an authority4 ,a difficulty seems to be anticipated by many that a steamer used as a ram with high velocity1 if impelled upon a heavy ship1 would1 by the revulsion of the sudden shock1 be liable to have much of her gear thrown entirely out of order1 parts displaced1 and perhaps the boilers burst4 ,some judgment1 however1 may be formed on this point by a knowledge of whether such circumstances have occurred on ships suddenly grounding2 and even so1 it may be a question whether so great a velocity is necessary4 ,an accident occurred some twenty years ago1 within ,sir ,john ,burgoyne's immediate cognisance1 that has led him particularly to consider the great power of a ship acting as a ram4 ,a somewhat heavy steamer went1 by accident or mismanagement1 end on to a very substantial wharf wall in ,kingstown ,harbour1 ,dublin ,bay4 ,though the force of the blow was greatly checked through the measures taken for that purpose1 and indeed so much so that the vessel itself suffered no very material injury1 yet several of the massive granite stones of the facing were driven some inches in1 showing the enormous force used upon them4 ,superior speed will be very essential to the successful action of the ram2 but by the above circumstance we may assume that even a moderate speed would enable great effects to be produced1 at least on any comparatively weak point of even ironclad ships1 such as the rudder4 444 ,in ,june #ahgj1 ,i received a letter from ,sir ,e4 ,j4 ,reed1 containing the following extracts3 --,i was aware previously that plans had been proposed for constructing unarmoured steam rams1 but ,i was not acquainted with the fact that you had put forward so well-maturerd a scheme at so early a date2 and it has given me much pleasure to find that such is the case4 ,it has been a cause both of pleasure and surprise to me to find that so long ago you incorporated into a design almost all the features which we now regard as essential to ramming efficiency--twin screws and moderate dimensions for handiness1 numerous water-tight divisions for safety1 and special strengthenings at the bow4 ,facts such as these deserve to be put on record4444 ,meanwhile accept my congratulations on the great skill and foresight which your ram-design displays4 ,collisions at sea unhappily afford ample evidence of the fatal efficiency of the ramming principle4 ,even ironclad ships have not been able to withstand the destructive effect4 ,the ,vanguard and the ,kurfurst now lie at the bottom of the sea in consequence of an accidental end-on ram from a heavy ship going at a moderate velocity4 ,high speed in a ,steam ,ram is only desirable when the attempt is made to overtake an enemy's ship2 but not necessary for doing its destructive work4 ,a crash on the thick plates of the strongest ,ironclad1 from a ,ram of #bjjj tons at the speed of four miles an hour1 would drive them inwards with the most fatal results4 #ahci4 ,invention of the ,steam ,hammer1 in its general principles and details4 ,described in text1 p4 #bca4 #ahci4 ,invention of the ,floating ,mortar or ,torpedo ,ram4 ,for particulars and details1 see ,report of ,torpedo ,committee4 #ahci4 ,a ,double-faced ,wedge-shaped ,sluice-,valve for ,main ,street ,water-pipes4 ,the late ,mr4 ,wicksteed1 engineer of the ,east ,london ,water ,company1 having stated to me the inconvenience which had been experienced from the defects in respect of water-tightness1 as well as the difficulty of opening and closing the valves of the main water-pipes in the streets1 ,i turned my attention to the subject4 ,the result was my contrivance of a double-faced wedge-shaped sluice-valve1 which combined the desirable property of perfect water-tightness with ease of opening and closing the valve4 ,this was effected by a screw which raised the valve from its bearings at the first partial turn of the screw1 after which there was no further resistance or friction1 except the trifling friction of the screw in its nut on the upper part of the sluice-valve4 ,when screwed down again1 it closed simultaneously the end of the entrance pipe and that of the exit pipe attached to the valve case in the most effective manner4 image ,mr4 ,wicksteed was so much pleased with the simplicity and efficiency of this valve that he had it applied to all the main pipes of his ,company4 ,when its advantages became known1 ,i received many orders from other water companies1 and the valves have since come into general use4 ,the prefixed figure will convey a clear idea of the construction4 ,the wedge form of the double-faced valve is conspicuous as the characteristic feature of the arrangement499 footnote444 ,at a meeting of the ,institution of ,civil ,engineers1 ,may #bc1 #ahhc1 when various papers were read on ,waterworks1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,i4 ,marten observed in the course of the discussion3 --,it has been stated in ,mr4 ,gamble's paper 7on the waterworks of ,port ,elizabeth7 that the sluice valves are of the usual pattern4 ,the usual patterns of the present day are in wonderful advance of those of thirty or forty years since4 ,the great improvement originated with the introduction of 'the double-faced sluice-cock4' ,this sluice-cock1 which had now superseded every other description1 was the creation of ,mr4 ,james ,nasmyth's inventive genius4 ,mr4 ,marten said he well remembered the first reception of this useful invention1 as he happened at that time to be a pupil of ,mr4 ,thomas ,wicksteed4 ,he was present when ,mr4 ,wicksteed explained to ,mr4 ,nasmyth the want he had experienced of a sluice-cock for ,waterworks purposes1 which should shut and remain perfectly tight against a pressure coming from either side4 ,mr4 ,marten had a lively recollection of the instantaneous rapidity with which ,mr4 ,nasmyth not only grasped but provided for the requirement2 so that almost by the time ,mr4 ,wicksteed had completed the statement of his want1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth had drawn upon the back of an old letter a rough sketch of the first double-faced sluice-cock2 and in less than an hour had converted this rough sketch into a full-sized working drawing2 in the preparation of which it fell to ,mr4 ,marten's lot to have the honour to assist4 ,in his ',autobiography' ,mr4 ,nasmyth referred to the conversation with ,mr4 ,wicksteed1 and introduced a print of the drawing made upon the occasion4 ,the invention has been of the greatest use to the ,waterworks ,engineer1 especially in connection with the constant supply system1 in which it frequently happened that the pressure was sometimes against one face of the sluice-cock1 and sometimes against the other4-- ,see ,proceedings and ,discussions of the ,institution of ,civil ,engineers1 #ahhc1 pp4 #hh1 #hi4 444 #ahci4 ,a ,hydraulic ,mattress ,press1 capable of exerting a pressure of ,twenty thousand tons4 ,being under the impression that there are many processes in the manufacturing arts1 in which a perfectly controllable compressing power of vast potency might be serviceable1 ,i many years ago prepared a design of an apparatus of a very simple and easily executed kind1 which would supply such a desideratum4 ,it was possessed of a range of compressing or squeezing power1 which far surpassed anything of the kind that had been invented4 ,as above said1 it was perfectly controllable2 so as either to yield the most gentle pressure1 or to possess the power of compressing to upwards of twenty thousand tons2 the only limit to its power being in the materials employed in its construction4 ,the principle of this enormously powerful compressing machine is similar to that of the ,hydraulic ,press2 the difference consisting principally in the substitution of what ,i term a ,hydraulic ,mattress in place of the cylinder and ram of the ordinary hydraulic press4 ,the ,hydraulic ,mattress consists of a square or circular water-tight vessel or flat bag formed of #a_/b-;inch thick iron or steel plates securely riveted together2 its dimensions being1 say #ae feet square by #c feet deep1 and having semicircular sides1 which form enables the upper flat part of the ,mattress to rise say to the extent of #f inches1 without any injury to the riveted joints1 as such a rise or alteration of the normal form of the semicircular sides would be perfectly harmless1 and not exceed their capability of returning to their normal curve when the #f-;inch rise was no longer necessary1 and the elevating pressure removed4 image ,the action of this gigantic press is as follows4 ,the ,mattress ,a ,a having been filled with water1 an additional quantity is supplied by a force pump1 capable of forcing in water with a pressure of one ton to the square inch2 thus acting on an available surface of at least #add square feet surface--namely1 that of the upper flat surface of the ,mattress4 ,it will be forced up by no less a pressure than twenty thousand tons1 and transfer that enormous pressure to any article that is placed between the rising table of the press and the upper table4 ,when any object less thick than the normal space is required to receive the pressure1 the spare space must be filled with a suitable set of iron flat blocks1 so as to subject the article to be pressed to the requisite power4 ,as before stated1 there may be many processes in the manufacturing arts in which such an enormous pressure may be useful2 and this can be accomplished with perfect ease and certainty4 ,i trust that this account of the principles and construction of such a machine may suggest some employment worthy of its powers4 ,in the general use of the ,mattress press1 it would be best to supply the pressure water from an accumulator1 which should be kept constantly full by the action of suitable pumps worked by a small steam-engine4 ,the great press would require the high-pressure water only now and then2 so that it would not be necessary to wait for the small pump to supply the pressure water when the ,mattress was required to be in action4 #ahdj4 ,a ,tapping ,square1 or instrument by which ,perfect ,verticality of the ,tapping of ,screwed ,holes is insured4 image ,the letter ,x shows how ,screws are frequently made when tapped in the old mode2 the letter ,t as they are always made when the ,tapping ,square is employed4 #ahdj4 ,a ,mode of turning ,segmental ,work in the ,ordinary ,lathe ,in executing an order for twenty locomotive engines for the ,great ,western ,railway ,company1 there was necessarily a repetition of detail parts4 ,many of them required the labour of the most skilful workmen1 as the parts referred to did not admit of their being executed by the lathe or planing-machine in their ordinary mode of application4 ,but the cost of their execution by hand labour was so great1 and the risk of inaccuracy was so common 7where extreme accuracy was essential71 that ,i had recourse to the aid of special mechanical contrivances and machine tools for the purpose of getting over the difficulty4 ,the annexed illustration has reference to only one class of objects in which ,i effected great saving in the production1 as well as great accuracy in the work4 ,it refers to a contrivance for producing by the turning-lathe the eighty bands of the eccentrics for these twenty engines4 ,being of a segmental form1 but with a projection at each extremity1 which rendered their production and finish impossible by the ordinary lathe1 ,i bethought me of applying what is termed the mangle motion to the rim of a face plate of the lay1 with so many pins in it as to give the required course of segmental motion for the turning tool to operate upon1 between the projections ,c ,c in the illustration4 image ,i availed myself of the limited to-and-fro horizontal motion of the shaft of the mangle motion wheel1 as it1 at each end of the row of pegs --in the face plate 7when it passes from the exterior to the interior range of them7 in giving the feed motion to the tool in2 the slide rest1 turned the segmental exterior of the eccentric hoops4 ,this it did perfectly1 as the change of position of the small shaft occurred at the exact time when the cut was at its termination1--that being the correct moment to give the tool the feed1 or advance for the taking of the next cut4 ,the saving1 in respect to time1 was #aj to #a in comparison with the same amount of work done by hand labour2 while the truth or correctness of the work done by this handy little application of the turning-lathe was absolutely perfect ,i have been the more particular in my allusion to this contrivance1 as it is applicable to any lathe1 and can perform work which no lathe without it can accomplish4 ,the unceasing industry of such machines is no small addition to their attractions1 in respect to the production of unquestionably accurate work4 #ahdc4 ,invention of the ,steam ,hammer ,pile-driver4 ,described in text1 p4 #bfa4 #ahdc4 ,a ,universal ,flexible ,joint for ,steam and ,water-pipes4 ,image ,the chief novelty in this swivel joint is the manner in which the packing of the joints is completely enclosed1 thereby rendering them perfectly and permanently watertight4 #ahdd4 ,an ,improvement in ,blowing ,fans and their ,bearings4 ,the principle on which ,blowing ,fans act1 and to which they owe their efficiency1 consists in their communicating ,centrifugal action to the air within them4 ,in order to obtain the maximum force of blast1 with the minimum expenditure of power1 it is requisite so to form the outside rim of the ,fan-case as that each compartment formed by the space between the ends of the blades of the ,fan shall in its course of rotation possess an equal facility of exit for the passage of the air it is discharging4 ,thus1 in a ,fan with six blades1 the space between the top of the blades and the case of the ,fan should increase in area in the progressive ratios of #a-b-c-d-e-f4 ,image ,if a ,fan be constructed on this common-sense principle1 we shall secure the maximum of blast from the minimum of driving power4 ,and not only so2 but the humming sound--so disagreeable an accompaniment to the action of the ,fans 7being caused by the successive sudden escape of the air from each compartment as it comes opposite the space where it can discharge its confined block of air7--will be avoided4 ,when the outer case of a ,fan is formed on the expanding or spiral principle1 as above described1 all these important advantages will attend its use4 ,as the inward current of air rushes in at the circular openings on each side of the ,fan-case1 and would thus oppose each other if there was a free communication between them1 this is effectually obviated by forming the rotating portion of the fan by a disc of iron plate1 which prevents the opposite in-rushing currents from interfering with each other1 and at the same time supplies a most substantial means of fastening the blades1 as they are conveniently riveted to this central disc4 ,on the whole1 this arrangement of machinery supplies a most effective ,noiseless ,blowing ,fan4 #ahde4 ,a direct ,action ,suction ,fan for the ,ventilation of ,coal-,mines4 ,the frequency of disastrous colliery explosions induced me to give my attention to an improved method for ventilating coal mines4 ,the practice then was to employ a furnace1 placed at the bottom of the upcast shaft of the coal-pit1 to produce the necessary ventilation4 ,this practice was highly riskful4 ,it was dangerous as well as ineffective4 ,it was also liable to total destruction when an explosion occurred1 and the means of ventilation were thus lost when it was most urgently required4 ,the ventilation of mines by a current of air forced by a ,fan into the workings1 had been proposed by a ,german named ,george ,agricola1 as far back as #afba4 ,the arrangement is found figured in his work entitled ,de ,re ,metalicat1 p4 #afb4 ,but in all cases in which this system of forcing air through the workings and passages of a mine has been tried1 it has invariably been found unsuccessful as a means of ventilation4 ,as all rotative ,blowing ,fans draw in the air at their centres1 and expel it at their circumference1 it occurred to me that if we were to make a communication between the upcast shaft of the mine and the centre or suctional part of the ,fan closing the top of the upcast shaft1 a ,fan so arranged would draw out the foul air from the mine1 and allow the fresh air to descend by the downcast shaft1 and so traverse the workings4 ,and as a ,suction ,fan so placed would be on the surface of the ground1 and quite out of the way of any risk of injury--being open to view and inspection at all times--we should thus have an effective and trustworthy means for thorough ventilation4 ,image ,having communicated the design for my ,direct ,action ,suction ,fan for coal-pit ventilation to the ,earl ,fitzwilliam1 through his agent ,mr4 ,hartop1 in #ahej1 his lordship was so much pleased with it that ,i received an order for one of #ad feet diameter1 for the purpose of ventilating2 one of his largest coalpits4 ,i arranged the steam-engine which gave motion to the large ,fan1 so as to be a part of it2 and by placing the crank of the engine on the end of the ,fan-shaft1 the engine transferred its power to it in the most simple and direct manner4 ,the high satisfaction which this ,ventilating ,fan gave to the ,earl and to all connected with his coal-mines1 led to my receiving orders for several of them4 ,i took out no patent for the invention1 but sent drawings and descriptions to all whom ,i knew to be interested in coalmine ventilation4 ,i read a paper on the subject1 and exhibited the necessary drawings1 at the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,ipswich in #ahea4 ,these were afterwards published in the ,mining ,journal4 ,the consequence is that many of my ,suction ,ventilating ,fans are now in successful action at home and abroad4 #ahde4 ,an improvement in the ,links of ,chain ,cables4 #ahde4 ,an ,improved ,method of ,welding ,iron4 ,one of the most important processes in connection with the production of the details of machinery1 and other purposes in which malleable iron is employed1 is that termed welding1 namely1 when more or less complex forms are1 so to speak1 built up by the union of suitable portions of malleable iron united and incorporated with each other in the process of welding4 ,this consists in heating the parts which we desire to unite to a white heat in a smith's forge fire1 or in an air furnace1 by means of which that peculiar adhesive wax-like capability2 of sticking together is induced1--so that when the several parts are forcibly pressed into close contact by blows of a hammer1 their union is rendered perfect4 ,but as the intense degree of heat which is requisite to induce this adhesive quality is accompanied by the production of a molten oxide of iron that clings tenaciously to the white-hot surfaces of the iron1 the union will not be complete unless every particle of the adhesing molten scoriae is thoroughly discharged and driven out from between the surfaces we desire to unite by welding4 ,if by any want of due care on the part of the smith1 the surfaces be concave or have hollows in them1 the scoriae will be sure to lurk in the recesses1 and result in a defective welding of a most treacherous nature4 ,though the exterior may display no evidence of the existence of this fertile cause of failure1 yet some undue or unexpected strain will rend and disclose the shut-up scoriae1 and probably end in some fatal break-down4 ,the annexed figures will perhaps serve to render my remarks on this truly important subject more clear to the reader4 ,image ,fig4#a represents an imperfectly prepared surface of two pieces of malleable iron about to be welded4 ,the result of their concavity of form is that the scoriae are almost certain to be shut up in the hollow part1--as the pieces will unite first at the edges and thus include the scoriae1 which no amount of subsequent hammering will ever dislodge4 ,they will remain lurking between1 as seen in ,fig4#b4 ,happily1 the means of obviating all such treacherous risks are as simple as they are thoroughly effective4 ,all that has to be done to render their occurrence next to impossible is to give to the surfaces we desire to unite by welding a convex form as represented in ,fig4 #c2 the result of which is that we thus provide an open door for the scoriae to escape from between the surfaces1--as these unite first in the centre1 as due to the convex form1 and then the union proceeds outwards1 until every particle of scoriae is expelled1 and the union is perfectly completed under the blows of the hammer or other compressing agency4 ,fig4 #d represents the final and perfect completion of the welding1 which is effected by this common-sense and simple means1--that is1 by giving the surfaces a convex form instead of a concave one4 ,when ,i was called by the ,lords of the ,admiralty in #ahdf to serve on a ,committee1 the object of which was to investigate the causes of failure in the wrought-iron smith work of the navy1 many sad instances came before us of accidents which had been caused by defective welding1 especially in the vitally important articles of ,anchors and ,chain ,cables4 ,in the case of the occasional failure of chain cables1 the cause was generally assigned to defective material2 but circumstances led me to the conclusion that it was a question of workmanship or maltreatment of what ,i knew to be of excellent material4 ,i therefore instituted a series of experiments which yielded conclusive evidence upon the subject2 and which proved that defective welding was the main and chief cause of failure4 ,in order to prove this1 several apparently excellent cables were1 by the aid of the proving machine1 pulled to pieces1 link by link1 and a careful record was kept of the nature of the fracture4 ,the result was1 that out of every #ajj links pulled asunder #hj cases clearly exhibited defective welding2 while only #bj were broken through the clear sound metal4 ,this yielded a very important lesson to those specially concerned4 #ahde4 ,introduction of the ,v ,anvil4 ,in connection with my ,steam ,hammer1 when employed in forging great cylindrical shafts1 ,i introduced what ,i termed my ,v anvil4 ,its employment has most importantly contributed to secure perfect soundness in such class of forgings4 ,in the old system of forging cylindrical shafts1 the bar was placed upon a flat-faced anvil4 ,the effect of each blow of the hammer upon the work was to knock the shaft into an oval form 7see ,fig4 #a72 and the inevitable result of a succession of such blows was destruction of the soundness of the centre or axis of the shaft4 image ,in order to remedy this grave defect1 arising from the employment of a flat-faced anvil1 ,i introduced my ,v anvil face 7see ,fig4 #b71 the effect of which was1 that the dispersive action of the blow of the hammer was changed into a converging action1 which ensured the perfect soundness of the work2 while the ,v or fork-like form of the angle face kept the work steadily under the centre of the hammer1 allowing the scale or scoriae to fall into the apex or bottom of the ,v1 which thus passed away1 leaving the faces of the angle quite clear4 ,this simple and common-sense improvement was eagerly and generally adopted1 and has been productive of most satisfactory and important results4 #ahdg4 ,a ,spherical-seated ,direct-weighted ,safety ,valve4 ,having been on several occasions called to investigate the causes of steam boiler explosions1 my attention was naturally directed to the condition of the ,safety ,valve4 ,i found the construction of them in many cases to be defective in principle as well as in mechanical details2 resulting chiefly from the employment of a conical form in the valve1 which necessitated the use of a guide spindle to enable it to keep in correct relative position to its corresponding conical seat1 as seen at ,a in ,fig4 #a4 ,as this guide spindle is always liable to be clogged with the muddy deposit from the boiling water1 which yields a very adhesive encrustation1 the result is a very riskful tendency to impede the free action of the ,safety ,valve1 and thereby prevent its serving its purpose4 image ,with a view to remove all such causes of uncertainty in the action of this vitally important part of a steam boiler ,i designed a ,safety ,valve1 having a spherical valve and corresponding seat1 as seen in ,b ,c1 ,fig4 #b4 ,this form of ,safety ,valve had the important property of fitting to its bearing-seat in all positions1 requiring no other guide than its own spherical seat to effect that essential purpose4 ,and as the weight required to keep the valve closed until the exact desired maximum pressure of steam has been attained1 is directly attached to the under side of the valve by the rod1 the weight1 by being inside the boiler1 is placed out of reach from any attempt to tamper with it4 ,the entire arrangement of this ,safety ,valve is quite simple4 ,it is free from all ,lever ,joints and other parts which might become clogged2 and as there is always a slight pendulous motion in the weight by the action of the water in the boiler1 the spherical surfaces of the valve and its seat are thus ever kept in perfect order4 ,as soon as the desired pressure of steam has been reached1 and the gravity of the weight overcome1 the valve rises from its seat1 and gives perfectly free egress to any farther accumulation of steam4 ,it is really quite a treat1 in its way1 to observe this truly simple and effective ,safety ,valve in action4 ,after ,i had contrived and introduced this ,safety ,valve1 its valuable properties were speedily acknowledged1 and4 its employment has now become very general4 #ahdg4 ,a ,machine for cutting out ,cottar ,slots and ,key-,groove ,recesses in ,parts of ,machinery by a ,traversing ,drill4 ,one of the most tedious and costly processes in the execution of the detail parts of machinery is the cutting out of ,cottar ,slots in piston rods1 connecting rods1 and key recesses in shafts4 ,this operation used to be performed by drilling a row of holes through the solid body of the object1 and then chipping away the intermediate metal between the holes1 and filing the rude slot1 so produced1 into its required form4 ,the whole operation1 as thus conducted1 was one of the most tedious and irksome jobs that an engineer workman could be set to1 and could only be performed by those possessed of the highest skill4 ,what with broken chisels and files1 and the tedious nature of the work1 it was a most severe task to the very best men1 not to speak of the heavy cost in wages4 ,in order to obviate all these disadvantages1 ,i contrived an arrangement of a drilling machine1 with a specially formed drill1 which at once reduced the process to one of the easiest conducted in an engineer's workshop4 ,image ,the4 special form of the ,drill consisted in the removal of the centre portion of its flat cutting face by making it with a notch ,o4 ,this enabled it to cut sideways1 as well as downwards1 and thus to cut a slit or oblong hole4 ,no labour1 as such1 was required2 but only the intelligent superintendence of a lad to place the work in the machine1 and remove it for the next piece in its turn4 ,the machine did the labour1 and by its self-action did the work in the most perfect manner4 ,i may further mention that the arrangement of the machine consisted in causing the object to traverse to and fro in a straight line1 of any required length1 under the action of the drill4 ,the traversing action was obtained by the employment of an adjustable crank1 which gave the requisite motion to a slide table1 on which the work was fastened4 ,the feed downwards of the drill was effected by the crank at the moment of its reversing the slide1 as the drill reached the end of the traverse2 and1 as there is a slight pause of the traverse at each end of it1 the feed for the next cutting taking place at that time1 the drill has the opportunity given to perfect its cut ere it commences the next cutting traverse in succession4 ,this action continues in regular course until the drill makes its way right through the piece of work under its action2 or can be arrested at any required depth according to the requirements of the work4 ,soap and water as a lubricator continues to drop into the recess of the slot1 and is always in its right place to assist the cutting of the drill4 ,as before said1 the entire function of this most effective machine tool is self-acting4 ,it only required an intelligent lad or labourer to attend to it2 and1 as there was ample time to spare1 the superintendence of two of these machines was quite within his ability4 ,the rates of the productive powers of this machine1 as compared with the former employment of hand labour1 was at least ten to one2 to say nothing of the superior quality of the work executed4 ,such were the manifold advantages of this machine1 that its merits soon became known and appreciated2 and although ,i had taken out no patent for it1 we always had an abundance of orders1 as it was its own best advertisement4 #ahdh4 ,a ,steam ,hammer ,form of ,steam-,engine4 ,image ,this engine is of great simplicity and get-at-ability of parts4 ,it is specially adapted for screw-propelled steamships1 and many other purposes4 ,it is now in very general use4 ,the outline is given above4 #ahdh4 ,application of ,hydraulic ,power to the ,punching of ,large ,holes in ,iron ,bars1 and ,plates of ,great ,thickness4 ,dr4 ,faraday having applied to me to furnish him1 for one of his lectures at the ,royal ,institution1 with some striking example of the ,power of ,machinery in overcoming the resistance to penetration in the case of some such material as cold malleable iron1 it occurred to me to apply the tranquil but vast power of a hydraulic press to punch out a large hole in a thick cake of malleable iron4 ,knowing that my excellent friend ,john ,rick had in his works at ,bolton one of the most powerful hydraulic presses then existing1 contrived and constructed by his ingenious father1 the late ,benjamin ,hick1 ,i proceeded to ,bolton1 and explained ,dr4 ,faraday's requirement1 when1 with his usual liberal zeal1 ,mr4 ,hick at once placed the use of his great hydraulic press at my service4 ,having had a suitable cake of steam-hammered malleable iron given to me for the purpose in question1 by my valued friend ,thomas ,lever ,rushton of the ,bolton ,ironworks1 we soon had the cake of iron placed in the great press4 ,it was #e inches thick1#ah inches long1 and #ae inches wide4 ,placing a cylindrical coupling box of cast-iron on the table of the press1 and then placing the thick cake of iron on it1 and a short cylindrical mass of iron 7somewhat of the size and form of a ,stilton ,cheese7 on the iron cake1 the coupling box acting as the ,bolster of the extemporised punching machine1--the press was then set to work4 ,we soon saw the ,stilton ,cheese-like punch begin to sink slowly and quietly through the #e-;inch thick cake of iron1 as if it had been stiff clay4 ,the only sound heard was when the punched-out mass dropped into the recess of the coupling below4 ,such a demonstration of tranquil but almost resistless power of a hydraulic press had never1 so far as we were aware1 been seen before4 ,the punched of iron1 together with the punched-out disc1 were then packed off to ,faraday2 and great was his delight in having his request so promptly complied with4 ,great also was the wonder of his audience when the punched plate was placed upon the lecture table4 ,this feat of ,benjamin ,hick's great hydraulic press set me a-thinking4 ,i conceived the idea that the application of hydraulic press power might serve many similar purposes in dealing with ultra thick plates or bar iron1--such as the punching out of holes1 and cutting thick bars and plates into definite shapes1 as might be required4 ,i suggested the subject to my friend ,charles ,fox1 head of the firm of ,fox1 ,henderson1 and ,co4 ,he had taken a large contract for a chain bridge1 the links of which were to be of thick flat iron bars1 with the ends broadened out for the link-pins to pass through4 ,he had described to me the trouble and cost they had occasioned him in drilling the holes1 and in cropping the rude-shaped ends of the bars into the required form4 ,i advised him to try the use of the hydraulic press as a punching-machine1 and also as a cutting-machine to dress the ends of the great links4 ,he did so in due time1 and found the suggestion of great service and value to him in this1 and in other cases of a similar kind4 ,the saving of cost was very great1 and the work was much more perfect than under the former system4 #ahdh4 ,an ,alternately-pegged ,shive or ,pulley for ,rope ,band ,power ,transmission4 #ahdh4 ,a ,turn-table ,trunnion ,vision ,reflecting ,telescope4 ,this is so arranged that the observer can direct the ,telescope and view an object in any part of the heavens without moving from his seat1 which is attached to the turn-table4 ,for explanations1 see text1 p4 #ccg4 #ahej4 ,a ,double or ,ambidexter ,self-acting ,turning-,lathe1 with ,dead ,gutters1 specially adapted for turning ,bolts and suchlike detail ,parts of ,machinery4 ,image ,image ,this is a very valuable tool4 ,it requires only one attendant4 ,it is especially useful as regards efficiency and economy4 ,it will be sufficiently understood by mechanical engineers from the annexed drawings4 #aheb4 ,a ,solid-bar ,link-,valve ,motion1 especially valuable for the larger class of ,marine ,steam-,engines4 #ahed4 ,steam ,puddling ,patent4 ,this was the pioneer of the ,bessemer process4 ,see ,bessemer correspondence1 p4 #ced #ahed4 ,a ,reversible ,rolling ,mill without ,fly-wheel4 ,this ,rolling ,mill consists of two combined steam-engines1 acting on cranks at right angles1 the reversing of the rolls being effected by the link motion4 ,the requisite rolling power is obtained by suitable wheel and pinion gear1 so as to be entirely independent of the momentum of a fly-wheel1 which is entirely dispensed with4 ,i did not patent the invention4 ,as usual in such cases1 ,i made no secret of it1 but sent sketches explanatory of the arrangement to many professional friends interested in mechanical improvements4 ,it was adopted by many1 especially for rolling long and heavy bars and plates4 ,it enabled the workmen to see-saw these ponderous objects1 and pass them to and fro through the rolls with the utmost case1-- to the great saving of heat1 time1 and labour4 ,the invention was first brought into use by ,mr4 ,ramsbotham at the ,crewe works of the ,london and ,north-,western ,railway4 ,on the #dth ,december #ahff ,i received the following letter from him3 ,,dear ,,sir--,i must crave your forgiveness for my great delay in acknowledging the receipt of your kind letter of the #bith ,august1 in which you refer to the successful carrying out at these works of your idea of a ',reversible ,rolling ,mill without a ,fly-wheel4' ,it has long been to me a matter of astonishment that your idea has not been reduced to practice years ago1 particularly when it is considered how well the arrangement is adapted to the rolling of ,armour ,plates1 or other work requiring a sustained effort1 whilst it is at the same time more effective than the ordinary mill arrangement for very light work4 ,so much is this latter true1 that the men who are left to their own choice in the matter1 will reverse the mill rather than pass a light sheet of #h or #aj lbs4 weight over the upper roll4 ,this country is much indebted to you for so valuable a suggestion2 and now that it has been brought to a successful issue1 ,i have no doubt but it will be widely acted upon4 ,i need not add that it will afford me much pleasure to show you the mill1 and also what we are doing generally1 if you should at any time visit ,crewe4-- ,believe me very faithfully yours1 ,j4 ,,ramsbotham4 ,i also communicated the invention to ,mr4 ,thomas ,gillott of the ,farnley ,ironworks1 ,yorkshire1 and received from him the following letter1 dated the #b;d ,january #ahgg3 ,,dear ,,sir--,i was much gratified to see by your letter in ,engineering the interest you have shown with respect to the large ,reversing ,plate ,mill erected by me at these works1 and drawn on the plan suggested by you4 ,allow me to thank you for the complimentary manner in which you have mentioned my work4 ,since the notice appeared1 we have done a deal of heavy work in this mill2 and a plate large enough to shear #aa' #j and #aj' #b and #a_/b thick has been rolled in five minutes4 ,the slab went through the roll #ag times before being rolled to the width and turned round1 and #ah times after turning and of the full width2 making a total of #ce passes--the turning occupying #bj seconds4 ,when it is remembered how rapidly a thin plate cools1 this performance will sufficiently indicate the severe work this mill is capable of doing2 notwithstanding the many predictions that such large plates could not be rolled without a fly-wheel4 ,as to repairs1 none have been required2 so ,i cannot compare this with the ,clutch systems4 ,in respect of steam used1 the direct acting engines compare favourably with an expansion beam condensing engine doing similar but lighter work4 ,should it ever be your wish to see this mill at work1 ,i should be much pleased to have the opportunity of showing it to you4-- ,i am1 dear sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,thomas ,,gillott4 #ahed4 ,drilling ,tunnels through ,hard ,rock4 ,besides these contrivances and methods of accomplishing mechanical objects1 ,i have on several occasions read papers1 prepared drawings1 and given suggestions1 out of which have come so-called inventions made by others4 ,for instance1 at the meeting of the ,british ,association in ,liverpool in #ahed1 ,i read a paper and exhibited drawings before the ,mechanical ,science ,section1 on my method of drilling tunnels through hard rock4 ,the paper and drawings excited considerable interest among the railway engineers who were present4 ,i afterwards met ,mr4 ,george ,newmann1 ,c4,e41 who consulted me on the same subject4 ,several years after 7#bast ,april #ahfc7 ,i received the following letter from him3 ,,dear ,sir--,some few years ago1 ,i had the pleasure of spending an evening in your company at my relative's 7,mr4 ,g4 ,withington7 house at ,pendleton4 ,as ,i was then ,engineer to the ,victor ,emmanuel ,railway1 and had made a survey of the ,mout ,cenis for the purpose of the ,tunnel1 ,i consulted you as to the application of the machinery for that work4 ,you suggested the driving of drills in a manner similar to a piston-rod1 with other details4 ,on my return to ,savoy1 ,i communicated these ideas to ,mr4 ,bartlett1 the contractor's agent1 and ,i recommended him to get a small trial machine made4 ,this he had done in a few months1 and then he claimed the whole idea as his own4 ,the system has since been carried out 7see ,times1 #dth ,april #ahfc7 by compressed air instead of steam4 ,i call your attention to this1 as you may contradict1 if you think proper1 the assertion in the article above mentioned1 that the idea originated with ,bartlett4 ,i did not1 however1 contradict the assertion4 ,i am glad that my description and drawings proved in any way useful towards the completion of that magnificent work1 the seven-mile tunnel under ,mont ,cenis4 #ahfb4 ,chilled ,cast-iron ,shot4 ,in like manner1 ,i proposed the use of ,chilled ,cast-,iron ,shot at a meeting of the ,mechanical ,science ,section of the ,british ,association1 held at ,cambridge in ,october #ahfb4 ,up to that time hardened steel shot had been used to penetrate thick iron plates1 but the cost was excessive1 about #cj a ton4 ,i proposed that ,chilled ,cast-,iron should be substituted2 it was more simple and inexpensive4 ,considerable discussion took place on the subject2 and ,sir ,william ,fairbairn1 who was ,president of the ,section1 said that he would have experiments made1 and he hoped that before the next meeting of the ,association1 the matter would be proved experimentally4 ,a brief report of the discussion is given in the ,times of the #gth ,october1 and in the ,athenaeum of the #ahth ,october1 #ahfb4 ,before1 however1 the matter could be put to the test of experiment1 ,major ,palliser had taken out his ,patent for the invention of ,chilled ,cast-,iron ,shot1 in ,may #ahfc1 for which he was afterwards handsomely rewarded4 ,i do not wish to grasp at any man's inventions1 but it is right to claim my own1 and to state the facts4 ,the discussion above mentioned took place upon a paper read by ,j4 ,aston1 ,esq41 ,q4,c41 who thus refers to the subject in his letter to me1 dated the #gth ,january #ahfg3 ,i perfectly remember the discussion which took place at the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,cambridge in #ahfb1 upon the material proper to be used as projectiles4 ,the discussion arose after a paper had been read by me in the ,mechanical ,section upon ',rifled guns and projectiles adapted for attacking armour plates4' ,the paper was1 ,i think1 printed by the ,association in their ,report for #ahfb4 ,you spoke1 ,i believe1 at some length on the occasion2 and ,i recollect that you surprised and much interested all who were present1 by strenuously urging the use of ,chilled ,cast-iron for shot and shell1 intended for penetrating armour plates4 ,having embraced all opportunities1 and ,i had many at that time1 of ascertaining all that was done in the way of improving rifled projectiles1 ,i entertained a very strong opinion that experiments had shown that ordinary cast-iron was1 as compared with steel1 of very little value for shot and shell to be used against iron plates4 ,for that reason1 ,i remember ,i took an opportunity1 after the termination of the discussion1 in which you held your own against all comers in favour of chilled cast-iron1 of questioning you closely on the subject1 and you gave me1 ,i admitted1 good reason for the opinion you expressed4 ,you also urged me to cause a trial to be made of chilled cast-iron for shell1 such as ,i had shown to the section1 and which 7in hardened steel shot7 had been fired by ,mr4 ,whitworth through thick iron plates4 ,this ,i had not an opportunity of doing4 ,term began soon after1 and ,temple occupations then took up all my time4 ,there can be no doubt whatever that any one who may claim to have been before you in teaching the public the use of ,chilled ,cast ,iron for projectiles intended to penetrate iron plates1 must give proof of having so done prior to your vigorous advocacy of that material at the ,cambridge ,meeting in #ahfb4-- ,yours very sincerely1 ,j4,aston4 ,in another letter ,mr4 ,aston says--,it is quite right of you to assert your claim to that which in fact belongs to you4 ,i did not1 however1 assert my claim2 and1 with these observations and extracts1 ,i leave the matter1 stating again the fact that my public communication of the invention was made in ,october #ahfb2 and that the patent for the invention was taken out by ,major ,palliser in ,may #ahfc4 ,mr ,nasmyth's final comments on his inventions and contrivances4 ,i have only mentioned the more prominent of my inventions and contrivances4 ,had ,i described them fully ,i should have required another volume4 ,i have the satisfaction to know that many of them have greatly advanced the progress of the mechanical arts1 though they may not be acknowledged as mine4 ,i patented very few of my inventions4 ,the others ,i sowed broadcast over the world of practical mechanics4 ,my reward is in the knowledge that these children of my brain are doing1 and will continue to do1 good service in time present and in time to come4 ,in mechanical structures and contrivances1 ,i have always endeavoured to attain the desired purpose by the employment of the ,fewest ,parts1 casting aside every detail not absolutely necessary1 and guarding carefully against the intrusion of mere traditional forms and arrangements4 ,the latter are apt to insinuate themselves1 and to interfere with that simplicity and directness of action which is in all cases so desirable a quality in mechanical structures4 ,,plain ,,common ,,sense should be apparent in the general design1 as in the form and arrangement of the details2 and a general character of severe utility pervade the whole1 accompanied with as much attention to gracefulness of form as is consistent with the nature and purpose of the structure4 ,,the ,,sun-,,ray ,,origin ,,of ,,the ,,pyramids ,,and ,,cuneiform ,,character4 ,before ,i take my leave of the public1 ,i wish to put on record my speculations as to the origin of two subjects of remote antiquity1 viz4 the ,sun-ray origin of the ,pyramids1 and the origin of the ,arrow-head or ,cuneiform ,character4 ,first1 with respect to the ,sun-ray origin of the ,egyptian ,pyramids4 ,in pursuing a very favourite subject of inquiry1 namely the origin of forms1 no portion of it appears to me to be invested with so deep an interest as that of the ,worship of the ,sun1 one of the most primitive and sacred foundations of adorative religion1--affecting as it has done1 architectural structures and numerous habits and customs which have come clown to us from remote antiquity1 and which owe their origin to its influence4 ,on many occasions1 while beholding the sublime effects of the ,sun's ,rays streaming down on the earth through openings in the clouds near the horizon1 ,i have been forcibly impressed with the analogy they appear to suggest as to the form of the ,pyramid1 while the single vertical ray suggests that of the ,obelisk4 ,in following up this subject1 ,i was fortunate enough to find what appears to me a strong confirmation of my views1 namely1 that the ,pyramid1 as such1 was a sacred form4 ,i met with many examples of this in the ,egyptian ,collection at the ,louvre at ,paris2 especially in small pyramids1 which were probably the objects of household worship4 ,in one case ,i found a small pyramid1 on the upper part of which appeared the disc of the ,sun1 with pyramidal rays descending from it on to figures in the ,egyptian attitude of adoration4 ,this consists in the hands held up before the eyes--an attitude expressive of the brightness of the object adored4 ,it is associated with the brightness of the ,sun1 and it still survives in the ,salaam1 which expresses profound reverence and respect among ,eastern nations4 ,it also survives in the disc of the ,sun1 which has for ages been placed like a halo behind the heads of sacred and exalted personages1 as may be seen in ,eastern and early paintings1 as well as in church windows at the present day4 ,this is also intimately connected with lighted lamps and candles1 which latter may often be met with in ,continental churches1 as well as in ,english ,ritualist ,churches at the present day4 ,in ,romish ,continental churches they are stuck on to pyramidal stands1 and placed before pictures and images of sacred personages4 ,all such lighted lamps or candles are survivals of that most ancient form of worship1-- that of ,,the ,,sun6 ,the accompanying illustrations will serve in some degree to confirm the correctness of my views as to this very4 interesting subject4 ,image ,fig4 #a is from a rubbing of one of the many small or ,household pyramids in the ,louvre ,collection at ,paris2 ,image while ,fig4 #b is an attempt to illustrate in a graphic manner the derivation of the form of the ,pyramid and ,obelisk from the ,sun's ,rays4 ,in connection with the worship of the ,sun and other heavenly bodies1 as practised in ancient times by ,eastern nations1 it may be mentioned that their want of knowledge of the vast distances that separate them from the earth led them to the belief that these bodies were so near as to exert a direct influence upon man and his affairs4 ,hence the origin of ,astrology1 with all its accompanying mystifications2 this was practised under the impression that the ,sun1 ,moon1 and planets were near to the earth4 ,the summits of mountains and ,high ,places thus became sacred1 and were for this reason resorted to for the performance of the most important religious ceremonies4 ,as the ,high ,places could not be transported to the ,temples1 the cone-bearing trees1 which were naturally associated with these elevated places1 in a manner partook of their sacred character1 and the fruit of the trees became in a like manner sacred4 ,hence the ,fir ,cone became a portable emblem of their sacredness2 and1 accordingly in the ,assyrian ,worship1 so clearly represented to us in the ,assyrian ,sculptures in our ,museums1 we find the ,fir ,cone being presented by the priests towards the head of their kings as a high function of ,beatification4 ,so sacred was the ,fir ,cone1 as the fruit of the sacred tree1 that the priest who presents it has a reticule-shaped bag in which1 no doubt1 the sacred emblem was reverently deposited when not in use for the performance of these high religious ceremonies4 ,the same emblem survived in the ,greek worship4 ,i annex a tracing from a wood engraving in ,fellows's ,researches in ,asia ,minor1 #aheb 7p4 #age71 showing the ,fir ,cone as the finial to the staff of office of the ,wine-god ,bacchus4 ,image ,to this day it is employed to stir the juice of the grape previous to fermentation1 and so sanctifying it by contact with the fruit of the ,sacred ,tree4 ,this is still practised by the ,greeks in ,asia ,minor and in ,greece1 though introduced in times of remote antiquity4 ,the ,fir ,cone communicates to most of the ,greek wines that peculiar turpentine or resinous flavour which is found in them4 ,although the sanctification motive has departed1 the resinous flavour is all that survives of a once most sacred ceremony1 as having so close a relation to the worship of the ,sun and the heavenly bodies4 ,in like manner1 it appears to me highly probable that ,the ,christmas ,tree with its lighted tapers1 which is introduced at that sacred season for the entertainment of our young people1 is a survival of the worship of the sacred tree and of the ,sun4 ,the toys which are hung on the twigs of the tree may also be survivals of the offerings which were usually made to the ,sun and the heavenly bodies4 ,if ,i am correct in my conjecture on this subject1 it throws a very interesting light on what is considered as a mere agent for the amusement of children4 ,next1 with respect to the ,cuneiform ,character4 ,when ,i first went to reside in ,london1 in #ahbi1 ,i often visited the ,british ,museum4 ,it was the most instructive and interesting of all the public institutions which ,i had yet seen4 ,i eagerly seized every opportunity ,i could spare to spend as many hours as possible in wandering through its extensive galleries1 especially those which contained the ,assyrian1 ,egyptian1 and ,greek antiquities4 ,by careful and repeated examination of the objects arranged in them1 ,i acquired many ideas that afforded me subjects for thought and reflection4 ,amongst these objects1 ,i was specially impressed and interested with the so-called ,arrow-head or ,cuneiform ,inscriptions in the ,assyrian ,department4 ,these remarkable inscriptions were on large tablets of burnt clay4 ,they formed the chief portion of the then comparatively limited collection of ,assyrian antiquities in the ,british ,museum4 ,image ,fig #a4 ,i was particularly impressed with the precision and simple beauty of these cuneiform inscriptions1--especially with the strikingly distinctive nature of what ,i may term the fundamental or elementary wedge-like form1 of which the vast variety of letters or words of these inscriptions were composed4 ,the triangular or three-sided indentation will be observed in the above engraving 7,fig4 #a74 ,this elementary form1 placed in various positions with respect to each other1 appeared to be capable of yielding an infinite variety of letters and words1 as seen in ,fig4 #b4 ,image ,fig #b4 ,i may here mention that ,i entered upon this interesting subject with no pretensions as a linguist1 nor with any idea of investigating the meaning of these remarkable inscriptions2 but only as a ,mechanic1 to ascertain the manner in which the striking characters were produced1 so as to convey words and ideas through their variety of combinations4 ,i soon perceived that the simple but distinctive characters shown in the above representations were essentially connected with the employment of plastic clay2 this being the material most suitable for their impression1 by means of a three-sided instrument or stylus4 ,the angular extremity of this instrument1 when depressed into the surface of a tablet of plastic clay in different positions and directions1 would leave these cuneiform impressions in all their beautifully distinct and characteristic forms4 ,and thus1 after the tablets had been subjected to fire and made into hard brick1 the impressions have come down to us1 after the lapse of thousands of years1 as fresh and distinct as if they had been produced but yesterday6 ,i was so fortunate as to have my conjectures confirmed with respect to the exact form of the instrument by which these remarkable characters are produced1 observing1 in what appeared to be a hastily-formed inscription on the edge of a large brick1 that the inscriber had apparently used rather more pressure on his stylus than was requisite4 ,in consequence of which1 the end of it had been so deeply depressed into the soft clay as to leave an exact counterpart of its size and form4 ,i secured a cast of this over-deep impression of the stylus1 from which ,fig4 #c is taken1 after a photograph4 ,image ,fig #c4 ,in order further to illustrate the simple mode of producing inscriptions on tablets of clay1 ,i give in ,fig4 #d a tablet inscription produced by means of the stylus which is seen laid over the tablet4 ,image ,fig #d4 ,the next illustration 7,fig4#e7 is intended to convey an idea of the manner in which the stylus was held and applied to the surface of the clay when a cuneiform inscription was being produced4 ,the upper1 flat1 or third side of the stylus enabled the inscriber to keep it in correct relative position in respect to the tablet1 yielding at the same time a convenient flat surface upon which to rest the end of his finger when indenting the angular end into the clay4 ,image ,fig #e4 ,refer back to ,fig4 #b1 and it will be found that any variety in the size of the cuneiform inscriptions may be produced by the same stylus1 by simply depressing the angular end of it to a greater or less depth into the surface of the clay4 ,in many of the most elaborate inscriptions1 a certain lob-sidedness of the cuneiform character may be observed4 ,this is due to the inscriber having held his stylus somewhat askew1 as we do a pen in ordinary writing4 ,referring to my remark that the distinctive shape of the cuneiform character was essentially due to the use of plastic clay as the most suitable material for its production1 ,i think it highly probable that the origin of these inscriptions took its rise not only from the facility with which the characters could be indented on the material1 but from the abundance of plastic mud which forms the natural soil of the lands adjoining the great ,assyrian rivers4 ,this when made into bricks1 became the chief building material of the energetic people of ,babylon and the other great cities of the ,tigris and ,euphrates valleys4 ,the laborious work of brickmaking was generally assigned to captives as taskwork1 and it appears to me highly probable that the tale of the brickmaker or his taskmaster might be most readily marked by simply indenting the side of the soft tale brick with the corner angle of a dry one2 and that thus the strikingly peculiar character of the cuneiform character was produced 7see ,fig4 #f74 ,image ,fig #f4 ,in course of time the elementary form was expanded into this most beautifully simple mode of communicating ideas through the agency of conventional signs or letters2 being also especially suited for making historical or other records on tablets of moist clay1 which1 when fired1 became absolutely indestructible1 so far as time is concerned4 ,this is abundantly proved by those marvellously perfect burnt clay tablets1 covered with exquisitely minute and perfect inscriptions1 which1 after having remained hid in mounds of rubbish for thousands of years1 among the ruins of the ,assyrian cities1 are brought to light as fresh and perfect as on the day on which they were executed4 ,these tablets now excite the wonder and admiration of all who are able to appreciate the beauty of the inscriptions1 as well as of those who are speculatively curious as to the origin of written language4 ,this attempt to explain the probable origin of the cuneiform character may to some appear fanciful4 ,but whether or not1 it is certain that this simple and impressive character can be readily produced by the primitive means which ,i have ventured to suggest4 ,i give a cuneiform inscription 7,fig4 #g71 which ,i have produced by simply employing the corner angle of an ordinary brick as the stylus for indenting the inscription on the tablet of soft clay4 ,this might have been extended to any length1 in longer as well as minuter impressions4 ,image ,fig #g4 ,as soon as the capability of the cuneiform impression was adopted as the ,assyrian character1 it was in due time employed for inscriptions on stone or other materials1 such as marble or alabaster4 ,the chisel was then substituted for the stylus2 but the characters remained in a great measure the same4 ,in some cases a slight modification was observable1 being naturally due to the change of material and the method of carving it2 but in most respects the departure from the clay prototype is very slight1 and the original is adhered to with remarkable integrity4 ,when examining some early ,greek inscriptions in marble1 in the ,british ,museum1 in the year #ahcg1 ,i was much interested to observe the appearance of a cuneiform element in the limbs of several ,greek letters1 especially in the terminals1 as illustrated in ,fig4 #h1 each limb of the letter being in itself a perfect cuneiform2 and as such the terminal of each limb is at right angles to the axis1 and not as now 7in our modern capital letters7 parallel to the line of inscription4 ,image ,fig #h4 ,this apparent presence of the cuneiform element in these early ,greek inscriptions suggests some very interesting historic causes which led to their introduction1 and so passed from the ,greek into the ,roman1 and eventually into the capital letters of our own alphabet4 ,to give one instance1--though many might be cited1--take the capital letter ,t1 and it will be found that it went from the ,cuneiform into the ,greek1 then into the ,roman1 and lastly into our own letter1 thus presenting a remarkable instance of the survival of a form from remote antiquity down to the present day4 ,image ,fig #i4 ,the letters ,a ,k ,h ,i ,k ,m ,n ,y ,x have the distinct remains of their ,babylonian origin in the top and bottom stroke1 which is nothing more nor less than a corruption of the original or primitive arrow-headed impression of the stylus in the moist clay1 begun thousands of years ago4 ,in a lecture which ,i gave at the ,royal ,institution in ,london1 in #ahci1 and in another at the ,british ,association at ,cheltenham1 in #ahef1 ,i referred to this presence of the cuneiform element in the ,greek letters1 illustrating the subject by actual casts from the inscriptions themselves4 ,at ,cheltenham the question gave rise to a most animated and interesting discussion1 in which ,dr4 ,whewell and ,sir ,thomas ,phillips 7the great antiquarian7 took a prominent part4 ,i understood that ,sir ,thomas ,phillips assigned that the intermixture of cuneiform with the ,greek alphabet proceeded from the ,samaritans1 who were originally an ,assyrian colony4 ,i find that many ,greek inscriptions exhibit the cuneiform element in nearly all the letters composing them4 ,this is a subject well worthy of the attention of our antiquarian ,greek scholars1 as pointing to an intimate intercourse with the ,assyrians at some remote age4 ,the distinctive character of the cuneiform in the ,greek inscriptional letters could not have arisen from chance4 ,some intercommunication with the ,assyrians must have taken place4 ,this subject is all the more interesting1 as the cuneiform element appears to have passed from the ,greek inscriptional letters into those of the ,romans1 and from thence into our own capital letters4 ,this affords a very remarkable instance of the survival of a form1 which1 however naturally due to the plastic material in connection with which it originated1 nevertheless led to its use for ages after the circumstances which led to its adoption had passed away4 ,this tendency in mankind to cling to shapes and forms through mere traditional influences is widely observable1 especially in connection with architectural forms1 arrangements1 and decorative details4 ,it offers a subject of great interest to those who have a natural aptitude to investigate what ,i may term the etymology of form1 a subject of the most attractive nature1 especially to those who enjoy thinking and reflecting upon what they have specially observed4 ,image ,assyrian roller-seal4 ,before concluding this subject ,i may mention that the ,assyrians employed a cylindrical roller-seal in order to produce impressions in a wholesale way4 ,this is exemplified in the above engraving4 ,the mechanical principles inherent in this beautifully simple form of roller-seal1 indicate a high order of ingenuity1 well worthy of the originators of the arrow-headed character4 ,in fact it is the prototype not only of the modern system of calico-printing but of the ,waiter ,printing ,press1 by which the ,times and many other newspapers are now printed--a remarkable instance of the survival or restoration of a very old method of impression4 ,image ,his ,autograph and ,thumb ,mark4