industrial biography-第57章

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as　the　demand　for　them　arose；　I　found　it　both　delightful　and

profitable　to　make　them；　as　well　as　sectional　models　of　steam

engines；　which　I　introduced　for　the　purpose　of　exhibiting　the

movements　of　all　the　parts；　both　exterior　and　interior。　　With　the

results　of　the　sale　of　such　models　I　was　enabled　to　pay　the　price　of

tickets　of　admission　to　the　lectures　on　natural　philosophy　and

chemistry　delivered　in　the　University　of　Edinburgh。　　About　the　same

time　（1826）　I　was　so　happy　as　to　be　employed　by　Professor　Leslie　in

making　models　and　portions　of　apparatus　required　by　him　for　his

lectures　and　philosophical　investigations；　and　I　had　also　the

inestimable　good　fortune　to　secure　his　friendship。　　His　admirably

clear　manner　of　communicating　a　knowledge　of　the　fundamental

principles　of　mechanical　science　rendered　my　intercourse　with　him　of

the　utmost　importance　to　myself。　　A　hearty；　cheerful；　earnest　desire

to　toil　in　his　service；　caused　him　to　take　pleasure　in　instructing　me

by　occasional　explanations　of　what　might　otherwise　have　remained

obscure。



〃About　the　years　1827　and　1828；　the　subject　of　steam…carriages　for

common　roads　occupied　much　of　the　attention　of　the　public。　　Many　tried

to　solve　the　problem。　　I　made　a　working　model　of　an　engine　which

performed　so　well　that　some　friends　determined　to　give　me　the　means

of　making　one　on　a　larger　scale。　　This　I　did；　and　I　shall　never　forget

the　pleasure　and　the　downright　hard　work　I　had　in　producing；　in　the

autumn　of　1828；　at　an　outlay　of　60L。；　a　complete　steam…carriage；　that

ran　many　a　mile　with　eight　persons　on　it。　　After　keeping　it　in　action

two　months；　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　who　were　interested　in　it；　my

friends　allowed　me　to　dispose　of　it；　and　I　sold　it　a　great　bargain；

after　which　the　engine　was　used　in　driving　a　small　factory。　　I　may

mention　that　in　that　engine　I　employed　the　waste　steam　to　cause　an

increased　draught　by　its　discharge　up　the　chimney。　　This　important　use

of　the　waste　steam　had　been　introduced　by　George　Stephenson　some

years　before；　though　entirely　unknown　to　me。



〃The　earnest　desire　which　I　cherished　of　getting　forward　in　the　real

business　of　life　induced　me　to　turn　my　attention　to　obtaining

employment　in　some　of　the　great　engineering　establishments　of　the

day；　at　the　head　of　which；　in　my　fancy　as　well　as　in　reality；　stood

that　of　Henry　Maudslay；　of　London。　　It　was　the　summit　of　my　ambition

to　get　work　in　that　establishment；　but　as　my　father　had　not　the　means

of　paying　a　premium；　I　determined　to　try　what　I　could　do　towards

attaining　my　object　by　submitting　to　Mr。　Maudslay　actual　specimens　of

my　capability　as　a　young　workman　and　draughtsman。　　To　this　end　I　set

to　work　and　made　a　small　steam…engine；　every　part　of　which　was　the

result　of　my　own　handiwork；　including　the　casting　and　the　forging　of

the　several　parts。　　This　I　turned　out　in　such　a　style　as　I　should　even

now　be　proud　of。　　My　sample　drawings　were；　I　may　say；　highly

respectable。　　Armed　with　such　means　of　obtaining　the　good　opinion　of

the　great　Henry　Maudslay；　on　the　l9th　of　May；　1829；　I　sailed　for

London　in　a　Leith　smack；　and　after　an　eight　days'　voyage　saw　the

metropolis　for　the　first　time。　　I　made　bold　to　call　on　Mr。　Maudslay；

and　told　him　my　simple　tale。　　He　desired　me　to　bring　my　models　for　him

to　look　at。　　I　did　so；　and　when　he　came　to　me　I　could　see　by　the

expression　of　his　cheerful；　well…remembered　countenance；　that　I　had

attained　my　object。　　He　then　and　there　appointed　me　to　be　his　own

private　workman；　to　assist　him　in　his　little　paradise　of　a　workshop；

furnished　with　the　models　of　improved　machinery　and　engineering　tools

of　which　he　has　been　the　great　originator。　　He　left　me　to　arrange　as

to　wages　with　his　chief　cashier；　Mr。　Robert　Young；　and　on　the　first

Saturday　evening　I　accordingly　went　to　the　counting…house　to　enquire

of　him　about　my　pay。　　He　asked　me　what　would　satisfy　me。　　Knowing　the

value　of　the　situation　I　had　obtained；　and　having　a　very　modest

notion　of　my　worthiness　to　occupy　it；　I　said；　that　if　he　would　not

consider　l0s。　a　week　too　much；　I　thought　I　could　do　very　well　with

that。　　I　suppose　he　concluded　that　I　had　some　means　of　my　own　to　live

on　besides　the　l0s。　a　week　which　I　asked。　　He　little　knew　that　I　had

determined　not　to　cost　my　father　another　farthing　when　I　left…home　to

begin　the　world　on　my　own　account。　　My　proposal　was　at　once　acceded

to。　　And　well　do　I　remember　the　pride　and　delight　I　felt　when　I

carried　to　my　three　shillings　a　week　lodging　that　night　my　first

wages。　　Ample　they　were　in　my　idea；　for　I　knew　how　little　I　could　live

on；　and　was　persuaded　that　by　strict　economy　I　could　easily　contrive

to　make　the　money　support　me。　　To　help　me　in　this　object；　I　contrived

a　small　cooking　apparatus；　which　I　forthwith　got　made　by　a　tinsmith

in　Lambeth；　at　a　cost　of　6s。；　and　by　its　aid　I　managed　to　keep　the

eating　and　drinking　part　of　my　private　account　within　3s。　6d。　per

week；　or　4s。　at　the　outside。　　I　had　three　meat　dinners　a　week；　and

generally　four　rice　and　milk　dinners；　all　of　which　were　cooked　by　my

little　apparatus；　which　I　set　in　action　after　breakfast。　　The　oil　cost

not　quite　a　halfpenny　per　day。　　The　meat　dinners　consisted　of　a　stew

of　from　a　half　to　three　quarters　of　a　lb。　　of　leg　of　beef；　the　meat

costing　3　1/2d。　per　lb。；　which；　with　sliced　potatoes　and　a　little

onion；　and　as　much　water　as　just　covered　all；　with　a　sprinkle　of　salt

and　black　pepper；　by　the　time　I　returned　to　dinner　at　half…past　six

furnished　a　repast　in　every　respect　as　good　as　my　appetite。　　For

breakfast　I　had　coffee　and　a　due　proportion　of　quartern　loaf。　　After

the　first　year　of　my　employment　under　Mr。　Maudslay；　my　wages　were

raised　to　15s。　a　week；　and　I　then；　but　not　till　then；　indulged　in　the

luxury　of　butter　to　my　bread。　　I　am　the　more　particular　in　all　this；

to　show　you　that　I　was　a　thrifty　housekeeper；　although　only　a　lodger

in　a　3s。　room。　　I　have　the　old　apparatus　by　me　yet；　and　I　shall　have

another　dinner　out　of　it　ere　I　am　a　year　older；　out　of　regard　to　days

that　were　full　of　the　real　romance　of　life。



〃On　the　death　of　Henry　Maudslay　in　1831；　I　passed　over　to　the　service

of　his　worthy　partner；　Mr。　Joshua　Field；　and　acted　as　his

draughtsman；　much　to　my　advantage；　until　the　end　of　that　year；　when　I

returned　to　Edinburgh；　to　construct　a　small　stock　of　engineering

tools　for　the　purpose　of　enabling　me　to　start　in　business　on　my　own

account。　　This　occupied　me　until　the　spring　of　l833；　and　during　the

interval　I　was　accustomed　to　take　in　jobs　to　execute　in　my　little

workshop　in　Edinburgh；　so　as　to　obtain　the　means　of　completing　my

stock　of　tools。*

　＇footnote。。。

Most　of　the　tools　with　which　he　began　business　in　Manchester　were

made　by　his　own　hands　in　his　father's　little　workshop　at　Edinburgh；

He　was　on　one　occasion　〃　hard　up〃　for　brass　with　which　to　make　a

wheel　for　his　planing　machine。　　There　was　a　row　of　old…fashioned　brass

candlesticks　standing　in　bright　array　on　the　kitchen　mantelpiece

which　he　greatly　coveted　for　the　purpose。　　His　father　was　reluctant　to

give　them　up；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　many　a　crack　with　Burns

when　these　candlesticks　were　on　the　table。　　But　his　mother　at　length

yielded；　when　the　candlesticks　were　at　once　recast；　and　made　into　the

wheel　of　the　planing　machine；　which　is　still　at　work　in　Manchester。

　。。。＇

In　June；　1834；　I　went　to　Manchester；　and　took　a　flat　of　an　old　mill

in　Dale　Street；　where　I　began　business。　　In　two　years　my　stock　had　so

increased　as　to　overload　the　floor　of　the　old　building　to　such　an

extent　that　the　land　lord；　Mr。　Wrenn；　became　alarmed；　especially　as

the　tenant　below　mea　glass…cutterhad　a　visit　from　the　end　of

a　20…horse　engine　beam　one　morning　among　his　cut　tumblers。　　To　set

their　anxiety　at　rest；　I　went　out　that　evening　to　Patricroft　and　took

a　look　at　a　rather　choice　bit　of　land　bounded　on　one　side　by　the

canal；　and　on　the　other　by　the　Liverpool　and　Manchester　Railway。　　By

the　end　of　the　week　I　had　secured　a　lease　of　the　site　for　999　years；

by　the　end　of　the　month　my　wood　sheds　were　erected；　the　ring　of　the

hammer　on　the　smith's　anvil　was　soon　heard　all　over　the　place；　and

the　Bridgewater　Foundry　was　fairly　under　way。　　There　I　toiled　right

heartily　until　December　31st；　1856；　when　I　retired　to　enjoy　in　active

leisure　the　reward　of　a　laborious　life；　during　which；　with　the

blessing　of　God；　I　enjoyed　much　true　happiness　through　the　hearty

love　which　I　always　had　for　my　profession；　and　I　trust　I　may　be

allowed　to　say；　without　undue　vanity；　that　I　have　left　behind　me　some

useful　results　of　my　labours　in　those　inventions　with　which　my　name

is　identified；　which　have　had　no　small　share　in　the　accomplishment　of

some　of　the　greatest　mechanical　works　of　our　age。〃　　If　Mr。　Nasmyth　had

accomplished　nothing　more　than　the　invention　of　his　steam…hammer；　it

would　have　been　enough　to　found　a　reputation。　　Professor　Tomlinson

describes　it　as　〃one　of　the　most　perfect　of　artificial　machines　and

noblest　triumphs　of　mind　over　matter　that　modern　English　engineers

have　yet　developed。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Cyclopaedia　of　Useful　Arts；　ii。　739。

　。。。＇

The　hand…hammer　has　always　been　an　important　tool；　and；　in　the　form

of　the　stone　celt；　it　was　perhaps　the　first　invented。　　When　the　hammer

of　iron　superseded　that　of　stone；　it　was　found　practicable　in　the

hands　of　a　〃cunning〃　workman　to　execute　by　its　means　metal　work　of

great　beauty　and　even　delicacy。　　But　since　the　invention　of　cast…iron；

and　the　manufacture　of　wrought…iron　in　large　masses；　the　art　of

hammer…working　has　almost　become　lost；　and　great　artists；　such　as

Matsys　of　Antwerp　and　Rukers　of　Nuremberg　were；*

　＇footnote。。。

Matsys'　beautiful　wrought…iron　well　cover；　still　standing　in　front　of

the　cathedral　at　Antwerp；　and　Rukers's　steel　or　iron　chair　exhibited

at　South　Kensington　in　1862；　are　examples　of　the　beautiful　hammer

work　turned　out　by　the　artisans　of　the　middle　ages。　　The　railings　of

the　tombs　of　Henry　VII。　and　Queen　Eleanor　in　Westminster　Abbey；　the

hinges　and　iron　work　of　Lincoln　Cathedral；　of　St。　　George's　Chapel　at

Windsor；　and　of　some　of　the　Oxford　colleges；　afford　equally　striking

illustrations　of　the　skill　of　our　English　blacksmiths　several

centuries　ago。

　。。。＇

no　longer　think　it　worth　their　while　to　expend　time　and　skill　in

working　on　so　humble　a　material　as　wrought…iron。　　It　is　evident　from

the　marks　of　care　and　elaborate　design　which　many　of　these　early

works　exhibit；　that　the　workman's　heart　was　in　his　work；　and　that　his

object　was　not　merely　to　get　it　out　of　hand；　but　to　execute　it　in

first…rate　artistic　style。



When　the　use　of　iron　extended　and　larger　ironwork　came　to　be　forged；

for　cannon；　tools；　and　machinery；　the　ordinary　hand…hammer　was　found

insufficient；　and　the　helve　or　forge…hammer　was　invented。　　This　was

usually　driven　by　a　water…wheel；　or　by　oxen　or　horses。　　The

tilt…hammer　was　another　form　in　which　it　was　used；　the