industrial biography-第61章

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whole　of　the　machinery　was　executed　by　hand。　　There　were　neither

planing；　slotting；　nor　shaping　machines；　and；　with　the　exception　of

very　imperfect　lathes　and　a　few　drills；　the　preparatory　operations　of

construction　were　effected　entirely　by　the　hands　of　the　workmen。　　Now；

everything　is　done　by　machine…tools　with　a　degree　of　accuracy　which

the　unaided　hand　could　never　accomplish。　　The　automaton　or　self…acting

machine…tool　has　within　itself　an　almost　creative　power；　in　fact；　so

great　are　its　powers　of　adaptation；　that　there　is　no　operation　of　the

human　hand　that　it　does　not　imitate。〃　　In　a　letter　to　the　author；　Mr。

Fairbairn　says；　〃The　great　pioneers　of　machine…tool…making　were

Maudslay；　Murray　of　Leeds；　Clement　and　Fox　of　Derby；　who　were　ably

followed　by　Nasmyth；　Roberts；　and　Whitworth；　of　Manchester；　and　Sir

Peter　Fairbairn　of　Leeds；　and　Mr。　Fairbairn　might　well　have　added；　by

himself；for　he　has　been　one　of　the　most　influential　and　successful

of　mechanical　engineers。



William　Fairbairn　was　born　at　Kelso　on　the　19th　of　February；　1787。

His　parents　occupied　a　humble　but　respectable　position　in　life。　　His

father；　Andrew　Fairbairn；　was　the　son　of　a　gardener　in　the　employment

of　Mr。　Baillie　of　Mellerston；　and　lived　at　Smailholm；　a　village　lying

a　few　miles　west　of　Kelso。　　Tracing　the　Fairbairns　still　further　back；

we　find　several　of　them　occupying　the　station　of　〃portioners；〃　or

small　lairds；　at　Earlston　on　the　Tweed；　where　the　family　had　been

settled　since　the　days　of　the　Solemn　League　and　Covenant。　　By　his

mother's　side；　the　subject　of　our　memoir　is　supposed　to　be　descended

from　the　ancient　Border　family　of　Douglas。



While　Andrew　Fairbairn　（William's　father）　lived　at　Smailholm；　Walter

Scott　was　living　with　his　grandmother　in　Smailholm　or　Sandyknowe

Tower；　whither　he　had　been　sent　from　Edinburgh　in　the　hope　that

change　of　air　would　help　the　cure　of　his　diseased　hip…joint；　and

Andrew；　being　nine　years　his　senior；　and　a　strong　youth　for　his　age；

was　accustomed　to　carry　the　little　patient　about　in　his　arms；　until

he　was　able　to　walk　by　himself。　　At　a　later　period；　when　Miss　Scott；

Walter's　aunt；　removed　from　Smailholm　to　Kelso；　the　intercourse

between　the　families　was　renewed。　　Scott　was　then　an　Edinburgh

advocate；　engaged　in　collecting　materials　for　his　Minstrelsy　of　the

Scottish　Border；　or；　as　his　aunt　described　his　pursuit；　〃running

after　the　auld　wives　of　the　country　gatherin'　havers。〃　　He　used

frequently　to　read　over　by　the　fireside　in　the　evening　the　results　of

his　curious　industry；　which；　however；　were　not　very　greatly

appreciated　by　his　nearest　relatives；　and　they　did　not　scruple　to

declare　that　for　the　〃Advocate〃　to　go　about　collecting　〃ballants〃　was

mere　waste　of　time　as　well　as　money。



William　Fairbairn's　first　schoolmaster　was　a　decrepit　old　man　who

went　by　the　name　of　〃Bowed　Johnnie　Ker；〃a　Cameronian；　with　a　nasal

twang；　which　his　pupils　learnt　much　more　readily　than　they　did　his

lessons　in　reading　and　arithmetic；　notwithstanding　a　liberal　use　of

〃the　tawse。〃　　Yet　Johnnie　had　a　taste　for　music；　and　taught　his　pupils

to　SING　their　reading　lessons；　which　was　reckoned　quite　a　novelty　in

education。　　After　a　short　time　our　scholar　was　transferred　to　the

parish…school　of　the　town；　kept　by　a　Mr。　White；　where　he　was　placed

under　the　charge　of　a　rather　severe　helper；　who；　instead　of　the

tawse；　administered　discipline　by　means　of　his　knuckles；　hard　as

horn；　which　he　applied　with　a　peculiar　jerk　to　the　crania　of　his

pupils。　　At　this　school　Willie　Fairbairn　lost　the　greater　part　of　the

singing　accomplishments　which　he　had　acquired　under　〃Bowed　Johnnie；〃

but　he　learnt　in　lieu　of　them　to　read　from　Scott　and　Barrow's

collections　of　prose　and　poetry；　while　he　obtained　some　knowledge　of

arithmetic；　in　which　he　proceeded　as　far　as　practice　and　the　rule　of

three。　　This　constituted　his　whole　stock　of　school…learning　up　to　his

tenth　year。　　Out　of　school…hours　he　learnt　to　climb　the　ruined　walls

of　the　old　abbey　of　the　town；　and　there　was　scarcely　an　arch；　or

tower；　or　cranny　of　it　with　which　he　did　not　become　familiar。



When　in　his　twelfth　year；　his　father；　who　had　been　brought　up　to

farm…work；　and　possessed　considerable　practical　knowledge　of

agriculture；　was　offered　the　charge　of　a　farm　at　Moy　in　Ross…shire；

belonging　to　Lord　Seaforth　of　Brahan　Castle。　　The　farm　was　of　about

300　acres；　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Conan；　some　five　miles

from　the　town　of　Dingwall。　　The　family　travelled　thither　in　a　covered

cart；　a　distance　of　200　miles；　through　a　very　wild　and　hilly　country；

arriving　at　their　destination　at　the　end　of　October；　1799。　　The　farm；

when　reached；　was　found　overgrown　with　whins　and　brushwood；　and

covered　in　many　places　with　great　stones　and　rocks；　it　was；　in　short；

as　nearly　in　a　state　of　nature　as　it　was　possible　to　be。　　The　house

intended　for　the　farmer's　reception　was　not　finished；　and　Andrew

Fairbairn；　with　his　wife　and　five　children；　had　to　take　temporary

refuge　in　a　miserable　hovel；　very　unlike　the　comfortable　house　which

they　had　quitted　at　Kelso。　　By　next　spring；　however；　the　new　house　was

ready；　and　Andrew　Fairbairn　set　vigorously　to　work　at　the　reclamation

of　the　land。　　After　about　two　years'　labours　it　exhibited　an

altogether　different　appearance；　and　in　place　of　whins　and　stones

there　were　to　be　seen　heavy　crops　of　barley　and　turnips。　　The　barren

years　of　1800　and　1801；　however；　pressed　very　hardly　on　Andrew

Fairbairn　as　on　every　other　farmer　of　arable　land。　　About　that　time；

Andrew's　brother　Peter；　who　acted　as　secretary　to　Lord　Seaforth；　and

through　whose　influence　the　former　had　obtained　the　farm；　left　Brahan

Castle　for　the　West　Indies　with　his　Lordship；　whonotwithstanding

his　being　both　deaf　and　dumb　　had　been　appointed　to　the

Governorship　of　Barbadoes；　and　in　consequence　of　various　difficulties

which　occurred　shortly　after　his　leaving；　Andrew　Fairbairn　found　it

necessary　to　give　up　his　holding；　whereupon　he　engaged　as　steward　to

Mackenzie　of　Allengrange；　with　whom　he　remained　for　two　years。



While　the　family　lived　at　Moy；　none　of　the　boys　were　put　to　school。

They　could　not　be　spared　from　the　farm　and　the　household。　　Those　of

them　that　could　not　work　afield　were　wanted　to　help　to　nurse　the

younger　children　at　home。　　But　Andrew　Fairbairn　possessed　a　great

treasure　in　his　wife；　who　was　a　woman　of　much　energy　of　character；

setting　before　her　children　an　example　of　patient　industry；　thrift；

discreetness；　and　piety；　which　could　not　fail　to　exercise　a　powerful

influence　upon　them　in　after…life；　and　this；　of　itself；　was　an

education　which　probably　far　more　than　compensated　for　the　boys'　loss

of　school…culture　during　their　life　at　Moy。　　Mrs。　Fairbairn　span　and

made　all　the　children's　clothes；　as　well　as　the　blankets　and

sheeting；　and；　while　in　the　Highlands；　she　not　only　made　her　own　and

her　daughters'　dresses；　and　her　sons'　jackets　and　trowsers；　but　her

husband's　coats　and　waistcoats；　besides　helping　her　neighbours　to　cut

out　their　clothing　for　family　wear。



One　of　William's　duties　at　home　was　to　nurse　his　younger　brother

Peter；　then　a　delicate　child　under　two　years　old；　and　to　relieve

himself　of　the　labour　of　carrying　him　about；　he　began　the

construction　of　a　little　waggon　in　which　to　wheel　him。　　This　was；

however；　a　work　of　some　difficulty；　as　all　the　tools　he　possessed

were　only　a　knife；　a　gimlet；　and　an　old　saw。　　With　these　implements；　a

piece　of　thin　board；　and　a　few　nails；　he　nevertheless　contrived　to

make　a　tolerably　serviceable　waggon…body。　　His　chief　difficulty

consisted　in　making　the　wheels；　which　he　contrived　to　surmount　by

cutting　sections　from　the　stem　of　a　small　alder…tree；　and　with　a

red…hot　poker　he　bored　the　requisite　holes　in　their　centres　to

receive　the　axle。　　The　waggon　was　then　mounted　on　its　four　wheels；　and

to　the　great　joy　of　its　maker　was　found　to　answer　its　purpose

admirably。　　In　it　he　wheeled　his　little　brotherafterwards　well　known

as　Sir　Peter　Fairbairn；　mayor　of　Leeds　　in　various　directions　about

the　farm；　and　sometimes　to　a　considerable　distance　from　it；　and　the

vehicle　was　regarded　on　the　whole　as　a　decided　success。　　His　father

encouraged　him　in　his　little　feats　of　construction　of　a　similar　kind；

and　he　proceeded　to　make　and　rig　miniature　boats　and　ships；　and　then

miniature　wind　and　water　mills；　in　which　last　art　he　acquired　such

expertness　that　he　had　sometimes　five　or　six　mills　going　at　a　time。

The　machinery　was　all　made　with　a　knife；　the　water…spouts　being

formed　by　the　bark　of　a　tree；　and　the　millstones　represented　by　round

discs　of　the　same　material。　　Such　were　the　first　constructive　efforts

of　the　future　millwright　and　engineer。



When　the　family　removed　to　Allengrange　in　1801；　the　boys　were　sent　to

school　at　Munlachy；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　distant　from　the　farm。

The　school　was　attended　by　about　forty　barefooted　boys　in　tartan

kilt's；　and　about　twenty　girls；　all　of　the　poorer　class。　　The

schoolmaster　was　one　Donald　Frazer；　a　good　teacher；　but　a　severe

disciplinarian。　　Under　him；　William　made　some　progress　in　reading；

writing；　and　arithmetic；　and　though　he　himself　has　often　lamented　the

meagreness　of　his　school　instruction；　it　is　clear；　from　what　he　has

since　been　enabled　to　accomplish；　that　these　early　lessons　were

enough　at　all　events　to　set　him　fairly　on　the　road　of　self…culture；

and　proved　the　fruitful　seed　of　much　valuable　intellectual　labour；　as

well　as　of　many　excellent　practical　books。



After　two　years'　trial　of　his　new　situation；　which　was　by　no　means

satisfactory；　Andrew　Fairbairn　determined　again　to　remove　southward

with　his　family；　and；　selling　off　everything；　they　set　sail　from

Cromarty　for　Leith　in　June；　1803。　　Having　seen　his　wife　and　children

temporarily　settled　at　Kelso；　he　looked　out　for　a　situation；　and

shortly　after　proceeded　to　undertake　the　management　of　Sir　William

Ingleby's　farm　at　Ripley　in　Yorkshire。　　Meanwhile　William　was　placed

for　three　months　under　the　charge　of　his　uncle　William；　the　parish

schoolmaster　of　Galashiels；　for　the　purpose　of　receiving　instruction

in　book…keeping　and　land…surveying；　from　which　he　derived

considerable　benefit。　　He　could　not；　however；　remain　longer　at　school；

for　being　of　the　age　of　fourteen；　it　was　thought　necessary　that　he

should　be　set　to　work　without　further　delay。　　His　first　employment　was

on　the　fine　new　bridge　at　Kelso；　then　in　course　of　construction　after

the　designs　of　Mr。　Rennie；　but　in　helping　one　day　to　carry　a

handbarrow…load　of　stone；　his　strength　proving　insufficient；　he　gave

way　under　it；　and　the　stones　fell　upon　him；　one　of　them　inflicting　a

serious　wound　on　his　leg；　which　kept　him　a　cripple　for　months。　　In　the

mean　time　his　father；　being　dissatisfied　with　his　prospects　at

Ripley；　accepted　the　appointment　of　manager　of　the　Percy　Main

Colliery　Company's　farm　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Newcastle…on…Tyne；

whither　he　proceede