an autobiography-第17章

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on　were　of　that　special　class　of　workmen　called　millwrights　a　class　now　almost　extinct；　though　many　of　the　best　known　engineers　originally　belonged　to　them。　　They　could　work　with　equal　effectiveness　in　wood　or　iron。

Another　foreman　in　Mr。　Patterson's　foundry　was　called　Lewis。　　He　had　special　charge　of　the　iron　castings　designed　for　architectural　and　ornamental　purposes。　　He　was　a　man　of　great　taste　and　artistic　feeling；　and　I　was　able　even　at　that　time　to　appreciate　the　beauty　of　his　designs。　　One　of　the　most　original　characters　about　the　foundry；　however；　was　Johnie　Syme。　　He　took　charge　of　the　old　Boulton　and　Watt　steam…engine；　which　gave　motion　to　the　machinery　of　the　works。　It　also　produced　the　blast　for　the　Cupolas；　in　which　the　pig　and　cast　iron　scrap　was　daily　melted　and　cast　into　the　various　objects　produced　in　the　foundry。　　Johnie　was　a　complete　incarnation　of　technical　knowledge。　　He　was　the　Jack…of…all…trades　of　the　establishment；　and　the　standing　counsel　in　every　out…of…the…way　case　of　managing　and　overcoming　mechanical　difficulties。　　He　was　the　superintendent　of　the　boring　machines。　　In　those　days　the　boring　of　a　steam…engine　cylinder　was　considered　high　art　in　excelsis！　　Patterson's　firm　was　celebrated　for　the　accuracy　of　its　boring。

I　owe　Johnie　Syme　a　special　debt　of　gratitude；　as　it　was　he　who　first　initiated　me　into　that　most　important　of　all　technical　processes　in　practical　mechanismthe　art　of　hardening　and　temperinq　steel。　It　is；　perhaps；　not　saying　too　much　to　assert　that　the　successful　practice　of　the　mechanical　arts；　by　means　of　which　man　rises　from　the　savage　to　the　civilised　state；　is　due　to　that　wonderful　change。　Man　began　with　wood；　and　stone；　and　bone；　he　proceeded　to　bronze　and　iron；　but　it　was　only　by　means　of　hardened　steel　that　he　could　accomplish　anything　in　arms；　in　agriculture；　or　in　architecture。　The　instant　hardening　which　occurs　on　plunging　a　red…hot　piece　of　steel　into　cold　water　may　well　be　described　as　mysterious。　　Even　in　these　days；　when　science　has　defined　the　causes　of　so　many　phenomena；　the　reason　of　steel　becoming　hard　on　suddenly　cooling　it　down　from　a　red…heat；　is　a　fact　that　no　one　has　yet　explained。　　The　steel　may　be　tempered　by　modifying　the　degree　of　heat　to　which　it　is　afterwards　subjected。　　It　may　thus　be　toughened　by　slightly　reheating　the　hardened　steel；　the　resoftening　course　is　indicated　by　certain　prismatic　tints；　which　appear　in　a　peculiar　order　of　succession　on　its　surface。　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　purposes。

In　all　these　matters；　my　early　instructor；　Johnie　Syme；　gave　me　such　information　as　proved　of　the　greatest　use　to　me　in　the　after　progress　of　my　mechanical　career。　　Johnie　Syme　was　also　the　very　incarnation　of　quaint　sly　humour；　and　when　communicating　some　of　his　most　valued　arcana　of　practical　mechanical　knowledge　he　always　reminded　me　of　some　of　Ostade's　Dutchmen；　by　an　almost　indescribable　sly　humorous　twinkle　of　the　eye；　which　in　that　droll　way　stamped　his　information　on　my　memory。

Tom　Smith　was　another　of　my　attached　cronies。　　Our　friendship　began　at　the　High　School　in　1818。　　Our　similarity　of　disposition　bound　us　together。　　Smith　was　the　son　of　an　enterprising　general　merchant　at　Leith。　　His　father　had　a　special　genius　for　practical　chemistry。　He　had　established　an　extensive　colour　manufactory　at　Portobello；　near　Edinburgh；　where　he　produced　white　lead；　red　lead；　and　a　great　variety　of　coloursin　the　preparation　of　which　he　required　a　thorough　knowledge　of　chemistry。Tom　Smith　inherited　his　father's　tastes；　and　admitted　me　to　share　in　his　experiments；　which　were　carried　on　in　a　chemical　laboratory　situated　behind　his　father's　house　at　the　bottom　of　Leith　Walk。

We　had　a　special　means　of　communication。　　When　anything　particular　was　going　on　at　the　laboratory；　Tom　hoisted　a　white　flag　on　the　top　of　a　high　pole　in　his　father's　garden。　　Though　I　was　more　than　a　mile　apart；　I　kept　a　look…out　in　the　direction　of　the　laboratory　with　a　spy…glass。　My　father's　house　was　at　the　top　of　Leith　Walk；　and　Smith's　house　was　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　When　the　flag　was　hoisted　I　could　clearly　see　the　invitation　to　me　to　〃come　down。〃　　I　was　only　too　glad　to　run　down　the　Walk　and　join　my　chum；　and　take　part　with　him　in　some　interesting　chemical　process。　　Mr。　Smith；　the　father；　made　me　heartily　welcome。　He　was　pleased　to　see　his　son　so　much　attached　to　me；　and　he　perhaps　believed　that　I　was　worthy　of　his　friendship。　　We　took　zealous　part　in　all　the　chemical　proceedings；　and　in　that　way　Tom　was　fitting　himself　for　the　business　of　his　life。

Mr。　Smith　was　a　most　genial　tempered　man。　　He　was　shrewd　and　quick…witted；　like　a　native　of　York；　as　he　was。　　I　received　the　greatest　kindness　from　him　as　well　as　from　his　family。　　His　house　was　like　a　museum。　　It　was　full　of　cabinets；　in　which　were　placed　choice　and　interesting　objects　in　natural　history；　geology；　mineralogy；　and　metallurgy。　　All　were　represented。　　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　parts。

My　friend　Tom　Smith　and　I　made　it　a　ruleand　in　this　we　were　encouraged　by　his　fatherthat；　so　far　as　was　possible；　we　ourselves　should　actually　make　the　acids　and　other　substances　used　in　our　experiments。　　We　were　not　to　buy　them　ready　made；　as　this　would　have　taken　the　zest　out　of　our　enjoyment。　　We　should　have　lost　the　pleasure　and　instruction　of　producing　them　by　aid　of　our　own　wits　and　energies。　To　encounter　and　overcome　a　difficulty　is　the　most　interesting　of　all　things。　　Hence；　though　often　baffled；　we　eventually　produced　perfect　specimens　of　nitrous；　nitric；　and　muriatic　acids。　　We　distilled　alcohol　from　duly　fermented　sugar　and　water；　and　rectified　the　resultant　spirit　from　fusel　oil　by　passing　the　alcoholic　vapour　through　animal　charcoal　before　it　entered　the　worm　of　the　still。　　We　converted　part　of　the　alcohol　into　sulphuric　ether。　　We　produced　phosphorus　from　bones；　and　elaborated　many　of　the　mysteries　of　chemistry。

The　amount　of　practical　information　which　we　obtained　by　this　system　of　making　our　own　chemical　agents　was　such　as　to　reward　us；　in　many　respects；　for　the　labour　we　underwent。　　To　outsiders　it　might　appear　a　very　troublesome　and　roundabout　way　of　getting　at　the　finally　desired　result。　　But　I　feel　certain　that　there　is　no　better　method　of　rooting　chemical　or　any　other　instruction；　deeply　in　our　minds。　　Indeed；　I　regret　that　the　same　system　is　not　pursued　by　young　men　of　the　present　day。　　They　are　seldom；　if　ever；　called　upon　to　exert　their　own　wits　and　industry　to　obtain　the　requisites　for　their　instruction。　　A　great　deal　is　now　said　about　〃technical　education〃；　but　how　little　there　is　of　technical　handiness　or　head　work！　　Everything　is　bought　ready　made　to　their　hands；　and　hence　there　is　no　call　for　individual　ingenuity。

I　often　observe；　in　shop…windows；　every　detail　of　model　ships　and　model　steam…engines；　supplied　ready　made　for　those　who　are　〃said　to　be〃　of　an　ingenious　and　mechanical　turn。　　Thus　the　vital　uses　of　resourcefulness　are　done　away　with；　and　a　sham　exhibition　of　mechanical　genius　is　paraded　before　you　by　the　young　impostorsthe　result；　for　the　most　part；　of　too　free　a　supply　of　pocket　money。　　I　have　known　too　many　instances　of　parents；　led　by　such　false　evidence　of　constructive　skill；　apprenticing　their　sons　to　some　engineering　firm；　and；　after　paying　vast　sums；　finding　out　that　the　pretender　comes　out　of　the　engineering　shop　with　no　other　practical　accomplishment　than　that　of　cigar…smoking！

The　truth　is　that　the　eyes　and　the　fingersthe　bare　fingersare　the　two　principal　inlets　to　sound　practical　instruction。　　They　are　the　chief　sources　of　trustworthy　knowledge　as　to　all　the　materials　and　operations　which　the　engineer　has　to　deal　with；　No　book　knowledge　can　avail　for　that　purpose。　　The　nature　and　properties　of　the　materials　must　come　in　through　the　finger　ends。　　Hence；　I　have　no　faith　in　young　engineers　who　are　addicted　to　wearing　gloves。　　Gloves；　especially　kid　gloves；　are　perfect　non…conductors　of　technical　knowledge。　This　has　really　more　to　do　with　the　efficiency　of　young　aspirants　for　engineering　success　than　most　people　are　aware　of！


CHAPTER　6。　　　Mechanical　Beginnings。

I　left　the　High　School　at　the　end　of　1820。　　I　carried　with　me　a　small　amount　of　Latin；　and　no　Greek。　　I　do　not　think　I　was　much　the　better　for　my　small　acquaintance　with　the　dead　languages。　　I　wanted　something　more　living　and　quickening。　　I　continued　my　studies　at　private　classes。　Arithmetic　and　geometry　were　my　favourite　branches。The　three　first　books　of　Euclid　were　to　me　a　new　intellectual　life。　　They　brought　out　my　power　of　reasoning。　　They　trained　me　mentally。　　They　enabled　me　to　arrive　at　correct　conclusions；　and　to　acquire　a　knowledge　of　absolute　truths。　　It　is　because　of　this　that　I　have　ever　since　held　the　beautifully　perfect　method　of　reasoning；　as　exhibited　in　the　exact　method　of　arriving　at　Q。E。D。；　to　be　one　of　the　most　satisfactory　efforts　and　exercises　of　the　human　intellect。

Besides　visiting　and　taking　part　in　the　works　at　Patterson's　foundry；　and　joining　in　the　chemical　experiments　at　Smith's　laboratory；　my　father　gave　me　every　opportunity　for　practising　the　art　of　drawing。　He　taught　me　to　sketch　with　exactness　every　object；　whether　natural　or　artificial；　so　as　to　enable　the　hand　to　accurately　reproduce　what　the　eye　had　seen。　　In　order　to　acquire　this　almost　invaluable　art；　which　can　serve　so　many　valuable　purposes　in　life；　he　was　careful　to　educate　my　eye；　so　that　I　might　perceive　the　relative　proportions　of　the　objects　placed　before　me。　　He　would　throw　down　at　random　a　number　of　bricks；　or　pieces　of　wood　representing　them；　and　set　me　to　copy　their　forms；　their　proportions；　their　lights　and　shadows　respectively。

I　have　often　heard　him　say　that　any　one　who　could　make　a　correct　drawing　in　regard　to　outline；　and　also　indicate　by　a　few　effective　touches　the　variation　of　lights　and　shadows　of　such　a　group　of　model　object's；　might　not　despair　of　making　a　good　and　correct　sketch　of　the　exterior　of　York　Minster！

My　father　was　an　enthusiast　in　praise　of　this　graphic　language；　and　I　have　followed　his　example。　　In　fact；　it　formed　a　principal　part　of　my　own　education。　　It　gave　me　the　power　of　recording　observations　with　a　few　graphic　strokes　of　the　pencil；　which　far　surpassed　in　expression　any　number　of　mere　words。　　This　graphic　eloquence　is　one　of　the　highest　gifts　in　conveying　clear　and　correct　ideas　as　to　the　forms　of　objectswhether　they　be　those　of　a　simple　and　familiar　kind；　or　of　some　form　of　mechanical　construction；　or　of　the　details　of　fine　building；　or　the　characteristic　features　of　a　wide…stretching　landscape。　　This　accomplishment　of　accurate　drawing；　which　I　achieved　for　the　most　part　in　my　father's　work…room；　served　me　many　a　good　turn　in　future　years　with　reference　to　the　engineering　work　which　became　the　business　of　my　life。

I　was　constantly　busy。　　Mind；　hands；　and　body　were　kept　in　a　state　of　delightful　and　instructive　activity。　　When　not　drawing；　I　occupied　myself　in　my　father's　worksh