an autobiography-第54章
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refore to be overcome。 And in this lies a great deal of the pleasure of contriving and inventing。
During the progress of the work I had the advantage of the frequent presence of an able Russian officer； Captain Putchkraskey； whose intelligent supervision was a source of much satisfaction。 We had also occasional visits from Admiral Kornileff； a man of the highest order of intelligence。 He was not only able to appreciate our exertions to execute the order in first…rate style； but to enter into all the special details and contrivances of the work while in progress。 I had often occasion to meet Russian officers while at the Bridgewater Foundry。 They were usually men of much ability； selected by the Russian Government to act as their agents abroad； in order to keep them well posted up in all that had a bearing upon their own interests。 They certainly reflected the highest credit on their Government； as proving their careful selection of the best men to advance the interests of Russia。
During the visit of the Grand Duke Constantine to England about that time； he resided for some days with the Earl of Ellesmere at Worsley Hall； about a mile and a half from Bridgewater Foundry。 We were favoured with several visits from the Grand Duke； accompanied by Baron Brunnow； Admiral Hoyden； and several other Russian officials。 They came by Lord Ellesmere's beautiful barge； which drew up alongside our wharf； where the party landed and entered the works。 The Grand Duke carefully inspected the whole place； and expressed himself as greatly pleased with the complete mastery which man had obtained over obdurate materials； through the unfailing agency of mechanical substitutes for manual dexterity and muscular force。
I was invited to meet this distinguished party at Worsley Hall on more than one occasion； and was much pleased with the frank and intelligent conversation of the Grand Duke； in his reference to what he had seen in his visits to our works。 It was always a source of high pleasure to me to receive visits from Lord Ellesmere； as he was generally accompanied by men of distinction who were well able to appreciate the importance of what had been displayed before them。 The visits； for instance； of Rajah Brooke； the Earl of Elgin； the Duke of Argyll； Chevalier Bunsen； and Count Flahault； stand out bright in my memory。
But to return to my rope…making machinery。 It was finished to the satisfaction of the Russian officers。 It was sent off by ship to the Black Sea in July 1851； and fitted up at Nicolaiev shortly after。 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 supervision。 His object was； not only that I might have a pleasant voyage in his company； but that I might see my machinery in full action at Nicolaiev； and also that I might make a personal survey of the arsenal workshops at Sebastopol。 It would； no doubt； have been a delightful trip； but it was not to be。 The unfortunate disruption occurred between our Government and that of Russia； which culminated in the disastrous Crimean War。 One of the first victims was Admiral Kornileff。 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 Sebastopol。
CHAPTER 18。 Astronomical pursuits。
Let me turn for a time from the Foundry； the whirr of the self…acting tools； and the sound of the steam hammers； to my quieter pursuits at home。 There I had much tranquil enjoyment in the company of my dear wife。 I had many hobbies。 Drawing was as familiar to me as language。 Indeed； it was often my method of speaking。 It has always been the way in which I have illustrated my thoughts。 In the course of my journeys at home and abroad I made many drawings of places and objects； which were always full of interest； to me at least； and they never ceased to bring up a store of happy remembrances。
Now and then I drew upon my fancy； and with pen and ink I conjured up 〃The Castle of Udolpho；〃 〃 A Bit of Old England；〃 〃The Fairies are Out；〃 and 〃Everybody for Ever。〃 The last is crowded with thousands of figures and heads； so that it is almost impossible to condense the drawing into a small compass。 To these I added 〃The Alchemist；〃 〃Old Mortality；〃 〃Robinson Crusoe；〃 and a bit of English scenery； which I called 〃Gathering Sticks。〃 I need not say with how much pleasure I executed these drawings in my evening hours。 They were not 〃published；〃 but I drew them with lithographic ink； and had them printed by Mr。 Maclure。 I afterwards made presents of the series to some of my most intimate friends。
＇Image＇ The Antiquarian。 By James Nasmyth （Facsimile）
In remembrance of the great pleasure which I had derived from the perusal of Washington Irving's fascinating works； I sent him a copy of my sketches。 His answer was charming and characteristic。 His letter was dated 〃 Sunnyside；〃 Massachusetts； where he lived。 He said （17th January 1859）：
DEAR SIRAccept my most sincere and hearty thanks for the exquisite fancy sketches which you have had the kindness to send me； and for the expressions of esteem and regard in the letter which accompanied them。 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 sympathies； and to call forth such testimonials of pleasure and approbation from a person of your cultivated taste and intellectual elevation。 With high respect and regard； I remain； nay dear sir； your truly obliged friend； Washington Irving。〃
＇Image＇ The Fairies。 By James Nasmyth。 （Facsimile）
Viscount Duncan； afterwards Earl Camperdown； also acknowledged receipt of the drawings in a characteristic letter。 He said： 〃We are quite delighted with them； especially with 'The Fairies；' which a lady to whom I showed them very nearly stole； as she declared that it quite realised her dreams of fairyland。 I am only surprised that amidst your numerous avocations you have found time to execute such detailed works of art； 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 hammer； and many other gigantic pieces of machinery which will tend to immortalise the Anglo…saxon race。〃
But my most favourite pursuit； after my daily exertions at the Foundry； was Astronomy。 There were frequently clear nights when the glorious objects in the Heavens were seen in most attractive beauty and brilliancy。
I cannot find words to express the thoughts which the impressive grandeur of the Stars； seen in the silence of the night； suggested to me； especially when I directed my Telescope； even at random； on any portion of the clear sky； and considered that each Star of the multitude it revealed to me； was a SUN！ the centre of a system！ Myriads of such stars； invisible to the unassisted eye； were rendered perfectly distinct by the aid of the telescope。 The magnificence of the sight was vastly increased when the telescope was directed to any portion of the Milky Way。 It revealed such countless multitudes of stars that I had only to sit before the eyepiece； and behold the endless procession of these glorious objects pass before me。 The motion of the earth assisted in changing this scene of inexpressible magnificence； which reached its climax when some object such as the 〃Cluster in Hercules〃 came into sight。 The component stars are so crowded together there as to give the cluster the appearance of a gray spot； but when examined with a telescope of large aperture； it becomes resolved into such myriads of stars as to defy all attempts to count them。 Nothing can convey to the mind； in so awful and impressive a manner； the magnificent and infinite extent of Creation； and the inconceivable power of its Creator！
I had already a slight acquaintance with Astronomy。 My father had implanted in me the first germs。 He was a great admirer of that sublimest of sciences。 I had obtained a sufficient amount of technical knowledge to construct in 1827 a small but very effective reflecting telescope of six inches diameter。 Three years later I initiated Mr。 Maudslay into the art and mystery of making a reflecting telescope。 I then made a speculum of ten inches diameter； and but for the unhappy circumstance of his death in 1831； it would have been mounted in his proposed observatory at Norwood。 After I had settled down at Fireside； Patricroft； 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 night。
As I had all the means and appliances for casting specula at the factory； 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 speculum。 The alloy consisted of fifteen parts of pure tin and thirty…two parts of pure copper； with one part of arsenic。 It was cast with perfect soundness； and was ground and polished by a machine which I contrived for the purpose。 The speculum was so brilliant that when my friend William Lassell saw it； he said 〃it made his mouth water。〃 It was about this time （1840） that I had the great happiness of becoming acquainted with Mr。 Lassell；* ＇footnote。。。 Mr。 Lassell was a man of superb powers。 Like many others who have done so much for astronomy； he started as an amateur。 He was first apprenticed to a merchant at Liverpool。 He then began business as a brewer。 Eventually he devoted himself to astronomy and astronomical mechanics。 When in his twenty…first year he began constructing reflecting telescopes for himself。 He proceeded to make a Newtonian of nine inches aperture； which he erected in an observatory at his residence near Liverpool； happily named 〃Starfield。〃 With this instrument he worked diligently； and detected the sixth star in the trapezium of Orion。 In 1844 he conceived the bold idea of constructing a reflector of two feet aperture； and twenty feet focal length； to be mounted equatorially。 Sir John Herschel； in mentioning Mr。 Lassell's work； 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 conceptions； and prepared by his own love of astronomy and practical acquaintance with astronomical observations； and with the construction of specula； to give them their full effect。〃 With this fine instrument Mr。 Lassell discovered the satellite of Neptune。 He also discovered the eighth satellite of Saturn； of extreme minuteness； as well as two additional satellites of Uranus。 But perhaps his best work was done at Malta with a much larger telescope； four feet in aperture； and thirty…seven feet focus； erected there in 1861。 He remained at Malta for three years； and published a catalogue of 600 new nebulae； which will be found in the Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society。 One of his curious sayings was； 〃I have had a great deal to do with opticians； some of themlike Cooke of Yorkare really opticians； but the greater number of them are merely shopticians！〃 。。。＇ and profiting by his devotion to astronomical pursuits and his profound knowledge of the subject。 He had acqu
