an autobiography-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　in　order　to　wheel　them　away　to　their　place　outside。　　On　the　spur　of　the　moment　I　said　to　Mr。　Maudslay；　〃If　you　would　only　permit　me　to　do　such　a　job　as　that　in　your　service；　I　should　consider　myself　most　fortunate！〃　I　shall　never　forget　the　keen　but　kindly　look　that　he　gave　me。　　〃So　；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　one　of　that　sort；　are　you？〃　I　was　inwardly　delighted　at　his　words。

When　our　round　of　the　works　was　concluded；　I　ventured　to　say　to　Mr。　Maudslay　that　〃I　had　brought　up　with　me　from　Edinburgh　some　working　models　of　steam…engines　and　mechanical　drawings；　and　I　should　feel　truly　obliged　if　he　would　allow　me　to　show　them　to　him？〃　〃By　all　means；〃　said　he；　〃bring　them　to　me　tomorrow　at　twelve　o'clock。〃　I　need　not　say　how　much　pleased　I　was　at　this　permission　to　exhibit　my　handiwork；　and　how　anxious　I　felt　as　to　the　result　of　Mr。　Maudslay's　inspection　of　it。

I　carefully　unpacked　my　working　model　of　the　steam…engine　at　the　carpenter's　shop；　and　had　it　conveyed；　together　with　my　drawings；　on　a　hand…cart　to　Mr。　Maudslay's　next　morning　at　the　appointed　hour。　I　was　allowed　to　place　my　work　for　his　inspection　in　a　room　next　his　office　and　counting…house。　　I　then　called　at　his　residence　close　by；　where　he　kindly　received　me　in　his　library。　　He　asked　me　to　wait　until　he　and　his　partner；　Joshua　Field；　had　inspected　my　handiwork。

I　waited　anxiously。　　Twenty　long　minutes　passed。　　At　last　he　entered　the　room；　and　from　a　lively　expression　in　his　countenance　I　observed　in　a　moment　that　the　great　object　of　my　long　cherished　ambition　had　been　attained！　　He　expressed；　in　good　round　terms；　his　satisfaction　at　my　practical　ability　as　a　workman　engineer　and　mechanical　draughtsman。　Then；　opening　the　door　which　led　from　his　library　into　his　beautiful　private　workshop；　he　said；　〃This　is　where　I　wish　you　to　work；　beside　me；　as　my　assistant　workman。　　From　what　I　have　seen　there　is　no　need　of　an　apprenticeship　in　your　case。〃

He　then　proceeded　to　show　me　the　collection　of　exquisite　tools　of　all　sorts　with　which　his　private　workshop　was　stored。　　They　mostly　bore　the　impress　of　his　own　clearheadedness　and　common…sense。　　They　were　very　simple；　and　quite　free　from　mere　traditional　forms　and　arrangements。　At　the　same　time　they　were　perfect　for　the　special　purposes　for　which　they　had　been　designed。　　The　workshop　was　surrounded　with　cabinets　and　drawers；　filled　with　evidences　of　the　master's　skill　and　industry。　Every　tool　had　a　purpose。　　It　had　been　invented　for　some　special　reason。　　Sometimes　it　struck　the　keynote；　as　it　were；　to　many　of　the　important　contrivances　which　enable　man　to　obtain　a　complete　mastery　over　materials。

There　were　also　hung　upon　the　walls；　or　placed　upon　shelves；　many　treasured　relics　of　the　first　embodiments　of　his　constructive　genius。　There　were　many　models　explaining；　step　by　step；　the　gradual　progress　of　his　teeming　inventions　and　contrivances。　　The　workshop　was　thus　quite　a　historical　museum　of　mechanism。　　It　exhibited　his　characteristic　qualities　in　construction。　　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　life。　　They　were　kept　as　relics　of　his　progress　towards　mechanical　perfection。　　When　he　brought　them　out　from　time　to　time；　to　serve　for　the　execution　of　some　job　in　hand；　he　was　sure　to　dilate　upon　the　occasion　that　led　to　their　production；　as　well　as　upon　the　happy　results　which　had　followed　their　general　employment　in　mechanical　engineering。

It　was　one　of　his　favourite　maxims；　〃First；　get　a　clear　notion　of　what　you　desire　to　accomplish；　and　then　in　all　probability　you　will　succeed　in　doing　it。〃　　Another　was　〃Keep　a　sharp　look…out　upon　your　materials；　get　rid　of　every　pound　of　material　you　can　do　without；　put　to　yourself　the　question；　'What　business　has　it　to　be　there？　avoid　complexities；　and　make　everything　as　simple　as　possible。〃　　Mr。　Maudslay　was　full　of　quaint　maxims　and　remarks；　the　result　of　much　shrewdness；　keen

observation；　and　great　experience。　　They　were　well　worthy　of　being　stored　up　in　the　mind；　like　a　set　of　proverbs；　full　of　the　life　and　experience　of　men。　　His　thoughts　became　compressed　into　pithy　expressions　exhibiting　his　force　of　character　and　intellect。　His　quaint　remarks　on　my　first　visit　to　his　workshop；　and　on　subsequent　occasions；　proved　to　me　invaluable　guides　to　〃right　thinking〃　in　regard　to　all　matters　connected　with　mechanical　structure。

Mr。　Maudslay　seemed　at　once　to　take　me　into　his　confidence。　　He　treated　me　in　the　most　kindly　mannernot　as　a　workman　or　an　apprentice；　but　as　a　friend。　　I　was　an　anxious　listener　to　everything　that　he　said；　and　it　gave　him　pleasure　to　observe　that　I　understood　and　valued　his　conversation。　　The　greatest　treat　of　all　was　in　store　for　me。　He　showed　me　his　exquisite　collection　of　taps　and　dies　and　screw…tackle；　which　he　had　made　with　the　utmost　care　for　his　own　service。　They　rested　in　a　succession　of　drawers　near　to　the　bench　where　he　worked。　There　was　a　place　for　every　one；　and　every　one　was　in　its　place。　There　was　a　look　of　tidiness　about　the　collection　which　was　very　characteristic　of　the　man。　　Order　was　one　of　the　rules　which　he　　rigidly　observed；　and　he　endeavoured　to　enforce　it　upon　all　who　were　in　his　employment。

He　proceeded　to　dilate　upon　the　importance　of　the　uniformity　of　screws。　Some　may　call　it　an　improvement；　but　it　might　almost　be　called　a　revolution　in　mechanical　engineering　which　Mr。　Maudslay　introduced。　Before　his　time　no　system　had　been　followed　in　proportioning　the　number　of　threads　of　screws　to　their　diameter。　Every　bolt　and　nut　was　thus　a　speciality　in　itself；　and　neither　possessed　nor　admitted　of　any　community　with　its　neighbours。　　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　other。　　Any　intermixture　that　occurred　between　them　led　to　endless　trouble　and　expense；　as　well　as　inefficiency　and　confusion；especially　when　parts　of　complex　machines　had　to　be　taken　to　pieces　for　repairs。

None　but　those　who　lived　in　the　comparatively　early　days　of　machine　manufacture　can　form　an　adequate　idea　of　the　annoyance；　delay；　and　cost　of　this　utter　want　of　system；　or　can　appreciate　the　vast　services　rendered　to　mechanical　engineering　by　Mr。　Maudslay；　who　was　the　first　to　introduce　the　practical　measures　necessary　for　its　remedy。　　In　his　system　of　screw…cutting　machinery；　and　in　his　taps　and　dies；　and　screw…tackle　generally；　he　set　the　example；　and　in　fact　laid　the　foundation；　of　all　that　has　since　been　done　in　this　most　essential　branch　of　machine　construction。　　Those　who　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　work　under　him；　and　have　experienced　the　benefits　of　his　practice；　have　eagerly　and　ably　followed　him；　and　thus　his　admirable　system　has　become　established　throughout　the　entire　mechanical　world。

Mr。　Maudslay　kept　me　with　him　for　about　three　hours；　initiating　me　into　his　system。　　It　was　with　the　greatest　delight　that　I　listened　to　his　wise　instruction。　　The　sight　of　his　excellent　tools；　which　he　showed　me　one　by　one；　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　mechanics。

When　he　concluded　his　exposition；　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　metropolis；　to　see　the　most　remarkable　buildings；　and　to　obtain　an　introduction　to　some　of　my　father's　friends。　　He　gave　me　a　week　for　this　purpose；　and　said　he　should　be　glad　to　see　me　at　his　workshop　on　the　following　Monday　week。

It　singularly　happened　that　on　the　first　day　my　father　went　out　with　me；　he　encountered　an　old　friend。　　He　had　first　known　him　at　Mr。　Miller's　of　Dalswinton；　when　the　first　steamboat　was　tried；　and　afterwards　at　Edinburgh　while　he　was　walking　the　courts　as　an　advocate；　or　writing　articles　for　the　Edinburgh　Review。　　This　was　no　other　than　Henry　Brougham。　　He　was　descending　the　steps　leading　into　St。　James's　Park；　from　the　place　where　the　Duke　of　York's　monument　now　stands。　Brougham　immediately　recognised　my　father。　　There　was　a　hearty　shaking　of　hands；　and　many　inquiries　on　either　side。　　〃And　what　brings　you　to　London　now？〃　asked　Brougham。　　My　father　told　him　that　it　was　about　his　son　here；　who　had　obtained　an　important　position　at　Maudslay's　the　engineer。

〃If　I　can　do　anything　for　you；〃　said　Brougham；　addressing　me；　〃let　me　know。　　It　will　afford　me　much　pleasure　to　give　you　introductions　to　men　of　science　in　London。〃　　I　ventured　to　say　that　〃Of　all　the　men　of　science　in　London　that　I　most　wished　to　see；　was　Mr。　Faraday　of　the　Royal　Institution。〃　　〃　Well；〃　said　Brougham；　〃I　will　send　you　a　letter　of　introduction。　　We　then　parted。

My　father　availed　himself　of　the　opportunity　of　introducing　me　to　several　of　his　brother　artists。　　We　first　went　to　the　house　of　David　Wilkie；　in　Church　Street；　Kensington。　　We　found　him　at　home；　and　he　received　us　most　kindly。　　We　next　visited　Clarkson　Stanfield；　David　Roberts；　and　some　other　artists。　　They　were　much　attached　to　my　father；　and　had；　in　the　early　part　of　their　career；　received　much　kindness　from　him　while　living　in　Edinburgh。　　They　all　expressed　the　desire　that　I　should　visit　them　frequently。　　I　had　thus　the　privilege　of　entree　to　a　number　of　pleasant　and　happy　homes；　and　my　visits　to　them　while　in　London　was　one　of　my　principal　sources　of　enjoyment。

On　returning　home　to　our　lodgings　that　evening　we　found　a　note　from　Brougham；　enclosing　letters　of　introduction　to　Faraday　and　other　scientific　men；　and　stating　that　if　at　any　time　he　could　be　of　service　to　me　he　hoped　that　I　would　at　once　make　use　of　him。　　My　father　was　truly　gratified　with　the　substantial　evidence　of　Brougham's　kindly　remembrance　of　him；　and　I？　how　could　I　be　grateful　enough？　not　only　for　my　father's　never…failing　attention　to　my　growth　in　knowledge　and　wisdom；　but　to　his　ever…willing　readiness　to　help　me　onward　in　the　path　of　scientific　working　and　mechanical　engineering。　And　now　I　was　fortunate　in　another　re