an autobiography-第29部分

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1648。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　he　was　the　inventor　of　the　Micrometeran　instrument　that；　when　applied　（as　he　first　did　so）　to　the　eye…piece　of　the　Telescope；　has　been　the　means　of　advancing　the　science　of　astronomy　to　its　present　high　position　（See　Grant's　History　of　Astronomy；　p。　453）

I　had　abundant　occupation　for　my　leisure　time　after　my　regular　attendance　at　the　factory　was　over。　　I　had　not　only　the　opportunity　of　studying　mechanics；　but　of　studying　men。　　It　is　a　great　thing　to　know　the　character　of　those　who　are　over　you　as　well　as　those　who　are　under　you。　　It　is　also　well　to　know　the　character　of　those　who　are　associated　with　you　in　your　daily　work。　　I　became　intimate　with　the　foremen　and　with　many　of　the　skilled　workmen。　　From　them　I　learnt　a　great　deal。　Let　me　first　speak　of　the　men　of　science　who　occasionally　frequented　Maudslay's　private　workshop。　　They　often　came　to　consult　him　on　subjects　with　which　he　was　specially　acquainted。

Among　Mr。　Maudslay's　most　frequent　visitors　were　General　Sir　Samuel　Bentham；　Mr。　Barton；　director　of　the　Royal　Mint；　Mr。　Bryan　Donkin；　Mr。　Faraday；　and　Mr。　Chantrey；　the　sculptor。　　As　Mr。　Maudslay　wished　me　to　be　at　hand　to　give　him　any　necessary　assistance；　I　had　the　opportunity　of　listening　to　the　conversation　between　him　and　these　distinguished　visitors。　　Sir　Samuel　Bentham　called　very　often。　He　had　been　associated　with　Maudslay　during　the　contrivance　and　construction　of　the　block　machinery。　　He　was　brother　of　the　celebrated　Jeremy　Bentham；　and　he　applied　the　same　clear　common…sense　to　mechanical　subjects　which　the　other　had　done　to　legal；　social；　and　political　questions。　　It　was　in　the　highest　degree　interesting　and　instructive　to　hear　these　two　great　pioneers　in　the　history　and　application　of　mechanics　discussing　the　events　connected　with　the　block…making　machinery。　　In　fact；　Maudslay's　connection　with　the　subject　had　led　to　the　development　of　most　of　our　modern　engineering　tools。　　They　may　since　have　been　somewhat　altered　in　arrangement；　but　not　in　principle。　　Scarcely　a　week　passed　without　a　visit　from　the　General。　He　sat　in　the　beautiful　workshop；　where　he　always　seemed　so　happy。　　It　was　a　great　treat　to　hear　him　and　Maudslay　〃fight　their　battles　o'er　again；〃　in　recounting　the　difficulties；　both　official　and　mechanical；　over　which　they　had　so　gloriously　triumphed。

At　the　time　when　I　listened　to　their　conversation；　the　great　work　in　hand　was　the　organisation　of　a　systematic　series　of　experiments　on　the　hulls　of　steamships；　with　the　view　of　determining　the　laws　of　resistance　on　their　being　propelled　through　the　sea　by　a　power　other　than　those　of　winds　and　sails。　　The　subject　was　as　complex　as　it　was　interesting　and　important。　　But　it　had　to　be　put　to　the　test　of　actual　experiment。　　This　was　done　in　the　first　place　by　large　models　of　hulls；　so　as　to　ascertain　at　what　point　the　curves　of　least　resistance　could　be　applied。　　Their　practical　correctness　was　tested　by　careful　experiment　in　passing　them　through　water　at　various　velocities；　to　record　which　conditions　special　instruments　were　contrived　and　executed。　　These；　as　well　as　the　preparation　of　large　models　of　hulls；　embodying　the　various　improved　〃lines；〃　occupied　a　considerable　portion　of　the　time　that　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　spend　in　Mr。　Maudslay's　private　workshop。

Mr。　Barton　of　the　Royal　Mint　was　quite　a　〃crony〃　of　Maudslay's。　He　called　upon　him　often　with　respect　to　the　improvements　for　stamping　the　current　coin　of　the　realm。　　Bryan　Donkin　was　also　associated　with　Maudslay　and　Barton　on　the　subject　of　the　national　standard　of　the　yard　measure。　　But　perhaps　Mr。　Chantrey　was　the　most　attractive　visitor　at　the　private　workshop。　　He　had　many　a　long　interview　with　Maudslay　with　respect　to　the　planning　and　arranging　of　a　small　foundry　at　his　studio；　by　means　of　which　he　might　cast　his　bronze　statues　under　his　own　superintendence。　　Mr。　Maudslay　entered　con　amore　into　the　subject；　and　placed　his　skill　and　experience　entirely　at　Chantrey's　service。　He　constructed　the　requisite　furnaces；　cranes；　and　other　apparatus；　at　Chantrey's　studio；　and　it　may　be　enough　to　state　that；　when　brought　into　operation；　they　yielded　the　most　satisfactory　results。

Among　my　most　intelligent　private　friends　in　London　were　George　Cundell　and　his　two　brothers。　　They　resided　near　my　lodgings；　and　I　often　visited　them　on　Saturday　evenings。　　They　were　most　kind；　gentle；　and　genial。　　The　eldest　brother　was　in　Sir　William　Forbes's　bank。　George　was　agent　for　Mr。　Patrick　Maxwell　Stuart　in　connection　with　his　West　India　estates；　and　the　third　brother　was　his　assistant。　The　elder　brother　was　an　admirable　performer　on　the　violoncello；　and　he　treated　us　during　these　Saturday　evenings　with　noble　music　from　Beethoven　and　Mozart。　　My　special　friend　George　was　known　amongst　us　as　〃the　worthy　master。〃　　He　was　thoroughly　versed　in　general　science；　and　was　moreover　a　keen　politician。　　He　had　the　most　happy　faculty　of　treating　complex　subjects；　both　in　science　and　politics；　in　a　thoroughly　common…sense　manner。　　His　two　brothers　had　a　fine　feeling　for　art；　and；　indeed；　possessed　no　small　skill　as　practical　artists。　With　companions　such　as　these；　gifted　with　a　variety　of　tastes；　I　spent　many　of　my　Saturday　evenings　most　pleasantly　and　profitably。　They　were　generally　concluded　with　a　glass　of　beer　of　〃the　worthy　master's〃　own　brewing。

When　the　season　of　the　year　and　the　state　of　the　weather　were　suitable　I　often　joined　this　happy　fraternity　in　long　and　delightful　Sunday　walks　to　various　interesting　places　round　London。　　Our　walks　included　Waltham　Abbey；　Waltham　Cross；　Eltham　Palace；　Hampton　Court；　Epping　Forest；　and　many　other　interesting　places　of　resort。　　When　the　weather　was　unfavourable　my　principal　resort　was　Westminster　Abbey；　where；　besides　the　beautifully…conducted　service　and　the　noble　anthems；　I　could　admire　the　glory　of　the　architecture；　and　the　venerable　tombs；　under　which　lay　the　best　and　bravest。　　I　used　generally　to　sit　at　a　point　from　which　I　could　see　the　grand　tomb　of　Aylmer　de　Vallance　with　its　magnificent　surroundings　of　quaint　and　glorious　architecture。　It　was　solemn；　and　serious　also；　to　think　of　the　many　generations　who　had　filled　the　abbey；　and　of　the　numbers　of　the　dead　who　lay　beneath　our　feet。

I　was　so　great　an　admirer　of　Norman　and　Gothic　architecture　that　there　was　scarcely　a　specimen　of　it　in　London　which　I　did　not　frequently　visit。　　One　of　the　most　interesting　examples　I　found　in　the　Norman　portion　of　St。　Saviours　Church；　near　London　Bridge；　through　some　of　it　has　since　been　destroyed　by　the　so…called　〃restoration〃　in　1831。　The　new　work　has　been　executed　in　the　worst　taste　and　feeling。　I　also　greatly　admired　the　Norman　chapel　of　the　Tower；　and　some　Norman　portions　of　the　Church　of　St。　Bartholomew　the　Less；　near　Smithfield。

No　style　of　architecture　that　I　have　ever　seen　has　so　impressed　me　with　its　intrinsic　gravity；　and　I　may　say　solemnity；　as　that　of　the　Norman。　There　is　a　serious　earnestness　in　its　grave　simplicity　that　has　a　peculiar　influence　upon　the　mind；　and　I　have　little　doubt　that　this　was　felt；　and　understood　by　those　true　architects　who　designed　and　built　the　noble　cathedrals　at　Durham　and　elsewhere。　　But　there；　as　elsewhere；　some　of　our　modern　so…called　〃Architects〃　have　made　sad　havoc　with　the　earliest　and　most　impressive　portions　of　those　grand　and　truly　interesting　remains；　by　their　〃Restorations〃；　as　they　term　itbut　which　I　call　Defamations。


CHAPTER　9。　　Holiday　in　the　Manufacturing　Districts。

In　the　autumn　of　1830　Mr。　Maudslay　went　to　Berlin　for　the　purpose　of　superintending　the　erection　of　machinery　at　the　Royal　Mint　there。　He　intended　to　be　absent　from　London　for　about　a　month；　and　he　kindly　permitted　me　to　take　my　holiday　during　that　period。

I　had　been　greatly　interested　by　the　descriptions　in　the　newspapers　of　the　locomotive　competition　at　Rainhill；　near　Liverpool。　　I　was；　therefore；　exceedingly　anxious　to　see　Stephenson's　〃Rocket；〃　the　engine　that　had　won　the　prize。　　Taking　with　me　letters　of　introduction　from　Mr。　Maudslay　to　persons　of　influence　at　Liverpool；　I　left　London　for　the　north　on　the　afternoon　of　Saturday　the　9th　of　September　1830。　I　took　my　place　on　the　outside　of　the　Liverpool　coach；　which　set　out　from　〃The　Swan　with　Two　Necks；〃　in　Lad　Lane；　City；　one　of　the　most　celebrated　coach…offices　in　those　days

The　first　part　of　the　journey　to　Liverpool　was　very　dismal。　The　night　was　wet。　　The　rain　came　pouring　down；　and　no　sort　of　wrappings　could　keep　it　out。　　The　outside　passengers　became　thoroughly　soaked。　　On　we　went；　however；　as　fast　as　four　horses　could　carry　us。　Next　morning　we　reached　Coventry；　when　the　clouds　cleared　away；　and　the　sun　at　last　burst　forth。　　I　could　now　enjoy　this　charming　part　of　old　England。　Although　I　had　only　a　hasty　glimpse　in　passing　of　the　quaint　streets　and　ancient　buildings　of　the　town　I　was　perfectly　delighted　with　the　specimens　of　ancient　domestic　architecture　which　I　saw。　　At　that　time　Coventry　was　quite　a　museum　of　that　interesting　class　of　buildings。　The　greater　part　of　them　have　since　been　swept　away　in　the　so…called　improvement　of　modern　builders；　none　of　whose　works　can　ever　so　attract　an　artistic　eye。

During　the　rest　of　the　day　the　journey　was　delightful。　　Though　the　inside　passengers　had　had　the　best　of　it　during　the　night；　the　outside　passengers　had　the　best　of　it　now。　　To　go　scampering　across　the　country　on　the　top　of　the　coach；　passing　old　villages；　gentlemen's　parks；　under　old　trees；　along　hedges　tinged　with　autumn　tints；　up　hill　and　down　dale；　sometimes　getting　off　the　coach　to　lighten　the　load；　and　walking　along　through　the　fields　by　a　short　cut　to　meet　it　farther　on；　all　this　was　most　enjoyable。　　It　gave　me　a　new　interest　in　the　happier　aspects　of　English　scenery；　and　of　rural　and　domestic　life　in　the　pretty　old…fashioned　farm　buildings　that　we　passed　on　our　way。　　Indeed；　there　was　everything　to　delight　the　eye　of　the　lover　of　the　picturesque　during　the　course　of　that　bright　autumnal　day。

The　coach　reached　Liverpool　on　Sunday　night。　　I　took　up　my　quarters　at　a　commercial　inn　in　Dale　Street；　where　I　found　every　comfort　which　I　desired　at　moderate　charges。　　Next　morning；　without　loss　of　time；　I　made　my　way　to　the　then　terminus　of　the　Liverpool　and　Manche