an autobiography-第6部分

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nment　for　the　encouragement　of　drawing；　and　also　for　the　establishment　of　the　arts　of　linen　weaving；　carpet　manufacture；　and　other　industrial　occupations。

These　arts　were　introduced　into　Scotland　by　the　French　Protestants；　who　had　been　persecuted　for　conscience'　sake　out　of　their　own　country；　and　settled　in　England；　Ireland；　and　Scotland；　where　they　prosecuted　their　industrial　callings。　　The　Corporation　was　anxious　to　afford　an　asylum　for　these　skilled　and　able　workmen。　　The　emigrants　settled　down　with　their　families；　and　pursued　their　occupations　of　damask；　linen；　and　carpet　weaving。　　They　were　also　required　to　take　Scotch　apprentices；　and　teach　them　the　various　branches　of　their　trade。　　The　Magistrates　caused　cottages　and　workshops　to　be　erected　on　a　piece　of　unoccupied　land　near　Edinburgh；　where　the　street　appropriately　called　Picardy　Place　now　stands；the　greater　number　of　the　weavers　having　come　from　Picardy　in　France。

In　connection　with　the　establishment　of　these　industrial　artisans；　it　was　necessary　to　teach　the　young　Scotch　apprentices　drawing；　for　the　purpose　of　designing　new　patterns　suitable　for　the　market。　　Hence　the　establishment　by　the　Trustees　of　the　Forfeited　Estate　Funds　of　〃The　Academy　of　Fine　Art。〃　　From　the　designing　of　patterns；　the　institution　advanced　to　the　improvement　of　the　fine　arts　generally。　Young　men　who　had　given　proofs　of　their　natural　taste　for　drawing　were　invited　to　enter　the　school　and　participate　in　its　benefits。

At　the　time　that　my　father　was　apprenticed　to　the　coach　painter；　the　Trustees'　Academy　was　managed　by　Alexander　Runciman。　　He　had　originally　been　a　house　painter；　from　which　business　he　proceeded　to　landscape　painting。　　〃Other　artists；〃　said　one　who　knew　him；　〃talked　meat　and　drink；　but　Runciman　talked　landscape。〃　　He　went　to　Rome　and　studied　art　there。　　He　returned　to　Edinburgh；　and　devoted　himself　to　historical　painting。　　He　was　also　promoted　to　the　office　of　master　of　the　Trustees'　Academy。　　When　my　father　called　upon　him　with　his　drawings　from　nature；　Runciman　found　them　so　satisfactory　that　he　was　at　once　admitted　as　a　student。　　After　his　admission　he　began　to　study　with　intense　eagerness。　　The　young　men　who　had　been　occupied　at　their　business　during　the　day　could　only　attend　in　the　evening。　　And　thus　the　evenings　were　fixed　for　studying　drawing　and　design。　　The　Trustees'　Academy　made　its　mark　upon　the　art　of　Scotland：　it　turned　out　many　artists　of　great　note　　such　as　Raeburn；　Wilkie；　my　father；　and　many　more。

At　the　time　when　my　father　entered　as　a　student；　the　stock　of　casts　from　the　antique；　and　the　number　of　drawings　from　the　old　masters；　were　very　small；　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　Runciman　was　under　the　necessity　of　setting　the　students　to　copy　them　again　and　again。　This　became　rather　irksome　to　the　more　ardent　pupils。　　My　father　had　completed　his　sixth　copy　of　a　fine　chalk　drawing　of　〃The　Laocoon。〃　It　was　then　set　for　him　to　copy　again。　　He　begged　Mr。　Runciman　for　another　subject。　　The　quick…tempered　man　at　once　said；〃l'll　give　you　another　subject。〃　　And　turning　the　group　of　the　Laocoon　upside　down；　he　added；　〃Now；　then；　copy　that！〃　　The　patient　youth　set　to　work；　and　in　a　few　evenings　completed　a　perfect　copy。　　It　was　a　most　severe　test；　but　Runciman　was　so　proud　of　the　skill　of　his　pupil　that　he　had　the　drawing　mounted　and　framed；　with　a　note　of　the　circumstances　under　which　it　had　been　produced。　　It　continued　to　hang　there　for　many　years；　and　the　story　of　its　achievement　became　traditional　in　the　school。

During　all　this　time　my　father　remained　in　the　employment　of　Crighton　the　carriage　builder。　　He　improved　in　his　painting　day　by　day。　　But　at　length　an　important　change　took　place　in　his　career。　　Allan　Ramsay；　son　of　the　author　of　The　Gentle　Shepherd；　and　then　court　painter　to　George　III。；　called　upon　his　old　friend　Crighton　one　day；　to　look　over　his　works。　　There　he　found　young　Nasmyth　painting　a　coat　of　arms　on　the　panel　of　a　carriage。　　He　was　so　much　surprised　with　the　lad's　artistic　workmanshipfor　he　was　then　only　sixteenthat　he　formed　a　strong　desire　to　take　him　into　his　service。　　After　much　persuasion；　backed　by　the　offer　of　a　considerable　sum　of　money；　the　coachbuilder　was　at　length　induced　to　transfer　my　father's　indentures　to　Allan　Ramsay。

It　was；　of　course；　a　great　delight　to　my　father　to　be　removed　to　London　under　such　favourable　auspices。　　Ramsay　had　a　large　connection　as　a　portrait　painter。　　His　object　in　employing　my　father　was　that　he　should　assist　him　in　the　execution　of　the　subordinate　parts；　or　dress　portions；　of　portraits　of　courtiers；　or　of　diplomatic　personages。　No　more　favourable　opportunity　for　advancement　could　have　presented　itself。　　But　all　this　was　entirely　due　to　my　father's　perseverance　and　advancing　skill　as　an　artistthe　results　of　his　steady　application　and　labour。

Ramsay　possessed　a　very　fine　collection　of　drawings　by　the　old　masters；　all　of　which　were　free　for　my　father　to　study。　　Ramsay　was　exceedingly　kind　to　his　young　pupil。　　He　was　present　at　all　the　discussions　in　the　studio；　even　when　the　sitters　were　present。　Fellow…artists　visited　Ramsay　from　time　to　time。　　Among　them　was　his　intimate　friend　Philip　Reinaglean　agreeable　companion；　and　an　excellent　artist。　　Reinagle　was　one　day　so　much　struck　with　my　father's　earnestness　in　filling　up　some　work；　that　he　then　and　there　got　up　a　canvas　and　made　a　capital　sketch…portrait　of　him　in　oil。　　It　only　came　into　my　father's　possession　some　years　after　Ramsay's　death；　and　is　now　in　my　possession。

＇Image＇　　Alexander　Nasmyth。　　After　Reinagle's　Portrait

Among　the　many　amusing　recollections　of　my　father's　life　in　London；　there　is　one　that　I　cannot　resist　narrating；　because　it　shows　his　faculty　of　resourcefulnessa　faculty　which　served　him　very　usefully　during　his　course　through　life。　　He　had　made　an　engagement　with　a　sweetheart　to　take　her　to　Ranelagh；　one　of　the　most　fashionable　places　of　public　amusement　in　London。　　Everybody　went　in　full　dress；　and　the　bucks　and　swells　wore　long　striped　silk　stockings。　　My　father；　on　searching；　found　that　he　had　only　one　pair　of　silk　stockings　left。　He　washed　them　himself　in　his　lodging…room；　and　hung　them　up　before　the　fire　to　dry。　　When　he　went　to　look　at　them；　they　were　so　singed　and　burnt　that　he　could　not　put　them　on。　They　were　totally　useless。　In　this　sad　dilemma　his　resourcefulness　came　to　his　aid。　　The　happy　idea　occurred　to　him　of　painting　his　legs　so　as　to　resemble　stockings。　He　went　to　his　water…colour　box；　and　dexterously　painted　them　with　black　and　white　stripes。　　When　the　paint　dried；　which　it　soon　did；　he　completed　his　toilet；　met　his　sweetheart　and　went　to　Ranelagh。　No　one　observed　the　difference；　except；　indeed；　that　he　was　complimented　on　the　perfection　of　the　fit；　and　was　asked　〃where　he　bought　his　stockings？〃　　Of　course　he　evaded　the　question；　and　left　the　gardens　without　any　one　discovering　his　artistic　trick。

My　father　remained　in　Allan　Ramsay's　service　until　the　end　of　1778；　when　he　returned　to　Edinburgh　to　practise　on　his　own　behalf　the　profession　of　portrait　painter。　　He　took　with　him　the　kindest　good…wishes　of　his　master；　whose　friendship　he　retained　to　the　end　of　Ramsay's　life。　　The　artistic　style　of　my　father's　portraits；　and　the　excellent　likenesses　of　his　sitters；　soon　obtained　for　him　ample　employment。　　His　portraits　were　for　the　most　part　full…lengths；　but　of　a　small　or　cabinet　size。　　They　generally　consisted　of　family　groups；　with　the　figures　about　twelve　to　fourteen　inches　high。　　The　groups　were　generally　treated　and　arranged　as　if　the　personages　were　engaged　in　conversation　with　their　children；　and　sometimes　a　favourite　servant　was　introduced；　so　as　to　remove　any　formal　aspect　in　the　composition　of　the　picture。　　In　order　to　enliven　the　background；　some　favourite　view　from　the　garden　or　grounds；　or　a　landscape；　was　given；　which　was　painted　with　as　much　care　as　if　it　was　the　main　feature　of　the　picture。　Many　of　these　paintings　are　still　to　be　found　in　the　houses　of　the　gentry　in　Scotland。　　Good　examples　of　his　art　are　to　be　seen　at　Minto　House；　the　seat　of　the　Earl　of　Minto；　and　at　Dalmeny　Park；　the　seat　of　the　Earl　of　Rosebery。

Among　my　father's　early　employers　was　Patrick　Miller；　Esq。；　of　Dalswinton；　in　Dumfriesshire。　　He　painted　Mr。　Miller's　portrait　as　well　as　those　of　several　members　of　his　family。　　This　intercourse　eventually　led　to　the　establishment　of　a　very　warm　personal　friendship　between　them。　　Miller　had　made　a　large　fortune　in　Edinburgh　as　a　banker；　and　after　he　had　partially　retired　from　business；　he　devoted　much　of　his　spare　time　to　useful　purposes。　　He　was　a　man　of　great　energy　of　character；　and　was　never　idle。　　At　first　he　applied　himself　to　the　improvement　of　agriculture；　which　he　did　with　great　success　on　his　estate　of　Dalswinton。　　Being　one　of　the　largest　shareholders　in　the　Carron　Ironworks　near　Stirling；　he　also　devoted　much　of　his　time　to　the　improvement　of　guns　for　the　Royal　Navy。　　He　was　the　inventor　of　that　famous　gun　the　Carronade。　　The　handiness　of　these　short　and　effective　guns；　which　were　capable　of　being　loaded　and　fired　nearly　twice　as　quickly　as　the　long　small…bore　guns；　gave　England　the　victory　in　many　a　naval　battle；　where　the　firing　was　close　and　quick；　yardarm　to　yardarm。

But　Mr。　Miller's　greatest　claim　to　fame　arises　from　his　endeavours　to　introduce　steam…power　as　an　agent　in　the　propulsion　of　ships　at　sea。　Mr。　Clerk　of　Eldin　had　already　invented　the　system　of　〃breaking　the　line〃　in　naval　engagementsa　system　that　was　first　practised　with　complete　success　by　Lord　Rodney　in　his　engagement　off　Martinico　in　1780。　　The　subject　interested　Mr。　Miller　so　much　that　he　set　himself　to　work　to　contrive　some　mechanical　method　by　means　of　which　ships　of　war　might　be　set　in　motion；　independently　of　wind；　tide；　or　calms；　so　that　Clerk's　system　of　breaking　the　line　might　be　carried　into　effect　under　all　circumstances。

It　was　about　this　time　that　my　father　was　often　with　Miller；　and　the　mechanical　devices　by　means　of　which　the　method　of　breaking　the　line　could　be　best　accomplished　was　the　subject　of　many　of　their　conversations。　　Miller　found　that　my　father's　taste　for　mechanical　contrivances；　and　his　ready　skill　as　a　draughtsman；　were　likely　to　be　of　much　use　to　him；　and　he　constantly　visi