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第59节

industrial biography-第59节

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Street; for improvements in the steam…engine; reducing its parts and

rendering it more compact and portable (3050); another; taken out in

conjunction with Robert Dickinson in 1812; for sweetening water and

other liquids (3538); and; lastly; a patent taken out in conjunction

〃with Joshua Field in 1824 for preventing concentration of brine in

boilers (5021)。

 。。。'

He was much beset by inventors; sometimes sadly out at elbows; but

always with a boundless fortune looming before them。  To such as

applied to him for advice in a frank and candid spirit; he did not

hesitate to speak freely; and communicate the results of his great

experience in the most liberal manner; and to poor and deserving men

of this class he was often found as ready to help them with his purse

as with his still more valuable advice。  He had a singular way of

estimating the abilities of those who thus called upon him about

their projects。  The highest order of man was marked in his own mind

at l00 degrees; and by this ideal standard he measured others;

setting them down at 90 degrees; 80 degrees; and so on。  A very

first…rate man he would set down at 95 degrees; but men of this rank

were exceedingly rare。  After an interview with one of the applicants

to him for advice; he would say to his pupil Nasmyth; 〃Jem; I think

that man may be set down at 45 degrees; but he might be WORKED UP TO

60 degreesa common enough way of speaking of the working of a

steam…engine; but a somewhat novel though by no means an inexpressive

method of estimating the powers of an individual。



But while he had much toleration for modest and meritorious

inventors; he had a great dislike for secret…mongers;schemers of

the close; cunning sort;and usually made short work of them。  He had

an almost equal aversion for what he called the 〃fiddle…faddle

inventors;〃 with their omnibus patents; into which they packed every

possible thing that their noddles could imagine。  〃Only once or twice

in a century;〃 said he; 〃does a great inventor appear; and yet here

we have a set of fellows each taking out as many patents as would

fill a cart;some of them embodying not a single original idea; but

including in their specifications all manner of modifications of

well…known processes; as well as anticipating the arrangements which

may become practicable in the progress of mechanical improvement。〃

Many of these 〃patents〃 he regarded as mere pit…falls to catch the

unwary; and he spoke of such 〃inventors〃 as the pests of the

profession。



The personal appearance of Henry Maudslay was in correspondence with

his character。  He was of a commanding presence; for he stood full six

feet two inches in height; a massive and portly man。  His face was

round; full; and lit up with good humour。  A fine; large; and square

forehead; of the grand constructive order; dominated over all; and

his bright keen eye gave energy and life to his countenance。  He was

thoroughly 〃jolly〃 and good…natured; yet full of force and character。

It was a positive delight to hear his cheerful; ringing laugh。  He was

cordial in manner; and his frankness set everybody at their ease who

had occasion to meet him; even for the first time。  No one could be

more faithful and consistent in his friendships; nor more firm in the

hour of adversity。  In fine; Henry Maudslay was; as described by his

friend Mr。 Nasmyth; the very beau ideal of an honest; upright;

straight…forward; hard…working; intelligent Englishman。



A severe cold which he caught on his way home from one of his visits to

France; was the cause of his death; which occurred on the l4th of

February; 1831。  The void which his decease caused was long and deeply

felt; not only by his family and his large circle of friends; but by

his workmen; who admired him for his industrial skill; and loved him

because of his invariably manly; generous; and upright conduct towards

them。  He directed that he should be buried in Woolwich

parish…churchyard; where a cast…iron tomb; made to his own design; was

erected over his remains。  He had ever a warm heart for Woolwich; where

he had been born and brought up。  He often returned to it; sometimes to

carry his mother a share of his week's wages while she lived; and

afterwards to refresh himself with a sight of the neighbourhood with

which he had been so familiar when a boy。  He liked its green common;

with the soldiers about it; Shooter's Hill; with its out…look over Kent

and down the valley of the Thames; the river busy with shipping; and

the royal craft loading and unloading their armaments at the dockyard

wharves。  He liked the clangour of the Arsenal smithy where he had first

learned his art; and all the busy industry of the place。  It was

natural; therefore; that; being proud of his early connection with

Woolwich; he should wish to lie there; and Woolwich; on its part; let

us add; has equal reason to he proud of Henry Maudslay。





CHAPTER XIII。



JOSEPH CLEMENT。



〃It is almost impossible to over…estimate the importance of these

inventions。  The Greeks would have elevated their authors among the

gods; nor will the enlightened judgment of modern times deny them the

place among their fellow…men which is so undeniably their due。〃

Edinburgh Review。





That Skill in mechanical contrivance is a matter of education and

training as well as of inborn faculty; is clear from the fact of so

many of our distinguished mechanics undergoing the same kind of

practical discipline; and perhaps still more so from the circumstance

of so many of them passing through the same workshops。  Thus Maudslay

and Clement were trained in the workshops of Bramah; and Roberts;

Whitworth; Nasmyth; and others; were trained in those of Maudslay。



Joseph Clement was born at Great Ashby in Westmoreland; in the year

1779。  His father was a hand…loom weaver; and a man of remarkable

culture considering his humble station in life。  He was an ardent

student of natural history; and possessed a much more complete

knowledge of several sub…branches of that science than was to have

been looked for in a common working…man。  One of the departments which

he specially studied was Entomology。  In his leisure hours he was

accustomed to traverse the country searching the hedge…bottoms for

beetles and other insects; of which he formed a remarkably complete

collection; and the capture of a rare specimen was quite an event in

his life。  In order more deliberately to study the habits of the bee

tribe; he had a number of hives constructed for the purpose of

enabling him to watch their proceedings without leaving his work; and

the pursuit was a source of the greatest pleasure to him。  He was a

lover of all dumb creatures; his cottage was haunted by birds which

flew in and out at his door; and some of them became so tame as to

hop up to him and feed out of his hand。  〃Old Clement〃 was also a bit

of a mechanic; and such of his leisure moments as he did not devote

to insect…hunting; were employed in working a lathe of his own

construction; which he used to turn his bobbing on; and also in

various kinds of amateur mechanics。



His boy Joseph; like other poor men's sons; was early set to work。  He

received very little education; and learnt only the merest rudiments

of reading and writing at the village school。  The rest of his

education he gave to himself as he grew older。  His father needed his

help at the loom; where he worked with him for some years; but; as

handloom weaving was gradually being driven out by improved

mechanism; the father prudently resolved to put his son to a better

trade。  They have a saying in Cumberland that when the bairns reach a

certain age; they are thrown on to the house…rigg; and that those who

stick on are made thatchers of; while those who fall off are sent to

St。  Bees to be made parsons of。  Joseph must have been one of those

that stuck onat all events his father decided to make him a

thatcher; afterwards a slater; and he worked at that trade for five

years; between eighteen and twenty…three。



The son; like the father; had a strong liking for mechanics; and as

the slating trade did not keep him in regular employment; especially

in winter time; he had plenty of opportunity for following the bent

of his inclinations。  He made a friend of the village blacksmith;

whose smithy he was accustomed to frequent; and there he learned to

work at the forge; to handle the hammer and file; and in a short time

to shoe horses with considerable expertness。  A cousin of his named

Farer; a clock and watchmaker by trade; having returned to the

village from London; brought with him some books on mechanics; which

he lent to Joseph to read; and they kindled in him an ardent desire

to be a mechanic instead of a slater。  He nevertheless continued to

maintain himself by the latter trade for some time longer; until his

skill had grown; and; by way of cultivating it; he determined; with

the aid of his f

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