industrial biography-第69节

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！



Edinburgh；　on　the　19th　of　August；　1808；　and　his　attention　was　early

directed　to　mechanics　by　the　circumstance　of　this　being　one　of　his

father's　hobbies。　　Besides　being　an　excellent　painter；　Mr。　Nasmyth　had

a　good　general　knowledge　of　architecture　and　civil　engineering；　and

could　work　at　the　lathe　and　handle　tools　with　the　dexterity　of　a

mechanic。　　He　employed　nearly　the　whole　of　his　spare　time　in　a　little

workshop　which　adjoined　his　studio；　where　he　encouraged　his　youngest

son　to　work　with　him　in　all　sorts　of　materials。　　Among　his　visitors　at

the　studio　were　Professor　Leslie；　Patrick　Miller　of　Dalswinton；　and

other　men　of　distinction。　　He　assisted　Mr。　Miller　in　his　early

experiments　with　paddle…boats；　which　eventually　led　to　the　invention

of　the　steamboat。　　It　was　a　great　advantage　for　the　boy　to　be　trained

by　a　father　who　so　loved　excellence　in　all　its　forms；　and　could

minister　to　his　love　of　mechanics　by　his　own　instruction　and

practice。　　James　used　to　drink　in　with　pleasure　and　profit　the

conversation　which　passed　between　his　father　and　his　visitors　on

scientific　and　mechanical　subjects；　and　as　he　became　older；　the

resolve　grew　stronger　in　him　every　day　that　he　would　be　a　mechanical

engineer；　and　nothing　else。　　At　a　proper　age；　he　was　sent　to　the　High

School；　then　as　now　celebrated　for　the　excellence　of　its　instruction；

and　there　he　laid　the　foundations　of　a　sound　and　liberal　education。

But　he　has　himself　told　the　simple　story　of　his　early　life　in　such

graphic　terms　that　we　feel　we　cannot　do　better　than　quote　his　own

words：　　

　＇footnote。。。

Originally　prepared　for　John　Hick；　Esq。；　C。E。；　of　Bolton；　and

embodied　by　him　in　his　lectures　on　〃Self　Help；〃　delivered　before　the

Holy　Trinity　Working　Men's　Association　of　that　town；　on　the　18th　and

20th　March；　1862；　the　account　having　been　kindly　corrected　by　Mr。

Nasmyth　for　the　present　publication。

　。。。＇



〃I　had　the　good　luck；〃　he　says；　〃to　have　for　a　school　companion　the

son　of　an　iron　founder。　　Every　spare　hour　that　I　could　command　was

devoted　to　visits　to　his　father's　iron　foundry；　where　I　delighted　to

watch　the　various　processes　of　moulding；　iron…melting；　casting；

forging；　pattern…making；　and　other　smith　and　metal　work；　and　although

I　was　only　about　twelve　years　old　at　the　time；　I　used　to　lend　a　hand；

in　which　hearty　zeal　did　a　good　deal　to　make　up　for　want　of　strength。

I　look　back　to　the　Saturday　afternoons　spent　in　the　workshops　of　that

small　foundry；　as　an　important　part　of　my　education。　　I　did　not　trust

to　reading　about　such　and　such　things；　I　saw　and　handled　them；　and

all　the　ideas　in　connection　with　them　became　permanent　in　my　mind。　　I

also　obtained　therewhat　was　of　much　value　to　me　in　after　life

a　considerable　acquaintance　with　the　nature　and　characters　of

workmen。　　By　the　time　I　was　fifteen；　I　could　work　and　turn　out　really

respectable　jobs　in　wood；　brass；　iron；　and　steel：　　indeed；　in　the

working　of　the　latter　inestimable　material；　I　had　at　a　very　early　age

（eleven　or　twelve）　acquired　considerable　proficiency。　　As　that　was　the

pre…lucifer　match　period；　the　possession　of　a　steel　and　tinder　box

was　quite　a　patent　of　nobility　among　boys。　　So　I　used　to　forge　old

files　into　'steels'　in　my　father's　little　workshop；　and　harden　them

and　produce　such　first…rate；　neat　little　articles　in　that　line；　that

I　became　quite　famous　amongst　my　school　companions；　and　many　a　task

have　I　had　excused　me　by　bribing　the　monitor；　whose　grim　sense　of

duty　never　could　withstand　the　glimpse　of　a　steel。



〃My　first　essay　at　making　a　steam　engine　was　when　I　was　fifteen。　　I

then　made　a　real　working；　steam…engine；　1　3/4　diameter　cylinder；　and

8　in。　　stroke；　which　not　only　could　act；　but　really　did　some　useful

work；　for　I　made　it　grind　the　oil　colours　which　my　father　required

for　his　painting。　　Steam　engine　models；　now　so　common；　were

exceedingly　scarce　in　those　days；　and　very　difficult　to　be　had；　and

as　the　demand　for　them　arose；　I　found　it　both　delightful　and

profitable　to　make　them；　as　well　as　sectional　models　of　steam

engines；　which　I　introduced　for　the　purpose　of　exhibiting　the

movements　of　all　the　parts；　both　exterior　and　interior。　　With　the

results　of　the　sale　of　such　models　I　was　enabled　to　pay　the　price　of

tickets　of　admission　to　the　lectures　on　natural　philosophy　and

chemistry　delivered　in　the　University　of　Edinburgh。　　About　the　same

time　（1826）　I　was　so　happy　as　to　be　employed　by　Professor　Leslie　in

making　models　and　portions　of　apparatus　required　by　him　for　his

lectures　and　philosophical　investigations；　and　I　had　also　the

inestimable　good　fortune　to　secure　his　friendship。　　His　admirably

clear　manner　of　communicating　a　knowledge　of　the　fundamental

principles　of　mechanical　science　rendered　my　intercourse　with　him　of

the　utmost　importance　to　myself。　　A　hearty；　cheerful；　earnest　desire

to　toil　in　his　service；　caused　him　to　take　pleasure　in　instructing　me

by　occasional　explanations　of　what　might　otherwise　have　remained

obscure。



〃About　the　years　1827　and　1828；　the　subject　of　steam…carriages　for

common　roads　occupied　much　of　the　attention　of　the　public。　　Many　tried

to　solve　the　problem。　　I　made　a　working　model　of　an　engine　which

performed　so　well　that　some　friends　determined　to　give　me　the　means

of　making　one　on　a　larger　scale。　　This　I　did；　and　I　shall　never　forget

the　pleasure　and　the　downright　hard　work　I　had　in　producing；　in　the

autumn　of　1828；　at　an　outlay　of　60L。；　a　complete　steam…carriage；　that

ran　many　a　mile　with　eight　persons　on　it。　　After　keeping　it　in　action

two　months；　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　who　were　interested　in　it；　my

friends　allowed　me　to　dispose　of　it；　and　I　sold　it　a　great　bargain；

after　which　the　engine　was　used　in　driving　a　small　factory。　　I　may

mention　that　in　that　engine　I　employed　the　waste　steam　to　cause　an

increased　draught　by　its　discharge　up　the　chimney。　　This　important　use

of　the　waste　steam　had　been　introduced　by　George　Stephenson　some

years　before；　though　entirely　unknown　to　me。



〃The　earnest　desire　which　I　cherished　of　getting　forward　in　the　real

business　of　life　induced　me　to　turn　my　attention　to　obtaining

employment　in　some　of　the　great　engineering　establishments　of　the

day；　at　the　head　of　which；　in　my　fancy　as　well　as　in　reality；　stood

that　of　Henry　Maudslay；　of　London。　　It　was　the　summit　of　my　ambition

to　get　work　in　that　establishment；　but　as　my　father　had　not　the　means

of　paying　a　premium；　I　determined　to　try　what　I　could　do　towards

attaining　my　object　by　submitting　to　Mr。　Maudslay　actual　specimens　of

my　capability　as　a　young　workman　and　draughtsman。　　To　this　end　I　set

to　work　and　made　a　small　steam…engine；　every　part　of　which　was　the

result　of　my　own　handiwork；　including　the　casting　and　the　forging　of

the　several　parts。　　This　I　turned　out　in　such　a　style　as　I　should　even

now　be　proud　of。　　My　sample　drawings　were；　I　may　say；　highly

respectable。　　Armed　with　such　means　of　obtaining　the　good　opinion　of

the　great　Henry　Maudslay；　on　the　l9th　of　May；　1829；　I　sailed　for

London　in　a　Leith　smack；　and　after　an　eight　days'　voyage　saw　the

metropolis　for　the　first　time。　　I　made　bold　to　call　on　Mr。　Maudslay；

and　told　him　my　simple　tale。　　He　desired　me　to　bring　my　models　for　him

to　look　at。　　I　did　so；　and　when　he　came　to　me　I　could　see　by　the

expression　of　his　cheerful；　well…remembered　countenance；　that　I　had

attained　my　object。　　He　then　and　there　appointed　me　to　be　his　own

private　workman；　to　assist　him　in　his　little　paradise　of　a　workshop；

furnished　with　the　models　of　improved　machinery　and　engineering　tools

of　which　he　has　been　the　great　originator。　　He　left　me　to　arrange　as

to　wages　with　his　chief　cashier；　Mr。　Robert　Young；　and　on　the　first

Saturday　evening　I　accordingly　went　to　the　counting…house　to　enquire

of　him　about　my　pay。　　He　asked　me　what　would　satisfy　me。　　Knowing　the

value　of　the　situation　I　had　obtained；　and　having　a　very　modest

notion　of　my　worthiness　to　occupy　it；　I　said；　that　if　he　would　not

consider　l0s。　a　week　too　much；　I　thought　I　could　do　very　well　with

that。　　I　suppose　he　concluded　that　I　had　some　means　of　my　own　to　live

on　besides　the　l0s。　a　week　which　I　asked。　　He　little　knew　that　I　had

determined　not　to　cost　my　father　another　farthing　when　I　left…home　to

begin　the　world　on　my　own　account。　　My　proposal　was　at　once　acceded

to。　　And　well　do　I　remember　the　pride　and　delight　I　felt　when　I

carried　to　my　three　shillings　a　week　lodging　that　night　my　first

wages。　　Ample　they　were　in　my　idea；　for　I　knew　how　little　I　could　live

on；　and　was　persuaded　that　by　strict　economy　I　could　easily　contrive

to　make　the　money　support　me。　　To　help　me　in　this　object；　I　contrived

a　small　cooking　apparatus；　which　I　forthwith　got　made　by　a　tinsmith

in　Lambeth；　at　a　cost　of　6s。；　and　by　its　aid　I　managed　to　keep　the

eating　and　drinking　part　of　my　private　account　within　3s。　6d。　per

week；　or　4s。　at　the　outside。　　I　had　three　meat　dinners　a　week；　and

generally　four　rice　and　milk　dinn