the life of thomas telford-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！



Government　in　the　improvement　of　the　Highland　roads；　he　persuaded

himself　that　he　ought　at　the　same　time　to　promote　the　similar

patriotic　objects　of　the　British　Fisheries　Society；　which　were

carried　out　by　voluntary　subscription；　and　for　many　years　he　acted

as　their　engineer；　refusing　to　accept　any　remuneration　whatever　for

his　trouble。*＇10＇



Telford　held　the　sordid　money…grubber　in　perfect　detestation。

He　was　of　opinion　that　the　adulation　paid　to　mere　money　was　one　of

the　greatest　dangers　with　which　modern　society　was　threatened。

〃I　admire　commercial　enterprise；〃　he　would　say；　〃it　is　the　vigorous

outgrowth　of　our　industrial　life：　I　admire　everything　that　gives　it

free　scope：；　as；　wherever　it　goes；　activity；　energy；　intelligence

all　that　we　call　civilizationaccompany　it；　but　I　hold　that　the

aim　and　end　of　all　ought　not　to　be　a　mere　bag；　of　money；　but

something　far　higher　and　far　better。〃



Writing　once　to　his　Langholm　correspondent　about　an　old　schoolfellow；

who　had　grown　rich　by　scraping；　Telford　said：　〃Poor　Bob　L　His

industry　and　sagacity　were　more　than　counterbalanced　by　his

childish　vanity　and　silly　avarice；　which　rendered　his　friendship

dangerous；　and　his　conversation　tiresome。　　He　was　like　a　man　in

London；　whose　lips；　while　walking　by　himself　along　the　streets；

were　constantly　ejaculating　'Money！　Money！'　　But　peace　to　Bob's

memory：　I　need　scarcely　add；　confusion　to　his　thousands！〃　Telford

was　himself　most　careful　in　resisting　the　temptations　to　which　men

in　his　position　are　frequently　exposed；　but　he　was　preserved　by　his

honest　pride；　not　less　than　by　the　purity　of　his　character。

He　invariably　refused　to　receive　anything　in　the　shape　of　presents

or　testimonials　from　persons　employed　under　him。　　He　would　not　have

even　the　shadow　of　an　obligation　stand　in　the　way　of　his　duty　to

those　who　employed　him　to　watch　over　and　protect　their　　interests。

During　the　many　years　that　he　was　employed　on　public　works；　no　one

could　ever　charge　him　in　the　remotest　degree　with　entering　into　a

collusion　with　contractors。　　He　looked　upon　such　arrangements　as

degrading　and　infamous；　and　considered　that　they　meant　nothing　less

than　an　inducement　to　〃scamping；〃　which　he　would　never　tolerate。



His　inspection　of　work　was　most　rigid。　　The　security　of　his

structures　was　not　a　question　of　money；　but　of　character。　　As　human

life　depended　upon　their　stability；　not　a　point　was　neglected　that

could　ensure　it。　　Hence；　in　his　selection　of　resident　engineers　and

inspectors　of　works；　he　exercised　the　greatest　possible　precautions；

and　here　his　observation　of　character　proved　of　essential　value。

Mr。　Hughes　says　he　never　allowed　any　but　his　most　experienced　and

confidential　assistants　to　have　anything　to　do　with　exploring　the

foundations　of　buildings　he　was　about　to　erect。　　His　scrutiny　into

the　qualifications　of　those　employed　about　such　structures　extended

to　the　subordinate　overseers；　and　even　to　the　workmen；　insomuch

that　men　whose　general　habits　had　before　passed　unnoticed；　and

whose　characters　had　never　been　inquired　into；　did　not　escape　his

observation　when　set　to　work　in　operations　connected　with

foundations。*＇11＇　　If　he　detected　a　man　who　gave　evidences　of

unsteadiness；　inaccuracy；　or　carelessness；　he　would　reprimand　the

overseer　for　employing　such　a　person；　and　order　him　to　be　removed

to　some　other　part　of　the　undertaking　where　his　negligence　could　do

no　harm。　　And　thus　it　was　that　Telford　put　his　own　character；

through　those　whom　he　employed；　into　the　various　buildings　which　he

was　employed　to　construct。



But　though　Telford　was　comparatively　indifferent　about　money；　he

was　not　without　a　proper　regard　for　it；　as　a　means　of　conferring

benefits　on　others；　and　especially　as　a　means　of　being　independent。

At　the　close　of　his　life　he　had　accumulated　as　much　as；　invested　at

interest；　brought　him　in　about　800L。　a　year；　and　enabled　him　to

occupy　the　house　in　Abingdon　Street　in　which　he　died。　　This　was

amply　sufficient　for　his　wants；　and　more　than　enough　for　his

independence。　　It　enabled　him　also　to　continue　those　secret　acts　of

benevolence　which　constituted　perhaps　the　most　genuine　pleasure　of

his　life。　　It　is　one　of　the　most　delightful　traits　in　this　excellent

man's　career　to　find　him　so　constantly　occupied　in　works　of

spontaneous　charity；　in　quarters　so　remote　and　unknown　that　it　is

impossible　the　slightest　feeling　of　ostentation　could　have　sullied

the　purity　of　the　acts。　　Among　the　large　mass　of　Telford's　private

letters　which　have　been　submitted　to　us；　we　find　frequent　reference

to　sums　of　money　transmitted　for　the　support　of　poor　people　in　his

native　valley。　　At　new　year's　time　he　regularly　sent　remittances　of

from　30L。　to　50L。；　to　be　distributed　by　the　kind　Miss　Malcolm　of

Burnfoot；　and；　after　her　death；　by　Mr。　Little；　the　postmaster　at

Langholm；　and　the　contributions　thus　so　kindly　made；　did　much　to

fend　off　the　winter's　cold；　and　surround　with　many　small　comforts

those　who　most　needed　help；　but　were　perhaps　too　modest　to　ask

it。*＇12＇



Many　of　those　in　the　valley　of　the　Esk　had　known　of　Telford　in　his

younger　years　as　a　poor　barefooted　boy；　though　now　become　a　man　of

distinction；　he　had　too　much　good　sense　to　be　ashamed　of　his　humble

origin；　perhaps　he　even　felt　proud　that；　by　dint　of　his　own

valorous　and　persevering　efforts；　he　had　been　able　to　rise　so　much

above　it。　　　Throughout　his　long　life；　his　heart　always　warmed　at　the

thought　of　Eskdale。　　He　rejoiced　at　the　honourable　rise　of　Eskdale

men　as　reflecting　credit　upon　his　〃beloved　valley。〃　　Thus；　writing

to　his　Langholm　correspondent　with　reference　to　the　honours

conferred　on　the　different　members　of　the　family　of　Malcolm；　he

said：　〃The　distinctions　so　deservedly　bestowed　upon　the　Burnfoot

family；　establish　a　splendid　era　in　Eskdale；　and　almost　tempt　your

correspondent　to　sport　his　Swedish　honours；　which　that　grateful

country　has　repeatedly；　in　spite　of　refusal；　transmitted。〃



It　might　be　said　that　there　was　narrowness　and　provincialism　in

this；　But　when　young　men　are　thrown　into　the　world；　with　all　its

temptations　and　snares；　it　is　well　that　the　recollections　of　home

and　kindred　should　survive　to　hold　them　in　the　path　of　rectitude；

and　cheer　them　in　their　onward　and　upward　course　in　life。　　And　there

is　no　doubt　that　Telford　was　borne　up　on　many　occasions　by　the

thought　of　what　the　folks　in　the　valley　would　say　about　him　and　his

progress　in　life；　when　they　met　together　at　market；　or　at　the

Westerkirk　porch　on　Sabbath　mornings。　　In　this　light；　provincialism

or　local　patriotism　is　a　prolific　source　of　good；　and　may　be

regarded　as　among　the　most　valuable　and　beautiful　emanations　of　the

parish　life　of　our　country。　　Although　Telford　was　honoured　with　the

titles　and　orders　of　merit　conferred　upon　him　by　foreign　monarchs；

what　he　esteemed　beyond　them　all　was　the　respect　and　gratitude　of

his　own　countrymen；　and；　not　least；　the　honour　which　his　really

noble　and　beneficent　career　was　calculated　to　reflect　upon　〃the

folks　of　the　nook；〃　the　remote　inhabitants　of　his　native　Eskdale。



When　the　engineer　proceeded　to　dispose　of　his　savings　by　will；

which　he　did　a　few　months　before　his　death；　the　distribution　was　a

comparatively　easy　matter。　　The　total　amount　of　his　bequeathments

was　16；600L。*＇13＇　　About　one…fourth　of　the　whole　he　set　apart　for

educational　purposes；　2000L。　to　the　Civil　Engineers'　Institute；

and　1000L。　each　to　the　ministers　of　Langholm　and　Westerkirk；　in

trust　for　the　parish　libraries。　　The　rest　was　bequeathed；　in　sums

of　from　200L。　to　500L。；　to　different　persons　who　had　acted　as

clerks；　assistants；　and　surveyors；　in　his　various　public　works；　and

to　his　intimate　personal　friends。　　Amongst　these　latter　were　Colonel

Pasley；　the　nephew　of　his　early　benefactor；　Mr。　Rickman；　Mr。　Milne；

and　Mr。　Hope；　his　three　executors；　and　Robert　Southey　and　Thomas

Campbell；　the　poets。　　To　both　of　these　last　the　gift　was　most

welcome。　　Southey　said　of　his：　〃Mr。　Telford　has　most　kindly　and

unexpectedly　left　me　500L。；　with　a　share　of　his　residuary　property；

which　I　am　told　will　make　it　amount　in　all　to　850L。　This　is　truly　a

godsend；　and　I　am　most　grateful　for　it。　　It　gives　me　the　comfortable

knowledge　that；　if　it　should　please　God　soon　to　take　me　from　this

world；　my　family　would　have　resources　fully　sufficient　for　their

support　till　such　time　as　their　affairs　could　be　put　in　order；　and

the　proceeds　of　my　books；　remains；　&c。；　be　rendered　available。

I　have　never　been　anxious　overmuch；　nor　ever　taken　more　thought　for

the　morrow　than　it　is　the　duty　of　every　one　to　take　who　has　to　earn

his　livelihood；　but　to　be　thus　provided　for　at　this　time　I　feel　to

be　an　especial　blessing。'〃*＇14＇　　Among　the　most　valuable　results　of

Telford's　bequests　in　his　own　district；　was　the　establishment　of

the　popular　libraries　at　Langholm　and　Westerkirk；　each　of　which　now

contains　about　4000　volumes。　　That　at　Westerkirk　had　been

origina