an autobiography-第20节
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health at the Gross； throwing the glasses over their shoulders。 The boys fired off gunpowder； or threw squibs or crackers from morning till night。 It was one of the greatest schoolboy events of the year。 My little brass cannon and hand…guns were very busy during that day。 They were fired until they became quite hot。 These were the pre…lucifer days。 The fire to light the powder at the touch…hole was obtained by the use of a flint； a steel； and a tinder…box。 The flint was struck sharply on the steel； a spark of fire fell into the tinderbox； and the match of hemp string； soaked in saltpetre； was readily lit； and fired off the little guns。
I carried on quite a trade in forging beautiful little steels。 I forged them out of old files； which proved excellent material for the purpose。 I filed them up into neat and correct forms； and then hardened and tempered them； secundum artem； at the little furnace stove in my father's workroom； where of course there were also a suitable anvil； hammer； and tongs。 I often made potent use of these steels in escaping from the ordeal of some severe task imposed upon me at school。 The schoolmaster often deputed his authority to the monitors to hear us say our lessons。 But when I slyly exhibited a beautiful steel the monitor could not maintain his grim sense of duty； and he often let me escape the ordeal of repeating some passage from a Latin school…book by obtaining possession of the article。 I thus bought myself off。 This system of bribery and corruption was no doubt shockingly improper； but as I was not naturally endowed with the taste for learning Latin and Greek； I continued my little diplomatic tricks until I left school。
As I have said； I did not learn much at the High School。 My mind was never opened up by what was taught me there。 It was a mere matter of rote and cram。 I learnt by heart a number of Latin rules and phrases； but what I learnt soon slipped from my memory。 My young mind was tormented by the tasks set before me。 At the same time my hungry mind thirsted for knowledge of another kind。
There was one thing； however； that I did learn at the High School。 That was the blessings and advantages of friendship。 There were several of my schoolfellows of a like disposition with myself； with whom I formed attachments which ended only with life。 I may mention two of them in particularJemmy Patterson and Tom Smith。 The former was the son of one of the largest iron founders in Edinburgh。 He was kind； good； and intelligent。 He and I were great cronies。 He took me to his father's workshops。 Nothing could have been more agreeable to my tastes。 For there I saw how iron castings were made。 Mill…work and steam…engines were repaired there； and I could see the way in which power was produced and communicated。 To me it was a most instructive school of practical mechanics。 Although I was only about thirteen at the time； I used to 〃lend a hand；〃 in which hearty zeal made up for want of strength。 I look back to these days； especially to the Saturday afternoons spent in the workshops of this admirably conducted iron foundry； as a most important part of my education as a mechanical engineer。 I did not read about such things； for words were of little use。 But I saw and handled； and thus all the ideas in connection with them became permanently rooted in my mind。
Each department of the iron foundry was superintended by an able and intelligent man； who was distinguished not only by his ability but for his steadiness and sobriety。 The men were for the most part promoted to their fore…manship from the ranks； and had been brought up in the workshop from their boyhood。 They possessed a strong individuality of character； and served their employer faithfully and loyally。 One of these excellent men； with whom I was frequently brought into contact； was William Watson。 He took special charge of all that related to the construction and repairs of steam…engines； water…wheels； and mill…work generally。 He was a skilful designer and draughtsman； and an excellent pattern maker。 His designs were drawn in a bold and distinct style； on large deal boards； and were passed into the hands of the mechanics to be translated by them into actual work。 It was no small privilege to me to stand by； and now and then hold the end of the long straight edge； or by some humble but zealous genuine help of mine contribute to the progress of these substantial and most effective mechanical drawings。 Watson explained to me； in the most common…sense manner； his reasons for the various forms； arrangements； and proportions of the details of his designs。 He was an enthusiast on the subject of Euclid； and to see the beautiful problems applied by him in working out his excellent drawings was to me a lesson beyond all price。
Watson was effectively assisted by his two sons； who carried out their father's designs in constructing the wood patterns after which the foundry…men or moulders reproduced their forms in cast iron； while the smiths by their craft realised the wrought…iron portions。 Those sons of Mr。 Watson were of that special class of workmen called millwrights a class now almost extinct； though many of the best known engineers originally belonged to them。 They could work with equal effectiveness in wood or iron。
Another foreman in Mr。 Patterson's foundry was called Lewis。 He had special charge of the iron castings designed for architectural and ornamental purposes。 He was a man of great taste and artistic feeling； and I was able even at that time to appreciate the beauty of his designs。 One of the most original characters about the foundry； however； was Johnie Syme。 He took charge of the old Boulton and Watt steam…engine； which gave motion to the machinery of the works。 It also produced the blast for the Cupolas； in which the pig and cast iron scrap was daily melted and cast into the various objects produced in the foundry。 Johnie was a complete incarnation of technical knowledge。 He was the Jack…of…all…trades of the establishment； and the standing counsel in every out…of…the…way case of managing and overcoming mechanical difficulties。 He was the superintendent of the boring machines。 In those days the boring of a steam…engine cylinder was considered high art in excelsis！ Patterson's firm was celebrated for the accuracy of its boring。
I owe Johnie Syme a special debt of gratitude； as it was he who first initiated me into that most important of all technical processes in practical mechanismthe art of hardening and temperinq steel。 It is； perhaps； not saying too much to assert that the successful practice of the mechanical arts； by means of which man rises from the savage to the civilised state； is due to that wonderful change。 Man began with wood； and stone； and bone； he proceeded to bronze and iron； but it was only by means of hardened steel that he could accomplish anything in arms； in agriculture； or in architecture。 The instant hardening which occurs on plunging a red…hot piece of steel into cold water may well be described as mysterious。 Even in these days； when science has defined the causes of so many phenomena； the reason of steel becoming hard on suddenly cooling it down from a red…heat； is a fact that no one has yet explained。 The steel may be tempered by modifying the degree of heat to which it is afterwards subjected。 It may thus be toughened by slightly reheating the hardened steel； the resoftening course is indicated by certain prismatic tints； which appear in a peculiar order of succession on its surface。 The skilful artisan thus knows by experience the exact point at which it is necessary again to plunge it into cold water in order to secure the requisite combination of toughness and hardness to the steel required for his purposes。
In all these matters； my early instructor； Johnie Syme； gave me such information as proved of the greatest use to me in the after progress of my mechanical career。 Johnie Syme was also the very incarnation of quaint sly humour； and when communicating some of his most valued arcana of practical mechanical knowledge he always reminded me of some of Ostade's Dutchmen； by an almost indescribable sly humorous twinkle of the eye； which in that droll way stamped his information on my memory。
Tom Smith was another of my attached cronies。 Our friendship began at the High School in 1818。 Our similarity of disposition bound us together。 Smith was the son of an enterprising general merchant at Leith。 His father had a special genius for practical chemistry。 He had established an extensive colour manufactory at Portobello； near Edinburgh； where he produced white lead； red lead； and a great variety of coloursin the preparation of which he required a thorough knowledge of chemistry。Tom Smith inherited his father's tastes； and admitted me to share in his experiments； which were carried on in a chemical laboratory situated behind his father's house at the bottom of Leith Walk。
We had a special means of communication。 When anything particular was going on at the laboratory； Tom hoisted a white flag on the top of a high pole in his father's garden。 Though I was more than a mile apart； I kept a look…out in the direction of the laboratory with a spy…glass。 My f
