an autobiography-第30节

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　at　the　Lambeth　Works　amongst　the　many　admirable　specimens　of　Henry　Maudslay's　inventive　genius　and　delicate　handiwork。　　Every　skilled　mechanic　must　thoroughly　enjoy　the　sight　of　it；　especially　when　he　knows　that　it　was　not　produced　by　an　exceptional　tool；　but　by　the　machine　that　was　daily　employed　in　the　ordinary　work　of　the　factory。

I　must　not；　however；　omit　to　say　that　I　took　an　early　opportunity　of　presenting　Brougham's　letter　of　introduction　to　Faraday　at　the　Royal　Institution。　　I　was　received　most　cordially　by　that　noble…minded　man；　whose　face　beamed　with　goodness　and　kindness。　　After　some　pleasant　conversation　he　said　he　would　call　upon　me　at　Maudslay's；　whom　he　knew　very　well。　　Not　long　after　Faraday　called；　and　found　me　working　beside　Maudslay　in　his　beautiful　little　workshop。　　A　vice　had　been　fitted　up　for　me　at　the　bench　where　he　himself　daily　worked。　　Faraday　expressed　himself　as　delighted　to　find　me　in　so　enviable　a　position。　He　congratulated　me　on　my　special　good　fortune　in　having　the　inestimable　advantage　of　being　associated　as　assistant　workman　with　one　of　the　greatest　mechanical　engineers　of　the　day。

Mr。　Maudslay　offered　to　conduct　Faraday　through　his　workshops；　and　I　was　permitted　to　accompany　them。　　I　was　much　impressed　with　the　intelligent　conversation　of　Faraday；　as　well　as　with　the　quickness　he　exhibited　in　appreciating　not　only　the　general　excellence　of　the　design　and　execution　of　the　works　in　progress；　but　his　capacity　for　entering　into　the　technical　details　of　the　composite　tools　and　machinery　which　he　saw　during　his　progress　through　the　place。　　This　most　pleasant　and　memorable　meeting　with　the　great　philosopher　initiated　a　friendship　which　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　continue　until　the　close　of　his　life。

It　was；　of　course；　an　immense　advantage　for　me　to　be　so　intimately　associated　with　Mr。　Maudslay　in　carrying　on　his　experimental　work。　I　was　not；　however；　his　apprentice；　but　his　assistant　workman。　It　was　necessary；　therefore；　in　his　opinion；　that　I　should　receive　some　remuneration　for　my　services。　　Accordingly；　at　the　conclusion　of　my　first　week　in　his　service；　he　desired　me　to　go　to　his　chief　cashier　and　arrange　with　him　for　receiving　whatever　amount　of　weekly　wages　I　might　consider　satisfactory。　　I　went　to　the　counting…house　and　had　an　interview　with　Mr。　Young　the　cashier；　a　most　worthy　man*　　＇footnote。。。　I　may　mention　that　he　was　brother　to　Dr。　Thomas　Young；　the　celebrated　natural　philosopher。　　。。。＇　Knowing　as　I　did　the　great　advantages　of　my　situation；　and　having　a　very　modest　notion　of　my　own　worthiness　to　occupy　it；　I　said；　in　answer　to　Mr。　Young's　question　as　to　the　amount　of　wages　I　desired；　that　〃if　he　did　not　think　ten　shillings　a　week　too　much　I　could　do　well　enough　with　that。〃　　〃Very　well〃　said　he；〃let　it　be　so〃　And　he　handed　me　over　half　a　sovereign！

I　had　determined；　after　I　obtained　a　situation；　not　to　cost　my　father　another　shilling。　　I　knew　how　many　calls　he　had　upon　him；　at　a　time　when　he　had　his　own　numerous　household　to　maintain。　　I　therefore　resolved；　now　that　I　had　begun　life　on　my　own　resources；　to　maintain　myself；　and　to　help　him　rather　than　be　helped　any　longer。　　Thus　the　first　half…sovereign　I　received　from　Mr。　Young　was　a　great　event　in　my　life。　　It　was　the　first　wages；　as　such；　that　I　had　ever　received。　I　well　remember　the　high　satisfaction　I　felt　as　I　carried　it　home　to　my　lodgings；　and　all　the　more　so　as　I　was　quite　certain　that　I　could；　by　strict　economy　and　good　management；　contrive　to　make　this　weekly　sum　of　ten　shillings　meet　all　my　current　expenses。

I　had　already　saved　the　sum　of　#20；　which　I　placed　in　the　bank　as　a　deposit　account。　　It　was　the　residue　of　the　sale　of　some　of　my　model　steam…engines　at　Edinburgh。　　My　readers　will　remember　that　I　brought　with　me　a　model　steam…engine　to　show　to　Mr。　Maudslay　as　a　specimen　of　my　handiwork。　　It　had　gained　for　me　the　situation　that　I　desired；　and　I　was　now　willing　to　dispose　of　it。　　I　found　a　purchaser　in　Mr。　Watkins；　optician　at　Charing　Cross；　who　supplied　such　apparatus　to　lecturers　at　Mechanics'　Institutions。　　He　gave　me　#35　for　the　model；　and　I　added　the　sum　to　my　deposit　account。　　This　little　fund　was　quite　sufficient　to　meet　any　expenses　beyond　those　of　a　current　weekly　nature。

＇Image＇　　My　cooking　stove*　　＇footnote。。。　I　have　this　handy　apparatus　by　me　still；　and　to　prove　its　possession　of　its　full　original　efficiency　I　recently　set　it　in　action　after　its　rest　of　fifty　years；　and　found　that　it　yielded　results　quite　equal　to　my　grateful　remembrance　of　its　past　services。　　。。。＇

But　I　was　resolved　that　my　wages　alone　should　maintain　me　in　food　and　lodging。　　I　therefore　directed　my　attention　to　economical　living。　I　found　that　a　moderate　dinner　at　an　eating…house　would　cost　move　than　I　could　afford　to　spend。　　In　order　to　keep　within　my　weekly　income　I　bought　the　raw　materials　and　cooked　them　in　my　own　way　and　to　my　own　taste。　　I　set　to　and　made　a　drawing　of　a　very　simple；　compact；　and　handy　cooking　apparatus。　　I　took　the　drawing　to　a　tinsmith　near　at　hand；　and　in　two　days　I　had　it　in　full　operation。　　The　apparatus　cost　ten　shillings；　including　the　lamp。　　As　it　contributed　in　no　small　degree　to　enable　me　to　carry　out　my　resolution；　and　as　it　may　serve　as　a　lesson　to　others　who　have　an　earnest　desire　to　live　economically；　I　think　it　may　be　useful　to　give　a　drawing　and　a　description　of　my　cooking　stove。　　The　cooking　or　meat　pan　rested　on　the　upper　rim　of　the　external　cylindrical　case；　and　was　easily　removable　in　order　to　be　placed　handy　for　service。　　The　requisite　heat　was　supplied　by　an　oil　lamp　with　three　small　single　wicks；　though　I　found　that　one　wick　was　enough。　　I　put　the　meat　in　the　pot；　with　the　other　comestibles；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　It　simmered　away　all　day；　until　half…past　six　in　the　evening；　when　I　came　home　with　a　healthy　appetite　to　enjoy　my　dinner。　　I　well　remember　the　first　day　that　I　set　the　apparatus　to　work。　I　ran　to　my　lodging；　at　about　four　P。M。；　to　see　how　it　was　going　on。　　When　I　lifted　the　cover　it　was　simmering　beautifully；　and　such　a　savoury　gusto　came　forth　that　I　was　almost　tempted　to　fall　to　and　discuss　the　contents。　　But　the　time　had　not　yet　come；　and　I　ran　back　to　my　work。

The　meat　I　generally　cooked　in　it　was　leg　of　beef；　with　sliced　potato；　bits　of　onion　chopped　down；　and　a　modicum　of　white　pepper　and　salt；　With　just　enough　of　water　to　cover　〃the　elements。〃　　When　stewed　slowly　the　meat　became　very　tender；　and　the　whole　yielded　a　capital　dish；　such　as　a　very　Soyer　might　envy。　　It　was　partaken　of　with　a　zest　that；　no　doubt；　was　a　very　important　element　in　its　savouriness。　　The　whole　cost　of　this　capital　dinner　was　about　4　1/2d。　I　sometimes　varied　the　meat　with　rice　boiled　with　a　few　raisins　and　a　pennyworth　of　milk。　My　breakfast　and　tea；　with　bread；　cost　me　about　fourpence　each。　My　lodgings　cost　3s。　6d。　a　week。　　A　little　multiplication　will　satisfy　any　one　how　it　was　that　I　contrived　to　live　economically　and　comfortably　on　my　ten　shillings　a　week。　　In　the　following　year　my　wages　were　raised　to　fifteen　shillings　a　week；　and　then　I　began　to　take　butter　to　my　bread。

To　return　to　my　employment　under　Mr。　Maudslay。　　One　of　the　first　jobs　that　I　undertook　was　in　assisting　him　to　make　a　beautiful　small　model　of　a　pair　of　200　horsepower　marine　steam…engines。　　The　engines　were　then　in　course　of　construction　in　the　factory。　　They　were　considered　a　bold　advance　on　the　marine　engines　then　in　use；　not　only　in　regard　to　their　great　power；　but　in　carrying　out　many　specialities　in　their　details　and　general　structure。　　Mr。　Maudslay　had　embodied　so　much　of　his　thought　in　the　design　that　he　desired　to　have　an　exact　model　of　them　placed　in　his　library；　so　as　to　keep　a　visible　record　of　his　ideas　constantly　before　him。　　In　fact；　these　engines　might　be　regarded　as　the　culmination　of　his　constructive　abilities。

In　preparing　the　model　it　was　necessary　that　everything　should　be　made　in　exact　conformity　with　the　original。　　There　were　about　three　hundred　minute　bolts　and　nuts　to　be　reduced　to　the　proportional　size。　I　esteemed　it　a　great　compliment　to　be　entrusted　with　their　execution。　They　were　all　to　be　made　of　cast…steel；　and　the　nuts　had　to　be　cut　to　exact　hexagonal　form。　　Many　of　them　had　collars。　　To　produce　them　by　the　use　of　the　file　in　the　ordinary　mode　would　not　only　have　been　difficult　and　tedious；　but　in　some　cases　practically　impossible。

＇Image＇　　Collar…nut　cutting　machine。

To　get　rid　of　the　difficulty　I　suggested　to　Mr。　Maudslay　a　contrivance　of　my　own　by　means　of　which　the　most　rigid　exactness　in　size　as　well　as　form　could　be　given　to　these　hexagonal　nuts。　　He　readily　granted　his　permission。　　I　constructed　a　special　apparatus；　consisting　of　a　hard　steel　circular　cutter　to　act　as　a　circular　file。　When　brought　into　operation　in　the　production　of　these　minute　six…sided　collared　nuts；　held　firm　in　the　spindle　of　a　small　dividing　plate　and　attached　to　the　slide…rest；　each　side　was　brought　in　succession　under　the　action　of　the　circular　file　or　cutter　with　the　most　exact　precision　in　regard　to　the　division　of　the　six　sides。　　The　result　was　absolutely　perfect　as　respects　the　exactness　of　the　six　equal　sides　of　the　hexagonal　nut；　as　well　as　their　precise　position　in　regard　to　the　collar