an autobiography-第33节

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　Saturday　the　9th　of　September　1830。　I　took　my　place　on　the　outside　of　the　Liverpool　coach；　which　set　out　from　〃The　Swan　with　Two　Necks；〃　in　Lad　Lane；　City；　one　of　the　most　celebrated　coach…offices　in　those　days

The　first　part　of　the　journey　to　Liverpool　was　very　dismal。　The　night　was　wet。　　The　rain　came　pouring　down；　and　no　sort　of　wrappings　could　keep　it　out。　　The　outside　passengers　became　thoroughly　soaked。　　On　we　went；　however；　as　fast　as　four　horses　could　carry　us。　Next　morning　we　reached　Coventry；　when　the　clouds　cleared　away；　and　the　sun　at　last　burst　forth。　　I　could　now　enjoy　this　charming　part　of　old　England。　Although　I　had　only　a　hasty　glimpse　in　passing　of　the　quaint　streets　and　ancient　buildings　of　the　town　I　was　perfectly　delighted　with　the　specimens　of　ancient　domestic　architecture　which　I　saw。　　At　that　time　Coventry　was　quite　a　museum　of　that　interesting　class　of　buildings。　The　greater　part　of　them　have　since　been　swept　away　in　the　so…called　improvement　of　modern　builders；　none　of　whose　works　can　ever　so　attract　an　artistic　eye。

During　the　rest　of　the　day　the　journey　was　delightful。　　Though　the　inside　passengers　had　had　the　best　of　it　during　the　night；　the　outside　passengers　had　the　best　of　it　now。　　To　go　scampering　across　the　country　on　the　top　of　the　coach；　passing　old　villages；　gentlemen's　parks；　under　old　trees；　along　hedges　tinged　with　autumn　tints；　up　hill　and　down　dale；　sometimes　getting　off　the　coach　to　lighten　the　load；　and　walking　along　through　the　fields　by　a　short　cut　to　meet　it　farther　on；　all　this　was　most　enjoyable。　　It　gave　me　a　new　interest　in　the　happier　aspects　of　English　scenery；　and　of　rural　and　domestic　life　in　the　pretty　old…fashioned　farm　buildings　that　we　passed　on　our　way。　　Indeed；　there　was　everything　to　delight　the　eye　of　the　lover　of　the　picturesque　during　the　course　of　that　bright　autumnal　day。

The　coach　reached　Liverpool　on　Sunday　night。　　I　took　up　my　quarters　at　a　commercial　inn　in　Dale　Street；　where　I　found　every　comfort　which　I　desired　at　moderate　charges。　　Next　morning；　without　loss　of　time；　I　made　my　way　to　the　then　terminus　of　the　Liverpool　and　Manchester　Railway；　and　there；　for　the　first　time；　I　saw　the　famous　〃Rocket〃　The　interest　with　which　I　beheld　this　distinguished　and　celebrated　engine　was　much　enhanced　by　seeing　it　make　several　short　trial　trips　under　the　personal　management　of　George　Stephenson；　who　acted　as　engineman；　while　his　son　Robert　acted　as　stoker。　　During　their　trips　of　four　or　five　miles　along　the　line　the　〃Rocket〃　attained　the　speed　of　thirty　miles　an　houra　speed　then　thought　almost　incredible！　　It　was　to　me　a　most　memorable　and　interesting　sight；　especially　to　see　the　father　and　son　so　appropriately　engaged　in　working　the　engine　that　was　to　effect　so　great　a　change　in　the　communications　of　the　civilised　world。　　I　spent　the　entire　day　in　watching　the　trial　trips；　in　examining　the　railway　works；　and　such　portions　of　of　their　details　as　I　could　obtain　access　to。　　About　mid…day　the　〃Rocket〃　was　at　rest　for　about　an　hour　near　where　I　stood；　and　I　eagerly　availed　myself　of　the　opportunity　of　making　a　careful　sketch　of　the　engine；　which　I　still　preserve。

The　line　was　opened　on　the　15th　of　September；　when　the　famous　〃Rocket〃　led　the　way　in　conducting　the　first　train　of　passengers　from　Liverpool　to　Manchester。　　There　were　present　on　that　occasion　thousands　of　spectators；　many　of　whom　had　come　from　distant　parts　of　the　kingdom　to　witness　this　greatest　of　all　events　in　the　history　of　railway　locomotion。

During　my　stay　in　Liverpool　I　visited　the　vast　range　of　magnificent　docks　which　extend　along　the　north　bank　of　the　Mersey；　all　of　which　were　crowded　with　noble　merchant　ships；　some　taking　in　cargoes　of　British　manufactures；　and　others　discharging　immense　stores　of　cotton；　sugar；　tobacco；　and　foreign　produce。　　The　sight　was　most　interesting；　and　gave　me　an　impressive　idea　of　the　mighty　functions　of　a　manufacturing　nationenergy　and　intelligence；　working　through　machinery；　increasing　the　value　of　raw　materials　and　enabling　them　to　be　transported　for　use　to　all　parts　of　the　civilised　world。

Mr。　Maudslay　having　given　me　a　letter　of　introduction　to　his　old　friend　William　Fawcett；　head　of　the　firm　of　Fawcett；　Preston；　and　Company；　engineers；　I　went　over　their　factory。　　They　were　engaged　in　producing　sugar　mills　for　the　West　Indies；　and　also　in　manufacturing　the　steam…engines　for　working　them。　　The　firm　had　acquired　great　reputation　for　their　workmanship；　and　their　shops　were　crowded　with　excellent　specimens　of　their　skill。　　Everything　was　in　good　order；　their　assortment　of　machine　tools　was　admirable。　　Mr。　Fawcett；　who　accompanied　me；　was　full　in　his　praises　of　my　master；　whom　he　regarded　as　the　greatest　pioneer　in　the　substitution　of　the　unerring　accuracy　of　machine　tools　for　the　often　untrustworthy　results　of　mere　manual　labour。

I　cannot　resist　referring　to　the　personal　appearance　and　manner　of　this　excellent　gentleman；　William　Fawcett。　　His　peculiar　courteous　manner；　both　in　speech　and　action；　reminded　me　of　the　〃grand　old　Style〃　Which　I　had　observed　in　some　of　my　father's　oldest　noble　employers；　and　the　representations　given　of　them　by　some　of　our　best　actors。　There　was　also　a　dignified　kindliness　about　his　manner　that　was　quite　peculiar　to　himself；　and　when　he　conducted　me　through　his　busy　workshops；　the　courtly　yet　kindly　manner　in　which　he　addressed　his　various　foremen　and　others；　was　especially　cheering。　　When　I　first　presented　my　letter　of　introduction　from　Henry　Maudslay；　he　was　sitting　at　a　beautiful　inlaid　escritoire　table　with　his　letters　arrayed　before　him　in　the　most　neat　and　perfect　order。　　The　writing　table　stood　on　a　small　Turkey　carpet　apart　from　the　clerks'　desks　in　the　room；　but　so　near　to　them　that　he　could　readily　communicate　with　them。　　His　neat　old…fashioned　style　of　dress　quite　harmonised　with　his　advanced　age；　and　the　kindly　yet　dignified　grace　of　his　manner　left　a　lasting　impression　on　me　as　a　most　interesting　specimen　of　〃the　fine　old　English　gentleman；　quite　of　the　olden　time。〃

I　spent　another　day　in　crossing　the　Mersey　to　Birkenheadthen　a　very　small　collection　of　buildingswandered　about　the　neighbourhood。　I　had　my　sketch…book　with　me；　and　made　a　drawing　of　Liverpool　from　the　other　side　of　the　river。　　Close　to　Birkenhead　were　some　excellent　bits　of　scenery；　old　and　picturesque　farmhouses；　overshadowed　with　venerable　oaks；　with　juttings…out　of　the　New　Red　Sandstone　rocks；　covered　with　heather；　furze；　and　broom；　with　pools　of　water　edged　with　all　manner　of　effective　water　plants。　　They　formed　capital　subjects　for　the　artistic　pencil；　especially　when　distant　peeps　of　the　Welsh　hills　came　into　the　prospect。　　I　made　several　sketches；　and　they　kept　company　with　my　graphic　memoranda　of　architectural　and　mechanical　objects。　　I　may　here　mention　that　on　my　return　to　London　I　showed　them　to　my　brother　Patrick；　and　some　of　them　so　much　met　his　fancy　that　he　borrowed　my　sketch…book　and　painted　some　pictures　from　them；　which　at　this　day　are　hanging　on　the　walls　of　some　of　his　admirers。

With　the　desire　of　seeing　as　much　as　possible　of　all　that　was　interesting　in　the　mechanical；　architectural　and　picturesque　line；　on　my　return　journey　to　London；　I　determined　to　walk；　halting　here　and　there　by　the　way。　　The　season　of　the　year　and　the　state　of　the　weather　were　favourable　for　my　purpose。　　I　accordingly　commenced　my　pedestrian　tour　on　Saturday　morning；　the　17th　September。　　I　set　out　for　Manchester。　It　was　a　long　but　pleasant　walk。　　I　well　remember；　when　nearing　Manchester；　that　I　sat　down　to　rest　for　a　time　on　Patricroft　Bridge。　I　was　attracted　by　the　rural　aspect　of　the　country；　and　the　antique　cottages　of　the　neighbourhood。　　The　Bridgewater　Canal　lay　before　me；　and　as　I　was　told　that　it　was　the　first　mile　of　the　waterway　that　the　great　Duke　had　made；　it　became　quite　classic　ground　in　my　eyes。　I　little　thought　at　the　time　that　I　was　so　close　to　a　piece　of　ground　that　should　afterwards　become　my　own；　and　where　I　should　for　twenty　years　carry　on　the　most　active　and　interesting　business　of　my　life。

I　reached　Manchester　at　seven　in　the　evening；　and　took　up　my　quarters　at　the　King's　Arms　Inn；　Deansgate。　　Next　day　was　Sunday。　　I　attended　service　in　the　Cathedral；　then　called　the　Old　Church。　　I　was　much　interested　by　the　service；　as　well　as　by　the　architecture　of　the　building。　　Some　of　the　details　were　well　worthy　of　attention；　being　very　original；　and　yet　the　whole　was　not　of　the　best　period　of　Gothic　architecture。　　Some　of　the　old　buildings　about　the　Cathedral　were　very　interesting。　　They　were　of　a　most　quaint　character；　yet　bold　and　effective。　　Much　finely　carved　oak　timber　work　was　introduced　into　them；　and　on　the　whole　they　gave　a　very　striking　illustration　of　the　style　of　domestic　architecture　which　prevailed　in　England　some　three　or　four　centuries　ago。

On　the　following　day　I　called　upon　Mr。　Edward　Tootal；　of　York　Street。　He　was　a　well…known　man　in　Manchester。

I　had　the　happiness　of　meeting　him　in　London　a　few　months　before。　He　then　kindly　invited　me　to　call　upon　him　should　I　ever　visit　Manchester；　when　he　would　endeavour　to　obtain　for　me　sight　of　some　of　the　most　remarkable　manufacturing　establishments。　　Mr。　Tootal　was　as　good　as　his　word。