an autobiography-第60节

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　vigour；　with　their　fine　flowers　as　fresh　as　if　in　a　carefully…kept　conservatory。　　Other　plants　of　an　ornamental　kind　were　mixed　with　the　oleander；　but　the　latter　appeared　to　be　the　favourite。*　　＇footnote。。。　While　passing　through　Lubeck　on　my　way　out　to　St。　Petersburg　I　was　much　struck　with　the　taste　for　flower…plants　displayed　by　the　people　of　that　old…world　city。　　The　inner　side　of　the　lower　house　windows　were　all　beautifully　decorated　with　flowers；　which　were　evidently　well　cared　for。　　Some　of　the　windows　were　almost　made　up　with　flowers。　Perhaps　the　long…continued　winter　of　these　parts　has　caused　the　people　to　study　and　practise　within…door　culture　with　such　marked　success。　It　is　a　most　elegant　pursuit；　and　should　be　cultivated　everywhere。　It　is　thoroughly　in　character　with　the　exquisite　cleanliness　and　tidiness　of　the　houses　at　Lubeck。　　。。。＇

About　the　end　of　my　visit　I　was　about　to　call　upon　one　of　my　customers　with　reference　to　my　machine　tools；　for　though　I　pursued　pleasure　at　occasional　times；　I　never　lost　sight　of　business。　　It　was　a　very　dull　day；　and　the　streets　about　the　Winter　Palace　were　almost　deserted。　I　was　sitting　in　my　drosky　with　my　roll　of　drawings　resting　on　my　thigh　somewhat　in　the　style　of　a　commander…in…chief　as　represented　in　the　old　pictureswhen　I　noticed　a　drosky　coming　out　of　the　gates　of　the　Winter　Palace。　　I　observed　that　it　contained　a　noble…looking　officer　in　a　blue　military　cloak　sitting　behind　his　drosky　driver。　　My　driver　instantly　took　off　his　hat；　and　I；　quickly　following　his　example；　took　off　my　hat　and　bowed　gracefully；　keeping　my　extended　hand　on　the　level　of　my　heada　real　royal　salute。　　The　person　was　no　other　than　the　Emperor　Nicholas！　　He　fixed　his　pecuniarily　fine　eyes　upon　me　and　gave　me　one　of　the　grandest　military　salutes；　accompanied；　as　I　thought；　with　a　kindly　smile　from　his　magnificent　eyes　as　he　passed　close　by　me。

As　I　had　been　lunching　with　a　Dutch　engineer　about　half　an　hour　before；　and　had　a　glass　or　two　of　champagne；　this　may　have　had　something　to　do　with　my　daring　to　give　the　Emperor；　in　his　own　capital；　what　I　was　afterwards　told　was　not　a　bow　but　a　brotherly　recognition　between　potentates；　and　only　by　royal　usage　allowed　to　be　so　given；namely；　swaying　off　the　hat　at　arm's　length　level　with　the　head；　so　as　to　infer　royal　equality；　or　something　of　that　sort。　When　I　narrated　to　some　Russian　friends　what　I　had　done；　they　told　me　that　I　need　not　be　surprised　if　I　received　a　visit　from　the　chief　of　police　next　morning　for　my　daring　to　salute　the　Emperor　in　such　a　style。　　But　the　Emperor　was　doubtless　more　amused　than　offended；　and　I　never　received　the　expected　visit。

To　anticipate　a　little。　　Soon　afterwards　the　Emperor　sent　me　a　present　of　a　magnificent　diamond　ring　through　his　ambassador　in　England　Baron　Brunnow。　　It　was　also　accompanied；　as　the　Baron　informed　me；　with　the　Emperor's　most　gracious　thanks　for　the　manner　in　which　my　steam　hammer　had　driven　the　piles　for　his　new　forts　at　Cronstadt；　which　he　had　seen　in　full　action。　　The　steam…hammer　pile…driver　had　also　been　used　for　driving　the　piles　of　the　great　bridge　at　Kieff。　I　next　received　an　order　for　one　of　my　largest　steam　hammers　for　the　Imperial　Arsenal；　and　it　was　followed　by　many　more。　　It　is　a　singular　fact；　as　showing　the　readiness　of　the　Russian　and　other　foreign　Governments　to　adopt　at　an　early　date　any　mechanical　improvement　of　ascertained　utility；　that　I　supplied　steam　hammers　to　the　Russian　Government　twelve　months　before　our　Admiralty　availed　themselves　of　its　energetic　action。　　The　French　were　the　first　to　adopt　the　invention；　thanks　to　the　insight　of　M。　Bourdon；　who　had　the　opportunity　of　recognising　its　importance。

Before　I　leave　this　part　of　my　subject；　I　must　not　omit　to　mention　my　friend　Mr。　Francis　Baird；　the　zealous　son　of　Sir　Charles　Baird。　The　latter　was　among　the　first　to　establish　iron　foundries　and　engine　works　at　St。　Petersburg。　　At　the　time　of　my　visit　he　was　far　advanced　in　years；　and　unable　to　attend　personally　to　the　very　large　business　which　he　had　established。　　But　he　was　nevertheless　full　of　geniality。　He　greatly　enjoyed　the　long　conversations　which　he　had　with　me　about　his　friends　in　Scotland；　many　of　whom　I　knew。　　　He　also　told　me　about　the　persons　in　his　employment。　　He　said　that　the　workmen　were　all　serfs；　or　the　sons　of　serfs。　　The　Empress　Catherine　had　given　them　to　him　for　the　purpose　of　being　trained　in　his　engine　foundry；　and　in　his　sugar　refinery；　which　was　another　part　of　the　business。　　I　had　rarely　seen　a　more　faithful　and　zealous　set　of　workmen　than　these　Russian　serfs。　　They　were　able　and　skilful；　and　attached　to　their　employers　by　some　deeper　and　stronger　tie　than　that　of　mere　money　wages。　Indeed；　they　were　treated　by　Sir　Charles　Baird　and　his　son　with　the　kindest　and　most　paternal　care；　and　they　duly　repaid　their　attachment　by　their　zeal　in　his　service　and　the　excellent　quality　of　their　work。

The　most　important　business　in　hand　at　the　time　of　my　visit　to　the　foundry　was　the　moulding　and　casting　of　the　magnificent　bronze　capitals　of　the　grand　portico　of　the　Izak　Church。　　This　building　is　one　of　the　finest　in　St。　Petersburg。　　It　is　of　grand　proportions；simple；　noble；　and　massive。　　It　is　built　upon　a　forest　of　piles。　　The　walls　of　the　interior　are　covered　with　marble。　　The　malachite　columns　for　the　screen　are　fifty　feet　high；　and　exceed　everything　that　has　yet　been　done　in　that　beautiful　mineral。　　The　great　dome　is　of　iron　covered　with　gilt　copper。　　This；　as　well　as　the　Corinthian　capitals　of　bronze；　was　manufactured　at　the　foundry　of　the　Bairds。　　The　tympanum　of　the　four　great　porticos　consisted　of　colossal　groups　of　alto…relievo　figures；　many　of　which　were　all　but　entirely　detached　from　the　background。　　It　was　a　kind　of　foundry　work　of　the　highest　order；　all　the　details　and　processes　requiring　the　greatest　care。　To　my　surprise　every　one　engaged　in　this　gigantic　and　refined　metal　work　was　a　serf。　　The　full…sized　plaster　models　which　they　used　in　moulding　were　executed　by　a　resident　French　sculptor。　　He　was　a　true　artist；　and　of　the　highest　order。　　But　to　see　the　skilful　manner　in　which　these　native　workmen；　drawn　from　the　staff　of　the　Bairds'　ordinary　foundry　workers；　performed　their　duties；　was　truly　surprising。　It　would　make　our　best　bronze　statuary　founders　wince　to　be　asked　to　execute　such　work。　　Judging　from　what　I　saw　of　the　Russian　workmen　in　this　instance；　I　should　say　that　Russia　has　a　grand　future　before　it。

Having　satisfactorily　completed　all　my　business　arrangements　in　St。　Petersburg；　I　prepared　to　set　out　homewards。　　But　as　I　had　some　business　to　transact　at　Stockholm　and　Copenhagen　I　resolved　to　visit　those　cities。　　I　left　St。　Petersburg　for　Stockholm　by　a　small　steamer；　which　touched　at　Helsingfors　and　Abo；　both　in　Finland。　　The　weather　was　beautiful。　　Clear　blue　shy　and　bright　sunshine　by　day；　and　the　light　prolonged　far　into　the　night。　　Even　in　September　the　duration　of　the　sunshine　is　so　great　and　the　night　so　short　that　the　air　has　scarcely　time　to　cool　till　it　gets　heated　again　by　the　bright　morning　rays。　Even　at　twelve　at　night　the　sun　dips　but　a　little　beneath　the　bright　horizon　on　the　north。　　The　night　is　so　bright　in　the　Abo　latitude　that　one　can　read　the　smallest　print。

Nothing　can　be　more　beautiful　than　the　charming　scenery　we　passed　through　in　our　tortuous　voyage　to　Stockholm。　　We　threaded　between　the　granite　islands　which　crowd　the　shores　of　the　Baltic。　　They　are　covered　with　pines；　which　descend　to　the　water's　edge。　　We　swept　them　with　our　paddle…boxes；　and　dipped　their　bright　green　fronds　into　the　perfectly　clear　sea。　　For　about　two　days　our　course　lay　through　those　beautiful　small　islands。　　It　seemed　like　a　voyage　through　fairyland。　And　it　continued　in　this　exquisite　tranquil　way　until　we　reached　that　crowning　feature　of　allthe　magnificent　city　of　Stockholm；　sleeping；　as　it　were；　on　the　waters　of　the　Malar　Lake；　and　surrounded　by　noble　mountains　clad　with　pines。　　With　the　exception　of　Edinburgh；　Genoa；　and　Naples；　I　had　never　beheld　so　noble　a　city　with　such　magnificent　surroundings。

I　spent　but　a　short　time　in　Stockholm；　but　quite　sufficient　to　enable　me　to　see　much　that　was　grandly　beautiful　in　its　neighbourhood。　Lakes；　rocks；　and　noble　trees　abounded；　and　exquisite　residences　peeped　out　through　the　woods；　giving　evidences　of　high　civilisation。　Elegance　of　taste　and　perfect　domestic　arrangements　supplied　every　form　of　rational　comfort　and　enjoyment。　　My　old　friend　Sir　John　Ross；　of　Arctic　celebrity；　was　settled　at　Stockholm　as　chief　consul　for　Her　Majesty。　He　introduced　me　to　several　of　the　leading　English　merchants；　from　whom　I　received　much　kind　attention。　　Mr。　Erskine　invited　me　to　spend　a　day　or　two　at　his　beautiful　villa　in　the　neighbourhood。　　It　was　situated　on　the　side　of　a　mountain；　and　overlooked　a　lake　that　reminded　me　very　much　of　Loch　Katrine。　　Fine　timber　grew　about；　in　almost　inaccessible　places；　on　the　tops　of　precipices；　and　in　shelves　and　clefts　among　the　rocks。　　The　most　important　result　of　my　visit　was　an　introduction　to　Baron　Tam；　the　proprietor　and　chief　director　of　the　great　Dannemora　Iron　Mine。

I　was　at　once　diverted　for　a　time　from　my　voyage　to　Copenhagen。　I　was　most　desirous　of　seeing　in　person　thi