an autobiography-第7节
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sire to take him into his service。 After much persuasion； backed by the offer of a considerable sum of money； the coachbuilder was at length induced to transfer my father's indentures to Allan Ramsay。
It was； of course； a great delight to my father to be removed to London under such favourable auspices。 Ramsay had a large connection as a portrait painter。 His object in employing my father was that he should assist him in the execution of the subordinate parts； or dress portions； of portraits of courtiers； or of diplomatic personages。 No more favourable opportunity for advancement could have presented itself。 But all this was entirely due to my father's perseverance and advancing skill as an artistthe results of his steady application and labour。
Ramsay possessed a very fine collection of drawings by the old masters； all of which were free for my father to study。 Ramsay was exceedingly kind to his young pupil。 He was present at all the discussions in the studio； even when the sitters were present。 Fellow…artists visited Ramsay from time to time。 Among them was his intimate friend Philip Reinaglean agreeable companion； and an excellent artist。 Reinagle was one day so much struck with my father's earnestness in filling up some work； that he then and there got up a canvas and made a capital sketch…portrait of him in oil。 It only came into my father's possession some years after Ramsay's death； and is now in my possession。
＇Image＇ Alexander Nasmyth。 After Reinagle's Portrait
Among the many amusing recollections of my father's life in London； there is one that I cannot resist narrating； because it shows his faculty of resourcefulnessa faculty which served him very usefully during his course through life。 He had made an engagement with a sweetheart to take her to Ranelagh； one of the most fashionable places of public amusement in London。 Everybody went in full dress； and the bucks and swells wore long striped silk stockings。 My father； on searching； found that he had only one pair of silk stockings left。 He washed them himself in his lodging…room； and hung them up before the fire to dry。 When he went to look at them； they were so singed and burnt that he could not put them on。 They were totally useless。 In this sad dilemma his resourcefulness came to his aid。 The happy idea occurred to him of painting his legs so as to resemble stockings。 He went to his water…colour box； and dexterously painted them with black and white stripes。 When the paint dried； which it soon did； he completed his toilet； met his sweetheart and went to Ranelagh。 No one observed the difference； except； indeed； that he was complimented on the perfection of the fit； and was asked 〃where he bought his stockings？〃 Of course he evaded the question； and left the gardens without any one discovering his artistic trick。
My father remained in Allan Ramsay's service until the end of 1778； when he returned to Edinburgh to practise on his own behalf the profession of portrait painter。 He took with him the kindest good…wishes of his master； whose friendship he retained to the end of Ramsay's life。 The artistic style of my father's portraits； and the excellent likenesses of his sitters； soon obtained for him ample employment。 His portraits were for the most part full…lengths； but of a small or cabinet size。 They generally consisted of family groups； with the figures about twelve to fourteen inches high。 The groups were generally treated and arranged as if the personages were engaged in conversation with their children； and sometimes a favourite servant was introduced； so as to remove any formal aspect in the composition of the picture。 In order to enliven the background； some favourite view from the garden or grounds； or a landscape； was given； which was painted with as much care as if it was the main feature of the picture。 Many of these paintings are still to be found in the houses of the gentry in Scotland。 Good examples of his art are to be seen at Minto House； the seat of the Earl of Minto； and at Dalmeny Park； the seat of the Earl of Rosebery。
Among my father's early employers was Patrick Miller； Esq。； of Dalswinton； in Dumfriesshire。 He painted Mr。 Miller's portrait as well as those of several members of his family。 This intercourse eventually led to the establishment of a very warm personal friendship between them。 Miller had made a large fortune in Edinburgh as a banker； and after he had partially retired from business； he devoted much of his spare time to useful purposes。 He was a man of great energy of character； and was never idle。 At first he applied himself to the improvement of agriculture； which he did with great success on his estate of Dalswinton。 Being one of the largest shareholders in the Carron Ironworks near Stirling； he also devoted much of his time to the improvement of guns for the Royal Navy。 He was the inventor of that famous gun the Carronade。 The handiness of these short and effective guns； which were capable of being loaded and fired nearly twice as quickly as the long small…bore guns； gave England the victory in many a naval battle； where the firing was close and quick； yardarm to yardarm。
But Mr。 Miller's greatest claim to fame arises from his endeavours to introduce steam…power as an agent in the propulsion of ships at sea。 Mr。 Clerk of Eldin had already invented the system of 〃breaking the line〃 in naval engagementsa system that was first practised with complete success by Lord Rodney in his engagement off Martinico in 1780。 The subject interested Mr。 Miller so much that he set himself to work to contrive some mechanical method by means of which ships of war might be set in motion； independently of wind； tide； or calms； so that Clerk's system of breaking the line might be carried into effect under all circumstances。
It was about this time that my father was often with Miller； and the mechanical devices by means of which the method of breaking the line could be best accomplished was the subject of many of their conversations。 Miller found that my father's taste for mechanical contrivances； and his ready skill as a draughtsman； were likely to be of much use to him； and he constantly visited the studio。 My father reduced Miller's ideas to a definite form； and prepared a series of drawings； which were afterwards engraved and published。 Miller's favourite design was； to divide the vessel into twin or triple hulls； with paddles between them； to be worked by the crew。 The principal experiment was made in the Firth of Forth on the 2d of June 1787。 The vessel was double…hulled； and was worked by a capstan of five bars。 The experiment was on the whole successful。 But the chief difficulty was in the propulsive power。 After a spurt of an hour or so； the men became tired with their laborious work。 Mr。 Taylor； student of divinity； and tutor of Mr。 Miller's sons； was on board； and seeing the exhausted state of the men at the capstan； suggested the employment of steam…power。 Mr。 Miller was pleased with the idea； and resolved to make inquiry upon the subject。
At that time William Symington； a young engineer from Wanlockhead； was exhibiting a road locomotive in Edinburgh。 He was a friend of Taylor's； and Mr。 Miller went to see the Symington model。 In the course of his conversation with the inventor； he informed the latter of his own project； and described the difficulty he had experienced in getting his paddle…wheels turned round。 On which Symington immediately asked； 〃Why don't you use the steam…engine？〃 The model which Symington exhibited； produced rotary motion by the employment of ratchet…wheels。 The rectilinear motion of the piston…rod was thus converted into rotary motion。 Mr。 Miller was pleased with the action of the ratchet…wheel contrivance； and gave Symington an order to make a pair of engines of that construction。 They were to be used on a small pleasure…boat on Dalswinton Lake。
The boat was constructed on the double…hull or twin plan； so that the paddle should be used in the space between the hulls。* ＇footnote。。。 This steam twin boat was in fact the progenitor of the Castalia； constructed about a hundred years later for the conveyance of passengers between Calais and Dover。 。。。＇
After much vexatious delay； arising from the entire novelty of the experiment； the boat and engines were at length completed； and removed to Dalswinton Lake。 This； the first steamer that ever 〃trod the waters like a thing of life；〃 the herald of a new and mighty power； was tried on the 14th of October 1788。 The vessel steamed delightfully； at the rate of from four to five miles an hour； though this was not her extreme rate of speed。 I give； on the next page； a copy of a sketch made by my father of this the first actual steamboat； with her remarkable crew。
＇Image＇ The first steamboat。 By Alexander Nasmyth* ＇footnote。。。 The original drawing of the steamer was done by my father； and lent by me to Mr。 Woodcroft； Who inserted it in his Origin and Progress of Steam Navigation。 He omitted my father's name； and inserted only that of the lithographer； although it is a document of almost national importance in the history of Steam Navigation。
P。S。 since the above paragraph was written for the first edi
