an autobiography-第81节

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〃Let　me　thank　you　many　times　for　your　kind　letter；　and　for　your　glorious　book。　　It　arrived　at　twelve　to…day；　and　there　has　been　no　painting　since。　　Once　having　taken　it　up；　attracted　by　the　illustrations；　I　could　not　put　it　down　again。　　I　forgot　everything；　and；　indeed；　I　have　been　up　in　the　Moon。　　As　soon　as　these　few　words　of　thanks　are　given；　I　am　going　up　into　the　Moon　again。　　What　a　comfort　it　is　to　read　a　scientific　work　which　is　quite　clear；　and　what　a　gift　it　is　to　write　thus！

〃The　photographs　took　my　breath　away。　　I　could　not　understand　how　you　did　them；　and　your　explanation　of　how　you　built　the　models　from　your　drawings　only　changed　the　wonder　into　admiration。　　Only　an　artist　could　have　said　what　you　say　about　the　education　of　the　eye　and　of　the　hand。　You　may　well　understand　how　it　went　home　to　me。　　Ever　gratefully　yours；

PHILIP　H。　　CALDERON。〃

I　now　proceed　to　the　Cardinal。　　I　was　present　at　one　of　the　receptions　of　the　President　of　the　Royal　Society　at　Burlington　House；　when　I　was　introduced　to　Cardinal　Manning　as　〃The　Steam　Hammer！〃　　After　a　cordial　reception　he　suddenly　said；　〃But　are　you　not　also　the　Man　in　the　Moon？〃　Yes；　your　Eminence。　　I　have　written　a　book　about　the　Moon；　and　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will　accept　a　copy　of　it？〃　　〃By　all　means；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　the　offer　very　much。〃　　I　accordingly　sent　the　copy；　and　received　the　following　answer：

〃MY　DEAR　MR。NASMYTHWhen　I　asked　you　to　send　me　your　book　on　the　Moon；　I　had　no　idea　of　its　bulk　and　value；　and　I　feel　ashamed　of　my　importunity；　yet　more　than　half　delighted　at　my　sturdy　begging。

〃I　thank　you　for　it　very　sincerely。　　My　life　is　one　of　endless　work；　leaving　me　few　moments　for　reading。　　But　such　books　as　yours　refresh　me　like　a　clover　field。

〃I　hope　I　may　have　an　opportunity　of　renewing　our　conversation。　Believe　me　always　truly　yours；　HENRY；　CARDINAL　MANNING。〃

I　may　also　mention　that　I　received　a　charming　letter　from　Miss　Herschel；　the　daughter　of　the　late　Astronomer。

〃Is　it　possible；〃　she　said；　〃that　this　beautiful　book　is　destined　by　you　as　a　gift　to　my　most　unworthy　self？　　I　do　not　know；　indeed；　how　　sufficiently　to　thank　you；　or　even　to　express　my　delight　in　being　possessed　of　so　exquisite　and　valuable　a　work；　made　so　valuable；　too；　by　the　most　kind　inscription　on　the　first　page！　　I　fear　I　shall　be　very　very　far　from　understanding　the　theories　developed　in　the　book；　though　we　have　been　endeavouring　to　gather　some　faint　notion　of　them　from　the　reviews　we　have　seen；　but　it　will　be　of　the　greatest　interest　for　us　to　try　and　follow　them　under　your　guidance；　and　with　the　help　of　these　perfectly　enchanting　photographs；　which；　I　think；　one　could　never　be　tired　of　looking　at。

〃How　well　I　remember　the　original　photographs；　and　the　oil　painting　which　you　sent　for　dear　papa's　inspection；　and　which　he　did　so　enjoy！　and　also　the　experiment　with　the　glass　globe；　in　which　he　was　so　interested；　at　your　own　house。　　We　cannot　but　think　how　he　would　have　appreciated　your　researches；　and　what　pleasure　this　lovely　book　would　have　given　him。　　Indeed；　I　shall　treasure　it　especially　as　a　remembrance　of　that　visit；　which　is　so　completely　connected　in　my　thoughts　with　him；　as　well　as　with　your　cordial　kindness；　as　a　precious　souvenir；　of　which　let　me　once　more　offer　you　my　heartfelt　thanks。　I　remain；　my　dear　sir；　yours　very　truly　and　gratefully；

〃ISABELLA　HERSCHEL。〃

I　cannot　refrain　from　adding　the　communication　I　received　from　my　dear　old　friend　William　Lassell。　　〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃how　sufficiently　to　thank　you　for　your　most　kind　letter；　and　the　superb　present　which　almost　immediately　followed　it。　　My　pleasure　was　greatly　enhanced　by　the　consideration　of　how　far　this　splendid　work　must　add　to　your　fame　and　gratify　the　scientific　world。　The　illustrations　are　magnificent；　and　I　am　persuaded　that　no　book　has　ever　been　published　before　which　gives　so　faithful；　accurate；　and　comprehensive　a　picture　of　the　surface　of　the　Moon。　　The　work　must　have　cost　you　much　time；　thought；　and　labour；　and　I　doubt　not　you　will　now　receive　a　gratifying；　if　not　an　adequate　reward。〃

After　reading　the　book　Mr。　Lassell　again　wrote　to　me。　　〃I　am　indebted　to　your　beautiful　book；　〃he　said；　〃for　a　deeper　interest　in　the　Moon　than　I　ever　felt　before。。。。　　I　see　many　of　your　pictures　have　been　taken　when　the　Moon　was　waning；　which　tells　me　of　many　a　shivering　exposure　you　must　have　had　in　the　early　mornings；。。。　　I　was　sorry　to　find　from　your　letter　that　you　had　a　severe　cold；　which　made　you　very　unwell。　　I　hope　you　have　ere　this　perfectly　recovered。　　I　suppose　maladies　of　this　kind　must　be　expected　to　take　rather　severe　hold　of　us　now；　as　we　are　both　past　the　meridian　of　life。　　I　am；　however；　very　thankful　for　the　measure　of　health　I　enjoy；　and　the　pleasure　mechanical　pursuits　give　me。　　I　fully　sympathise　with　you　in　the　contempt　（shall　I　say？）　which　you　feel　for　the　taste　of　so　many　people　who　find　their　chief　pleasure　in　'killing　something；'　and　how　often　their　pleasures　are　fatal！　　Two　distinguished　men　killed　only　the　other　day　in　hunting。　　For　my　part　I　would　rather　take　to　the　bicycle　and　do　my　seventeen　miles　within　the　hour。〃

He　proceeds：　　〃I　have　no　doubt　your　windmill　is　very　nicely　contrived；　and　has　afforded　you　much　pleasure　in　constructing　it。　The　only　drawback　to　it　is；　that　in　this　variable　climate　it　is　apt　to　strike　work；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　job　of　polishing　I　fear　no　increase　of　wages　would　induce　it　to　complete　its　task！　　If　water　were　plentiful；　you　might　make　it　pump　up　a　quantity　when　the　wind　served；　to　be　used　as　a　motive　power　when　you　chose。〃

This　reference　alludes　to　a　windmill　which　I　erected　on　the　top　of　my　workshop；　to　drive　the　apparatus　below。　　It　was　the　mirror　of　a　reflecting　telescope　which　was　in　progress。　　The　windmill　went　on　night　and　day；　and　polished　the　speculum　while　I　slept。　　In　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　I　keeked　through　the　corner　of　the　window　blinds　and　saw　it　hard　at　work。　　I　prefer；　however；　a　small　steam…engine；　which　works　much　more　regularly。

It　is　time　to　come　to　an　end　of　my　Recollections。　　I　have　endeavoured　to　give　a　brief　resume　of　my　life　and　labours。　　I　hope　they　may　prove　interesting　as　well　as　useful　to　others。　　Thanks　to　a　good　constitution　and　a　frame　invigorated　by　work；　I　continue　to　lead；　with　my　dear　wife；　a　happy　life。　　I　still　take　a　deep　interest　in　mechanics；　in　astronomy；　and　in　art。　　It　is　a　pleasure　to　me　to　run　up　to　London　and　enjoy　the　collections　at　the　National　Gallery；　South　Kensington；　and　the　Royal　Academy。　　The　Crystal　Palace　continues　to　attract　a　share　of　my　attention；　though；　since　the　fire；　it　has　been　greatly　altered。　I　miss；　too；　many　of　the　dear　accustomed　faces　of　the　old　friends　we　used　to　meet　there。　　Still　we　visit　it；　and　leave　to　memory　the　filling　up　of　what　is　gone。　　All　things　change；　and　we　with　them。　The　following　Dial　of　Life　gives　a　brief　summary　of　my　career。　It　shows　the　brevity　of　life；　and　indicates　the　tale　that　is　soon　told。　The　first　part　of　the　semicircle　includes　the　passage　from　infancy　to　boyhood　and　manhood。　　While　that　period　lasts；　time　seems　to　pass　very　slowly。　　We　long　to　be　men；　and　doing　men's　work。　　What　I　have　called　The　Tableland　of　Life　is　then　reached。　　Ordinary　observation　shows　that　between　thirty　and　fifty　the　full　strength　of　body　and　mind　is　reached；　and　at　that　period　we　energise　our　faculties　to　the　utmost。

＇Image＇　　The　Dial　of　Life

Those　who　are　blessed　with　good　health　and　a　sound　constitution　may　prolong　the　period　of　energy　to　sixty　or　even　seventy；　but　Nature's　laws　must　be　obeyed；　and　the　period　of　decline　begins；　and　goes　on　with　accelerated　rapidity。　　Then　comes　Old　Age；　and　as　we　descend　the　semicircle　towards　eighty；　we　find　that　the　remnant　of　life　becomes　vague　and　cloudy。　　By　shading　off；　as　I　have　done；　the　portion　of　the　area　of　the　diagram　according　to　the　individual　age；　every　one　may　see　how　much　of　life　is　consumed；　and　what　is　leftD。V。。　　Here　is　my　brief　record：

AGE　YEAR。　　　1808。　　BORN　19TH　AUGUST。　9　　　1817。　　WENT　TO　THE　HIGH　SCHOOL；　EDINBURGH。　13　　1821。　　ATTENDED　THE　SCHOOL　OF　ARTS。　21　　1829。　　WENT　TO　LONDON；　TO　MAUDSLAY'S。　23　　1831。　　RETURNED　TO　EDINBURGH；　TO　MAKE　MY　ENGINEERS'　TOOLS。　26　　1834。　　WENT　TO　MANCHESTER；　TO　BEGIN　BUSINESS。　28　　1836。　　REMOVED　TO　PATRICROFT；　AND　BUILT　THE　BRIDGEWATER　FOUNDRY。　31　　1839。　　INVENTED　THE　STEAM　HAMMER。　32　　1840。　　MARRIAGE。　34　　1842。　　FIRST　VISIT　TO　FRANCE　AND　ITALY。　35　　1843。　　VISIT　TO　ST。　　PETERSBURG；　STOCKHOLM；　DANNEMORA。　37　　1845。　　APPLICATION　OF　THE　STEAM　HAMMER　TO　PILE…DRIVING。　48　　1856。　　RETIRED　FROM　BUSINESS；　TO　ENJOY　THE　REST　OF　MY　LIFE　IN　THE　　　　　　　　　　　　ACTIVE　PURSUIT　OF　MY　MOST　FAVOURITE　OCCUPATIONS。

I　have　not　in　this　list　referred　to　my　investigations　in　connection　with　astronomy。　　All　this　will　be　found　referred　to　in　the　text。　It　only　remains　for　me　to　say　that　I　append　a　resume　of　my　inventions；　contrivances；　and　workshop　〃dodges；〃　to　give　the　reader　a　summary　idea　of　the　Active　Life　of　a　working　mechanic。　　And　with　this　I　end　my　tale。


CHRONOLOGICAL　LIST　OF　MECHANICAL　INVENTIONS　AND　TECHNICAL　CONTRIVANCES。

by　James　Nasmyth。

1825。　A　mode　of　applying　Steam　Power　for　the　Traction　of　Canal　Barges；　　　　　　　without　injury　to　th