an autobiography-第36节

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　The　massive　Norman　keep　stood　up　with　melancholy　dignity；　and　attracted　my　attention　more　than　any　other　part　of　the　ruined　building。　　To　me　there　is　an　impressiveness　in　the　simple　massive　dignity　of　the　Norman　castles　and　cathedrals；　which　no　other　buildings　possess。　There　is　an　expression　of　terrible　earnestness　about　them。　　The　last　look　I　had　of　the　Norman　keep　was　grand。　　The　elevated　part　was　richly　tinted　with　the　last　glow　of　the　setting　sun；　while　the　outline　of　the　buildings　beneath　was　shaded　by　a　dark　purply　gray。　　It　was　indeed　a　sight　never　to　be　forgotten。　　I　waited　until　the　sun　had　descended　beneath　the　horizon；　still　leaving　its　glimmer　of　pink　and　crimson　and　gray；　and　then　I　betook　me　to　the　little　inn　in　the　village；　where　I　obtained　comfortable　quarters　for　the　night。　　I　visited　the　ruins　again　in　the　morning。　　Although　the　glory　of　the　previous　evening　had　departed；　I　was　much　interested　in　observing　the　various　styles　of　architecture　adopted　in　different　parts　of　the　buildingssome　old；　some　comparatively　new。　　I　found　the　older　more　grand　and　massive；　and　the　newer；　of　the　sixteenth　century；　wanting　in　dignity　of　design；　and　the　workmanship　very　inferior。　　The　reign　of　Shoddy　had　already　begun　before　Cromwell　laid　the　castle　in　ruins。

In　the　course　of　the　day　I　proceeded　to　Warwick。　　I　passed　along　the　same　delightful　grass…bordered　roads；　shaded　by　noble　trees。　　I　reached　the　grand　old　town；　with　its　antique　buildings　and　its　noble　castle　so　famous　in　English　history。　　Leaving　the　place　with　reluctance；　I　left　it　late　in　the　afternoon　to　trudge　on　to　Oxford。　But　soon　after　I　started　the　rain　began　to　fall。　　It　was　the　first　interruption　to　my　walking　journey　which　I　had　encountered　during　my　three　weeks'　absence　from　London。　　As　it　appeared　from　the　dark　clouds　overhead　that　a　wet　night　had　set　in；　I　took　shelter　in　a　wayside　inn　at　a　place　called　Steeple　Aston。　　My　clothes　were　dripping　wet；　and　after　a　glass　of　very　hot　rum　and　water　I　went　to　bed；　and　had　a　sound　sleep。　　Next　morning　it　was　fair　and　bright。　　After　a　substantial　homely　breakfast　I　set　out　again。　　Nature　was　refreshed　by　the　steady　rain　of　the　previous　night；　and　the　day　was　beautiful。　　I　reached　Deddington　and　stayed　there　for　the　night；　and　early　next　morning　I　set　out　for　Oxford。

I　was　greatly　excited　by　the　first　sight　I　had　of　the　crowd　of　towers　and　spires　of　that　learned　and　illustrious　city。　　Nor　were　my　expectations　at　all　disappointed　by　a　nearer　approach　to　the　colleges　of　Oxford。　　After　a　most　interesting　visit　to　the　best　of　the　buildings；　I　took　in　a；　fair　idea　of　the　admirable　details　of　this　noble　city；　and　left　in　the　afternoon　of　next　day。　　I　visited；　on　my　way　to　Thame；　the　old　church　of　Iffley。　　I　was　attracted　to　it　by　the　fine　old　Norman　work　it　contains；　which　I　found　most　quaint　and　picturesque。

I　slept　at　Thame　for　the　night；　and　next　day　walked　to　Windsor。　I　arrived　there　at　sunset；　and　had　a　fine　view　of　the　exterior　of　the　castle　and　the　surrounding　buildings。　　I　was；　however；　much　disappointed　on　examining　the　architectural　details。　　In　sight　of　the　noble　trees　about　the　castle；　and　the　magnificent　prospect　from　the　terrace；　I　saw　much　that　tended　to　make　up　for　the　disgust　I　felt　at　the　way　in　which　all　that　was　so　appropriate　and　characteristic　in　so　historic　a　place　as　Windsor　Castle　should　have　been　tampered　with　and　rubbed　out　by　the　wretched　conceit　of　the　worst　architects　of　our　worst　architectural　period。

I　left　Windsor　next　morning；　and　walked　direct　for　London。　　My　time　was　up；　but　not　my　money。　　I　had　taken　eight　sovereigns　on　setting　out　from　London　to　Liverpool　by　coach；　and　I　brought　one　sovereign　back　with　me。　Rather　than　break　into　it　I　walked　all　the　way　from　Windsor　to　London　without　halting　for　refreshment　my　entire　expenditure　during　my　three　weeks'　journey　was　thus　seven　pounds。

When　I　look　back　upon　that　tour；　I　feel　that　I　was　amply　rewarded。　It　was　throughout　delightful　and　instructive。　　The　remembrance　of　it　is　as　clear　in　my　mind　now　as　if　I　had　performed　the　journey　last　year　instead　of　fifty　years　ago。　　There　are　thousands　of　details　that　pass　before　my　mind's　eye　that　would　take　a　volume　to　enunerate。　　I　brought　back　a　book　full　of　sketches；　for　graphic　memoranda　are　much　better　fitted　than　written　words　to　bring　up　a　host　of　pleasant　recollections　and　associations。　　I　came　back　refreshed　for　work；　and　possessed　by　an　anxious　desire　to　press　forward　in　the　career　of　industry　which　I　had　set　before　me　to　accomplish。


CHAPTER　10。　　　Begin　Business　at　Manchester

Mr。　Maudslay　arrived　from　Berlin　two　days　after　my　return　to　London。　He；　too；　had　enjoyed　his　holiday。　　During　his　stay　in　Berlin　he　had　made　the　friendship　of　the　distinguished　Humboldt。　　Shenkel；　the　architect；　had　been　very　kind　to　him；　and　presented　him　with　a　set　of　drawings　and　engravings　of　his　great　architectural　works；　which　Mr。　Maudslay　exhibited　to　me　with　much　delight。　　What　he　most　admired　in　Shenkel　was　the　great　range　of　his　talent　in　all　matters　of　design；　his　minute　attention　to　detail；　and　his　fine　artistic　feeling。

Soon　after　Mr。　Maudslay's　return；　a　very　interesting　job　was　brought　to　him；　in　which　he　took　even　more　than　his　usual　interest。　　It　was　a　machine　which　his　friend　Mr。　Barton；　of　the　Royal　Mint；　had　obtained　from　France。　　It　was　intended　to　cut　or　engrave　the　steel　dies　used　for　stamping　coin。　　It　was　a　remarkable　and　interesting　specimen　of　inventive　ingenuity。　　It　copied　any　object　in　relief　which　had　been　cast　in　plaster　of　Paris　or　brass　from　the　artist's　original　wax　model。　The　minutest　detail　was　transferred　to　soft　steel　dies　with　absolute　accuracy。　　This　remarkable　machine　could　copy　and　cut　steel　dies　either　in　intaglio　or　in　cameo　of　any　size；　and；　in　short；　enabled　the　mechanic　who　managed　it　to　transfer　the　most　minute　and　characteristic　touches　of　the　original　model　to　the　steel　dies　for　any　variety　of　size　of　coin。　　Nevertheless；　the　execution　of　some　of　the　details　of　the　machine　were　so　defective；　that　after　giving　the　most　tempting　proof　of　its　capabilities　at　the　Royal　Mint；　Mr。　Barton　found　it　absolutely　necessary　to　place　it　in　Maudslay's　hands；　in　order　to　have　its　details　thoroughly　overhauled；　and　made　as　mechanically　perfect　as　its　design　and　intention　merited。

This　interesting　machine　was　accordingly　brought　to　the　private　workshop；　and　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　leading　mechanic；　whom　I　had　the　pleasure　of　being　associated　with；　James　Sherriff；　one　of　our　most　skilled　workmen。　　We　were　both　put　to　our　mettle。　　It　was　a　job　quite　to　my　taste；　and　being　associated　with　so　skilled　a　workman　as　Sherriff；　and　in　constant　communication　with　Mr。　Maudslay；　I　had　every　opportunity　of　bringing　my　best　manipulative　ability　into　action　and　use　while　perfecting　this　beautiful　machine。　　It　is　sufficient　to　say　that　by　our　united　efforts；　by　the　technical　details　suggested　by　Mr。　Maudslay　and　carried　out　by　us；　and　by　the　practical　trials　made　under　the　superintendence　of　Mr。　Wyon　of　the　Mint；　the　apparatus　was　at　length　made　perfect　and　performed　its　duty　to　the　satisfaction　of　every　one　concerned。

Mr。　Maudslay　had　next　a　pair　of　200　horse…power　marine　engines　put　in　hand。　　His　sons　and　partners　were　rather　opposed　to　so　expensive　a　piece　of　work　being　undertaken　without　an　order。　　At　that　time　such　a　power　as　200　horse　nominal　was　scarcely　thought　of；　and　the　Admiralty　Board　were　very　cautious　in　ordering　marine　engines　of　any　sort。　Nevertheless；　the　engines　were　proceeded　with　and　perfected。　They　formed　a　noble　object　in　the　great　erecting　shop。　　They　embodied　in　every　detail　all　Mr。　Maudslay's　latest　improvements。　　In　fact　the　work　was　the　sum　total　of　the　great　master's　inventions　and　adaptations　in　marine　engines。　　The　Admiralty　at　last　secured　them　for　the　purpose　of　being　placed　in　a　very　fine　vessel；　the　Dee；　then　in　course　of　construction。　　Mr。　Maudslay　was　so　much　pleased　with　the　result　that　he　had　a　very　beautiful　model　made　of　the　engines；　and　finding　that　I　had　some　artistic　skill　as　a　draughtsman；　he　set　me　to　work　to　make　a　complete　perspective　drawing　of　their　great　engines　as　they　stood　all　perfect　in　the　erecting…shop。　　This　was　a　work　entirely　to　my　taste。　In　due　time　I　completed　a　graphic　portrait　of　these　noble　engines；　treated；　I　hope；　in　an　artistic　spirit。　　Indeed；　such　a　class　of　drawing　was　rarely　to　be　had　from　any　engineering　draughtsman。　Mere　geometrical　drawing　could　not　give　a　proper　idea；　as　a　whole；　of　so　grand　a　piece　of　mechanism。　　It　required　something　of　the　artistic　spirit　to　fairly　represent　it。　　At　all　events　my　performance　won　the　entire　approval　of　my　master。

Mr。　Maudslay　was　a　man　of　a　wide　range　of　mechanical　abilities。　He　was　always　ready　to　enter　upon　any　new　work　requiring　the　exercise　of　special　skill。　　It　did　not　matter　whether　it　was　machine　tools；　engraving　dies；　block　machinery；　or　astronomical　instruments。　　While　at　Berlin　he　went　to　see　the　Royal　Observatory。　　He　was　naturally　much　interested　by　the　fine　instruments　therethe　works　of　Repsoldt　and　Hertz；　the　pioneers　of　improved　astronomical　workmanship。　The　continental　instrument　makers　were　then　far　in　advance　of　those　of　England。　　Mr。　Maudslay　was　great