an autobiography-第21部分

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　more　than　a　mile　apart；　I　kept　a　look…out　in　the　direction　of　the　laboratory　with　a　spy…glass。　My　father's　house　was　at　the　top　of　Leith　Walk；　and　Smith's　house　was　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　When　the　flag　was　hoisted　I　could　clearly　see　the　invitation　to　me　to　〃come　down。〃　　I　was　only　too　glad　to　run　down　the　Walk　and　join　my　chum；　and　take　part　with　him　in　some　interesting　chemical　process。　　Mr。　Smith；　the　father；　made　me　heartily　welcome。　He　was　pleased　to　see　his　son　so　much　attached　to　me；　and　he　perhaps　believed　that　I　was　worthy　of　his　friendship。　　We　took　zealous　part　in　all　the　chemical　proceedings；　and　in　that　way　Tom　was　fitting　himself　for　the　business　of　his　life。

Mr。　Smith　was　a　most　genial　tempered　man。　　He　was　shrewd　and　quick…witted；　like　a　native　of　York；　as　he　was。　　I　received　the　greatest　kindness　from　him　as　well　as　from　his　family。　　His　house　was　like　a　museum。　　It　was　full　of　cabinets；　in　which　were　placed　choice　and　interesting　objects　in　natural　history；　geology；　mineralogy；　and　metallurgy。　　All　were　represented。　　Many　of　these　specimens　had　been　brought　to　him　from　abroad　by　his　ship　captains　who　transported　his　colour　manufactures　and　other　commodities　to　foreign　parts。

My　friend　Tom　Smith　and　I　made　it　a　ruleand　in　this　we　were　encouraged　by　his　fatherthat；　so　far　as　was　possible；　we　ourselves　should　actually　make　the　acids　and　other　substances　used　in　our　experiments。　　We　were　not　to　buy　them　ready　made；　as　this　would　have　taken　the　zest　out　of　our　enjoyment。　　We　should　have　lost　the　pleasure　and　instruction　of　producing　them　by　aid　of　our　own　wits　and　energies。　To　encounter　and　overcome　a　difficulty　is　the　most　interesting　of　all　things。　　Hence；　though　often　baffled；　we　eventually　produced　perfect　specimens　of　nitrous；　nitric；　and　muriatic　acids。　　We　distilled　alcohol　from　duly　fermented　sugar　and　water；　and　rectified　the　resultant　spirit　from　fusel　oil　by　passing　the　alcoholic　vapour　through　animal　charcoal　before　it　entered　the　worm　of　the　still。　　We　converted　part　of　the　alcohol　into　sulphuric　ether。　　We　produced　phosphorus　from　bones；　and　elaborated　many　of　the　mysteries　of　chemistry。

The　amount　of　practical　information　which　we　obtained　by　this　system　of　making　our　own　chemical　agents　was　such　as　to　reward　us；　in　many　respects；　for　the　labour　we　underwent。　　To　outsiders　it　might　appear　a　very　troublesome　and　roundabout　way　of　getting　at　the　finally　desired　result。　　But　I　feel　certain　that　there　is　no　better　method　of　rooting　chemical　or　any　other　instruction；　deeply　in　our　minds。　　Indeed；　I　regret　that　the　same　system　is　not　pursued　by　young　men　of　the　present　day。　　They　are　seldom；　if　ever；　called　upon　to　exert　their　own　wits　and　industry　to　obtain　the　requisites　for　their　instruction。　　A　great　deal　is　now　said　about　〃technical　education〃；　but　how　little　there　is　of　technical　handiness　or　head　work！　　Everything　is　bought　ready　made　to　their　hands；　and　hence　there　is　no　call　for　individual　ingenuity。

I　often　observe；　in　shop…windows；　every　detail　of　model　ships　and　model　steam…engines；　supplied　ready　made　for　those　who　are　〃said　to　be〃　of　an　ingenious　and　mechanical　turn。　　Thus　the　vital　uses　of　resourcefulness　are　done　away　with；　and　a　sham　exhibition　of　mechanical　genius　is　paraded　before　you　by　the　young　impostorsthe　result；　for　the　most　part；　of　too　free　a　supply　of　pocket　money。　　I　have　known　too　many　instances　of　parents；　led　by　such　false　evidence　of　constructive　skill；　apprenticing　their　sons　to　some　engineering　firm；　and；　after　paying　vast　sums；　finding　out　that　the　pretender　comes　out　of　the　engineering　shop　with　no　other　practical　accomplishment　than　that　of　cigar…smoking！

The　truth　is　that　the　eyes　and　the　fingersthe　bare　fingersare　the　two　principal　inlets　to　sound　practical　instruction。　　They　are　the　chief　sources　of　trustworthy　knowledge　as　to　all　the　materials　and　operations　which　the　engineer　has　to　deal　with；　No　book　knowledge　can　avail　for　that　purpose。　　The　nature　and　properties　of　the　materials　must　come　in　through　the　finger　ends。　　Hence；　I　have　no　faith　in　young　engineers　who　are　addicted　to　wearing　gloves。　　Gloves；　especially　kid　gloves；　are　perfect　non…conductors　of　technical　knowledge。　This　has　really　more　to　do　with　the　efficiency　of　young　aspirants　for　engineering　success　than　most　people　are　aware　of！


CHAPTER　6。　　　Mechanical　Beginnings。

I　left　the　High　School　at　the　end　of　1820。　　I　carried　with　me　a　small　amount　of　Latin；　and　no　Greek。　　I　do　not　think　I　was　much　the　better　for　my　small　acquaintance　with　the　dead　languages。　　I　wanted　something　more　living　and　quickening。　　I　continued　my　studies　at　private　classes。　Arithmetic　and　geometry　were　my　favourite　branches。The　three　first　books　of　Euclid　were　to　me　a　new　intellectual　life。　　They　brought　out　my　power　of　reasoning。　　They　trained　me　mentally。　　They　enabled　me　to　arrive　at　correct　conclusions；　and　to　acquire　a　knowledge　of　absolute　truths。　　It　is　because　of　this　that　I　have　ever　since　held　the　beautifully　perfect　method　of　reasoning；　as　exhibited　in　the　exact　method　of　arriving　at　Q。E。D。；　to　be　one　of　the　most　satisfactory　efforts　and　exercises　of　the　human　intellect。

Besides　visiting　and　taking　part　in　the　works　at　Patterson's　foundry；　and　joining　in　the　chemical　experiments　at　Smith's　laboratory；　my　father　gave　me　every　opportunity　for　practising　the　art　of　drawing。　He　taught　me　to　sketch　with　exactness　every　object；　whether　natural　or　artificial；　so　as　to　enable　the　hand　to　accurately　reproduce　what　the　eye　had　seen。　　In　order　to　acquire　this　almost　invaluable　art；　which　can　serve　so　many　valuable　purposes　in　life；　he　was　careful　to　educate　my　eye；　so　that　I　might　perceive　the　relative　proportions　of　the　objects　placed　before　me。　　He　would　throw　down　at　random　a　number　of　bricks；　or　pieces　of　wood　representing　them；　and　set　me　to　copy　their　forms；　their　proportions；　their　lights　and　shadows　respectively。

I　have　often　heard　him　say　that　any　one　who　could　make　a　correct　drawing　in　regard　to　outline；　and　also　indicate　by　a　few　effective　touches　the　variation　of　lights　and　shadows　of　such　a　group　of　model　object's；　might　not　despair　of　making　a　good　and　correct　sketch　of　the　exterior　of　York　Minster！

My　father　was　an　enthusiast　in　praise　of　this　graphic　language；　and　I　have　followed　his　example。　　In　fact；　it　formed　a　principal　part　of　my　own　education。　　It　gave　me　the　power　of　recording　observations　with　a　few　graphic　strokes　of　the　pencil；　which　far　surpassed　in　expression　any　number　of　mere　words。　　This　graphic　eloquence　is　one　of　the　highest　gifts　in　conveying　clear　and　correct　ideas　as　to　the　forms　of　objectswhether　they　be　those　of　a　simple　and　familiar　kind；　or　of　some　form　of　mechanical　construction；　or　of　the　details　of　fine　building；　or　the　characteristic　features　of　a　wide…stretching　landscape。　　This　accomplishment　of　accurate　drawing；　which　I　achieved　for　the　most　part　in　my　father's　work…room；　served　me　many　a　good　turn　in　future　years　with　reference　to　the　engineering　work　which　became　the　business　of　my　life。

I　was　constantly　busy。　　Mind；　hands；　and　body　were　kept　in　a　state　of　delightful　and　instructive　activity。　　When　not　drawing；　I　occupied　myself　in　my　father's　workshop　at　the　lathe；　the　furnace；　or　the　bench。　I　gradually　became　initiated　into　every　variety　of　mechanical　and　chemical　manipulation。　　I　made　my　own　tools　and　constructed　my　chemical　apparatus；　as　far　as　lay　in　my　power。　　With　respect　to　the　latter；　I　constructed　a　very　handy　and　effective　blowpipe　apparatus；　consisting　of　a　small　air　force…pump；　connected　with　a　cylindrical　vessel　of　tin　plate。　　By　means　of　an　occasional　use　of　the　handy　pump；　it　yielded　such　a　fine　steady　blowpipe　blast；　as　enabled　me　to　bend　glass　tubes　and　blow　bulbs　for　thermometers；　to　analyse　metals　or　mineral　substances；　or　to　do　any　other　work　for　which　intense　heat　was　necessary。　My　natural　aptitude　for　manipulation；　whether　in　mechanical　or　chemical　operations；　proved　very　serviceable　to　myself　as　well　as　to　others；　and　（as　will　be　shown　hereafter）　it　gained　for　me　the　friendship　of　many　distinguished　scientific　men。

But　I　did　not　devote　myself　altogether　to　experiments。　　Exercise　is　as　necessary　for　the　body　as　the　mind。　　Without　full　health　a　man　cannot　enjoy　comfort；　nor　can　he　possess　endurance。　　I　therefore　took　plenty　of　exercise　out　of　doors。　　I　accompanied　my　father　in　his　walks　round　Edinburgh。　　My　intellect　was　kept　alive　during　these　delightful　excursions。　　For　sometimes　my　father　was　accompanied　by　brother…artists；　whose　conversation　is　always　so　attractive；　and　sometimes　by　scientific　men；　such　as　Sir　James　Hall；　Professor　Leslie；　Dr。　Brewster；　and　others。　Whatever　may　have　been　my　opportunities　for　education　so…called；　nothing　could　have　better　served　the　purpose　of　real　education　（the　evolution　of　the　mental　faculties）　than　the　opportunities　I　enjoyed　while　accompanying　and　listening　to　the　conversation　of　men　distinguished　for　their　originality　of　thought　and　their　high　intellectual　capacity。　　This　was　a　mental　culture　of　the　best　kind。

The　volcanic　origin　of　the　beautiful　scenery　round　Edinburgh　was　often　the　subject　of　their　conversation。　　Probably　few　visitors　are　aware　that　all　those　remarkable　eminences；　which