an autobiography-第24部分

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　〃giants　in　those　days。〃　　This　grand　style　of　armour　was　in　use　from　the　time　of　the　Conquest；　and　was　most　effective　in　the　way　of　protection；　as　it　was　fitted　by　its　flexibility　to　give　full　play　to　the　energetic　action　of　the　wearer。　　It　was　infinitely　superior　to　the　senseless　plate…armour　that　was　used；　at　a　subsequent　period；　to　encase　soldiers　like　lobsters。　　The　chain…armour　I　saw　at　Carron　left　a　deep　impression　on　my　mind。　　I　never　see　a　bit　of　it；　or　of　its　representation　in　the　figures　on　our　grand　tombs　of　the　thirteenth　century；　but　I　think　of　my　first　sight　of　it　at　Carron　and　of　the　tremendous　conflict　at　Bannockburn。

Remembering；　also；　the　impressive　sight　of　the　picturesque　fire…lit　halls；　and　the　terrible…looking；　cumbrous　machinery　which　I　first　beheld　on　a　grand　scale　at　Carron；　I　have　often　regretted　that　some　of　our　artists　do　not　follow　up　the　example　set　them　by　that　admirable　painter；　Wright　of　Derby；　and　treat　us　to　the　pictures　of　some　of　our　great　ironworks。　　They　not　only　abound　with　the　elements　of　the　picturesque　in　its　highest　sense；　but　also　set　forth　the　glory　of　the　useful　arts　in　such　a　way　as　would　worthily　call　forth　the　highest　power　of　our　artists。

To　return　to　my　life　at　Edinburgh。　　I　was　now　seventeen　years　old。　I　had　acquired　a　considerable　amount　of　practical　knowledge　as　to　the　use　and　handling　of　mechanical　tools；　and　I　desired　to　turn　it　to　some　account。　　I　was　able　to　construct　working　models　of　steam…engines　and　other　apparatus　required　for　the　illustration　of　mechanical　subjects。　I　began　with　making　a　small　working　steam　engine　for　the　purpose　of　grinding　the　oil…colours　used　by　my　father　in　his　artistic　work。　The　result　was　quite　satisfactory。　　Many　persons　came　to　see　my　active　little　steam…engine　at　work；　and　they　were　so　pleased　with　it　that　I　received　several　orders　for　small　workshop　engines；　and　also　for　some　models　of　steam…engines　to　illustrate　the　subjects　taught　at　Mechanics'　Institutions。

＇Image＇　　Sectional　model　of　condensing　steam…engine。　　By　James　Nasmyth

I　contrived　a　sectional　model　of　a　complete　condensing　steam…engine　of　the　beam　and　parallel　motion　construction。　　The　model；　as　seen　from　one　side；　exhibited　every　external　detail　in　full　and　due　action　when　the　flywheel　was　moved　round　by　hand；　while；　on　the　other　or　sectional　side；　every　detail　of　the　interior　was　seen；　with　the　steam…valves　and　air…pump；　as　well　as　the　motion　of　the　piston　in　the　cylinder；　with　the　construction　of　the　piston　and　the　stuffing　box；　together　with　the　slide…valve　and　steam　passages；　all　in　due　position　and　relative　movement。

The　first　of　these　sectional　models　of　the　steam…engine　was　made　for　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts；　where　its　uses　in　instructing　mechanics　and　others　in　the　application　of　steam　were　highly　appreciated。　The　second　was　made　for　Professor　Leslie；　of　the　Edinburgh　University；　for　use　in　his　lectures　on　Natural　Philosophy。　　The　professor　had；　at　his　own　private　cost；　provided　a　complete　and　excellent　set　of　apparatus；　which；　for　excellent　workmanship　and　admirable　utility；　had　never；　I　believe；　been　provided　for　the　service　of　any　university。　He　was　so　pleased　with　my　addition　to　his　class…room　apparatus；　that；　besides　expressing　his　great　thanks　for　my　services；　he　most　handsomely　presented　me　with　a　free　ticket　to　his　Natural　Philosophy　class　as　a　regular　student；　so　long　as　it　suited　me　to　make　use　of　his　instruction。　But　far　beyond　this；　as　a　reward　for　my　earnest　endeavours　to　satisfy　this　truly　great　philosopher；　was　the　kindly　manner　in　which　he　on　all　occasions　communicated　to　me　conversationally　his　original　and　masterly　views　on　the　great　fundamental　principles　of　Natural　Philosophy　especially　as　regarded　the　principles　of　Dynamics　and　the　Philosophy　of　Mechanics。　The　clear　views　which　he　communicated　in　his　conversation；　as　well　as　in　his　admirable　lectures；　vividly　illustrated　by　the　experiments　which　he　had　originated；　proved　of　great　advantage　to　me；　and　I　had　every　reason　to　consider　his　friendship　and　his　teaching　as　amongst　the　most　important　elements　in　my　future　success　as　a　practical　engineer。

Having　referred　to　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts；　I　feel　it　necessary　to　say　something　about　the　origin　of　that　excellent　institution。　A　committee　of　the　most　distinguished　citizens　of　Edinburgh　was　formed　for　the　purpose　of　instituting　a　college　in　which　working　men　and　mechanics　might　possess　the　advantages　of　instruction　in　the　principles　on　which　their　various　occupations　were　conducted。　　Among　the　committee　were　Leonard　Horner；　Francis　Jeffrey；　Henry　Cockburn；　John　Murray　of　Henderland；　Alexander　Bryson；　James　Mline；　John　Miller；　the　Lord　Provost；　and　various　members　of　the　Council。　　Their　efforts　succeeded；　and　the　institution　was　founded。　　The　classes　were　opened　in　1821；　in　which　year　I　became　a　student。

In　order　to　supply　the　students；　who　were　chiefly　young　men　of　the　working　class；　with　sound　instruction　in　the　various　branches　of　science；　the　lectures　were　delivered　and　the　classes　were　superintended　by　men　of　established　ability　in　their　several　departments。　This　course　was　regularly　pursued　from　its　fundamental　and　elementary　principles　to　the　highest　point　of　scientific　instruction。　The　consecutive　lectures　and　examinations　extended；　as　in　the　University；　from　October　to　May　in　each　year's　session。　　It　was；　in　fact；　our　first　technical　college。　　In　these　later　days　when　so　many　of　our　so…called　Mechanics'　Institutes　are　merely　cheap　reading…clubs　for　the　middle　classes；　and　the　lectures　are　delivered　for　the　most　part　merely　for　a　pleasant　evening'　s　amusement；　it　seems　to　me　that　we　have　greatly　departed　from　the　original　design　with　which　Mechanics'　Institutions　were　founded。

As　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　was　intended　for　the　benefit　of　mechanics；　the　lectures　and　classes　were　held　in　the　evening　after　the　day's　work　was　over。　　The　lectures　on　chemistry　were　given　by　Dr。　Fyfe　an　excellent　man。　　His　clearness　of　style；　his　successful　experiments；　and　the　careful　and　graphic　method　by　which　he　carried　his　students　from　the　first　fundamental　principles　to　the　highest　points　of　chemical　science；　attracted　a　crowded　and　attentive　audience。　　Not　less　interesting　were　the　lectures　on　Mechanical　Philosophy；　which　in　my　time　were　delivered　by　Dr。　Lees　and　Mr。Buchanan。　　The　class　of　Geometry　and　Mathematics　was　equally　well　conducted；　though　the　attendance　was　not　so　great。

The　building　which　the　directors　had　secured　for　the　lecture…hall　and　class…rooms　of　the　institution　was　situated　at　the　lower　end　of　Niddry　Street；　nearly　under　the　great　arch　of　the　South　Bridge。　　It　had　been　built　about　a　hundred　years　before；　and　was　formerly　used　by　an　association　of　amateur　musicians；　who　gave　periodical　concerts　of　vocal　and　instrumental　music。　　The　orchestra　was　now　converted　into　a　noble　lecture　table；　with　accommodation　for　any　amount　of　apparatus　that　might　be　required　for　the　purposes　of　illustration。　　The　seats　were　arranged　in　the　body　of　the　hall　in　concentric　segments；　with　the　lecture　table　as　their　centre。　　In　an　alcove　fight　opposite　the　lecturer　might　often　be　seen　the　directors　of　the　institution　Jeffrey；　Horner；　Murray；　and　otherswho　took　every　opportunity　of　dignifying　by　their　presence　this　noble　gathering　of　earnest　and　intelligent　working　men。

A　library　of　scientific　books　was　soon　added　to　the　institution；　by　purchases　or　by　gifts。　　Such　was　the　eagerness　to　have　a　chance　of　getting　the　book　you　wanted　that　I　remember　standing　on　many　occasions　for　some　time　amidst　a　number　of　applicants　awaiting　the　opening　of　the　door　on　an　evening　library　night。　　It　was　as　crowded　as　if　I　had　been　standing　at　the　gallery　door　of　the　theatre　on　a　night　when　some　distinguished　star　from　London　was　about　to　make　his　appearance。　There　was　the　same　eagerness　to　get　a　good　place　in　the　lecture…room；　as　near　to　the　lecture　table　as　possible；　especially　on　the　chemistry　nights。

I　continued　my　regular　attendance　at　this　admirable　institution　from　1821　to　1826。　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　it　still　continues　in　active　operation。　　In　November　1880　the　number　of　students　attending　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　amounted　to　two　thousand　five　hundred！　　I　have　been　led　to　this　prolix　account　of　the　beginning　of　the　institution　by　the　feeling　that　I　owe　a　deep　debt　of　gratitude　to　it；　and　because　of　the　instructive　and　intellectually　enjoyable　evenings　which　I　spent　there；　in　fitting　myself　for　entering　upon　the　practical　work　of　my　life。

The　successful　establishment　of　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　had　a　considerable　effect　throughout　the　country。　　Similar　institutions　were　established；　lectures　were　delivered；　and　the　necessary　illustrations　were　acquiredabove　all；　the　working　models　of　the　steam…engine。　There　was　quite　a　run　upon　me　for　supplying　them。　　My　third　working　model　was　made　to　the　order　of　Robert　Bald；　for　the　purpose　of　being　presented　to　the　Alloa　Mechanics'　Institute；　the　fourth　was　manufactured　for　Mr。　G。　Buchanan；　who　lectured　on　mechanical　subjects　throughout　the　country；　and　the　fifth　was　supplied　to　a　Mr。　Offley；　an　English　gentleman　who　took　a　fancy　for　the　model　when　he　came　to　purchase　some　of　my　father's　works。

The　p