an autobiography-第34部分

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ht　of　some　of　the　most　remarkable　manufacturing　establishments。　　Mr。　Tootal　was　as　good　as　his　word。　　He　received　me　most　cordially；　and　at　once　proceeded　to　take　me　to　the　extensive　machine　factory　of　Messrs。　Sharp；　Roberts；　and　Co。　　I　found　to　my　delight　that　a　considerable　portion　of　the　establishment　was　devoted　to　the　production　of　machine　tools；　a　department　of　mechanical　business　then　rising　into　the　highest　importance。　　Mr。　Roberts；　an　admirable　mechanic　as　well　as　inventor；　had　derived　many　of　his　ideas　on　the　subject　while　working　with　Mr。　Maudslay　in　London；　and　he　had　carried　them　out　with　many　additions　and　improvements　of　his　own　contrivance。　　Indeed；　Roberts　was　one　of　the　most　capable　men　of　his　time；　and　is　entitled　to　be　regarded　as　one　of　the　true　pioneers　of　modern　mechanical　mechanism。

Through　the　kindness　of　Mr。　Tootal　I　had　also　the　opportunity　of　visiting　and　inspecting　some　of　the　most　extensive　cotton　mills　in　Manchester。　　I　was　greatly　pleased　with　the　beautiful　contrivances　displayed　in　the　machinery。　　They　were　perfect　examples　of　the　highest　order　of　ingenuity；　combined　with　that　kind　of　common…sense　which　casts　aside　all　mere　traditional　forms　and　arrangements　of　parts；　such　as　do　not　essentially　contribute　to　the　efficiency　of　the　machine　in　the　performance　of　its　special　and　required　purpose。　　I　found　much　to　admire　in　the　design　as　well　as　in　the　execution　of　the　details　of　the　machines。

The　arrangement　and　management　of　the　manufactories　were　admirable。　The　whole　of　the　buildings；　howsoever　extensive　and　apparently　complicated；　worked　like　one　grand　and　perfectly　constructed　machine。

I　was　also　much　impressed　by　the　keen　interest　which　the　proprietors　of　these　vast　establishments　took　in　the　minute　details　of　their　machinery；　as　well　as　by　their　intelligent　and　practical　acquaintance　with　the　technical　minutiae　of　their　business。　　Although　many　of　them　were　men　of　fortune；　they　continued　to　take　as　deep　an　interest　in　such　matters　as　if　they　were　beginning　life　and　had　their　fortunes　still　to　make。　　Their　chief　ambition　was　to　be　at　the　head　of　a　thoroughly　well…managed　and　prosperous　establishment。　　No　detail；　be　it　ever　so　small；　was　beneath　their　care　and　attention。　　To　a　young　man　like　myself；　then　about　to　enter　upon　a　similar　career　of　industry；　these　lessons　were　very　important。　　They　were　encouraging　examples　of　carefully　thought　out　designs；　carried　into　admirable　results　by　close　attention　to　details；　ever　watchful　carefulness；　and　indomitable　perseverance。　　I　brooded　over　these　circumstances；　They　filled　my　mind　with　hope。　　They　encouraged　me　to　go　on　in　the　path　which　I　had　selected；　and　I　believed　that　at　some　time　or　other　I　might　be　enabled　to　imitate　the　examples　of　zeal　and　industry　which　I　had　witnessed　during　my　stay　in　Manchester。　　It　was　then　that　I　bethought　me　of　settling　down　in　this　busy　neighbourhood；　and　as　I　plodded　my　way　back　to　London　this　thought　continually　occupied　me。　It　took　root　in　my　mind　and　grew；　and　at　length　the　idea　became　a　reality。

I　did　not　take　the　shortest　route　on　my　return　journey　to　London。　I　desired　to　pass　through　the　most　interesting　and　picturesque　places　without　unduly　diverging　from　the　right　direction。　　I　wished　to　see　the　venerable　buildings　and　cathedrals　of　the　olden　time；　as　well　as　the　engineering　establishments　of　the　new。　　Notwithstanding　my　love　for　mechanics　I　still　retained　a　spice　of　the　antiquarian　feeling。　It　enabled　me　to　look　back　to　the　remote　past；　into　the　material　records　of　man's　efforts　hundreds　of　years　ago；　and　contrast　them　with　the　modern　progress　of　arts　and　sciences。　　I　was　especially　interested　in　the　architecture　of　bygone　ages；　but　here；　alas！　arts　and　sciences　have　done　nothing。　　Modern　Gothic　architecture　is　merely　an　imitation　of　the　old；　and　often　a　very　bad　imitation。　　Even　ancient　domestic　architecture　is　much　superior　to　the　modern。　　We　can　now　only　imitate　it；　and　often　spoil　when　imitating。

I　left　Manchester　and　turned　my　steps　in　the　direction　of　Coalbrookdale。　I　passed　through　a　highly　picturesque　country；　in　which　I　enjoyed　the　sight　of　many　old　timber　houses；　most　attractive　subjects　for　my　pencil。　My　route　lay　through　Whitchurch；　Wem；　and　Wellington；　then　past　the　Wrekin　to　Coalbrookdale。　　Before　arriving　there　I　saw　the　first　iron　bridge　constructed　in　England；　an　object　of　historical　interest　in　that　class　of　structures。　　It　was　because　of　the　superb　quality　of　the　castings　produced　at　Coalbrookdale　that　the　ironmasters　there　were　able　to　accomplish　the　building　of　a　bridge　of　that　material；　which　before　had　baffled　all　projectors　both　at　home　and　abroad

I　possessed　a　letter　of　introduction　to　the　manager；　and　was　received　by　him　most　cordially。　　He　permitted　me　to　examine　the　works。　I　was　greatly　interested　at　the　sight　of　the　processes　of　casting。　Many　beautiful　objects　were　turned　out　for　architectural；　domestic；　and　other　purposes。　　I　saw　nothing　particularly　novel；　however；　in　the　methods　and　processes　of　moulding　and　casting。

The　excellence　of　the　work　depended　for　the　most　part　upon　the　great　care　and　skill　exercised　by　the　workmen　of　the　foundry。　　They　seemed　to　vie　with　each　other　in　turning　out　the　best　castings；　and　their　models　or　patterns　were　made　with　the　utmost　care。　　I　was　particularly　impressed　with　the　cheerful　zeal　and　activity　of　the　workmen　and　foremen　of　this　justly　celebrated　establishment。

On　leaving　Coalbrookdale　I　trudged　my　way　towards　Wolverhampton。　I　rested　at　Shiffnal　for　the　night。　　Next　day　I　was　in　the　middle　of　the　Black　Country。　　I　had　no　letters　of　introduction　to　employers　in　Wolverhampton；　so　that；　without　stopping　there；　I　proceeded　at　once　to　Dudley。　　The　Black　Country　is　anything　but　picturesque。　　The　earth　seems　to　have　been　turned　inside　out。　　Its　entrails　are　strewn　about；　nearly　the　entire　surface　of　the　ground　is　covered　with　cinder…heaps　and　mounds　of　scoriae。　　The　coal　which　has　been　drawn　from　below　ground　is　blazing　on　the　surface。　　The　district　is　crowded　with　iron　furnaces；　puddling　furnaces；　and　coal…pit　engine　furnaces。　　By　day　and　by　night　the　country　is　glowing　with　fire；　and　the　smoke　of　the　ironworks　hovers　over　it。　　There　is　a　rumbling　and　clanking　of　iron　forges　and　rolling　mills。　　Workmen　covered　with　smut；　and　with　fierce　white　eyes；　are　seen　moving　about　amongst　the　glowing　iron　and　the　dull　thud　of　forge…hammers。　Amidst　these　flaming；　smoky；　clanging　works；　I　beheld　the　remains　of　what　had　once　been　happy　farmhouses；　now　ruined　and　deserted。　The　ground　underneath　them　had　sunk　by　the　working　out　of　the　coal；　and　they　were　falling　to　pieces。　　They　had　in　former　times　been　surrounded　by　clumps　of　trees；　but　only　the　skeletons　of　them　remained；　dead；　black；　and　leafless。　　The　grass　had　been　parched　and　killed　by　the　vapours　of　sulphurous　acid　thrown　out　by　the　chimneys；　and　every　herbaceous　object　was　of　a　ghastly　graythe　emblem　of　vegetable　death　in　its　saddest　aspect。　　Vulcan　had　driven　out　Ceres。　　In　some　places　I　heard　a　sort　of　chirruping　sound；　as　of　some　forlorn　bird　haunting　the　ruins　of　the　old　farmsteads。　　But　no！　the　chirrup　was　a　vile　delusion。　　It　proceeded　from　the　shrill　creaking　of　the　coal…winding　chains；　which　were　placed　in　small　tunnels　beneath　the　hedgeless　road。

I　went　into　some　of　the　forges　to　see　the　workmen　at　their　labours。　There　was　no　need　of　introduction；　the　works　were　open　to　all；　for　they　were　unsurrounded　by　walls。　　I　saw　the　white…hot　iron　run　out　from　the　furnace；　I　saw　it　spun；　as　it　were；　into　bars　and　iron　ribbands；　with　an　ease　and　rapidity　which　seemed　marvellous。　　There　were　also　the　ponderous　hammers　and　clanking　rolling…mills。　　I　wandered　from　one　to　another　without　restraint。　　I　lingered　among　the　blast　furnaces；　seeing　the　flood　of　molten　iron　run　out　from　time　to　time；　and　remained　there　until　it　was　late。　　When　it　became　dark　the　scene　was　still　more　impressive。　　The　workmen　within　seemed　to　be　running　about　amidst　the　flames　as　in　a　pandemonium；　while　around　and　outside　the　horizon　was　a　glowing　belt　of　fire；　making　even　the　stars　look　pale　and　feeble。　At　last　I　came　away　with　reluctance；　and　made　my　way　towards　Dudley。　I　reached　the　town　at　a　late　hour。　　I　was　exhausted　in　mind　and　body；　yet　the　day　had　been　most　interesting　and　exciting。　　A　sound　sleep　refreshed　me；　and　I　was　up　in　the　morning　early；　to　recommence　my　journey　of　inquiry；

I　made　my　way　to　the　impressive　ruins　of　Dudley　Castle；　the　remnant　of　a　very　ancient　stronghold；　originally　built　by　Dud；　the　Saxon。　The　castle　is　situated　on　a　finely　wooded　hill；　it　is　so　extensive　that　it　more　resembles　the　ruins　of　a　town　than　of　a　single　building。　You　enter　through　a　treble　gateway；　and　see　the　remnants　of　the　moat；　the　court；　and　the　keep。　　Here　are　the　central　hall；　the　guard；　rooms；　and　the　chapel。　　It　must　have　been　a　magnificent　structure。　　In　the　Midlands　it　was　known　as　the　〃Castle　of　the　Woods〃　Now　it　is　abandoned　by　its　owners；　and　surrounded　by　the　Black　Country。　　It　is　undermined　by　collieries；　and　even　penetrated　by　a　canal。　　The　castle　walls　sometimes　tremble　when　a　blast　occurs　in　the　bowels　of　the　mountain　beneath。　　The　town　of　Dudley　lies　quite　close　to　the　castle；　and　was　doubtless　protecte