an autobiography-第47部分

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ey　gave　three　hearty　cheers；　and　dispersed　throughout　the　workshops。

We　had　no　reason　to　regret　the　results　which　were　effected　through　the　strike　ordered　by　the　Trades'　Union。　　The　new　men　worked　with　a　will。　They　were　energetic；　zealous；　and　skilful。　　They　soon　gave　evidence　of　their　general　handiness　and　efficiency　in　all　the　departments　of　work　in　which　they　were　engaged。　　We　were　thus　enabled　to　carry　out　our　practice　of　Free　Trade　in　Ability　in　our　own　way；　and　we　were　no　longer　interfered　with　in　our　promotion　of　workmen　who　served　us　best。　In　short；　we　had　scotched　the　strike；　we　conquered　the　Union　in　their　wily　attempt　to　get　us　under　their　withering　control；　and　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　resumed　its　wonted　activity　in　every　department。

It　was　afterwards　a　great　source　of　happiness　to　me　to　walk　through　the　various　workshops　and　observe　the　cheerful　and　intelligent　countenances　of　the　new　men；　and　to　note　the　energetic　skill　with　which　they　used　their　tools　in　the　advancement　of　their　work。　　General　handiness　is　one　of　the　many　valuable　results　that　issues　from　the　practice　of　handling　the　variety　of　materials　which　are　more　or　less　employed　in　mechanical　structures。　　At　the　time　that　I　refer　to；　the　skilful　workmen　employed　in　the　engineering　establishments　of　Scotland　（which　were　then　comparatively　small　in　size）　were　accustomed　to　use　all　manner　of　mechanical　tools。　　They　could　handle　with　equally　good　effect　the　saw；　the　plane；　the　file；　and　the　chisel；　and；　as　occasion　required；　they　could　exhibit　their　skill　at　the　smith's　forge　with　the　hammer　and　the　anvil。　　This　was　the　kind　of　workmen　with　which　I　had　reinforced　the　foundry。　　The　men　had　been　bred　to　various　branches　of　mechanics。　Some　had　been　blacksmiths；　others　carpenters；　stone　masons；　brass　or　iron　founders；　but　all　of　them　were　handy　men。　　They　merely　adopted　the　occupation　of　machine　and　steam…engine　makers　because　it　offered　a　wider　field　for　the　exercise　of　their　skill　and　energy。

I　may　here　be　allowed　to　remark　that　we　owe　the　greatest　advances　in　mechanical　invention　to　Free　Trade　in　Ability。　　If　we　look　carefully　into　the　narratives　of　the　lives　of　the　most　remarkable　engineers；　we　shall　find　that　they　owed　very　little　to　the　seven　years'　rut　in　which　they　were　trained。　　They　owed　everything　to　innate　industry；　energy；　skill；　and　opportunity。　　Thus；　Brindley　advanced　from　the　position　of　a　millwright　to　that　of　a　canal　engineer；　Smeaton　and　Watt；　from　being　mathematical　instrument　makers；　advanced　to　higher　positions；the　one　to　be　the　inventor　of　the　modern　lighthouse；　the　other　to　be　the　inventor　of　the　condensing　steam…engine。　Some　of　the　most　celebrated　mechanical　and　civil　engineerssuch　as　Rennie；　Cubitt；　and　Fairbairnwere　originally　millwrights。　All　these　men　were　many…handed。　　They　had　many　sides　to　their　intellect。　They　were　resourceful　men。　　They　afford　the　best　illustrations　of　the　result　of　Free　Trade　in　Ability。

The　persistent　aim　at　an　indolent　equality　which　Union　men　aim　at；　is　one　of　the　greatest　hindrances　to　industrial　progress。　When　the　Union　Delegates　called　upon　me　to　insist　that　none　but　men　who　had　served　seven　years'　apprenticeship　should　be　employed　in　the　works；　I　told　them　that　I　preferred　employing　a　man　who　had　acquired　the　requisite　mechanical　skill　in　two　years　rather　than　another　who　was　so　stupid　as　to　require　seven　years'　teaching。　　The　delegates　regarded　this　statement　as　preposterous　and　heretical。　　In　fact；　it　was　utter　high　treason。　　But　in　the　long　run　we　carried　our　point。

It　is　true；　we　had　some　indenture…bound　apprentices。　　These　were　pupils　who　paid　premiums。　　In　certain　cases　we　could　not　very　well　refuse　to　take　them。　　Some　of　them　caused　a　great　deal　of　annoyance　and　disturbance。　　They　were　irregular　in　their　attendance；　consequently　they　could　not　be　depended　upon　for　the　regular　operations　of　the　foundry。　　They　were　careless　in　their　work；　and　set　a　bad　example　to　the　others。　　We　endeavoured　to　check　this　disturbing　element　by　stipulating　that　the　premium　should　be　payable　in　six　months'　portions；　and　that　each　party　should　be　free　to　terminate　the　connection　at　the　end　of　each　succeeding　six　months。　　By　this　system　we　secured　more　care　and　regularity　on　the　part　of　the　pupil　apprentices；　as；　while　it　checked　inattention　and　irregularity；　it　offered　a　direct　and　substantial　encouragement　to　zeal　and　industry。

But　the　arrangement　which　we　greatly　preferred　was　to　employ　intelligent　well…conducted　young　lads；　the　sons　of　labourers　or　mechanics；　and　advance　them　by　degrees　according　to　their　merits。　They　took　charge　of　the　smaller　machine　tools；　by　which　the　minor　details　of　the　machines　in　progress　were　brought　into　exact　form　without　having　recourse　to　the　untrustworthy　and　costly　process　of　chipping　and　filing。　　A　spirit　of　emulation　was　excited　amongst　the　lads。　　They　vied　with　each　other　in　executing　their　work　with　precision。　　Those　who　excelled　were　paid　an　extra　weekly　wage。　In　course　of　time　they　took　pride；　not　only　in　the　quantity　but　in　the　quality　of　their　work；　and　in　the　long　run　they　became　skilful　mechanics。　　We　were　always　most　prompt　to　recognise　their　progress　in　a　substantial　manner。　　There　was　the　most　perfect　freedom　between　employer　and　employed。　　Every　one　of　these　lads　was　at　liberty　to　leave　at　the　end　of　each　day's　work。　　This　arrangement　acted　as　an　ever…present　check　upon　master　and　apprentice。　　The　only　bond　of　union　between　us　was　mutual　interest。　　The　best　of　the　lads　remained　in　our　service　because　they　knew　our　work　and　were　pleased　with　the　surroundings；　while　we　on　our　part　were　always　desirous　of　retaining　the　men　we　had　trained；　because　we　knew　we　could　depend　upon　them。　Nothing　could　have　been　more　satisfactory　than　the　manner　in　which　this　system　worked。

In　May　1835　I　had　the　great　happiness　of　receiving　a　visit　from　my　dear　father。　　I　was　then　in　Dale　Street；　Manchester；　where　my　floor　was　overloaded　with　the　work　in　progress。　　My　father　continued　to　take　a　great　interest　in　mechanical　undertakings；　and　he　was　pleased　with　the　prosperity　which　had　followed　my　settlement　in　this　great　manufacturing　centre。　　He　could　still　see　his　own　lathe；　driven　by　steam　power；　in　full　operation　for　the　benefit　of　his　son。　　His　fame　as　an　artist　was　well　known　in　Manchester；　for　many　of　his　works　were　possessed　by　the　best　men　of　the　town。　　I　had　the　pleasure　of　introducing　him　to　the　Brothers　Grant；　John　Kennedy；　Edward　Lloyd；　George　Murray；　James　Frazer；　William　Fairbairn；　and　Hugh　and　Joseph　Birley；　all　of　whom　gave　him　a　most　cordial　welcome；　and　invited　him　to　enjoy　their　hospitality。

＇Image＇　　Alexander　Nasmyth。　　After　a　cameo　by　Samuel　Joseph

In　1838　he　visited　me　again。　　I　had　removed　to　Patricroft；　and　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　was　in　full　operation。　　My　father　was　then　in　his　eightieth　year。　　He　was　still　full　of　life　and　intellect。　He　was　vastly　delighted　in　witnessing　the　rapid　progress　which　I　had　made　since　his　first　visit。　　He　took　his　daily　walk　through　the　workshops；　where　many　processes　were　going　on　which　greatly　interested　him。　　He　was　sufficiently　acquainted　with　the　technical　details　of　mechanical　work　to　enjoy　the　sight；　especially　when　self…acting　tools　were　employed。　　It　was　a　great　source　of　pleasure　to　him　to　have　〃a　crack〃　with　the　most　intelligent　foremen　and　mechanics。　　These；　on　their　part；　treated　him　with　the　most　kind　and　respectful　attention。　The　Scotch　workmen　regarded　him　with　special　veneration。　　They　knew　that　he　had　been　an　intimate　friend　of　Robert　Burns；　their　own　best…beloved　poet；　whose　verses　shed　a　charm　upon　their　homes；　and　were　recited　by　the　fireside；　in　the　fields；　or　at　the　workman's　bench。

They　also　knew　that　he　had　painted　the　only　authentic　portrait　of　their　national　bard。　　This　fact　invested　my　father　with　additional　interest　in　their　eyes。　　Their　respect　for　him　culminated　in　a　rather　extraordinary　demonstration。　　On　the　last　day　of　his　visit　the　leading　Scotch　workmen　procured　〃on　the　sly〃　an　arm…chair；　which　they　fastened　to　two　strong　bearing　poles。　　When　my　father　left　the　works　at　the　bell…ringing　at　mid…day；　he　was　approached　by　the　workmen；　and　respectfully　requested　to　〃take　the　chair。〃　　He　refused；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　　He　was　led　to　the　chair；　and　took　it。　　He　was　then　raised　and　carried　in　triumph　to　my　house。　　He　was　carefully　set　down　at　the　little　garden…gate；　where　the　men　affectionately　took　leave　of　him；　and　ended　their　cordial　good　wishes　for　his　safe　return　home　with　three　hearty　cheers。　　I　need　scarcely　say　that　my　father　was　greatly　affected　by　this　kind　demonstration　on　the　part　of　the　workmen。

His　life　was　fast　drawing　to　a　close。　　He　had　borne　the　heat　and　burden　of　the　day；　and　was　about　to　be　taken　home　like　a　shock　of　corn　in　full　season。　　After　a　long　and　happy　life；　blessed　and　cheered　by　a　most　affectionate　wife；　he　laid　down　his　brushes　and　went　to　rest。　In　his　later　years　he　rejoiced　in　the　prosperity　of　his　children；　which　was　all　the　more　agreeable　as　it　was　the　result　of　the　example　of　industry　and　perseverance　which　he　had　ever　set　before　them。　My　father　untiringly　continued　his　professional　occupations　until　1840；　when　he　had　attained　the　age　of　eighty…two。　　His　later