an autobiography-第48部分

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nued　his　professional　occupations　until　1840；　when　he　had　attained　the　age　of　eighty…two。　　His　later　works　may　be　found　wanting　in　that　degree　of　minute　finish　which　characterised　his　earlier　productions；　but　in　regard　to　their　quality　there　was　no　falling　off；　even　to　the　last　picture　which　he　painted。　The　delicate　finish　was　amply　compensated　by　the　increase　in　general　breadth　and　effectiveness；　so　that　his　later　works　were　even　more　esteemed　by　his　brother…artists。　　　The　last　picture　he　painted　was　finished　eight　days　before　his　death。　　It　was　a　small　work。　　The　subject　was　a　landscape　with　an　autumnal　evening　effect。　　There　was　a　picturesque　cottage　in　the　middle　distance；　a　rustic　bridge　over　a　brook　in　the　foreground；　and　an　old　labouring　man；　followed　by　his　dog；　wearily　passing　over　it　on　his　way　towards　his　home。　　From　the　chimney　of　his　cottage　a　thin　streak　of　blue　smoke　passed　upward　through　the　tranquil　evening　air。　All　these　incidents　suggested　the　idea；　which　no　doubt　he　desired　to　convey；　of　the　tranquil　conclusion　of　his　own　long　and　active　life；　which　was　then；　too　evidently；　drawing　to　a　close。　The　shades　of　evening　had　come　on　when　he　could　no　longer　see　to　work；　and　he　was　obliged　to　lay　down　his　pencil。　　My　mother　was　at　work　with　her　needle　close　by　him；　and　when　he　had　finished　he　asked　her　what　he　should　call　the　picture。　　Not　being　ready　with　an　answer；　he　leant　back　in　his　chair；　feeling　rather　faint；　and　said；　〃Well；　I　think　I　had　better　call　it　Going　Home。〃　　And　so　it　was　called。

Next　morning　his　strength　had　so　failed　him　that　he　could　not　get　up。　He　remained　there　for　eight　days；　and　then　he　painlessly　and　tranquilly　passed　away。　　While　on　his　deathbed　he　expressed　the　desire　that　his　remains　should　be　placed　beside　those　of　a　favourite　son　who　had　died　in　early　youth。　　〃Let　me　lie；〃　he　said；　〃beside　my　dear　Alick。〃　His　desire　was　gratified。　　He　was　buried　beside　his　son　in　St。　Cuthbert's　churchyard；　under　the　grandest　portion　of　the　great　basaltic　rock　on　which　Edinburgh　Castle　stands。　　His　grave　is　marked　by　a　fine　Runic　Cross；　admirably　sculptured　by　Rhind　of　Edinburgh。

＇Image＇　　Monument　to　Alexander　Nasmyth

One　of　the　kindest　letters　my　mother　received　after　her　great　loss　was　one　from　Sir　David　Wilkie。　　It　was　dated　18th　April　1840。　　〃I　hasten；〃　he　said；　〃to　assure　you　of　my　most　sincere　condolence　on　your　severe　affliction；　feeling　that　I　can　sympathise　in　the　privation　you　suffer　from　losing　one　who　was　my　earliest　professional　friend；　whose　art　I　at　all　times　admired；　and　whose　society　and　conversation　was　perhaps　the　most　agreeable　that　I　ever　met　with。　　〃　He　was　the　founder　of　the　Landscape　Painting　School　of　Scotland；　and　by　his　taste　and　talent　has　for　many　years　taken　a　lead　in　the　patriotic　aim　of　enriching　his　native　land　with　the　representations　of　her　romantic　scenery；　and；　as　the　friend　and　contemporary　of　Ramsay；　of　Gavin　Hamilton；　and　the　Runcimans；　may　be　said　to　have　been　the　last　remaining　link　that　unites　the　present　with　the　early　dawn　of　the　Scottish　School　of　Art。〃　I　may　add　that　my　mother　died　six　years　later；　in　1846；　at　the　same　age　as　my　father；　namely　eighty…two。


CHAPTER　13。　My　MarriageThe　Steam　Hammer

Before　I　proceed　to　narrate　the　later　events　of　my　industrial　life；　it　is　necessary　to　mention；　incidentally；　an　important　subject。　As　it　has　been　the　source　of　my　greatest　happiness　in　life；　I　cannot　avoid　referring　to　it。

I　may　first　mention　that　my　earnest　and　unremitting　pursuit　of　all　subjects　and　occupations；　such　as　I　conceived　were　essential　to　the　acquirement　of　a　sound　practical　knowledge　of　my　profession；　rendered　me　averse　to　mixing　much　in　general　society。　　I　had　accordingly　few　opportunities　of　enjoying　the　society　of　young　ladies。　　Nevertheless；　occasions　now　and　then　occurred　when　bright　beings　passed　before　me　like　meteors。　　They　left　impressions　on　my　memory；　which　in　no　small　degree　increased　the　earnestness　of　my　exertions　to　press　forward　in　my　endeavours　to　establish　myself　in　business；　and　thereby　acquire　the　means　of　forming　a　Home　of　my　own。

Many　circumstances；　however；　conspired　to　delay　the　ardently　longed　for　condition　of　my　means；　such　as　should　induce　me　to　solicit　some　dear　one　to　complete　my　existence　by　her　sweet　companionship；　and　enter　with　me　into　the　most　sacred　of　all　the　partnerships　of　life。　In　course　of　time　I　was　rewarded　with　that　success　which；　for　the　most　part；　ensues　upon　all　honourable　and　unremitting　business　efforts。　This　cheered　me　on；　although　there　were　still　many　causes　for　anxiety；　which　made　me　feel　that　I　must　not　yet　solicit　some　dear　heart　to　forsake　the　comforts　of　an　affluent　home　to　share　with　me　what　I　knew　must　for　some　years　to　come　be　an　anxious　and　trying　struggle　for　comfort　and　comparative　independence。　　I　had　reached　my　thirtieth　year　before　I　could　venture　to　think　that　I　had　securely　entered　upon　such　a　course　of　prosperity　as　would　justify　me　in　taking　this　the　most　important　step　in　life。

It　may　be　a　trite　but　not　the　less　true　remark　that　some　of　the　most　important　events　originate　in　apparently　chance　occurrences　and　circumstances；　which　lead　up　to　results　that　materially　influence　and　even　determine　the　subsequent　course　of　our　lives。　　I　had　occasion　to　make　a　business　journey　to　Sheffield　on　the　2d　of　March　1838；　and　also　to　attend　to　some　affairs　of　a　similar　character　at　York。　　As　soon　as　I　had　completed　my　engagement　at　Sheffield；　I　had　to　wait　for　more　than　two　dreary　hours　in　momentary　expectation　of　the　arrival　of　the　coach　that　was　to　take　me　on　to　York。　　The　coach　had　been　delayed　by　a　deep　fall　of　snow；　and　was　consequently　late。　　When　it　arrived；　I　found　that　there　was　only　one　outside　place　vacant；　so　I　mounted　to　my　seat。　It　was　a　very　dreary　afternoon；　and　the　snow　was　constantly　falling。

As　we　approached　Barnsley　I　observed；　in　the　remaining　murky　light　of　the　evening；　the　blaze　of　some　ironwork　furnaces　near　at　hand。　On　inquiring　whose　works　they　were；　I　was　informed　that　they　belonged　to　Earl　Fitzwilliam；　and　that　they　were　under　the　management　of　a　Mr。　Hartop。　　The　mention　of　this　name；　coupled　with　the　sight　of　the　ironworks；　brought　to　my　recollection　a　kind　invitation　which　Mr。　Hartop　had　given　me　while　visiting　my　workshop　in　Manchester　to　order　some　machine　tools；　that　it　I　ever　happened　to　be　in　his　neighbourhood；　he　would　be　most　happy　to　show　me　anything　that　was　interesting　about　the　ironworks　and　colliery　machinery　under　his　management。

I　at　once　decided　to　terminate　my　dreary　ride　on　the　top　of　the　coach。　I　descended；　and　with　my　small　valise　in　hand　I　trudged　over　some　trackless　snow…covered　fields；　and　made　my　way　by　the　shortest　cut　towards　the　blazing　iron　furnaces。　　On　reaching　them　I　was　informed　that　Mr。　Hartop　had　just　gone　to　his　house；　which　was　about　a　mile　distant。　　I　accordingly　made　my　way　thither　the　best　that　I　could　through　the　deep　snow。　　I　met　with　a　cordial　welcome；　and　with　the　hospitable　request　that　I　should　take　up　my　quarters　there　for　the　night；　and　have　a　round　of　the　ironworks　and　the　machinery　on　the　following　day。　　I　cheerfully　acceded　to　the　kind　invitation。　I　was　then　introduced　to　his　wife　and　daughter　in　a　cosy　room；　where　I　spent　a　most　pleasant　evening。　　As　Mr。　Hartop　was　an　enthusiast　in　all　matters　relating　to　mechanism　and　mechanical　engineering　subjects　generally；　we　found　plenty　to　converse　about；　while　his　wife　and　daughter；　at　their　needlework；　listened　to　our　discussions　with　earnest　and　intelligent　attention。

On　the　following　day　I　was　taken　a　round　of　the　ironworks；　and　inspected　their　machinery；　as　well　as　that　of　the　collieries；　in　the　details　of　which　Mr。　Hartop　had　introduced　many　common…sense　and　most　effective　improvements。　　All　of　these　interested　me；　and　gave　me　much　pleasure。　　In　the　evening　we　resumed　our　〃cracks〃　on　many　subjects　of　mutual　interest。　　The　daughter　joined　in　our　conversation　with　the　most　intelligent　remarks；　for；　although　only　in　her　twenty…first　year；　she　had　evidently　made　good　use　of　her　time；　aided　by　her　clear　natural　faculties　of　shrewd　observation。　　Mr。　Hartop　having　met　with　some　serious　reverse　of　fortune；　owing　to　the　very　unsatisfactory　conduct　of　a　partner；　had　in　a　manner　to　begin　business　life　again　on　his　own　account；　and　although　he　had　to　reduce　his　domestic　establishment　considerably　in　consequence；　there　was　in　all　its　arrangements　a　degree　of　neatness　and　perfect　systematic　order；　combined　with　many　evidences　of　elegant　taste　and　good　sense　which　pervaded　the　whole；　that　enhanced　in　no　small　degree　the　attractiveness　of　the　household。　　The　chief　of　these；　however；　was　to　me　their　daughter　Anne！　　I　soon　perceived　in　her；　most　happily　and　attractively　combined；　all　the　conditions　that　I　could　hope　for　and　desire　to　meet　with　in　the　dear　partner　of　my　existence。

As　I　had　soon　to　proceed　on　my　journey；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　telling　her　what　I　felt　and　thought；　and　so　ardently　desired　in　regard　to　our　future　intercourse。　　What　little　I　did　say　was　to　this　great　purpose；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　all　that　I　said　was　received　in　the　best　spirit　that　I　could　desire。　　I　then　communicated　my　hopes　and　wishes　to　the　parents。　　I　explained　to　them　my