an autobiography-第58部分

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gave　them　all　a　very　wide　berth。　But　worst　of　all　are　the　men　who　get　their　employment　through　parliamentary　influence。　　They　are　a　detestable　set。　　They　always　have　some　〃grievance〃　to　pester　people　about。　　I　hope　things　are　better　now。

I　may　add；　with　respect　to　the　steam　hammer　pile…driving　machines；　that　I　received　an　order　for　two　of　them　from　Mohammed　Ali；　the　Pasha　of　Egypt。　　These　were　required　for　driving　the　piles　in　that　great　work　the　barrage　of　the　Nile　near　Cairo。　　The　good　services　of　these　machines　so　pleased　the　Pasha　that　he　requested　us　to　receive　three　selected　Arab　men　into　our　works。　　He　asked　that　they　should　have　the　opportunity　of　observing　the　machinery　processes　and　the　system　of　management　of　an　English　engineering　factory。　　The　object　of　the　Pasha　was　that　the　men　should　return　to　Egypt　and　there　establish　an　engine　manufactory；　so　as　to　render　him　in　a　measure　independent　of　foreign　help。　　For　British　workmen；　when　imported　into　Egypt；　had　a　great　tendency　to　degenerate　when　removed　from　the　wholesome　stimulus　to　exertion　in　competition　with　their　fellows。

My　firm　had　no　objection　to　the　introduction　of　the　Arab　workmen。　Accordingly；　one　day　we　received　a　visit　from　an　excellent　Egyptian　officer；　Edim　Bey；　accompanied　by　his　secretary　Rushdi　Effendi；　who　spoke　English　fluently。　　He　thus　made　our　interview　with　the　Bey　easy　and　agreeable。　　He　conveyed　to　us；　in　the　most　courteous　manner；　the　wishes　of　the　Pasha；　and　the　three　workmen　were　at　once　received。　Every　opportunity　was　given　them　to　observe　and　understand　the　works　going　forward。　　They　were　intelligent…looking　young　men；　about　twenty…five　years　of　age。　　One　of　them　was　especially　bright　looking；　quick　in　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　and　active　in　his　manner；　His　name　was　Affiffi　Lalli；　the　names　of　the　others　I　forget。

These　young　men　were　placed　under　charge　of　the　foremen　of　the　departments　that　each　fancied　to　be　most　to　his　taste。　　Affiffi　was　placed　in　the　fitting　department；　in　which　skilful　manipulation　was　required。　　He　exhibited　remarkable　aptitude；　and　was　soon　able　to　hold　his　own　alongside　of　our　best　workmen。　　Another　was　set　to　the　turning　department；　and　did　fairly　well。　　The　third　was　placed　in　the　foundry；　where　he　soon　became　efficient　in　moulding　and　casting　brass　and　iron　work。　　He　lent　a　hand　all　round；　and　picked　up　a　real　practical　knowledge　of　the　various　work　in　his　department。　　During　their　sojourn　in　our　works　they　became　friendly　with　their　colleagues；　and　in　fact　became　quite　favourites　with　the　men；　who　were　always　willing　to　help　them。　　But　Affiffi　Lalli　was　regarded　as　the　genius　of　the　trio。　He　showed　a　marked　and　intelligent　aptitude　for　acquiring　technical　skill　in　all　the　branches　of　our　business。

After　remaining　with　us　for　about　four　years　they　were　ready　to　return　to　Cairo；　and　show　what　they　had　learned　in　practical　and　technical　mechanical　knowledge　during　their　stay　in　England。　　The　three　Arab　workmen　were　placed　in　their　suitable　departments　in　the　Pasha's　work　shops。　　But　such　was　the　natural　energy　of　Affiffi；　that　when　he　was　set　to　work　beside　the　slow；　dilatory；　and　stupid　native　workmen；　he　became　greatly　irritated。　　The　contrast　between　the　active　energetic　movements　which　he　had　seen　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　and　the　ineffective；　blundering；　and　untechnical　work　of　his　fellows　was　such　that　he　could　not　stand　it　any　longer。　　So　one　fine　day　he　disappeared　from　the　works；　took　refuge　on　board　a　British　steamer；　and　at　the　risk　of　his　neck　made　his　way　back　to　the　Bridgewater　Foundry！

As　we　were　reluctant　to　take　back　a　man　who　had　escaped　from　the　Pasha's　employmentexcellent　workman　though　he　waswe　declined　to　employ　him。　　But　I　gave　Affiffi　a　note　of　introduction　to　Boulton　and　Watt　of　Soho；　Birmingham；　and　there　he　was　employed。　　He　afterwards　passed　into　other　firms；　and　having　employed　his　skill　in　making　some　needle　machinery　at　Redditch；　he　settled　down　there。　　He　married　a　Warwickshire　lass；　and　had　a　familyhalf　Arab；　half　English　and　has　now　a　thriving　foundry　and　engineer　workshop　of　his　own。　This　little　narrative　shows　that　the　Arab　has　still　much　of　the　wonderful　energy　and　skill　that　once　made　the　Moors　masters　of　a　large　part　of　South…Western　Europe。

We　had　many　visitors　at　the　foundryfrom　London；　from　the　manufacturing　districts；　and　from　foreign　countries。　One　day　a　young　gentleman　presented　a　letter　from　Michael　Faraday；　dated　〃Royal　Institution；　29th　May　1847；〃　requesting　me　to　pay　him　some　attention　and　show　him　round　the　works。　　I　did　so　with　all　my　heart；　and　wrote　to　Mr。　Faraday　intimating　how　much　pleasure　it　gave　me　to　serve　him　in　any　respect。　　I　cannot　refrain　from　giving　his　answer。　He　said：

〃MY　DEAR　SIRThat　you　should　both　show　kindness　to　the　bearer　of　my　letter；　and　prove　that　you　did　so　with　pleasure　by　writing　me　a　letter　in　return；　was　indeed　more　than　I　ought　or　could　have　expected；　but　it　was　very　gratifying　and　pleasant　to　my　mind。　　I　only　wish　that　the　circumstances　of　my　life　were　such　as　to　enable　me　to　take　advantage　of　such　goodwill　on　your　part；　and　to　be　more　in　your　company　and　conversation　than　is　at　present　possible。

〃I　could　imagine　great　pleasure　from　such　a　condition　of　things；　but　though　our　desires；　and　even　our　hopes　at　times　spread　out　beforehand　over　a　large　extent；　it　is　wonderful　how；　as　the　future　becomes　the　present；　the　circumstances　that　surround　us　limit　the　sphere　to　which　our　real　life　is　circumscribed　If　ever　I　come　your　way　I　hope　to　see　your　face；　and　the　hope　is　pleasant；　though　the　reality　may　never　arrive。

〃You　tell　me　of　the　glorious　work　of　your　pile…driver；　and　it　must　be　indeed　a　great　pleasure　to　witness　the　result。　　Is　it　not　Shakespeare　who　says；　'The　pleasure　we　delight　in　physics　pain'？　　In　all　your　fatigue　and　labour　you　must　have　this　pleasure　in　abundance；　and　a　most　delightful　and　healthy　enjoyment　it　is。　　I　shall　rejoice　to　see　some　day　a　blow　of　the　driver　and　a　tap　of　the　hammer。

〃You　speak　of　some　experiments　on　hardening　and　tempering　steel　in　which　we　can　help　you。　　I　hope　when　you　do　come　to　town　you　will　let　us　have　the　pleasure　of　doing　so。　　Our　apparatus；　such　as　it　is；　shall　be　entirely　at　your　service。　　I　made；　a　long　while　ago；　a　few　such　experiments　on　steel　wire；　but　could　eliminate　no　distinct　or　peculiar　results。　　You　will　know　how　to　look　at　things；　and　at　your　hand　I　should　expect　much。

〃Here　we　are　just　lecturing　away；　and　I　am　too　tired　to　attempt　anything；　much　less　to　do　anything　just　now；　but　the　goodwill　of　such　men　as　you　is　a　great　stimulus；　and　will；　I　trust　even　with　me；　produce　something　else　praiseworthy。

Ever；　my　dear　Nasmyth；　yours　most　truly；　　　M。　FARADAY。〃


CHAPTER　16。　　NurembergSt。　PetersburgDannemora。

In　the　autumn　of　1842　I　had　occasion　to　make　a　journey　to　Nuremberg　in　company　with　my　partner　Mr。　Gaskell。　　We　had　been　invited　to　a　conference　with　the　directors　of　the　Nuremberg　and　Munich　Railroad　as　to　the　supply　of　locomotives　for　working　their　line。　　As　this　was　rather　an　important　and　extensive　transaction；　we　thought　it　better　not　to　trust　to　correspondence；　but　to　see　the　directors　on　the　spot。　We　found　that　there　were　several　riskful　conditions　attached　to　the　proposed　contract；　which　we　considered　it　imprudent　to　agree　to。　We　had　afterwards　good　reason　to　feel　satisfied　that　we　had　not　yielded　to　the　very　tempting　commercial　blandishments　that　were　offered　to　us；　but　that　we　refrained　from　undertaking　an　order　that　required　so　many　important　modifications。

Nevertheless；　I　was　exceedingly　delighted　with　the　appearance　of　the　city　of　Nuremberg。　　It　carries　one　back　to　the　mediaeval　times！　The　architecture；　even　of　the　ordinary　houses；　is　excellent。　St。　Lawrence；　St。　Sebald's；　and　the　Frauenkirche；　are　splendid　specimens　of　Gothic　design。　　The　city　is　surrounded　by　old　walls　and　turrets；　by　ramparts　and　bastions；　enclosed　by　a　ditch　faced　with　masonry。　Very　few　cities　have　so　well　escaped　the　storm　of　war　and　sieges　in　the　Middle　Ages；　and　even　in　modern　times。　　Everything　has　been　carefully　preserved；　and　many　of　the　best　houses　are　still　inhabited　by　the　families　whose　forefathers　originally　constructed　them。　　But　〃progress〃　is　beginning　to　affect　Nuremberg。　　It　is　the　centre　of　railways；　buildings　are　extending　in　all　directions；　tram…cars　are　running　in　the　streets；　and　before　long；　I　fear；　the　ditch　will　be　filled　up；　the　surrounding　picturesque　walls　and　towers　demolished；　and　the　city　thrown　open　to　the　surrounding　country。

I　visited　the　house　of　Albert　Durer；　one　of　the　greatest　artists　who　ever　lived。　　He　was　a　man　of　universal　geniusa　painter；　sculptor；　engraver；　mathematician；　and　engineer。　　He　was　to　Germany　what　Leonardo　da　Vinci　was　to　Italy。　　His　house　is　wonderfully　preserved。　You　see　his　entrance　hall；　his　exhibition　room；　his　bedroom；　his　studio；　and　the　opening　into　which　his　wifethat　veritable　Xantippe　thrust　the　food　that　was　to　sustain　him　during　his　solitary　hours　of　labour。　　I　saw　his　grave；　too；　in　the　old　churchyard　beyond　the　Thiergarten　gate。　　I　saw　the　bronze　plate　commemorating　the　day　of　his　death。　　〃Emigravit　8　idus　Aprilis　1528。〃　　〃Emigravit〃　only；　for　the　true　artist　never　dies。　　Hans　Sachs's　grave