an autobiography-第76部分

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　while　molten　iron　was　being　conveyed　from　the　blast　furnace　to　a　finery；　there　to　be　refined　in　the　ordinary　way　prior　to　puddling。

〃I　then　tried　steam　in　my　cast　steel　process；　alone；　and　also　mixed　with　air。　　I　found　that　it　cooled　the　metal　very　much；　and　of　itself　could　not　be　used；　as　it　always　produced　solidification。　I　was　nevertheless　advised　to　claim　the　use　of　steam　as　well　as　air　in　my　particular　process　（lest　it　might　be　used　against　me）；　at　the　same　time　disclaiming　its　employment　for　any　purpose　except　in　the　production　of　fluid　malleable　iron　or　steel。　　And　I　have　no　doubt　it　is　to　this　fact　that　I　referred　when　speaking　to　you　on　the　occasion　you　mention。　　I　have　deemed　it　best　that　the　exact　truthso　far　as　a　short　history　can　give　itshould　be　given　at　once　to　you；　who　are　so　true　and　candid。　　Had　it　not　been　for　you　and　Martin　I　should　probably　never　have　proposed　the　use　of　steam　in　my　process；　but　the　use　of　air　came　by　degrees；　just　in　the　way　I　have　described。〃

It　was　thoroughly　consistent　with　Mr。　Bessemer's　kindly　feelings　towards　me；　that；　after　our　meeting　at　Cheltenham；　he　made　me　an　offer　of　one…third　share　of　the　value　of　his　patent。　　This　would　have　been　another　fortune　to　me。　　But　I　had　already　made　money　enough。　I　was　just　then　taking　down　my　signboard　and　leaving　business。　I　did　not　need　to　plunge　into　any　such　tempting　enterprise；　and　I　therefore　thankfully　declined　the　offer。

Many　long　years　of　pleasant　toil　and　exertion　had　done　their　work。　A　full　momentum　of　prosperity　had　been　given　to　my　engineering　business　at　Patricroft。　　My　share　in　the　financial　results　accumulated　with　accelerated　rapidity　to　an　amount　far　beyond　my　most　sanguine　hopes。　But　finding；　from　long　continued　and　incessant　mental　efforts；　that　my　nervous　system　was　beginning　to　become　shaken；　especially　in　regard　to　an　affection　of　the　eyes；　which　in　some　respects　damaged　my　sight；　I　thought　the　time　had　arrived　for　me　to　retire　from　commercial　life。

Some　of　my　friends　advised　me　to　〃slack　off；〃　and　not　to　retire　entirely　from　Bridgewater　Foundry。　　But　to　do　so　was　not　in　my　nature。　I　could　not　be　indifferent　to　any　concern　in　which　I　was　engaged。　I　must　give　my　mind　and　heart　to　it　as　before。　　I　could　not　give　half　to　leisure；　and　half　to　business。　　I　therefore　concluded　that　a　final　decision　was　necessary。　　Fortunately　I　possessed　an　abundant　and　various　stock　of　hobbies。　　I　held　all　these　in　reserve　to　fall　back　upon。　　They　would　furnish　me　with　an　almost　inexhaustible　source　of　healthy　employment。　　They　might　give　me　occupation　for　mind　and　body　as　long　as　I　lived。　　I　bethought　me　of　the　lines　of　Burns：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Wi'　steady　aim　some　Fortune　chase；　　Keen　hope　does　ev'ry　sinew　brace；　　Thro'　fair；　thro'　foul；　they　urge　the　race；　　And　seize　the　prey：　　Then　cannie；　in　some　cosy　place；　　They　close　the　day。〃

It　was　no　doubt　a　great　sorrow　for　me　and　my　dear　wife　to　leave　the　Home　in　which　we　had　been　so　happy　and　prosperous　for　so　many　years。　It　was　a　cosy　little　cottage　at　Patricroft。　　We　had　named　it　〃Fireside。〃　It　was　small；　but　suitable　for　our　requirements。　We　never　needed　to　enlarge　it；　for　we　had　no　children　to　accommodate。　It　was　within　five　minutes'　walk　of　the　Foundry；　and　I　was　scarcely　ever　out　of　reach　of　the　Fireside；　where　we　were　both　so　happy。　It　had　been　sanctified　by　our　united　love　for　thirteen　years。　It　was　surrounded　by　a　nice　garden；　planted　with　trees　and　shrubs。　Though　close　to　the　Bridgewater　Canal；　and　a　busy　manufacturing　population　was　not　far　off；　the　cottage　was　perfectly　quiet。　It　was　in　this　garden；　when　I　was　arranging　the　telescope　at　night；　that　I　had　been　detected　by　the　passing　boatman　as　〃The　Patricroft　Ghost〃

When　we　were　about　to　leave　Patricroft；　the　Countess　of　Ellesmere；　who；　as　well　as　the　Earl；　had　always　been　our　attached　friends；　wrote　to　my　wife　as　follows：　　〃I　can　well　understand　Mr。　Nasmyth's　satisfaction　at　the　emancipation　he　looks　forward　to　in　December　next。　But　I　hope　you　do　not　expect　us　to　share　it！　for　what　is　so　much　natural　pleasure　to　you　is　a　sad　loss　and　privation　to　us。　I　really　don't　know　how　we　shall　get　on　at　Worsley　without　you。　You　have　nevertheless　my　most　sincere　and　hearty　good　wishes　that　the　change　may　be　as　grateful　to　you　both　as　anything　in　this　world　can　be。〃

Yet　we　had　to　tear　ourselves　away　from　this　abode　of　peace　and　happiness。　　I　had　given　notice　to　my　partner*　　＇footnote。。。　The　〃Partner〃　here　referred　to；　was　my　excellent　friend　Henry　Garnett；　Esq。；　of　Wyre　Side；　near　Lancaster。　　He　had　been　my　sleeping　partner　or　〃Co。〃　for　nearly　twenty　years；　and　the　most　perfect　harmony　always　existed　between　us。　　。。。＇　that　it　was　my　intention　to　retire　from　business　at　the　end　of　1856。　The　necessary　arrangements　were　accordingly　made　for　carrying　on　the　business　after　my　retirement。　　All　was　pleasantly　and　satisfactorily　settled　several　months　before　I　finally　left；　and　the　character　and　prosperity　of　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　have　been　continued　to　the　present　day。

But　where　was　I　to　turn　to　for　a　settled　home？　　Many　years　before　I　had　seen　a　charming　picture　by　my　brother　Patrick　of　〃A　Cottage　in　Kent〃　It　took　such　a　hold　of　my　memory　and　imagination　that　I　never　ceased　to　entertain　the　longing　and　ambition　to　possess　such　a　cottage　as　a　cosy　place　of　refuge　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　Accordingly；　about　six　months　before　my　final　retirement；　I　accompanied　my　wife　in　a　visit　to　the　south。　　In　the　first　place　we　made　a　careful　selection　from　the　advertisements　in　the　Times　of　〃desirable　residences〃　in　Kent。　One　in　particular　appeared　very　tempting。　　We　set　out　to　view　it。　It　seemed　to　embody　all　the　conditions　that　we　had　pictured　in　our　imagination　as　necessary　to　fulfil　the　idea　of　our　〃Cottage　in　Kent。〃　It　had　been　the　property　of　F。　R。　Lee；　the　Royal　Academician。　With　a　few　alterations　and　additions　it　would　entirely　answer　our　purpose。　　So　we　bought　the　property。

I　may　mention　that　when　I　retired　from　business；　and　took　out　of　it　the　fortune　that　had　accumulated　during　my　twenty…two　years　of　assiduous　attention　and　labour；　I　invested　the　bulk　of　it　in　Three　per　cent　Consols。　　The　rate　of　interest　was　not　high；　but　it　was　nevertheless　secure。　　High　interest；　as　every　one　knows；　means　riskful　security。　I　desired　to　have　no　anxiety　about　the　source　of　my　income；　such　as　might　hinder　my　enjoying　the　rest　of　my　days　in　the　active　leisure　which　I　desired。　　I　had　for　some　time　before　my　retirement　been　investing　in　consols；　which　my　dear　wife　termed　〃the　true　antibilious　stock；〃　and　I　have　ever　since　had　good　reason　to　be　satisfied　with　that　safe　and　tranquillising　investment。　　All　who　value　the　health…conserving　influence　of　the　absence　of　financial　worry　will　agree　with　me　that　this　antibilious　stock　is　about　the　best。

The　〃Cottage　in　Kent〃　was　beautiful；　especially　in　its　rural　surroundings。　　The　view　from　it　was　charming；　and　embodied　all　the　attractive　elements　of　happy…looking　English　scenery。　　The　noble　old　forest　trees　of　Penshurst　Park　were　close　alongside；　and　the　grand　old　historic　mansion　of　Penshurst　Place　was　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile's　distance　from　our　house。　　There　were　many　other　beautiful　parks　and　country　residences　in　our　neighbourhood；　the　railway　station；　which　was　within　thirty…five　minutes'　pleasant　walk；　enabling　us　to　be　within　reach　of　London；　with　its　innumerable　attractions；　in　little　more　than　an　hour　and　a　quarter。　　Six　acres　of　garden…ground　at　first　surrounded　our　cottage；　but　these　were　afterwards　expanded　to　sixteen；　and　the　whole　was　made　beautiful　by　the　planting　of　trees　and　shrubs　over　the　grounds。　　In　all　this　my　wife　and　myself　took　the　greatest　delight。

＇Image＇　　Hammerfield；　Penshurst。

From　my　hereditary　regard　for　hammerstwo　broken　hammer…shafts　being　the　crest　of　our　family　for　hundreds　of　yearsI　named　the　place　Hammerfield；　and　so　it　remains　to　this　day。　　　The　improvements　and　additions　to　the　house　and　the　grounds　were　considerable。　　A　greenhouse　was　built；　120　feet　long　by　32　feet　wide。　　Roomy　apartments　were　added　to　the　house。　　The　trees　and　shrubs　planted　about　the　grounds　were　carefully　selected。　　The　coniferae　class　were　my　special　favourites。　I　arranged　them　so　that　their　natural　variety　of　tints　should　form　the　most　pleasing　contrasts。　　In　this　respect　I　introduced　the　beech…tree　with　the　happiest　effect。　　It　is　bright　green　in　spring；　and　in　the　autumn　it　retains　its　beautiful　ruddy…tinted　leaves　until　the　end　of　winter；　when　they　are　again　replaced　by　the　new　growth。

The　warm　tint　of　the　beech　contrasts　beautifully　with　the　bright　green　of　the　coniferae；　especially　of　the　Lawsoniania　and　the　Douglassi　the　latter　being　one　of　the　finest　accessions　to　our　list　of　conifers。　It　is　graceful　in　form；　and　perfectly　hardy。　　I　also　interspersed　with　these　several　birch…trees；　whose　slender　and　graceful　habit　of　growth　forms　so　fine　a　contrast　to　the　dense　foliage　of　the　conifers。　To　thus　paint；　as　it　were；　with　trees；　is　a　high　source　of　pleasure　in　gardening。　　Among　my　various　enjoyments　this　has　been　about　the　greatest。

During　the　time　that　the　alterations　and　enlargements　were　in　progress　we　rented　a　house　for　six　months　at　Sydenham；　close　to　the　beautiful　gr