an autobiography-第8部分

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　in　the　history　of　Steam　Navigation。

P。S。　since　the　above　paragraph　was　written　for　the　first　edition；　I　have　been　enabled　to　find　the　drawing；　with　another　remarkable　pencil　sketch　of　my　father's；　in　the　Gallery　of　the　Museum　of　Naval　Architecture　at　South　Kensington。　　It　will　henceforward　belong　to　that　interesting　collection。

The　remarkable　pencil　sketch　to　which　I　have　referred；　is　that　of　a　screw　propeller；　drawn　by　my　father；　dated　1819。　　It　was　the　result　of　many　discussions　as　to　the　proper　mode　of　propelling　a　vessel。　　First；　he　had　drawn　Watt's　idea　of　a　〃spiral　oar〃；　then；　underneath；　he　has　drawn　his　own　idea；　of　a　disk　of　six。　　blades；　like　a　screw…jack；　immediately　behind　the　rudder。　　There　is　a　crank　shown　on　the　screw　shaft；　by　which　the　propeller　was　driven　direct；　showing　that　he　was　the　first　to　indicate　that　method　of　propulsion　of　steamboats。　　。。。＇

The　persons　on　board　consisted　of　Patrick　Miller；　William　Symington；　Sir　William　Monteith；　Robert　Burns　（the　poet；　then　a　tenant　of　Mr。　Miller's）；　William　Taylor；　and　Alexander　Nasmyth。　　There　were　also　three　of　Mr。　Miller's　servants；　who　acted　as　assistants。　　On　the　edge　of　the　lake　was　a　young　gentleman；　then　on　a　visit　to　Dalswinton。　He　was　no　less　a　person　than　Henry　Brougham；　afterwards　Lord　Chancellor　of　England。　　The　assemblage　of　so　many　remarkable　men　was　well　worthy　of　the　occasion。

Taking　into　account　the　extraordinary　results　which　have　issued　from　this　first　trial　of　an　actual　steamboat；　it　may　well　be　considered　that　this　was　one　of　the　most　important　circumstances　which　ever　occurred　in　the　history　of　navigation。　　It　ought；　at　the　same　time；　to　be　remembered　that　all　that　was　afterwards　done　by　Symington；　Fulton；　and　Bell；　followed　long　after　the　performance　of　this　ever…memorable　achievement。

I　may　also　mention；　as　worthy　of　special　record；　that　the　hull　of　this　first　steamboat　was　of　iron。　　It　was　constructed　of　tinned　iron　plate。　It　was　therefore　the　first　iron　steamboat；　if　not　the　first　iron　ship；　that　had　ever　been　made。　　I　may　also　add　that　the　engines；　constructed　by　Symington；　which　propelled　this　first　iron　steamboat　are　now　carefully　preserved　at　the　Patent　Museum　at　South　Kensington；　where　they　may　be　seen　by　everybody。*　　＇footnote。。。　　The　original　engines　of　the　boat；　with　the　ratchet…wheel　contrivance　of　Symington；　are　there：　the　very　engine　that　propelled　the　first　steamer　on　Dalswinton　Lake。　It　may　be　added　that　Mr。　Miller　expended　about　#30；000　on　naval　improvements；　and；　as　is　often　the　case；　he　was　wholly　neglected　by　the　Government。　　。。。＇


To　return　to　my　father's　profession　as　a　portrait　painter。　　He　had　given　so　much　assistance　to　Mr。　Miller；　while　acting　as　his　chief　draughtsman　in　connection　with　the　triple　and　twin　ships；　and　also　while　attending　him　at　Leith　and　elsewhere；　that　it　had　considerably　interfered　with　his　practice；　though　everything　was　done　by　him　con　amore；　in　the　best　sense　of　the　term。　　In　return　for　this；　however；　Mr。　Miller　made　my　father　the　generous　offer　of　a　loan　to　enable　him　to　visit　Italy；　and　pursue　his　studies　there。　　It　was　the　most　graceful　mode　in　which　Mr。　Miller　could　express　his　obligations。　　It　was　an　offer　pure　and　simple；　without　security；　and　as　such　was　thankfully　accepted　by　my　father。

In　those　days　an　artist　was　scarcely　considered　to　have　completed　his　education　until　he　had　studied　the　works　of　the　great　masters　at　Florence　and　Rome。　　My　father　left　England　for　Italy　on　the　30th　of　December　1782。　　He　reached　Rome　in　safety；　and　earnestly　devoted　himself　to　the　study　of　art。　　He　remained　in　Italy　for　the　greater　part　of　two　years。　　He　visited　Florence；　Bologna；　Padua；　and　other　cities　where　the　finest　artistic　works　were　to　be　found。　　He　made　studies　and　drawings　of　the　best　of　them；　besides　making　sketches　from　nature　of　the　most　remarkable　places　he　had　visited。　　He　returned　to　Edinburgh　at　the　end　of　1784；　and　immediately　resumed　his　profession　of　a　portrait　painter。　　He　was　so　successful　that　in　a　short　time　he　was　enabled　to　repay　his　excellent　friend　Miller　the　#500　which　he　had　so　generously　lent　him　a　few　years　before。

The　satisfactory　results　of　his　zealous　practice；　and　of　his　skill　and　industry　in　his　profession；　together　with　the　prospect　of　increasing　artistic　work；　enabled　him　to　bring　to　a　happy　conclusion　an　engagement　he　had　entered　into　before　leaving　Edinburgh　for　Italy。　I　mean　his　marriage　to　my　motherone　of　the　greatest　events　of　his　life　which　took　place　on　the　3rd　of　January　1786。　　Barbara　Foulis　was　a　distant　relation　of　his　own。　　She　was　the　daughter　of　William　Foulis；　Esq。；　of　Woodhall　and　Colinton；　near　Edinburgh。　　Her　brother；　the　late　Sir　James　Foulis；　my　uncle；　succeeded　to　the　ancient　baronetcy　of　the　family。　See　Burkes's　Peerage　and　Baronetage*　　＇footnote。。。　In　Burke's　Peerage　and　Baronetage　an　account　is　given　of　the　Foulis　family。　　They　are　of　Norman　origin。　　A　branch　settled　in　Scotland　in　the　reign　of　Malcolm　Canmore。　　By　various　intermarriages；　the　Foulises　are　connected　with　the　Hopetoun；　Bute；　and　Rosebery　families。　The　present　holder　of　the　title　represents　the　houses　of　Colinton；　Woodhall；　and　Ravelstone。　　。。。＇

My　mother　did　not　bring　with　her　any　fortune；　so　to　speak；　in　the　way　of　gold　or　acres；　but　she　brought　something　far　better　into　my　father's　home；a　sweetness　of　disposition；　and　a　large　measure　of　common　sense；　which　made　her；　in　all　respects；　the　devoted　helpmate　of　her　husband。　　Her　happy　cheerful　temperament；　and　her　constant　industry　and　attention；　shed　an　influence　upon　all　around　her。　　By　her　example　she　inbred　in　her　children　the　love　of　truth；　excellence；　and　goodness。　That　was　indeed　the　best　fortune　she　could　bring　into　a　good　man's　home。

During　the　first　year　of　my　father's　married　life；　when　he　lived　in　St。　James's　Square；　he　painted　the　well…known　portrait　of　Robert　Burns　the　poet。　　Burns　had　been　introduced　to　him　by　Mr。　Miller　at　Dalswinton。　　An　intimate　friendship　sprang　up　between　the　artist　and　the　poet。　　The　love　of　nature　and　of　natural　objects　was　common　to　both。　　They　also　warmly　sympathised　in　their　political　views。　When　Burns　visited　Edinburgh　my　father　often　met　him。　　Burns　had　a　strange　aversion　to　sit　for　his　portrait；　though　often　urgently　requested　to　do　so。　　But　when　at　my　father's　studio；　Burns　at　last　consented；　and　his　portrait　was　rapidly　painted。　　It　was　done　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours；　and　my　father　made　a　present　of　it　to　Mrs。　Burns。

A　mezzotint　engraving　of　it　was　afterwards　published　by　William　Walker；　son…in…law　of　the　famous　Samuel　Reynolds。　　When　the　first　proof　impression　was　submitted　to　my　father；　he　said　to　Mr。　Walker：　〃I　cannot　better　express　to　you　my　opinion　of　your　admirable　engraving；　than　by　telling　you　that　it　conveys　to　me　a　more　true　and　lively　remembrance　of　Burns　than　my　own　picture　of　him　does；　it　so　perfectly　renders　the　spirit　of　his　expression；　as　well　as　the　details　of　his　every　feature。〃

While　Burns　was　in　Edinburgh；　my　father　had　many　interesting　walks　with　him　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　city。　　The　Calton　Hill；　Arthur's　Seat；　Salisbury　Crags。　　Habbie's　How；　and　the　nooks　in　the　Pentlands；　were　always　full　of　interest；　and　Burns；　with　his　brilliant　and　humorous　conversation；　made　the　miles　very　short　as　they　strode　along。　　Lockhart　says；　in　his　Life　of　Burns；　that　〃the　magnificent　scenery　of　the　Scottish　capital　filled　the　poet　with　extraordinary　delight。　　In　the　spring　mornings　he　walked　very　often　to　the　top　of　Arthur's　Seat；　and；　lying　prostrate　on　the　turf；　surveyed　the　rising　of　the　sun　out　of　the　sea　in　silent　admiration；　his　chosen　companion　on　such　occasions　being　that　learned　artist　and　ardent　lover　of　nature；　Alexander　Nasmyth。〃

A　visit　which　the　two　paid　to　Roslin　Castle　is　worthy　of　commemoration。　On　one　occasion　my　father　and　a　few　choice　spirits　had　been　spending　a　〃nicht　wi'　Burns。〃　　The　place　of　resort　was　a　tavern　in　the　High　Street；　Edinburgh。　　As　Burns　was　a　brilliant　talker；　full　of　spirit　and　humour；　time　fled　until　the　〃wee　sma'　hours　ayont　the　twal'〃　arrived。　The　party　broke　up　about　three　o'clock。　　At　that　time　of　the　year　（the　13th　of　June）　the　night　is　very　short；　and　morning　comes　early。　Burns；　on　reaching　the　street；　looked　up　to　the　sky。　　It　was　perfectly　clear；　and　the　rising　sun　was　beginning　to　brighten　the　mural　crown　of　St。　Giles's　Cathedral。

Burns　was　so　much　struck　with　the　beauty　of　the　morning　that　he　put　his　hand　on　my　father's　arm　and　said；　〃It'll　never　do　to　go　to　bed　in　such　a　lovely　morning　as　this！　　Let's　awa'　to　Roslin　Castle。〃　　No　sooner　said　than　done。　　The　poet　and　the　painter　set　out。　　Nature　lay　bright　and　lovely　before　them　in　that　delicious　summer　morning。　　After　an　eight…miles　walk　they　reached　the　castle　at　Roslin。　　Burns　went　down　under　the　great　Norman　arch；　where　he　stood　rapt　in　speechless　admiration　of　the　scene。　　The　thought　of　the　eternal　renewal　of　youth　and　freshness　of　nature；　contrasted　with　the　crumbling　decay　of　man's　efforts　to　perpetuate　his　work；　even　when　founded　upon　a　rock；　as　Roslin　Castle　is；　seemed　greatly　to　affect　him。

My　father　was　so　much　impressed　with　the　scene　that；　while　Burns　was　standing　under　the　arch；　he　took　out　his　pencil　and　a　scrap　of　paper　and