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industrial biography-第50部分
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stone and timber; to which he applied his hydraulic power with great
success。 New methods of building bridges and canal…locks; with a
variety of other matters; were in an embryo state in his mind; but he
did not live to complete them。 He was occupied in superintending the
action of his hydrostatic press at Holt Forest; in Hantswhere
upwards of 300 trees of the largest dimensions were in a very short
time torn up by the roots;when he caught a severe cold; which
settled upon his lungs; and his life was suddenly brought to a close
on the 9th of December; 1814; in his 66th year。
His friend; Dr。 Cullen Brown;*
'footnote。。。
Dr。 Brown published a brief memoir of his friend in the New Monthly
Magazine for April; 1815; which has been the foundation of all the
notices of Bramah's life that have heretofore appeared。
。。。'
has said of him; that Bramah was a man of excellent moral character;
temperate in his habits; of a pious turn of mind;*
'footnote。。。
Notwithstanding his well…known religious character; Bramah seems to
have fallen under the grievous displeasure of William Huntington;
S。S。 (Sinner Saved); described by Macaulay in his youth as 〃a
worthless ugly lad of the name of Hunter;〃 and in his manhood as
〃that remarkable impostor〃 (Essays; 1 vol。 ed。 529)。 It seems that
Huntington sought the professional services of Bramah when
re…edifying his chapel in 1793; and at the conclusion of the work;
the engineer generously sent the preacher a cheque for 8l。 towards
defraying the necessary expenses。 Whether the sum was less than
Huntington expected; or from whatever cause; the S。S。 contemptuously
flung back the gift; as proceeding from an Arian whose religion was
〃unsavoury;〃 at the same time hurling at the giver a number of texts
conveying epithets of an offensive character。 Bramah replied to the
farrago of nonsense; which he characterised as 〃unmannerly; absurd;
and illiterate that it must have been composed when the writer was
〃intoxicated; mad; or under the influence of Lucifer;〃 and he
threatened that unless Huntington apologised for his gratuitous
insults; he (Bramah) would assuredly expose him。 The mechanician
nevertheless proceeded gravely to explain and defend his 〃profession
of faith;〃 which was altogether unnecessary。 On this Huntington
returned to the charge; and directed against the mechanic a fresh
volley of Scripture texts and phraseology; not without humour; if
profanity be allowable in controversy; as where he says; 〃Poor man!
he makes a good patent lock; but cuts a sad figure with the keys of
the Kingdom of Heaven!〃 〃What Mr。 Bramah is;〃 says S。S。; 〃In respect
to his character or conduct in life; as a man; a tradesman; a
neighbour; a gentleman; a husband; friend; master; or subject; I know
not。 In all these characters he may shine as a comet for aught I
know; but he appears to me to be as far from any resemblance to a
poor penitent or broken…hearted sinner as Jannes; Jambres; or
Alexander the coppersmith!〃 Bramah rejoined by threatening to publish
his assailant's letters; but Huntington anticipated him in A Feeble
Dispute with a Wise and Learned Man; 8vo。 London; 1793; in which;
whether justly or not; Huntington makes Bramah appear to murder the
king's English in the most barbarous manner。
。。。'
and so cheerful in temperament; that he was the life of every company
into which he entered。 To much facility of expression he added the
most perfect independence of opinion; he was a benevolent and
affectionate man; neat and methodical in his habits; and knew well
how to temper liberality with economy。 Greatly to his honour; he
often kept his workmen employed; solely for their sake; when
stagnation of trade prevented him disposing of the products of their
labour。 As a manufacturer he was distinguished for his promptitude
and probity; and he was celebrated for the exquisite finish which he
gave to all his productions。 In this excellence of workmanship; which
he was the first to introduce; he continued while he lived to be
unrivalled。
Bramah was deservedly honoured and admired as the first mechanical
genius of his time; and as the founder of the art of tool…making in
its highest branches。 From his shops at Pimlico came Henry Maudslay;
Joseph Clement; and many more first…class mechanics; who carried the
mechanical arts to still higher perfection; and gave an impulse to
mechanical engineering; the effects of which are still felt in every
branch of industry。
The parish to which Bramah belonged was naturally proud of the
distinction he had achieved in the world; and commemorated his life
and career by a marble tablet erected by subscription to his memory;
in the parish church of Silkstone。 In the churchyard are found the
tombstones of Joseph's father; brother; and other members of the
family; and we are informed that their descendants still occupy the
farm at Stainborough on which the great mechanician was born。
CHAPTER XII。
HENRY MAUDSLAY。
〃The successful construction of all machinery depends on the
perfection of the tools employed; and whoever is a master in the arts
of tool…making possesses the key to the construction of all
machines。。。。。 The contrivance and construction of tools must
therefore ever stand at the head of the industrial arts。〃
C。 BABBAGE; Exposition of 1851。
Henry Maudslay was born at Woolwich towards the end of last century;
in a house standing in the court at the back of the Salutation Inn;
the entrance to which is nearly opposite the Arsenal gates。 His
father was a native of Lancashire; descended from an old family of
the same name; the head of which resided at Mawdsley Hall near
Ormskirk at the beginning of the seventeenth century。 The family were
afterwards scattered; and several of its members became workmen。
William Maudslay; the father of Henry; belonged to the neighbourhood
of Bolton; where he was brought up to the trade of a joiner。 His
principal employment; while working at his trade in Lancashire;
consisted in making the wood framing of cotton machinery; in the
construction of which cast…iron had not yet been introduced。 Having
got into some trouble in his neighbourhood; through some alleged
LIAISON; William enlisted in the Royal Artillery; and the corps to
which he belonged was shortly after sent out to the West Indies。 He
was several times engaged in battle; and in his last action he was
hit by a musket…bullet in the throat。 The soldier's stock which he
wore had a piece cut out of it by the ball; the direction of which
was diverted; and though severely wounded; his life was saved。 He
brought home the stock and preserved it as a relic; afterwards
leaving it to his son。 Long after; the son would point to the stock;
hung up against his wall; and say 〃But for that bit of leather there
would have been no Henry Maudslay。〃 The wounded artilleryman was
invalided and sent home to Woolwich; the headquarters of his corps;
where he was shortly after discharged。 Being a handy workman; he
sought and obtained employment at the Arsenal。 He was afterwards
appointed a storekeeper in the Dockyard。 It was during the former
stage of William Maudslay's employment at Woolwich; that the subject
of this memoir was born in the house in the court above mentioned; on
the 22nd of August; 1771。
The boy was early set to work。 When twelve years old he was employed
as a 〃powder…monkey;〃 in making and filling cartridges。 After two
years; he was passed on to the carpenter's shop where his father
worked; and there he became acquainted with tools and the art of
working in wood and iron。 From the first; the latter seems to have
had by far the greatest charms for him。 The blacksmiths' shop was
close to the carpenters'; and Harry seized every opportunity that
offered of plying the hammer; the file; and the chisel; in preference
to the saw and the plane。 Many a cuff did the foreman of carpenters
give him for absenting himself from his proper shop and stealing off
to the smithy。 His propensity was indeed so strong that; at the end
of a year; it was thought better; as he was a handy; clever boy; to
yield to his earnest desire to be placed in the smithy; and he was
removed thither accordingly in his fifteenth year。
His heart being now in his work; he made rapid progress; and soon
became an expert smith and metal worker。 He displayed his skill
especially in forging light ironwork; and a favourite job of his was
the making of 〃Trivets〃 out of the solid; which only the 〃dab hands〃
of the shop could do; but which he threw off with great rapidity in
first rate style。 These 〃Trivets〃 were made out of Spanish iron bolts
rare stuff; which; though exceedingly tough; forged like wax under
the hammer。 Even at the close of his life; when he had acquired
eminent distinction as an inventor; and was a large employer of
skilled labour; he looked back with pride to the
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