Part 10 (1/2)

On the 19th of May 1829, accompanied by my father, I set sail by the Leith smack Edinburgh Castle, Captain Orr, master. After a pleasant voyage of four days we reached the mouth of the Thames. We sailed up from the Nore on Sat.u.r.day afternoon, lifted up, as it were, by the tide, for it was almost a dead calm the whole way.

The sight of the banks of the famous river, with the Kent orchards in full blossom, and the frequent pa.s.sages of steamers with bands of music and their decks crowded with pleasure-seekers, together with the sight of numbers of n.o.ble merchant s.h.i.+ps in the river, formed a most glorious and exciting scene. It was also enhanced by the thought that I was nearing the great metropolis, around which so many bright but anxious hopes were centred, as the scene of my first important step into the anxious business of life, The tide, which had carried us up the river as far as Woolwich suddenly turned; and we remained there during the night. Early next morning the tide rose, and we sailed away again.

It was a bright mild morning. The sun came ”dancing up the east”

as we floated past wharfs and woodyards and old houses on the banks, past wherries and coal boats and merchant s.h.i.+ps on the river, until we reached our destination at the Irongate Wharf, near the Tower of London. I heard St. Paul's clock strike six just as we reached our mooring ground.

Captain Orr was kind enough to allow us to make the s.h.i.+p our hotel during the Sunday, as it was by no means convenient for us to remove our luggage on that day. My father took me ash.o.r.e and we walked to Regent's Park. One of my sisters, who was visiting a friend in London, was residing in that neighbourhood. My father so planned his route as to include many of the most remarkable streets and buildings and sights of London. He pointed out the princ.i.p.al objects, and gave me much information about their origin and history.

I was much struck with the beautiful freshness and luxuriant growth of the trees and shrubs in the squares; for spring was then in its first beauty. The loveliness of Regent's Park surprised me. The extent of the s.p.a.ce, the brilliancy of the fresh-leaved trees, and the handsome buildings by which the park was surrounded, made it seem to me more splendid than a picture from the Arabian Nights. Under the happy aspect of a brilliant May forenoon, this first long walk through London, with all its happy attendant circ.u.mstances, rendered it one of the most vividly remembered incidents in my life. After visiting my sister and giving her all the details of the last news from home, she joined us in our walk down to Westminster Abbey. The first view of the interior stands out in my memory as one of the most impressive sights I ever beheld. I had before read, over and over again, the beautiful description of the Abbey given by Was.h.i.+ngton Irving in the Sketch Book, one of the most masterly pieces of writing that I know of I now found one of my day-dreams realised.

We next proceeded over Westminster Bridge to call upon my brother Patrick. We found him surrounded by paintings from his beautiful sketches from Nature. Some of them were more or less advanced in the form of exquisite pictures, which now hang on many walls, and will long commemorate his artistic life. We closed this ever memorable day by dining at a tavern at the Surrey end of Waterloo Bridge. We sat at an upper window which commanded a long stretch of the river, and from which we could see the many remarkable buildings, from St. Paul's to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, which lay on the other side of the Thames.

On the following day my father and I set out in search of lodgings, hotels being at that time beyond our economical method of living.

We succeeded in securing a tidy lodging at No. 14 Agues Place, Waterloo Road. The locality had a special attraction for me, as it was not far from that focus of interest--Maudslay's factory. Our luggage was removed from the s.h.i.+p to the lodgings, and my ponderous cases, containing the examples of my skill as an engineer workman, were deposited in a carpenter's workshop close at hand.

I was now anxious for the interview with Maudslay. My father had been introduced to him by a mutual friend some two or three years before, and that was enough. On the morning of May the 26th we set out together, and reached his house in Westminster Road, Lambeth.

It adjoined his factory. My father knocked at the door. My own heart beat fast. Would he be at home? Would he receive us? Yes! he was at home; and we were invited to enter.

Mr. Maudslay received us in the most kind and frank manner. After a little conversation my father explained the object of his visit.

”My son,” he said, pointing to me, ”is very anxious to have the opportunity of acquiring a thorough practical knowledge of mechanical engineering, by serving as an apprentice in some such establishment as yours” ”Well,” replied Maudslay, ”I must frankly confess to you that my experience of pupil apprentices has been so unsatisfactory that my partner and myself have determined to discontinue to receive them--no matter at what premium. This was a very painful blow to myself; for it seemed to put an end to my sanguine expectations.

Mr. Maudslay knew that my father was interested in all matters relating to mechanical engineering, and he courteously invited him to go round the works. Of course I accompanied them. The sight of the workshops astonished me. They excelled all that I had antic.i.p.ated. The beautiful machine tools, the silent smooth whirl of the machinery, the active movements of the men, the excellent quality of the work in progress, and the admirable order and management that pervaded the whole establishment, rendered me more tremblingly anxious than ever to obtain some employment there, in however humble a capacity.

Mr. Maudslay observed the earnest interest which I and my father took in everything going on, and explained the movements of the machinery and the rationale of the proceedings in the most lively and kindly manner. It was while we were pa.s.sing from one part of the factory to another that I observed the beautiful steam-engine which gave motion to the tools and machinery of the workshops. The man who attended it was engaged in cleaning out the ashes from under the boiler furnace, in order to wheel them away to their place outside. On the spur of the moment I said to Mr. Maudslay, ”If you would only permit me to do such a job as that in your service, I should consider myself most fortunate!”

I shall never forget the keen but kindly look that he gave me. ”So ,”

said he, ”you are one of that sort, are you?” I was inwardly delighted at his words.

When our round of the works was concluded, I ventured to say to Mr. Maudslay that ”I had brought up with me from Edinburgh some working models of steam-engines and mechanical drawings, and I should feel truly obliged if he would allow me to show them to him?”

”By all means,” said he; ”bring them to me tomorrow at twelve o'clock.”

I need not say how much pleased I was at this permission to exhibit my handiwork, and how anxious I felt as to the result of Mr. Maudslay's inspection of it.

I carefully unpacked my working model of the steam-engine at the carpenter's shop, and had it conveyed, together with my drawings, on a hand-cart to Mr. Maudslay's next morning at the appointed hour.

I was allowed to place my work for his inspection in a room next his office and counting-house. I then called at his residence close by, where he kindly received me in his library. He asked me to wait until he and his partner, Joshua Field, had inspected my handiwork.

I waited anxiously. Twenty long minutes pa.s.sed. At last he entered the room, and from a lively expression in his countenance I observed in a moment that the great object of my long cherished ambition had been attained! He expressed, in good round terms, his satisfaction at my practical ability as a workman engineer and mechanical draughtsman.

Then, opening the door which led from his library into his beautiful private workshop, he said, ”This is where I wish you to work, beside me, as my a.s.sistant workman. From what I have seen there is no need of an apprentices.h.i.+p in your case.”

He then proceeded to show me the collection of exquisite tools of all sorts with which his private workshop was stored. They mostly bore the impress of his own clearheadedness and common-sense. They were very simple, and quite free from mere traditional forms and arrangements.

At the same time they were perfect for the special purposes for which they had been designed. The workshop was surrounded with cabinets and drawers, filled with evidences of the master's skill and industry.

Every tool had a purpose. It had been invented for some special reason. Sometimes it struck the keynote, as it were, to many of the important contrivances which enable man to obtain a complete mastery over materials.

There were also hung upon the walls, or placed upon shelves, many treasured relics of the first embodiments of his constructive genius.

There were many models explaining, step by step, the gradual progress of his teeming inventions and contrivances. The workshop was thus quite a historical museum of mechanism. It exhibited his characteristic qualities in construction. I afterwards found out that many of the contrivances preserved in his private workshop were treasured as suggestive of some interesting early pa.s.sage in his useful and active life. They were kept as relics of his progress towards mechanical perfection. When he brought them out from time to time, to serve for the execution of some job in hand, he was sure to dilate upon the occasion that led to their production, as well as upon the happy results which had followed their general employment in mechanical engineering.

It was one of his favourite maxims, ”First, get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish, and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it.” Another was ”Keep a sharp look-out upon your materials; get rid of every pound of material you can do without; put to yourself the question, 'What business has it to be there? avoid complexities, and make everything as simple as possible.” Mr. Maudslay was full of quaint maxims and remarks, the result of much shrewdness, keen observation, and great experience. They were well worthy of being stored up in the mind, like a set of proverbs, full of the life and experience of men. His thoughts became compressed into pithy expressions exhibiting his force of character and intellect.

His quaint remarks on my first visit to his workshop, and on subsequent occasions, proved to me invaluable guides to ”right thinking” in regard to all matters connected with mechanical structure.

Mr. Maudslay seemed at once to take me into his confidence. He treated me in the most kindly manner--not as a workman or an apprentice, but as a friend. I was an anxious listener to everything that he said; and it gave him pleasure to observe that I understood and valued his conversation. The greatest treat of all was in store for me.

He showed me his exquisite collection of taps and dies and screw-tackle, which he had made with the utmost care for his own service.

They rested in a succession of drawers near to the bench where he worked.

There was a place for every one, and every one was in its place.