industrial biography-第6部分

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of　tempering　and　hardening　bronze　to　such　a　degree　as　to　enable　them

to　manufacture　swords　with　it　of　a　pretty　good　edge；　and　in　those

countries　which　they　penetrated；　their　bronze　implements　gradually

supplanted　those　which　had　been　previously　fashioned　of　stone。　　Great

quantities　of　bronze　tools　have　been　found　in　different　parts　of

England；sometimes　in　heaps；　as　if　they　had　been　thrown　away　in

basketfuls　as　things　of　little　value。　　It　has　been　conjectured　that

when　the　Romans　came　into　Britain　they　found　the　inhabitants；

especially　those　to　the　northward；　in　very　nearly　the　same　state　as

Captain　Cook　and　other　voyagers　found　the　inhabitants　of　the　South

Sea　Islands；　that　the　Britons　parted　with　their　food　and　valuables

for　tools　of　inferior　metal　made　in　imitation　of　their　stone　ones；

but　finding　themselves　cheated　by　the　Romans；　as　the　natives　of

Otaheite　have　been　cheated　by　Europeans；　the　Britons　relinquished　the

bad　tools　when　they　became　acquainted　with　articles　made　of　better

metal。*

　＇footnote。。。

See　Dr。　Pearson's　paper　in　the　Philosophical　Transactions；　1796；

relative　to　certain　ancient　arms　and　utensils　found　in　the　river

Witham　between　Kirkstead　and　Lincoln。

　。。。＇

The　Roman　colonists　were　the　first　makers　of　iron　in　Britain　on　any

large　scale。　　They　availed　themselves　of　the　mineral　riches　of　the

country　wherever　they　went。　　Every　year　brings　their　extraordinary

industrial　activity　more　clearly　to　light。　　They　not　only　occupied　the

best　sites　for　trade；　intersected　the　land　with　a　complete　system　of

well…constructed　roads；　studded　our　hills　and　valleys　with　towns；

villages；　and　pleasure…houses；　and　availed　themselves　of　our

medicinal　springs　for　purposes　of　baths　to　an　extent　not　even

exceeded　at　this　day；　but　they　explored　our　mines　and　quarries；　and

carried　on　the　smelting　and　manufacture　of　metals　in　nearly　all　parts

of　the　island。　　The　heaps　of　mining　refuse　left　by　them　in　the　valleys

and　along　the　hill…sides　of　North　Derbyshire　are　still　spoken　of　by

the　country　people　as　〃old　man；〃　or　the　〃old　man's　work。〃　　Year　by

year；　from　Dartmoor　to　the　Moray　Firth；　the　plough　turns　up　fresh

traces　of　their　indefatigable　industry　and　enterprise；　in　pigs　of

lead；　implements　of　iron　and　bronze；　vessels　of　pottery；　coins；　and

sculpture；　and　it　is　a　remarkable　circumstance　that　in　several

districts　where　the　existence　of　extensive　iron　beds　had　not　been

dreamt　of　until　within　the　last　twenty　years；　as　in　Northamptonshire

and　North　Yorkshire；　the　remains　of　ancient　workings　recently

discovered　show　that　the　Roman　colonists　were　fully　acquainted　with

them。



But　the　principal　iron　mines　worked　by　that　people　were　those　which

were　most　conveniently　situated　for　purposes　of　exportation；　more

especially　in　the　southern　counties　and　on　the　borders　of　Wales。　　The

extensive　cinder　heaps　found　in　theForest　of　De　anwhich　formed

the　readiest　resource　of　the　modern　iron…smelter　when　improved

processes　enabled　him　to　reduce　themshow　that　their　principal　iron

manufactures　were　carried　on　in　that　quarter*

　＇footnote。。。

〃In　the　Forest　of　Dean　and　thereabouts　the　iron　is　made　at　this　day

of　cinders；　being　the　rough　and　offal　thrown　by　in　the　Roman　time；

they　then　having　only　foot…blasts　to　melt　the　ironstone；　but　now；　by

the　force　of　a　great　wheel　that　drives　a　pair　of　Bellows　twenty　feet

long；　all　that　iron　is　extracted　out　of　the　cinders　which　could　not

be　forced　from　it　by　the　Roman　foot…blast。　　And　in　the　Forest　of　Dean

and　thereabouts；　and　as　high　as　Worcester；　there　ave　great　and

infinite　quantities　of　these　cinders；　some　in　vast　mounts　above

ground；　some　under　ground；　which　will　supply　the　iron　works　some

hundreds　of　years；　and　these　cinders　ave　they　which　make　the　prime

and　best　iron；　and　with　much　less　charcoal　than　doth　the

ironstone。〃A。　YARRANTON；　England's　Improvement　by　Sea　and　Land。

London；　1677。

　。。。＇

It　is　indeed　matter　of　history；　that　about　seventeen　hundred　years

since　（A。D。　120）　the　Romans　had　forges　in　the　West　of　England；　both

in　the　Forest　of　Dean　and　in　South　Wales；　and　that　they　sent　the

metal　from　thence　to　Bristol；　where　it　was　forged　and　made　into

weapons　for　the　use　of　the　troops。　　Along　the　banks　of　the　Wye；　the

ground　is　in　many　places　a　continuous　bed　of　iron　cinders；　in　which

numerous　remains　have　been　found；　furnishing　unmistakeable　proofs　of

the　Roman　furnaces。　　At　the　same　time；　the　iron　ores　of　Sussex　were

extensively　worked；　as　appears　from　the　cinder　heaps　found　at

Maresfield　and　several　places　in　that　county；　intermixed　with　Roman

pottery；　coins；　and　other　remains。　　In　a　bed　of　scoriae　several　acres

in　extent；　at　Old　Land　Farm　in　Maresfield；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Turner　found

the　remains　of　Roman　pottery　so　numerous　that　scarcely　a　barrow…load

of　cinders　was　removed　that　did　not　contain　several　fragments；

together　with　coins　of　the　reigns　of　Nero；　Vespasian；　and

Dioclesian。*

　＇footnote。。。

M。　A。　LOWER；　Contributions　to　Literature；　Historical；　Antiquarian；

and　Metrical。　　London；　1854；　pp。　88…9。

　。。。＇

In　the　turbulent　infancy　of　nations　it　is　to　be　expected　that　we

should　hear　more　of　the　Smith；　or　worker　in　iron；　in　connexion　with

war；　than　with　more　peaceful　pursuits。　　Although　he　was　a　nail…maker

and　a　horse…shoermade　axes；　chisels；　saws；　and　hammers　for　the

artificer　　spades　and　hoes　for　the　farmerbolts　and　fastenings　for

the　lord's　castle…gates；　and　chains　for　his　draw…bridgeit　was

principally　because　of　his　skill　in　armour…work　that　he　was　esteemed。

He　made　and　mended　the　weapons　used　in　the　chase　and　in　warthe

gavelocs；　bills；　and　battle…axes；　he　tipped　the　bowmen's　arrows；　and

furnished　spear…heads　for　the　men…at…arms；　but；　above　all；　he　forged

the　mail…coats　and　cuirasses　of　the　chiefs；　and　welded　their　swords；

on　the　temper　and　quality　of　which；　life；　honour；　and　victory　in

battle　depended。　　Hence　the　great　estimation　in　which　the　smith　was

held　in　the　Anglo…Saxon　times。　　His　person　was　protected　by　a　double

penalty。　　He　was　treated　as　an　officer　of　the　highest　rank；　and

awarded　the　first　place　in　precedency。　　After　him　ranked　the　maker　of

mead；　and　then　the　physician。　　In　the　royal　court　of　Wales　he　sat　in

the　great　hall　with　the　king　and　queen；　next　to　the　domestic

chaplain；　and　even　at　that　early　day　there　seems　to　have　been　a　hot

spark　in　the　smith's　throat　which　needed　much　quenching；　for　he　was

〃entitled　to　a　draught　of　every　kind　of　liquor　that　was　brought　into

the　hall。〃



The　smith　was　thus　a　mighty　man。　　The　Saxon　Chronicle　describes　the

valiant　knight　himself　as　a　〃mighty　war…smith。〃　　But　the　smith　was

greatest　of　all　in　his　forging　of　swords；　and　the　bards　were　wont　to

sing　the　praises　of　the　knight's　〃good　sword　〃　and　of　the　smith　who

made　it；　as　well　as　of　the　knight　himself　who　wielded　it　in　battle。

The　most　extraordinary　powers　were　attributed　to　the　weapon　of　steel

when　first　invented。　　Its　sharpness　seemed　so　marvellous　when　compared

with　one　of　bronze；　that　with　the　vulgar　nothing　but　magic　could

account　for　it。　　Traditions；　enshrined　in　fairy　tales；　still　survive

in　most　countries；　illustrative　of　its　magical　properties。　　The　weapon

of　bronze　was　dull；　but　that　of　steel　was　brightthe　〃white　sword　of

light；〃　one　touch　of　which　broke　spells；　liberated　enchanted

princesses；　and　froze　giants'　marrow。　　King　Arthur's　magic　sword

〃Excalibur〃　was　regarded　as　almost　heroic　in　the　romance　of

chivalry。*

　＇footnote。。。

This　famous　sword　was　afterwards　sent　by　Richard　I。　as　a　present　to

Tancred；　and　the　value　attached　to　the　weapon　may　be　estimated　by　the

fact　that　the　Crusader　sent　the　English　monarch；　in　return　for　it；

〃four　great　ships　and　fifteen　galleys。〃

　。。。＇

So　were　the　swords　〃Galatin〃　of　Sir　Gawain；　and　〃Joyeuse〃　of

Charlemague；　both　of　which　were　reputed　to　be　the　work　of　Weland　the

Smith；　about　whose　name　clusters　so　much　traditional　glory　as　an

ancient　worker　in　metals。*

　＇footnote。。。

Weland　was　the　Saxon　Vulcan。　　The　name　of　Weland's　or　Wayland's　Smithy

is　still　given　to　a　monument　on　Lambourn　Downs　in　Wiltshire。　　The

place　is　also　known　as　Wayland　Smith's　Cave。　　It　consists　of　a　rude

gallery　of　stones。

　。。。＇

The　heroes　of　the　Northmen　in　like　manner　wielded　magic　swords。　　Olave

the　Norwegian　possessed　the　sword　〃Macabuin；〃　forged　by　the　dark

smith　of　Drontheim；　whose　feats　are　recorded　in　the　tales　of　the

Scalds。　　And　so；　in　like　manner；　traditions　of　the　supernatural　power

of　the　blacksmith　are　found　existing　to　this　day　all　over　the

Scottish　Highlands。*

　＇footnote。。。

Among　the　Scythians　the　iron　sword　was　a　god。　　It　was　the　image　of

Mars；　and　sacrifices　were　made　to　it。　　〃An　iron　sword；〃　says　Mr。

Campbell；　really　was　once　worshipped　by　a　people　with　whom　iron　was

rare。　　Iron　is　rare；　while　stone　and　bronze　weapons　are　common；　in

British　tombs；　and　the　sword　of　these　stories　is　a　personage。　　It

shines；　it　cries　out　　the　lives　of　men　are　bound　up　in　it。　　And　so

this　mystic　sword　may；　perhaps；　have　been　a　god　amongst　the　Celts；　or

the　god　of　the　people　with　whom　the　Celts　contended　somewhere　on

their　long　journey　to　the　west。　　It　is　a　fiction　now；　but　it　may　be

founded　on　fact；　and　that　fact　probably　was　the　first　use　of　iron。〃

To　this　day　an　old　horse…shoe　is　considered　a　potent　spell　in　some

districts　against　the　powers　of　evil；　and　for　want　of　a　horse…shoe　a

bit　of　a　rusty　reaping…hook　is　supposed　to　have　equal　power；　〃Who

were　these　powers　of　evil　who　could　not　resist　ironthese　fairies

who　shoot　STONE　arrows；　and　are　of　the　foes　to　the　human　race？　Is　all

this　but　a　dim；　hazy　recollection　of　　war　between　a　people　who　had

iron　weapons　and　a　race　who　had　notthe　race　whose　remains　are　found

all　over　Europe？　If　these　were　wandering　tribes；　they　had　leaders；　if

they　were　warlike；　they　had　weapons。　　There　is　a　smith　in　the　Pantheon

of　many　nations。　　Vulcan　was　a　smith；　Thor　wielded　a　hammer；　even

Fionn　had　a　h