an autobiography-第17部分

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ofed　portion　of　the　building　at　its　west　end。

＇Image＇　　The　Old　Tolbooth；　Edinburgh。　　By　Alexander　Nasmyth。　　　　　　　　　　From　the　drawing　in　the　possession　of　lord　Inglis；　　　　　　　　　　Lord　Justice…General。

At　one　of　the　strongest　parts　of　the　building　a　strong　oak　chest；　iron…plated；　had　been　built　in；　held　fast　by　a　thick　wall　of　stone　and　mortar　on　each　side。　　The　iron　chest　measured　about　nine　feet　square；　and　was　closed　by　a　strong　iron　door　with　heavy　bolts　and　locks。　　This　was　the　Heart　of　Midlothian；　the　condemned　cell　of　the　Tolbooth。*　　＇footnote。。。　Long　after　the　condemned　cell　had　been　pulled　down；　an　English　Chartist　went　down　to　Edinburgh　to　address　a　large　meeting　of　his　brother　politicians。　　He　began　by　addressing　them　as　〃Men　of　the　Heart　of　Midlothian！〃　　There　was　a　loud　guffaw　throughout　the　audience。　He　addressed　them　as　if　they　were　a　body　of　condemned　malefactors。　　。。。＇

The　iron　chest　was　so　heavy　that　the　large　body　of　workmen　could　not；　with　all　their　might；　pull　it　out。　　After　stripping　it　of　its　masonry；　they　endeavoured　by　strong　levers　to　tumble　it　down　into　the　street。　At　last；　with　a　〃Yo！　heave　ho！〃　it　fell　down　with　a　mighty　crash。

The　iron　chest　was　so　strong　that　it　held　together；　and　only　the　narrow　iron　door；　with　its　locks；　bolts；　and　bars；　was　burst　open；　and　jerked　off　amongst　the　bystanders。

It　was　quite　a　scene。　　A　large　crowd　had　assembled；　and　amongst　them　was　Sir　Walter　Scott。　　Recognising　my　father；　he　stood　by　him；　while　both　awaited　the　ponderous　crash。　　Sir　Walter　was　still　the　Great　Unknown。　　When　his　Heart　of　Midlothian　was　published　in　the　course　of　the　following　year；　it　was　pretty　well　known　that　he　was　the　author　of　that　fascinating　novel。　　Sir　Waiter　got　the　door　and　the　key；　as　relics；　for　his　house　at　Abbotsford。

There　was　a　rush　of　people　towards　the　iron　chest　to　look　into　the　dark　interior　of　that　veritable　chamber　of　horrors。　　My　father's　artist　friend　went　forward　with　the　rest；　and　endeavoured　to　pick　up　some　remnant　of　the　demolished　structure。　　As　soon　as　the　clouds　of　dust　had　been　dispersed；　he　observed；　under　the　place　where　the　iron　box　had　stood；　a　number　of　skeletons　of　rats；　as　dry　as　mummies。　　He　selected　one　of　these；*　　＇footnote。。。　I　was　so　much　impressed　with　the　events　of　the　day；　and　also　with　the　fact　of　the　young　artist　having　taken　with　him　so　repulsive　a　memento　as　a　rat's　skeleton；　that　I　never　forgot　it。　　More　than　half　century　later；　when　I　was　at　a　private　view　of　the　Royal　Academy；　I　saw　sitting　on　one　of　the　sofas　a　remarkable　and　venerable…looking　old　gentleman。　On　inquiring　of　my　friend　Thomas　Webster　who　he　was；　he　answered；　〃Why；　that's　old　Linnell！〃　　I　then　took　the　liberty　of　sitting　down　beside　him；　and；　apologising　for　my　intrusion　on　his　notice；　I　said　it　was　just　fifty…seven　years　since　I　had　last　seen　him！　　I　mentioned　the　circumstance　of　the　rat…skeleton　which　he　had　put　in　his　pocket　at　Edinburgh。　　He　was　pleased　and　astonished　to　have　the　facts　so　vividly　recalled　to　his　mind。　　At　last　he　said；　〃Well；　I　have　that　mummy　rat；　the　relic　of　the　Heart　of　Midlothian；　safe　in　a　cabinet　of　curiosities　in　my　house　at　Redhill　to　this　day。〃　　。。。＇　wrapped　it　in　a　newspaper　and　put　it　in　his　pocket　as　a　recollection　of　his　first　day　in　Edinburgh；　and　of　the　final　destruction　of　the　〃Heart　of　Midlothian。〃　　This　artist　was　no　other　than　John　Linnell；　the　afterwards　famous　landscape　painter。　　He　was　then　a　young　and　unknown　man。　　He　brought　a　letter　of　introduction　to　my　father。　He　also　brought　a　landscape　as　a　specimen　of　his　young　efforts；　and　it　was　so　splendidly　done　that　my　father　augured　a　brilliant　career　for　this　admirable　artist。

I　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Sir　Waiter　Scott　on　another　and；　to　me；　a　very　memorable　occasion。　　From　an　early　period　of　my　schoolboy　days　I　had　a　great　regard　for　every　object　that　had　reference　to　bygone　times。　They　influenced　my　imagination；　and　conjured　up　in　my　mind　dreamy　visions　of　the　people　of　olden　days。　　It　did　not　matter　whether　it　was　an　old　coin　or　an　old　castle。　　took　pleasure　in　rambling　about　the　old　castles　near　Edinburgh；　many　of　them　connected　with　the　times　of　Mary　Queen　of　Scots。　　Craigmillar　Castle　was　within　a　few　miles　of　the　city；　there　was　also　Crighton　Castle；　and　above　all　Borthwick　Castle。　This　grand　massive　old　ruin　left　a　deep　impression　on　my　mind。　The　sight　of　its　gloomy　interior；　with　the　great　hall　lighted　up　only　by　stray　glints　of　sunshine；　as　if　struggling　for　access　through　the　small　deep…seated　windows　in　its　massive　walls；　together　with　its　connection　with　the　life　and　times　of　Queen　Mary；　had　a　far　greater　influence　upon　my　mind　than　I　experienced　while　standing　amidst　the　Coliseum　at　Rome。

Like　many　earnest…minded　boys；　I　had　a　severe　attack　at　the　right　time　of　life；　say　from　12　to　15；　of　what　I　would　call　〃the　collecting　period。〃　This　consisted；　in　my　case；　of　accumulating　old　coins；　perhaps　one　of　the　most　salutary　forms　of　this　youthful　passion。　　I　made　exchanges　with　my　school　companions。　　Sometimes　my　father's　friends；　seeing　my　anxiety　to　improve　my　collection　gave　me　choice　specimens　of　bronze　and　other　coins　of　the　Roman　emperors；　usually　duplicates　from　their　own　collection。

These　coins　had　the　effect　of　promoting　my　knowledge　of　Roman　history。　I　read　up　in　order　to　find　out　the　acts　and　deeds　of　the　old　rulers　of　the　civilised　world。　　Besides　collecting　the　coins；　I　used　to　make　careful　drawings　of　the　obverse　and　reverse　faces　of　each　in　an　illustrated　catalogue　which　I　kept　in　my　little　coin　cabinet。

I　remember　one　day；　when　sitting　beside　my　father　making　a　very　careful　drawing　of　a　fine　bronze　coin　of　Augustus；　that　Sir　Walter　Scott　entered　the　room。　　He　frequently　called　upon　my　father　in　order　to　consult　him　with　respect　to　his　architectural　arrangements。　　Sir　Walter　caught　sight　of　me；　and　came　forward　to　look　over　the　work　I　was　engaged　in。　　At　his　request　I　had　the　pleasure　of　showing　him　my　little　store　of　coin　treasures；　after　which　he　took　out　of　his　waistcoat　pocket　a　beautiful　silver　coin　of　the　reign　of　Mary　Queen　of　Scots；　and　gave　it　to　me　as　being　his　〃young　brother　antiquarian。〃　　I　shall　never　forget　the　kind　fatherly　way　in　which　he　presented　it。　I　considered　it　a　great　honour　to　be　spoken　to　in　so　friendly　a　way　by　such　a　man；　besides；　it　vastly　enriched　my　little　collection　of　coins　and　medals。

It　was　in　the　year　1817　that　I　had　the　pleasure；　never　to　be　forgotten；　of　seeing　the　great　engineer；　James　Watt。　　He　was　then　close　upon　his　eighty…second　year。　　His　visit　to　Edinburgh　was　welcomed　by　the　most　distinguished　scientific　and　literary　men　of　the　city。　　My　father　had　the　honour　of　meeting　him　at　a　dinner　given　by　the　Earl　of　Buchan；　at　his　residence　in　George　Street。　　There　were　present；　Sir　James　Hall；　President　of　the　Royal　Society；　Francis　Jeffrey；　Editor　of　the　Edinburgh　Review；　Walter　Scott；　still　the　Great　Unknown；　and　many　other　distinguished　notabilities。　　The　cheerful　old　man　delighted　them　with　his　kindly　talk；　as　well　as　astonished　them　with　the　extent　and　profundity　of　his　information。

On　the　following　day　Mr。　Watt　paid　my　father　a　visit　he　carefully　examined　his　artistic　and　other　works。　　Having　inspected　with　great　pleasure　some　landscape　paintings　of　various　scenes　in　Scotland　executed　by　my　sisters；　who　were　then　highly　efficient　artists；　he　purchased　a　specimen　of　each；　as　well　as　three　landscapes　painted　by　my　father；　as　a　record　of　his　pleasant　visit　to　the　capital　of　his　native　country。　　I　well　remember　the　sight　I　then　got　of　the　Great　Engineer。　　I　had　just　returned　from　the　High　School　when　he　was　leaving　my　father's　house。　　It　was　but　a　glimpse　I　had　of　him。　　But　his　benevolent　countenance　and　his　tall　but　bent　figure　made　an　impression　on　my　mind　that　I　can　never　forget。　　It　was　even　something　to　have　seen　for　a　few　seconds　so　truly　great　and　noble　a　man。

I　did　not　long　continue　my　passion　for　the　collection　of　coins；　I　felt　a　greater　interest　in　mechanical　pursuits。　　I　have　a　most　cherished　and　grateful　remembrance　of　the　happy　hours　and　days　that　I　spent　in　my　father's　workroom。　　When　the　weather　was　cold　or　wet　；he　took　refuge　with　his　lathe　and　tools；　and　there　I　followed　and　watched　him。　He　took　the　greatest　pleasure　in　instructing　me。　　Even　in　the　most　humble　mechanical　job　he　was　sure　to　direct　my　attention　to　the　action　of　the　tools　and　to　the　construction　of　the　work　he　had　in　hand；　and　pointed　out　the　manipulative　processes　requisite　for　its　being　effectually　carried　out。　　My　hearty　zeal　in　assisting　him　was　well　rewarded　by　his　implanting　in　my　mind　the　great　fundamental　principles　on　which　the　practice　of　engineering　in　its　grandest　forms　is　based。　But　I　did　not　learn　this　all　at　once。　　It　came　only　gradually；　and　by　dint　of　constant　repetition　and　inculcation。　　In　the　meantime　I　made　a　beginning　by　doing　some　little　mechanical　work　on　my　own　account。

While　attending　the　High　School；　from　1817　to　1820；　there　was　the　usual　rage　amongst　boys　for　spinning…tops；　〃peeries；〃　and　〃young　cannon。〃　By　means　of　my　father's　excellent　foot…lathe　I　turned　out　the　spinning…tops　in　capital　style；　so　much　so　that　I　be　came　quite　noted　amongst　my　school　companions。　　They　all　wanted　to　have　specimens　of　my　productions。　　They　would　give　any　price　for　them。　　The　peeries　were　turned　with　perfect　accuracy；　and　the　steel　shod；　or　spinning　pivot；　was　centred　so　as　to　correspond　exactly　with　the　axis　of　the　top。　They　could　spin　twice　as　long　as　the　bought　peeries。　　When　at　full　speed　they　would　〃sleep；〃　that　is；　revolve　without　the　slightest　waving。　　This　was　considered　high　art　as　regarded　top…spinning。

Flying…kites　and　tissue　paper　balloons　were　articles　that　I　was　somewhat　famed　for　producing。　　There　was　a　good　deal　of　special　skill　required　for　the　production　of　a　flying…kite。　　It　must　be　perfectly　still　and　steady　when　at　its　highest　flight　in　the　air。　Paper　messengers　were　sent　up　to　it　along　the　string　which　held　it　to　the　ground。　　The　top　of　the　Calton　Hill　was　the　most　favourite　place　for　enjoying　this　pleasant　amusement。

Another　article　for　which　I　became　equally　famous　was　the　manufacture　of　small　brass　cannon。　　These　I　cast　and　bored；　and　mounted　on　their　appropriate　gun…carriages。　　They