an autobiography-第22部分

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nt　workmanship　and　admirable　utility；　had　never；　I　believe；　been　provided　for　the　service　of　any　university。　He　was　so　pleased　with　my　addition　to　his　class…room　apparatus；　that；　besides　expressing　his　great　thanks　for　my　services；　he　most　handsomely　presented　me　with　a　free　ticket　to　his　Natural　Philosophy　class　as　a　regular　student；　so　long　as　it　suited　me　to　make　use　of　his　instruction。　But　far　beyond　this；　as　a　reward　for　my　earnest　endeavours　to　satisfy　this　truly　great　philosopher；　was　the　kindly　manner　in　which　he　on　all　occasions　communicated　to　me　conversationally　his　original　and　masterly　views　on　the　great　fundamental　principles　of　Natural　Philosophy　especially　as　regarded　the　principles　of　Dynamics　and　the　Philosophy　of　Mechanics。　The　clear　views　which　he　communicated　in　his　conversation；　as　well　as　in　his　admirable　lectures；　vividly　illustrated　by　the　experiments　which　he　had　originated；　proved　of　great　advantage　to　me；　and　I　had　every　reason　to　consider　his　friendship　and　his　teaching　as　amongst　the　most　important　elements　in　my　future　success　as　a　practical　engineer。

Having　referred　to　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts；　I　feel　it　necessary　to　say　something　about　the　origin　of　that　excellent　institution。　A　committee　of　the　most　distinguished　citizens　of　Edinburgh　was　formed　for　the　purpose　of　instituting　a　college　in　which　working　men　and　mechanics　might　possess　the　advantages　of　instruction　in　the　principles　on　which　their　various　occupations　were　conducted。　　Among　the　committee　were　Leonard　Horner；　Francis　Jeffrey；　Henry　Cockburn；　John　Murray　of　Henderland；　Alexander　Bryson；　James　Mline；　John　Miller；　the　Lord　Provost；　and　various　members　of　the　Council。　　Their　efforts　succeeded；　and　the　institution　was　founded。　　The　classes　were　opened　in　1821；　in　which　year　I　became　a　student。

In　order　to　supply　the　students；　who　were　chiefly　young　men　of　the　working　class；　with　sound　instruction　in　the　various　branches　of　science；　the　lectures　were　delivered　and　the　classes　were　superintended　by　men　of　established　ability　in　their　several　departments。　This　course　was　regularly　pursued　from　its　fundamental　and　elementary　principles　to　the　highest　point　of　scientific　instruction。　The　consecutive　lectures　and　examinations　extended；　as　in　the　University；　from　October　to　May　in　each　year's　session。　　It　was；　in　fact；　our　first　technical　college。　　In　these　later　days　when　so　many　of　our　so…called　Mechanics'　Institutes　are　merely　cheap　reading…clubs　for　the　middle　classes；　and　the　lectures　are　delivered　for　the　most　part　merely　for　a　pleasant　evening'　s　amusement；　it　seems　to　me　that　we　have　greatly　departed　from　the　original　design　with　which　Mechanics'　Institutions　were　founded。

As　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　was　intended　for　the　benefit　of　mechanics；　the　lectures　and　classes　were　held　in　the　evening　after　the　day's　work　was　over。　　The　lectures　on　chemistry　were　given　by　Dr。　Fyfe　an　excellent　man。　　His　clearness　of　style；　his　successful　experiments；　and　the　careful　and　graphic　method　by　which　he　carried　his　students　from　the　first　fundamental　principles　to　the　highest　points　of　chemical　science；　attracted　a　crowded　and　attentive　audience。　　Not　less　interesting　were　the　lectures　on　Mechanical　Philosophy；　which　in　my　time　were　delivered　by　Dr。　Lees　and　Mr。Buchanan。　　The　class　of　Geometry　and　Mathematics　was　equally　well　conducted；　though　the　attendance　was　not　so　great。

The　building　which　the　directors　had　secured　for　the　lecture…hall　and　class…rooms　of　the　institution　was　situated　at　the　lower　end　of　Niddry　Street；　nearly　under　the　great　arch　of　the　South　Bridge。　　It　had　been　built　about　a　hundred　years　before；　and　was　formerly　used　by　an　association　of　amateur　musicians；　who　gave　periodical　concerts　of　vocal　and　instrumental　music。　　The　orchestra　was　now　converted　into　a　noble　lecture　table；　with　accommodation　for　any　amount　of　apparatus　that　might　be　required　for　the　purposes　of　illustration。　　The　seats　were　arranged　in　the　body　of　the　hall　in　concentric　segments；　with　the　lecture　table　as　their　centre。　　In　an　alcove　fight　opposite　the　lecturer　might　often　be　seen　the　directors　of　the　institution　Jeffrey；　Horner；　Murray；　and　otherswho　took　every　opportunity　of　dignifying　by　their　presence　this　noble　gathering　of　earnest　and　intelligent　working　men。

A　library　of　scientific　books　was　soon　added　to　the　institution；　by　purchases　or　by　gifts。　　Such　was　the　eagerness　to　have　a　chance　of　getting　the　book　you　wanted　that　I　remember　standing　on　many　occasions　for　some　time　amidst　a　number　of　applicants　awaiting　the　opening　of　the　door　on　an　evening　library　night。　　It　was　as　crowded　as　if　I　had　been　standing　at　the　gallery　door　of　the　theatre　on　a　night　when　some　distinguished　star　from　London　was　about　to　make　his　appearance。　There　was　the　same　eagerness　to　get　a　good　place　in　the　lecture…room；　as　near　to　the　lecture　table　as　possible；　especially　on　the　chemistry　nights。

I　continued　my　regular　attendance　at　this　admirable　institution　from　1821　to　1826。　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　it　still　continues　in　active　operation。　　In　November　1880　the　number　of　students　attending　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　amounted　to　two　thousand　five　hundred！　　I　have　been　led　to　this　prolix　account　of　the　beginning　of　the　institution　by　the　feeling　that　I　owe　a　deep　debt　of　gratitude　to　it；　and　because　of　the　instructive　and　intellectually　enjoyable　evenings　which　I　spent　there；　in　fitting　myself　for　entering　upon　the　practical　work　of　my　life。

The　successful　establishment　of　the　Edinburgh　School　of　Arts　had　a　considerable　effect　throughout　the　country。　　Similar　institutions　were　established；　lectures　were　delivered；　and　the　necessary　illustrations　were　acquiredabove　all；　the　working　models　of　the　steam…engine。　There　was　quite　a　run　upon　me　for　supplying　them。　　My　third　working　model　was　made　to　the　order　of　Robert　Bald；　for　the　purpose　of　being　presented　to　the　Alloa　Mechanics'　Institute；　the　fourth　was　manufactured　for　Mr。　G。　Buchanan；　who　lectured　on　mechanical　subjects　throughout　the　country；　and　the　fifth　was　supplied　to　a　Mr。　Offley；　an　English　gentleman　who　took　a　fancy　for　the　model　when　he　came　to　purchase　some　of　my　father's　works。

The　price　I　charged　for　my　models　was　#10；　and　with　the　pecuniary　results　I　made　over　one…third　to　my　father；　as　a　sort　of　help　to　remunerate　him　for　my　〃keep；〃　and　with　the　rest　I　purchased　tickets　of　admission　to　certain　classes　in　the　University。　　I　attended　the　Chemistry　course　under　Dr。　Hope；　the　Geometry　and　Mathematical　course　under　Professor　Wallace；　and　the　Natural　Philosophy　course　under　my　valued　friend　and　patron　Professor　Leslie。　　What　with　my　attendance　upon　the　classes；　and　my　workshop　and　drawing　occupations；　my　time　did　not　hang　at　all　heavy　on　my　hands。

I　got　up　early　in　the　mornings　to　work　at　my　father's　lathe；　and　I　sat　up　late　at　night　to　do　the　brass　castings　in　my　bedroom。　　Some　of　this；　however；　I　did　during　the　day…time；　when　not　attending　the　University　classes。　　The　way　in　which　I　converted　my　bedroom　into　a　brass　foundry　was　as　follows：　　I　took　up　the　carpet　so　that　there　might　be　nothing　but　the　bare　boards　to　be　injured　by　the　heat。　　My　furnace　in　the　grate　was　made　of　four　plates　of　stout　sheet…iron；　lined　with　fire…brick；　corner　to　corner。　　To　get　the　requisite　sharp　draught　I　bricked　up　with　single　bricks　the　front　of　the　fireplace；　leaving　a　hole　at　the　back　of　the　furnace　for　the　short　pipe　just　to　fit　into。　　The　fuel　was　generally　gas　coke　and　cinders　saved　from　the　kitchen。　　The　heat　I　raised　was　superba　white　heat；　sufficient　to　melt　in　a　crucible　six　or　eight　pounds　of　brass。

Then　I　had　a　box　of　moulding　sand；　where　the　moulds　were　gently　rammed　in　around　the　pattern　previous　to　the　casting。　　But　how　did　I　get　my　brass？　　All　the　old　brassworks　in　my　father's　workshop　drawers　and　boxes　were　laid　under　contribution。　　This　brass　being　for　the　most　part　soft　and　yellow；　I　made　it　extra　hard　by　the　addition　of　a　due　proportion　of　tin。　　It　was　then　capable　of　retaining　a　fine　edge。　　When　I　had　exhausted　the　stock　of　old　brass；　I　had　to　buy　old　copper；　or　new；　in　the　form　of　ingot　or　tile　copper；　and　when　melted　I　added　to　it　one…eighth　of　its　weight　of　pure　tin；　which　yielded　the　strongest　alloy　of　the　two　metals。　　When　cast　into　any　required　form　this　was　a　treat　to　work；　so　sound　and　close　was　the　grain；　and　so　durable　in　resisting　wear　and　tear。　　This　is　the　true　bronze　or　gun　metal。

When　melted；　the　liquid　brass　was　let　into　the　openings；　until　the　whole　of　the　moulds　were　filled。　　After　the　metal　cooled　it　was　taken　out；　and　when　the　room　was　sorted　up　no　one　could　have　known　that　my　foundry　operations　had　been　carried　on　in　my　bedroom。　　My　brass　foundry　was　right　over　my　father's　bedroom。　　He　had　forbidden　me　to　work　late　at　night；　as　I　did　occasionally　on　the　sly。　　Sometimes　when　I　ought　to　have　been　asleep　I　was　detected　by　the　sound　of　the　ramming　in　of　the　sand　of　the　moulding　boxes。　　On　such　occasions　my　father　let　me　know　that　I　was　disobeying　his　orders　by　rapping　on　the　ceiling　of　his　bedroom　with　a　slight　wooden　rod　of　ten　feet　that　he　kept　for　measuring　purposes。　　But　I　got　over　that　difficulty　by　placing　a　bit　of　old　carpet　under　my　moulding　boxes　as　a　non…conductor　of　sound；　so　that　no　ramming　could　afterwards　be　heard。　My　dear　mother　also　was　afraid　that　I　should　damage　my　health　by　working　so　continuously。　　She　would　come　into　the　workroom　late　in　the　evening；　when　I　was　working　at　the　lathe　or　the　vice；　and　say；　〃Ye'll　kill　yerself；　laddie；　by　working　so　hard　and　so　late〃。　　Yet　she　took　a　great　pride　in　seeing　me　so　busy　and　so　happy。

Nearly　the　whole　of　my　steam…engine　models　were　made　in　my　father's　workroom。　　His　foot…lathe　and　stove；　together　with　my　brass　casting　arrangements　in　my　bedroom；　answered　all　my　purposes　in　the　way　of　model　making。　　But　I　had　at　times　to　avail　myself　of　the　smithy　and　foundry　that　my　kind　and　worthy　friend；　George　Douglass；　had　established　in　the　neighbourhood。　　He　had　begun　business　as　〃a　jobbing　smith；〃　but　being　a　most　intelligent　and　energetic　workman；　he　shot　ahead　and　laid　the　foundations　of　a　large　trade　in　steam…engines。　When　I　had　any　part　of　a　job　in　hand　that　was　beyond　the　capabilities　of　my　father's　lathe；　or　my　be