an autobiography-第56部分

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The　steamer　crosses　the　lake　to　Carlsborg；　at　the　entrance　to　the　fiord　and　canal　that　leads　to　Lakes　Wiken　and　Wenern。　　The　latter　is　an　immense　lakein　fact；　an　inland　sea。　　During　a　great　part　of　the　time　we　were　out　of　sight　of　land。　　At　length　we　reached　Wenersborg；　and　passed　down　the　Charles　Canal。　　A　considerable　time　is　required　to　enable　the　steamer　to　pass　from　lock　to　locknine　locks　in　all　down　to　the　level　of　the　Gotha　River。　　During　that　time　an　opportunity　was　afforded　us　for　seeing　the　famous　Trollhatten　Fallsa　very　fine　piece　of　Nature's　workmanship。

＇Image＇　Part　of　Trollhatten　Falls

Before　leaving　the　subject　of　Sweden；　I　feel　that　I　must　say　a　word　or　two　about　the　Swedish　people。　　I　admired　them　exceedingly。　They　are　tall；　fair；　good…looking。　　They　are　among　the　most　civil　and　obliging　people　that　I　have　ever　met。　　I　never　encountered　a　rude　word　or　a　rude　look　from　them。　　In　their　homes　they　are　simple　and　natural。　I　liked　the　pleasing　softness　of　their　voices；　so　sweet　and　musical　〃a　most　excellent　thing　in　woman。〃　　There　was　a　natural　gentleness　in　their　deportment。　　All　classes；　even　the　poorest；　partook　of　it。　Their　domestic　habits　are　excellent。　　They　are　fond　of　their　homes；　and；　above　all　things；　they　are　clean　and　tidy。　　They　strew　the　floors　of　their　ground　apartments　with　spruce　pine　twigs；　which　form　a　natural　carpet　as　well　as　give　out　a　sweet　balsamic　perfume。　　These　are　swept　away　every　morning　and　replaced　with　fresh　material。

With　their　many　virtues；　the　Swedes　are　a　most　self…helping　people。　They　are　hard…working　and　honest；　true　and　straightforward。　In　matters　of　commerce　they　are　men　of　their　word。　　They　are　clear…headed；　honest…minded；　and　keen　in　their　desire　for　knowledge。　Their　natural　simple　common　sense　enables　them　to　clear　away　all　parasitical　and　traditional　rubbish　from　their　minds；　and　to　stand　before　us　as　men　of　the　highest　excellence。　　All　happiness　and　prosperity　to　dear　old　Sweden！

I　set　out　from　Gottenburg　to　Helsingborg；　along　the　shores　of　the　Kattegat。　　From　Helsingborg　I　crossed　the　Sound　by　a　small　steamer　to　Elsinore；　famous　for　its　connection　with　Hamlet；　Prince　of　Denmark。　The　old　dreary　looking　castle　still　stands　there。　　From　Elsinore　I　went　to　Copenhagen；　and　occupied　myself　for　a　few　days　in　visiting　the　wonderful　museums。　　There　I　saw；　in　the　Northern　Antiquities　Collection；　the　unwritten　history　of　civilisation　in　the　stone；　bronze；　and　iron　tools　which　have　brought　the　world　to　what　it　is　now。　This　museum　is　perfectly　unrivalled。　　I　saw　there　the　first　section　of　kitchen…middensthat　is；　the　refuse　of　oyster　shells；　fish…bones；　and　other　stuff　thrown　out　by　the　ancient　inhabitants　of　the　country　after　their　meals；　together　with　accumulations　of　rude　stone　implements；　kelts；　arrow…heads；　and　such　like。　Then　there　were　the　articles　of　the　Bronze　Age；　with　war　trumpets；　the　articles　of　the　early　Iron　Age；　which　also　contain　some　remarkable　golden　war　horns。　　These　are　followed　by　the　middle　Iron　Age；　and　then　by　the　later　Iron　Age。　　This　part　of　the　collection　is　superb。　But　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　describe　the　wonders　of　the　museum。

I　was　greatly　interested　too　by　the　collection　of　articles　at　the　Rosenburg　Castle。　　This　is　the　only　museum　at　Copenhagen　which　is　not　free；　but　the　price　charged　is　very　small。　　It　contains　an　extraordinary　collection　of　royal　clothes　（what　would　Sartor　Resartus　say？）；　armour；　furniture；　drinking　vessels；　and　all　manner　of　personal　antiquities　connected　with　the　Kings　of　Denmark。

I　was　especially　interested　by　the　collection　of　royal　drinking　vessels；　from　the　earliest；　made　of　wood；　down　to　the　latest；　grand　gold　and　silver　flagons。　　What　most　amused　me　in　respect　to　these　boozing　implements　were　the　pegs　that　marked　the　depths　down　to　which　the　stalwart　Dane　was　able　to　swig　at　a　pull　one　enormous　draught　of　wine。　　In　some　cases　the　name　and　date　of　the　achievement　of　the　heavy　drinker　was　engraved　on　the　flagon　to　record　his　feat。　〃Take　him　a　peg　down〃　was　the　ordinary　saying；　and　the　words　have　become　a　proverb　amongst　ourselves。　　For　we　unquestionably　have　derived　a　great　deal　of　our　drinking　capabilities　from　our　ancestors　the　Danes。　The　whole　of　the　museums　at　Copenhagen　are　excellent。

Besides　those　I　have　mentioned；　are　the　Ethnographic　Museumthe　best　of　its　kind；　the　Museum　of　Coins；　the　most　complete　I　have　seen；　the　Thorwaldsen　Museum；　the　Mineralogical　Museum；　the　Zoological　Museum；　and　many　more。　　The　custodians　are　most　kind　and　civil；　and　when　they　see　any　visitor　interested　in　the　collection；　they　take　a　special　pleasure　in　going　round　with　him　and　pointing　out　the　beauty　and　rarity　of　the　articles；　imparting　at　the　same　time　most　interesting　information。　　I　wish　those　melancholy　taciturn　〃staff…in…hand〃　attendant　custodians　of　our　British　Museums　could　or　would　follow　their　example；　and　thus　aid　the　chief　object　of　these　costly　institutions。

Holding　the　memory　of　Tycho　Brahe　in　the　highest　regard　as　one　of　the　great　pioneers　of　astronomy；　I　was　much　interested　by　a　contemporary　portrait　of　him　in　the　Town　Hall；　but　still　more　so　by　the　remains　of　his　observatory　at　the　top　of　the　great　Round　Tower；　where　he　carried　on　his　careful　observations　by　instruments　of　his　own　design　and　construction。　　These；　with　many　additions；　he　afterwards　transported　to　the　island　of　Hveen；　where　the　remains　of　his　castle　and　observatory　are　still　to　be　seen；　While　I　was　mounting　the　Round　Tower　I　could　not　but　think　of　the　footsteps　of　the　great　astronomer　who　has　made　it　classic　ground。

I　left　Copenhagen　for　Hamburg　by　coach。　　After　passing　through　the　island　of　Zealand；　I　was　ferried　across　to　the　island　of　Fyen；　and　after　that　I　proceeded　along　the　mainland　of　Sleswick　and　Holstein。　I　was　much　pleased　with　what　I　saw　of　the　people　of　these　provinces。　Their　farmhouses　and　cottages　were　wonderfully　clean　and　neat。　The　women　were　all　engaged　in　scrubbing　and　polishing。　　I　believe　I　saw　more　brass　in　the　shape　of　bright　door…knockers　during　my　journey　than　I　had　seen　in　all　England。　　Even　the　brass　and　iron　hoops　round　the　milk　pails；　by　constant　scrubbing；　looked　like　gold　and　silver。　Every　window　had　its　neat　dimity　curtains　edged　with　snow…white　trimming。　　The　very　flower…pots　were　painted　red；　to　fetch　up　their　brightness　to　the　general　standard。　　I　never　saw　a　more　cheerful　and　happy…looking　people　than　those　whom　I　observed　between　Copenhagen　and　Hamburg。　　They　seemed　to　me　to　be　very　like　the　people　of　England　especially　in　the　northern　and　eastern　partsin　their　oval　faces；　their　bright　blue　eyes；　and　their　light　and　golden　hair；　as　well　as　their　active　minds　and　bodies；　which　enable　them　to　do　their　work　with　hearty　cheerful　energy。

I　went　from　Hamburg　to　Amsterdam　by　steamer；　and　after　doing　a　few　days'　business　I　went　to　take　a　peep　at　the　fine　collections　of　pictures　there；　as　well　as　at　the　Hague。　　Then　I　proceeded　to　Rotterdam；　and　took　ship　for　England　by　the　Batavian　steamer。　I　reached　home　safely　after　my　prolonged　tour。　　Everything　was　going　on　well　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。　　The　seeds　which　I　had　sown　in　the　northern　countries　of　Europe　were　already　springing　up　plentifully　in　orders　for　machine　tools；　and　the　clang　of　the　hammer　and　the　whirl　of　the　lathes　and　planing　machines　were　working　cheerily　on　from　morning　till　night。


CHAPTER　17。　　More　about　Bridgewater　FoundryWoolwich　Arsenal。

The　rapid　extension　of　railways　and　steam　navigation；　both　at　home　and　abroad；　occasioned　a　largely　increased　demand　for　machinery　of　all　kinds。　　Our　order…book　was　always　full；　and　every　mechanical　workshop　felt　the　impulse　of　expanding　trade。　　There　was　an　increased　demand　for　skilled　mechanical　laboura　demand　that　was　far　in　excess　of　the　supply。　　Employers　began　to　outbid　each　other；　and　wages　rapidly　rose。　At　the　same　time　the　disposition　to　steady　exertion　on　the　part　of　the　workmen　began　to　decline。

This　state　of　affairs　had　its　usual　effect。　　It　increased　the　demand　for　self…acting　tools；　by　which　the　employers　might　increase　the　productiveness　of　their　factories　without　having　resort　to　the　costly　and　untrustworthy　method　of　meeting　the　demand　by　increasing　the　number　of　their　workmen。　　Machine　tools　were　found　to　be　of　much　greater　advantage。　　They　displaced　hand…dexterity　and　muscular　force。　They　were　unfailing　in　their　action。　　They　could　not　possibly　go　wrong　in　planing　and　turning；　because　they　were　regulated　by　perfect　self…acting　arrangements。　　They　were　always　ready　for　work；　and　never　required　a　Holiday　or　a　Saint　Monday。

As　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　had　been　so　fortunate　as　to　earn　for　itself　a　considerable　reputation　for　mechanical　contrivances；　the　workshops　were　always　busy。　　They　were　crowded　with　machine　tools　in　full　action；　and　exhibited　to　all　comers　their　effectiveness　in　the　most　satisfactory　manner；　Every　facility　was　afforded　to　those　who　desired　to　see　them　at　work；　and　every　machine　and　machine　tool　that　was　turned　out　became　in　the　hands　of　its　employers　the　progenitor　of　a　numerous　family。

Indeed；　on　many　occasions　I　had　the　gratification　of　seeing　my　mechanical　notions　adopted　by　rival　or　competitive　machine　constructors；　often　without　acknowledgment；　though；　notwithstanding　this　point　of　honour；　there　was　room　enough　for　all。　　Though　the　parent　features　were　easily　recognisable；　I　esteemed　such　plagiarisms　as　a　sort　of　left…handed　compliment　to　their　author。　　I　also　regarded　them　as　a　proof　that　I　had　hit　the　mark　in　so　arranging　my　mechanical　combinations　as　to　cause　their　general　adoption；　and　many　of　them　remain　unaltered　to　this　day。

The　machine　tools　when　in　action　did　not　require　a　skilled　workman　to　guide　or　watch　them。　　All　that　was　necessary　to　superintend　them　was　a　well…selected　labourer。　　The　self…acting　machine　tools　already　possessed　the　requisite　ability　to　plane；　to　turn；　to　polish；　and　to　execute　the　work　when　firmly　placed　in　situ。　　The　work　merely　required　to　be　shifted　from　time　to　time；　and　carefully　fixed　for　another　action　of　the　machine。

Besides　selecting　clever　labourers；　I　made　an　extensive　use　of　active　handy　boys　to　superintend　the　smaller　class　of　self…acting　machine　tools。　　To　do　this　required　little　exertion　of　muscular　force