an autobiography-第62部分

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for　the　Moon's　existence　on　that　account　alone。　She　is　the　grand　scavenger　and　practical　sanitary　commissioner　of　the　earth。　Then　consider　the　work　she　does！　　She　moves　hundreds　of　ships　and　barges；　filled　with　valuable　cargoes；　up　our　tidal　rivers；　to　the　commercial　cities　on　their　banks。　　She　thus　performs　a　vast　amount　of　daily　and　nightly　mechanical　drudgery。　　She　is　the　most　effective　of　all　Tugs；　and　now　that　we　understand　the　convertibility　and　conservation　of　force；　we　may　be　able　to　use　her　Tide…producing　powers　through　the　agency　of　electricity　for　mechanical　purposes。　It　is　even　possible　that　the　Tides　may　yet　light　our　streets　and　houses！*　　＇footnote。。。　It　is　not　quite　a　century　since　London　was　in　part　supplied　with　water　by　the　Moon；　through　employing　the　tidal　action　by　the　waters　at　Old　London　Bridge；　where　the　tide　mills　worked　the　water…supplying　pumps。　　。。。＇

Is　the　moon　inhabited？　　It　seems　to　me　that　the　entire　absence　of　atmosphere　and　water　forbids　the　suppositionat　least　of　any　form　of　life　with　which　we　are　acquainted。　　Add　to　this　adverse　condition；　the　fact　of　the　moon's　day　being　equal　to　fourteen　of　our　days；　the　sun　shining　with　much　more　brilliancy　of　effect　in　the　moon　than　on　the　earth；　where　atmosphere　and　moisture　act　as　an　important　agent　in　modifying　its　scorching　rays；　whilst　no　such　agency　exists　in　the　moon。　The　sun　shines　there　without　intermission　for　fourteen　days　and　nights。　During　that　time　the　heat　must　accumulate　to　almost　the　melting　point　of　lead；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　absence　of　the　sun　for　an　equal　period　must　be　followed　by　a　period　of　intense　cold；　such　as　we　have　no　experience　of；　even　in　the　Arctic　regions。　　The　highest　authorities　state　that　the　cold　during　the　Moon's　long　night　must　reach　as　low　as　250　degrees　below　the　freezing　point　of　water。　　These　considerations；　I　think；　reasonably　suggest　that　the　existence　of　any　form　of　life　in　the　Moon　is　in　the　highest　degree　improbable。

The　first　occasion　on　which　I　exhibited　my　series　of　drawings　of　the　Moon；　together　with　a　map　six　feet　in　diameter　of　its　entire　visible　surface；　was　at　the　meeting　of　the　British　Association　at　Edinburgh　in　1850。　　I　always　looked　forward　to　these　meetings　with　great　pleasure；　and　attended　them　with　supreme　interest。　　My　dear　wife　always　accompanied　me。　　It　was　our　scientific　holiday。　　It　was　also　our　holiday　of　friendship。　　We　met　many　of　our　old　friends；　and　made　many　new　friends。　　Alas；　how　many　of　them　have　departed！　　Herschel；　Faraday；　Robinson；　Taylor；　Phillips；　Brewster；　Rosse；　Fairbairn；　Lassell；　and　a　host　of　minor　stars；　who；　although　perhaps　wanting　in　the　brightness　or　magnitude　of　those　I　have　named；　made　good　amends　by　the　warmth　of　their　cheerful　rays。　　We　saw　the　younger　lights　emerging　above　the　horizon：　　the　men　who　still　continue　to　shed　their　glory　over　the　meetings　of　the　Association。

How　delightful　was　our　visit　to　Edinburgh　in　1850。　It　was　〃mine　own　romantic　town。〃　　I　remembered　its　striking　features　so　well。　There　was　the　broad　mass　of　the　Old　Town；　with　its　endless　diversity　of　light　and　shade。　　There　was　the　grand　old　fortress；　with　its　towers　and　turrets　and　black　portholes。　　Towards　evening　the　distant　glories　of　the　departing　sun　threw　forward；　in　dark　outline；　the　wooded　hill　of　Corstorphine。　　The　rock　and　Castle　assumed　a　new　aspect　every　time　I　looked　at　them。　　The　long…drawn　gardens　filling　the　valley　between　the　Old　Town　and　the　New；　and　the　thickly…wooded　scars　of　the　Castle　rock；　were　a　charm　of　landscape　and　a　charm　of　art。　　Arthur's　Seat；　like　a　lion　at　rest；　seemed　perfect　witchcraft。　　And　from　the　streets　in　the　New　Town；　or　from　Calton　Hill；　what　singular　glances　of　beauty　were　observed　in　the　distancethe　gleaming　waters　of　the　Firth；　and　the　blue　shadows　among　the　hills　of　Fife。

I　remembered　it　all；　from　the　days　in　which　I　sat；　as　a　child；　beside　the　lassies　watching　the　〃claes〃　on　the　Calton　Hill　and　hearing　the　chimes　of　St。　Giles's　tinkling　across　the　Nor'　Loch　from　the　Old　Town；　the　walks；　when　a　boy；　in　the　picturesque　country　round　Edinburgh；　with　my　father　and　his　scientific　and　artistic　friends；　my　days　at　the　High　School；　and　then　my　evenings　at　the　School　of　Arts；　my　castings　of　brass　in　my　bedroom；　and　the　technical　training　I　enjoyed　in　the　workshop　of　my　old　schoolfellow；　my　roadway　locomotive　and　its　success；　and　finally；　the　making　of　my　tools　and　machines　intended　for　Manchester；　at　the　foundry　of　my　dear　old　friend　Douglass。　　It　all　came　back　to　me　like　a　dream。　　And　now；　after　some　twenty　years；　I　had　returned　to　Edinburgh　on　a　visit　to　the　British　Association。　　Many　things　had　been　changedmany　relatives　and　friends　had　departedbut　still　Edinburgh　remained　to　me　as　fascinating　as　ever。

The　excursions　formed　our　principal　source　of　enjoyment　during　these　scientific　gatherings。　　The　season　was　then　at　its　happiest。　Nature　was　in　her　most　enjoyable　condition；　and　the　excursionists　were　usually　in　their　holiday　mood。　　The　meeting　of　the　British　Association　at　Edinburgh　was　presided　over　by　Sir　David　Brewster。　　The　geologists　visited　the　remarkable　displays　of　volcanic　phenomena　with　which　the　neighbourhood　of　Edinburgh　singularly　abounds。　　Indeed；　Edinburgh　owes　much　of　its　picturesque　beauty　to　volcanoes　and　earthquake　upheavings。　Our　excursions　culminated　in　a　visit　to　the　Bass　Rock。　The　excursion　had　been　carefully　planned；　and　was　successfully　carried　out。　The　day　was　beautiful；　and　the　party　was　of　the　choicest。　After　reaching　the　little　cove　of　Canty　Bay；　overlooked　by　the　gigantic　ruins　of　Tantallon　Castle；　we　were　ferried　across　to　the　Bass；　through　a　few　miles　of　that　capricious　sea；　the　Firth　of　Forth；　near　to　where　it　joins　the　German　Ocean。　　We　were　piloted　by　that　fine　old　British　tar；　Admiral　Malcolm；　while　the　commissariat　was　superintended　by　General　Pasley。

We　were　safely　landed　on　that　magnificent　sea…girt　volcanic　rock　the　Bass。　　After　inspecting　the　ruins　of　what　was　once　a　castellated　State　prison；　where　the　Covenanters　were　immured　for　conscience'　sake；　we　wandered　up　the　hill　towards　the　summit。　　There　we　were　treated　to　a　short　lecture　by　Professor　Owen　on　the　Solan　Goose；　which　was　illustrated　by　the　clouds　of　geese　flying　over　us。　They　freely　exhibited　their　habits　on　land　as　well　as　in　mid…air；　and　skimmed　the　dizzy　crags　with　graceful　and　apparently　effortless　motions。　The　vast　variety　of　seafowl　screamed　their　utmost；　and　gave　a　wonderfully　illustrative　chorus　to　the　lecture。　It　was　a　most　impressive　scene。　　We　were　high　above　the　deep　blue　sea　of　the　German　Ocean；　the　waves　of　which　leapt　up　as　if　they　would　sweep　us　away　into　the　depths　below。

Another　of　our　delightful　excursions　was　made　under　the　guidance　of　my　old　and　dear　friend　Robert　Chambers。*　　＇footnote。。。　I　cannot　pass　over　the　mention　of　Robert　Chambers's　name　without　adding　that　I　was　on　terms　of　the　most　friendly　intimacy　with　him　from　a　very　early　period　of　his　life　to　its　termination　in　1871。　I　remember　when　he　made　his　first　venture　in　business　in　Leith　Walk。　By　virtue　of　his　industry；　ability；　and　energy；　he　became　a　prosperous　man。　　I　had　the　happiness　of　enjoying　his　delightful　and　instructive　society　on　many　occasions。　We　had　rare　cracks　on　all　subjects；　but　especially　respecting　old　places　and　old　characters　whom　we　had　known　at　Edinburgh。　　His　natural　aptitude　to　catch　up　the　salient　and　most　humorous　points　of　character；　with　the　quaint　manner　in　which　he　could　describe　them；　gave　a　vast　charm　to　his　company　and　conversation。　Added　to　which；　the　wide　range　and　accuracy　of　his　information；　acquired　by　his　own　industry　and　quick…witted　penetration；　caused　the　hours　spent　in　his　society　to　remain　among　the　brightest　points　in　my　memory。　　。。。＇

The　object　of　this　excursion　was　to　visit　the　remarkable　series　of　grooved　and　scratched　rocks　which　had　been　discovered*　　＇footnote。。。　They　had　been　first　seen；　some　twenty　years　before；　by　Sir　James　Hall；　one　of　the　geologic　lights　of　Edinburgh。　　。。。＇　on　the　western　edge　of　the　cliff…like　boundary　of　Corstorphine　Hill。　The　glacial　origin　of　these　groovings　on　the　rocks　was　then　occupying　the　attention　of　geologists。　　It　was　a　subject　that　Robert　Chambers　had　carefully　studied；　in　the　Lowlands；　in　the　Highlands；　in　Rhine…land；　in　Switzerland；　and　in　Norway。　　He　had　also　published　his　Ancient　Sea　Margins　and　his　Tracings　of　the　North　of　Europe　in　illustration　of　his　views。　　　He　was　now　enabled　to　show　us　these　groovings　and　scratchings　on　the　rocks　near　Edinburgh。　　In　order　to　render　the　records　more　accessible；　he　had　the　heather　and　mossy　turf　carefully　removed　especially　from　some　of　the　most　distinct　evidences　of　glacial　rock…grooving。　　Thus　no　time　was　lost；　and　we　immediately　saw　the　unquestionable　markings。　　Such　visits　as　these　are　a　thousand　times　more　instructive　and　interesting　than　long　papers　read　at　scientific　meetings。　　They　afford　the　best　opportunity　for　interchange　of　ideas；　and　directly　produce　an　emphatic　result；　for　one　cannot　cavil　about　what　he　has　seen　with　his　eyes　and　felt　with　his　hands。

We　returned　to　the　city　in　time　to　be　present　at　a　most　interesting　lecture　by　Hugh　Miller　on　the　Boulder　Clay。　He　illustrated　it　by　some　scratched　boulders　which　he　had　collected　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Edinburgh。　　He　brought　the　subject　before　his　audience　in　his　own　clear　and　admirable　viva　voce　style。　The　Duke　of　Argyll　was　in　the　chair；　and　a　very　animated　discussion　took　place　on　this　novel　and　difficult　subject。　It　was　humorously　brought　to　a　conclusion　by　the　Rev。　Dr。　Fleming；　a　shrewd　and　learned　geologist。　　Like　many　others；　he　had　encountered　great　difficulties　in　arriving　at　definite　conclusions　on　this　mysterious　subject。　　He　concluded　his　remarks　upon　it　by　describing　the　influence　it　had　in　preventing　his　sleeping　at　night。　He　was　so　restless　on　one　occasion　that　his　wife　became　seriously　alarmed。　〃What's　the　matter　wi'　ye；　John？　are　ye　ill？〃　〃On　no；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃it's　only　that　confounded　Bounder　Clay！〃　　This　domestic　anecdote　brought　down　the　house；　and　the　meeting　terminated　in　a　loud　and　hearty　laugh。

I；　too；　contributed　my　little　quota　of　information　to　the　members　of　the　British　Association。　　I　had　brought　with　me　from　Lancashire　a　considera