the life of thomas telford-第22部分

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　　　　not　occur　two　centuries　ago。



With　the　history　of　these　great　improvements　is　also　mixed　up　the

story　of　human　labour　and　genius；　and　of　the　patience　and

perseverance　displayed　in　carrying　them　out。　　Probably　one　of　the

best　illustrations　of　character　in　connection　with　the　development

of　the　inventions　of　the　last　century；　is　to　be　found　in　the　life

of　Thomas　Telford；　the　greatest　and　most　scientific　road…maker　of

his　day；　to　which　we　proceed　to　direct　the　attention　of　the　reader。



Footnotes　for　Chapter　VI。



*＇1＇　'Observations　on　Blindness　and　on　the　Employment　of　the　other

Senses　to　supply　the　Loss　of　Sight。'　By　Mr。　Bew。'Memoirs　of　the

Literary　and　Philosophical　Society　of　Manchester；'

vol。i。；　pp。　172…174。　　Paper　read　17th　April；　1782。



*＇2＇　The　pillar　was　erected　by　Squire　Dashwood　in　1751；　the　lantern

on　its　summit　was　regularly　lighted　till　1788；　and　occasionally　till

1808；；　when　it　was　thrown　down　and　never　replaced。　　The　Earl　of

Buckingham　afterwards　mounted　a　statue　of　George　III。　on　the　top。



*＇3＇　Since　the　appearance　of　the　first　edition　of　this　book；　a

correspondent　has　informed　us　that　there　is　another　lighthouse

within　24　miles　of　London；　not　unlike　that　on　Lincoln　Heath。　　It　is

situated　a　little　to　the　south…east　of　the　Woking　station　of　the

South…western　Railway；　and　is　popularly　known　as　〃Woking　Monument。〃

It　stands　on　the　verge　of　Woking　Heath；　which　is　a　continuation　of

the　vast　tract　of　heath　land　which　extends　in　one　direction　as　far

as　Bagshot。　　The　tradition　among　the　inhabitants　is；　that　one　of　the

kings　of　England　was　wont　to　hunt　in　the　neighbourhood；　when　a　fire

was　lighted　up　in　the　beacon　to　guide　him　in　case　he　should　be

belated；　but　the　probability　is；　that　it　was　erected　like　that　on

Lincoln　Heath；　for　the　guidance　of　ordinary　wayfarers　at　night。



*＇4＇　'Journal　of　the　Agricultural　Society　of　England；　1843。'







LIFE　OF　THOMAS　TELFORD。



CHAPTER　I。　ESKDALE。



＇Image＇　Valley　of　〃the　Unblameable　Shepherd〃；　Eskdale



Thomas　Telford　was　born　in　one　of　the　most　Solitary　nooks　of　the

narrow　valley　of　the　Esk；　in　the　eastern　part　of　the　county　of

Dumfries；　in　Scotland。　　Eskdale　runs　north　and　south；　its　lower　end

having　been　in　former　times　the　western　march　of　the　Scottish

border。　　Near　the　entrance　to　the　dale　is　a　tall　column　erected　on

Langholm　Hill；　some　twelve　miles　to　the　north　of　the　Gretna　Green

station　of　the　Caledonian　Railway；which　many　travellers　to　and

from　Scotland　may　have　observed；a　monument　to　the　late　Sir　John

Malcolm；　Governor　of　Bombay；　one　of　the　distinguished　natives　of

the　district。　　It　looks　far　over　the　English　border…lands；　which

stretch　away　towards　the　south；　and　marks　the　entrance　to　the

mountainous　parts　of　the　dale；　which　lie　to　the　north。　　From　that

point　upwards　the　valley　gradually　contracts；　the　road　winding

along　the　river's　banks；　in　some　places　high　above　the　stream；

which　rushes　swiftly　over　the　rocky　bed　below。



A　few　miles　upward　from　the　lower　end　of　Eskdale　lies　the　little

capital　of　the　district；　the　town　of　Langholm；　and　there；　in　the

market…place；　stands　another　monument　to　the　virtues　of　the　Malcolm

family　in　the　statue　erected　to　the　memory　of　Admiral　Sir　Pulteney

Malcolm；　a　distinguished　naval　officer。　　Above　Langholm；　the　country

becomes　more　hilly　and　moorland。　　In　many　places　only　a　narrow　strip

of　land　by　the　river's　side　is　left　available　for　cultivation；

until　at　length　the　dale　contracts　so　much　that　the　hills　descend

to　the　very　road；　and　there　are　only　to　be　seen　their　steep

heathery　sides　sloping　up　towards　the　sky　on　either　hand；　and　a

narrow　stream　plashing　and　winding　along　the　bottom　of　the　valley

among　the　rocks　at　their　feet。



＇Image＇　Telford's　Native　District



From　this　brief　description　of　the　character　of　Eskdale　scenery；

it　may　readily　be　supposed　that　the　district　is　very　thinly　peopled；

and　that　it　never　could　have　been　capable　of　supporting　a　large

number　of　inhabitants。　　Indeed；　previous　to　the　union　of　the　crowns

of　England　and　Scotland；　the　principal　branch　of　industry　that

existed　in　the　Dale　was　of　a　lawless　kind。　　The　people　living　on　the

two　sides　of　the　border　looked　upon　each　other's　cattle　as　their

own；　provided　only　they　had　the　strength　to　〃lift〃　them。　　They　were；

in　truth；　even　during　the　time　of　peace；　a　kind　of　outcasts；

against　whom　the　united　powers　of　England　and　Scotland　were　often

employed。　　On　the　Scotch　side　of　the　Esk　were　the　Johnstones　and

Armstrongs；　and　on　the　English　the　Graemes　of　Netherby；　both　clans

being　alike　wild　and　lawless。　　It　was　a　popular　border　saying　that

〃Elliots　and　Armstrongs　ride　thieves　a'；〃　and　an　old　historian　says

of　the　Graemes　that　〃they　were　all　stark　moss…troopers　and　arrant

thieves；　to　England　as　well　as　Scotland　outlawed。〃　　The　neighbouring

chiefs　were　no　better：　Scott　of　Buccleugh；　from　whom　the　modern

Duke　is　descended；　and　Scott　of　Harden；　the　ancestor　of　the

novelist；　being　both　renowned　freebooters。



There　stands　at　this　day　on　the　banks　of　the　Esk；　only　a　few　miles

from　the　English　border；　the　ruin　of　an　old　fortalice；　called

Gilnockie　Tower；　in　a　situation　which　in　point　of　natural　beauty　is

scarcely　equalled　even　in　Scotland。　　It　was　the　stronghold　of　a

chief　popularly　known　in　his　day　as　Johnnie　Armstrong。*＇1＇　　He　was　a

mighty　freebooter　in　the　time　of　James　V。；　and　the　terror　of　his

name　is　said　to　have　extended　as　far　as　Newcastle…upon…Tyne；

between　which　town　and　his　castle　on　the　Esk　he　was　accustomed　to

levy　black…mail；　or　〃protection　and　forbearance　money；〃　as　it　was

called。　　The　King；　however；　determining　to　put　down　by　the　strong

hand　the　depredations　of　the　march　men；　made　a　sudden　expedition

along　the　borders；　and　Johnnie　Armstrong　having　been　so　ill…advised

as　to　make　his　appearance　with　his　followers　at　a　place　called

Carlenrig；　in　Etterick　Forest；　between　Hawick　and　Langholm；　James

ordered　him　to　instant　execution。　　Had　Johnnie　Armstrong；　like　the

Scotts　and　Kers　and　Johnstones　of　like　calling；　been　imprisoned

beforehand；　he　might　possibly　have　lived　to　found　a　British

peerage；　but　as　it　was；　the　genius　of　the　Armstrong　dynasty　was　for

a　time　extinguished；　only；　however；　to　reappear；　after　the　lapse

of　a　few　centuries；　in　the　person　of　the　eminent　engineer　of

Newcastle…upon…Tyne；　the　inventor　of　the　Armstrong　gun。



The　two　centuries　and　a　half　which　have　elapsed　since　then　have

indeed　seen　extraordinary　changes。*＇2＇　　The　energy　which　the　old

borderers　threw　into　their　feuds　has　not　become　extinct；　but

survives　under　more　benignant　aspects；　exhibiting　itself　in　efforts

to　enlighten；　fertilize；　and　enrich　the　country　which　their

wasteful　ardour　before　did　so　much　to　disturb　and　impoverish。

The　heads　of　the　Buccleugh　and　Elliot　family　now　sit　in　the　British

House　of　Lords。　　The　descendant　of　Scott　of　Harden　has　achieved　a

world…wide　reputation　as　a　poet　and　novelist；　and　the　late　Sir

James　Graham；　the　representative　of　the　Graemes　of　Netherby；　on　the

English　side　of　the　border；　was　one　of　the　most　venerable　and

respected　of　British　statesmen。　　The　border　men；　who　used　to　make

such　furious　raids　and　forays；　have　now　come　to　regard　each　other；

across　the　imaginary　line　which　divides　them；　as　friends　and

neighbours；　and　they　meet　as　competitors　for　victory　only　at

agricultural　meetings；　where　they　strive　to　win　prizes　for　the

biggest　turnips　or　the　most　effective　reaping…machines；　while　the

men　who　followed　their　Johnstone　or　Armstrong　chiefs　as　prickers　or

hobilers　to　the　fray　have；　like　Telford；　crossed　the　border　with

powers　of　road…making　and　bridge…building　which　have　proved　a

source　of　increased　civilization　and　well…being　to　the　population

of　the　entire　United　Kingdom。



The　hamlet　of　Westerkirk；　with　its　parish　church　and　school；

lies　in　a　narrow　part　of　the　valley；　a　few　miles　above　Langholm。

Westerkirk　parish　is　long　and　narrow；　its　boundaries　being　the

hill…tops　on　either　side　of　the　dale。　　It　is　about　seven　miles　long

and　two　broad；　with　a　population　of　about　600　persons　of　all　ages。

Yet　this　number　is　quite　as　much　as　the　district　is　able　to

support；　as　is　proved　by　its　remaining　as　nearly　as　possible

stationary　from　one　generation　to　another。*＇3＇　　But　what　becomes　of

the　natural　increase　of　families？　　〃They　swarm　　off！〃　was　the

explanation　given　to　us　by　a　native　of　the　valley。　　〃If　they

remained　at　home；〃　said　he；　〃we　should　all　be　sunk　in　poverty；

scrambling　with　each　other　amongst　these　hills　for　a　bare　living。

But　our　peasantry　have　a　spirit　above　that：　they　will　not　consent

to　sink；　they　look　up；　and　our　parish　schools　give　them　a　power　of

making　their　way　in　the　world；　each　man　for　himself。　　So　they　swarm

offsome　to　America；　some　to　Australia；　some　to　India；　and　some；

like　Telford；　work　their　way　across　the　border　and　up　to　London。〃



One　would　scarcely　have　expected　to　find　the　birthplace　of　the

builder　of　the　Menai　Bridge　and　other　great　national　works　in　so

obscure　a　corner　of　the　kingdom。　　Possibly　it　may　already　have

struck　the　reader　with　surprise；　that　not　only　were　all　the　early

engineers　self…taught　in　their　profession；　but　they　were　brought　up

mostly　in　remote　country　places；　far　from　the　active　life　of　great

towns　and　cities。　　But　genius　is　of　no　locality；　and　springs　alike

from　the　farmhouse；　the　peasant's　hut；　or　the　herd's　shieling。

Strange；　indeed；　it　is　that　the　men　who　have　built　our　bridges；

docks；　lighthouses；　canals；　and　railways；　should　nearly　all　have

been　country…bred　boys：　Edwards　and　Brindley；　the　sons　of　small

farmers；　Smeaton；　brought　up　in　his　father's　country　house　at

Austhorpe；　Rennie；　the　son　of　a　farmer　and　freeholder；　and

Stephenson；　reared　in　a　colliery　village；　an　engine…tenter's　son。

But　Telford；　even　more　than　any　of　these；　was　a　purely　country…bred

boy；　and　was　born　and　brought　up　in　a　valley　so　secluded　that