the life of thomas telford-第23章

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＇Image＇　Valley　of　Eskdale；　Westerkirk　in　the　distance。



We　can　scarcely　therefore　wonder　that；　amidst　such　pastoral

scenery；　and　reading　such　books　as　he　did；　the　poetic　faculty　of

the　country　mason　should　have　become　so　decidedly　developed。

It　was　while　working　at　Westerkirk　manse　that　he　sketched　the　first

draft　of　his　descriptive　poem　entitled　'Eskdale；'　which　was　published

in　the　'Poetical　Museum'　in　1784。*＇2＇　　These　early　poetical　efforts

were　at　least　useful　in　stimulating　his　self…education。　　For　the

practice　of　poetical　composition；　while　it　　cultivates　the

sentiment　of　beauty　in　thought　and　feeling；　is　probably　the　best　of

all　exercises　in　the　art　of　writing　correctly；　　grammatically；

and　expressively。　　By　drawing　a　man　out　of　his　ordinary　calling；　too；

it　often　furnishes　him　with　a　power　of　happy　thinking　which　may　in

after　life　become　a　source　of　the　purest　pleasure；　and　this；　we

believe；　proved　to　be　the　case　with　Telford；　even　though　he　ceased

in　later　years　to　pursue　the　special　cultivation　of　the　art。



Shortly　after；　when　work　became　slack　in　the　district；　Telford

undertook　to　do　small　jobs　on　his　own　account　such　as　the　hewing　of

grave…stones　and　ornamental　doorheads。　　He　prided　himself　especially

upon　his　hewing；　and　from　the　specimens　of　his　workmanship　which

are　still　to　be　seen　in　the　churchyards　of　Langholm　and　Westerkirk；

he　had　evidently　attained　considerable　skill。　　On　some　of　these

pieces　of　masonry　the　year　is　carved1779；　or　1780。　　One　of　the

most　ornamental　is　that　set　into　the　wall　of　Westerkirk　church；

being　a　monumental　slab；　with　an　inscription　and　moulding；

surmounted　by　a　coat　of　arms；　to　the　memory　of　James　Pasley　of　Craig。

He　had　now　learnt　all　that　his　native　valley　could　teach　him　of　the

art　of　masonry；　and；　bent　upon　self…improvement　and　gaining　a

larger　experience　of　life；　as　well　as　knowledge　of　his　trade；　he

determined　to　seek　employment　elsewhere。　　He　accordingly　left

Eskdale　for　the　first　time；　in　1780；　and　sought　work　in　Edinburgh；

where　the　New　Town　was　then　in　course　of　erection　on　the　elevated

land；　formerly　green　fields；　extending　along　the　north　bank　of　the

〃Nor'　Loch。〃　　A　bridge　had　been　thrown　across　the　Loch　in　1769；

the　stagnant　pond　or　marsh　in　the　hollow　had　been　filled　up；

and　Princes　Street　was　rising　as　if　by　magic。　　Skilled　masons　were

in　great　demand　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　out　these　and　the　numerous

other　architectural　improvements　which　were　in　progress；　and

Telford　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　employment。



Our　stone…mason　remained　at　Edinburgh　for　about　two　years；　during

which　he　had　the　advantage　of　taking　part　in　first…rate　work　and

maintaining　himself　comfortably；　while　he　devoted　much　of　his　spare

time　to　drawing；　in　its　application　to　architecture。　　He　took　the

opportunity　of　visiting　and　carefully　studying　the　fine　specimens

of　ancient　work　at　Holyrood　House　and　Chapel；　the　Castle；　Heriot's

Hospital；　and　the　numerous　curious　illustrations　of　middle　age

domestic　architecture　with　which　the　Old　Town　abounds。　　He　also　made

several　journeys　to　the　beautiful　old　chapel　of　Rosslyn；　situated

some　miles　to　the　south　of　Edinburgh；　making　careful　drawings　of

the　more　important　parts　of　that　building。



When　he　had　thus　improved　himself；　〃and　studied　all　that　was　to　be

seen　in　Edinburgh；　in　returning　to　the　western　border；〃　he　says；

〃I　visited　the　justly　celebrated　Abbey　of　Melrose。〃　　There　he　was

charmed　by　the　delicate　and　perfect　workmanship　still　visible　even

in　the　ruins　of　that　fine　old　Abbey；　and　with　his　folio　filled　with

sketches　and　drawings；　he　made　his　way　back　to　Eskdale　and　the

humble　cottage　at　The　Crooks。　　But　not　to　remain　there　long。

He　merely　wished　to　pay　a　parting　visit　to　his　mother　and　other

relatives　before　starting　upon　a　longer　journey。　　〃Having　acquired；〃

he　says　in　his　Autobiography；　〃the　rudiments　of　my　profession；

I　considered　that　my　native　country　afforded　few　opportunities　of

exercising　it　to　any　extent；　and　therefore　judged　it　advisable

（like　many　of　my　countrymen）　to　proceed　southward；　where　industry

might　find　more　employment　and　be　better　remunerated。〃



Before　setting　out；　he　called　upon　all　his　old　friends　and

acquaintances　in　the　dalethe　neighbouring　farmers；　who　had

befriended　him　and　his　mother　when　struggling　with　povertyhis

schoolfellows；　many　of　whom　were　preparing　to　migrate；　like

himself；　from　their　native　valleyand　the　many　friends　and

acquaintances　he　had　made　while　working　as　a　mason　in　Langholm。

Everybody　knew　that　Tom　was　going　south；　and　all　wished　him　God

speed。　　At　length　the　leave…taking　was　over；　and　he　set　out　for

London　in　the　year　1782；　when　twenty…five　years　old。　　He　had；　like

the　little　river　Meggat；　on　the　banks　of　which　he　was　born；　floated

gradually　on　towards　the　outer　world：　first　from　the　nook　in　the

valley；　to　Westerkirk　school；　then　to　Langholm　and　its　little

circle；　and　now；　like　the　Meggat；　which　flows　with　the　Esk　into　the

ocean；　he　was　about　to　be　borne　away　into　the　wide　world。　　Telford；

however；　had　confidence　in　himself；　and　no　one　had　fears　for　him。

As　the　neighbours　said；　wisely　wagging　their　heads；　〃Ah；　he's　an

auld…farran　chap　is　Tam；　he'll　either　mak　a　spoon　or　spoil　a　horn；

any　how；　he's　gatten　a　good　trade　at　his　fingers'　ends。〃



Telford　had　made　all　his　previous　journeys　on　foot；　but　this　one　he

made　on　horseback。　　It　happened　that　Sir　James　Johnstone；　the　laird

of　Wester　Hall；　had　occasion　to　send　a　horse　from　Eskdale　to　a

member　of　his　family　in　London；　and　he　had　some　difficulty　in

finding　a　person　to　take　charge　of　it。　　It　occurred　to　Mr。　Jackson；

the　laird's　factor；　that　this　was　a　capital　opportunity　for　his

cousin　Tom；　the　mason；　and　it　was　accordingly　arranged　that　he

should　ride　the　horse　to　town。　　When　a　boy；　he　had　learnt　rough

riding　sufficiently　well　for　the　purpose；　and　the　better　to　fit　him

for　the　hardships　of　the　road；　Mr。　Jackson　lent　him　his　buckskin

breeches。　　Thus　Tom　set　out　from　his　native　valley　well　mounted；

with　his　little　bundle　of　〃traps〃　buckled　behind　him；　and；　after　a

prosperous　journey；　duly　reached　London；　and　delivered　up　the　horse

as　he　had　been　directed。　　Long　after；　Mr。　Jackson　used　to　tell　the

story　of　his　cousin's　first　ride　to　London　with　great　glee；　and　he

always　took　care　to　wind　up　with〃but　Tam　forgot　to　send　me　back

my　breeks！〃



＇Image＇　Lower　Valley　of　the　Meggat；　the　Crooks　in　the　distance。



Footnotes　for　Chapter　II。



*＇1＇　In　his　'Epistle　to　Mr。　Walter　Ruddiman；'　first　published　in

'Ruddiman's　Weekly　Magazine；'　in　1779；　occur　the　following　lines

addressed　to　Burns；　in　which　Telford　incidentally　sketches　himself

at　the　time；　and　hints　at　his　own　subsequent　meritorious　career；



　　　〃Nor　pass　the　tentie　curious　lad；

　　　　Who　o'er　the　ingle　hangs　his　head；

　　　　And　begs　of　neighbours　books　to　read；

　　　　For　hence　arise

　　　　Thy　country's　sons；　who　far　are　spread；

　　　　Baith　bold　and　wise。〃



*＇2＇　The　'Poetical　Museum；'　Hawick；　p。267。　　'　Eskdale'　was

afterwards　reprinted　by　Telford　when　living　at　Shrewsbury；　when　he

added　a　few　lines　by　way　of　conclusion。　　The　poem　describes　very

pleasantly　the　fine　pastoral　scenery　of　the　district：



　　　〃Deep　'mid　the　green　sequester'd　glens　below；

　　　　Where　murmuring　streams　among　the　alders　flow；

　　　　Where　flowery　meadows　down　their　margins　spread；

　　　　And　the　brown　hamlet　lifts　its　humble　head

　　　　There；　round　his　little　fields；　the　peasant　strays；

　　　　And　sees　his　flock　along　the　mountain　graze；

　　　　And；　while　the　gale　breathes　o'er　his　ripening　grain；

　　　　And　soft　repeats　his　upland　shepherd's　strain；

　　　　And　western　suns　with　mellow　radiance　play。

　　　　And　gild　his　straw…roof'd　cottage　with　their　ray；

　　　　Feels　Nature's　love　his　throbbing　heart　employ；

　　　　Nor　envies　towns　their　artificial　joy。〃



The　features　of　the　valley　are　very　fairly　described。　　Its　early

history　is　then　rapidly　sketched；　next　its　period　of　border　strife；

at　length　happily　allayed　by　the　union　of　the　kingdoms；　under　which

the　Johnstones；　Pasleys；　and　others；　men　of　Eskdale；　achieve　honour

and　fame。　　Nor　did　he　forget　to　mention　Armstrong；　the　author　of　the

'Art　of　Preserving　Health；'　son　of　the　minister　of　Castleton；　a　few

miles　east　of　Westerkirk；　and　Mickle；　the　translator　of　the　'Lusiad；'

whose　father　was　minister　of　the　parish　of　Langholm；　both　of　whom

Telford　took　a　natural　pride　in　as　native　poets　of　Eskdale。





CHAPTER　III。



TELFORD　A　WORKING　MASON　IN　LONDON；　AND　FOREMAN　OF　MASONS　AT　PORTSMOUTH。



A　common　working　man；　whose　sole　property　consisted　in　his　mallet

and　chisels；　his　leathern　apron　and　his　industry；　might　not　seem　to

amount　to　much　in　〃the　great　world　of　London。〃　　But；　as　Telford

afterwards　used　to　say；　very　much　depends　on　whether　the　man　has

got　a　head　with　brains　in　it　of　the　right　sort　upon　his　shoulders。

In　London；　the　weak　man　is　simply　a　unit　added　to　the　vast　floating

crowd；　and　may　be　driven　hither　and　thither；　if　he　do　not　sink

altogether；　while　the　strong　man　will　strike　out；　keep　his　head

above　water；　and　make　a　course　for　himself；　as　Telford　did。

There　is　indeed　a　wonderful　impartiality　about　London。　　There　the

capable　person　usually　finds　his　place。　　When　work　of　importance　is

required；　nobody　cares　to　ask　where　the　man　who　can　do　it　best

comes　from；　or　what　he　has　been；　but　what　he　is；　and　what　he　can

do。　　Nor　did　it　ever　stand　in　Telford's　way　that　his　father　had　been

a　poor　shepherd　in　Eskdale；　and　that　he　himself　had　begun　his

London　career　by　working　for　weekly　wages　with　a　mallet　and　chisel。



After　duly　delivering　up　the　horse；　Telford　proceeded　to　present　a

letter　with　which　he　had　been　charged　by　his　friend　Miss　Pasley　on

leaving　Langholm。　　It　was　addressed　to　her　brother；　Mr。　John　Pasley；

an　eminent　London　merchant；　brother　also　of　Sir　Thomas　Pasley；　and

uncle　of　the　Malcolms。　　Miss　Pasley　requested　his　influence　on

behalf　of　the　young　mason　from　Eskdale；　the　bearer　of　the　letter。

Mr。　Pasley　received　his　countryman　kindly；　and　furnished　him　with

letters　of　introduction　to　Sir　William　Chambers；　the　architect　of

Somerset　House；　then　in　course　of　erection。　　It　was　the　finest

architectural　work　in　progress　in　the　metropolis；　and　Telford；

desirous　of　improving　himself　by　experience　of　the　best　kind；

wished　to　be　employed　upon　it。　　He　did　not；　indeed；　need　any

influence　to　obtain　work　there；　for　good　hewers　were　in　demand；　but

our　mason　thought　it　well　to　make　sure；　and　accordingly　provided

himself　beforehand　with　the　letter　of　introduction　to　the　architect。

He　was　employed　immediately；　and　set　to　work　among　the　hewers；

receiving　the　usual　wages　for　his　labour。



Mr。　Pasley　also　furnished　him　with　a　letter　to　Mr。　Robert　Adam；*＇1＇

another　distinguished　architect　of　the　time；　and　Telford　seems　to

have　been　much　gratified　by　the　civility　which　he　receives　from