the life of thomas telford-第26章

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of　the　tower；　it　had　sunk　so　as　to　endanger　the　whole　structure。

〃I　discovered；〃　says　he；　〃that　there　were　large　fractures　in　the

walls；　on　tracing　which　I　found　that　the　old　building　was　in　a　most

shattered　and　decrepit　condition；　though　until　then　it　had　been

scarcely　noticed。　　Upon　this　I　declined　giving　any　recommendation　as

to　the　repairs　of　the　roof　unless　they　would　come　to　the　resolution

to　secure　the　more　essential　parts；　as　the　fabric　appeared　to　me

to　be　in　a　very　alarming　condition。　　I　sent　in　a　written　report　to

the　same　effect。〃　*＇6＇



The　parish　vestry　again　met；　and　the　report　was　read；　but　the

meeting　exclaimed　against　so　extensive　a　proposal；　imputing　mere

motives　of　self…interest　to　the　surveyor。　　〃Popular　clamour；〃　says

Telford；　〃overcame　my　report。　　'These　fractures；'　exclaimed　the

vestrymen；　'have　been　there　from　time　immemorial；'　and　there　were

some　otherwise　sensible　persons；　who　remarked　that　professional　men

always　wanted　to　carve　out　employment　for　themselves；　and　that　the

whole　of　the　necessary　repairs　could　be　done　at　a　comparatively

small　expense。〃*＇7＇　　The　vestry　then　called　in　another　person；

a　mason　of　the　town；　and　directed　him　to　cut　away　the　injured　part

of　a　particular　pillar；　in　order　to　underbuild　it。　　On　the　second

evening　after　the　commencement　of　the　operations；　the　sexton　was

alarmed　by　a　fail　of　lime…dust　and　mortar　when　he　attempted　to　toll

the　great　bell；　on　which　he　immediately　desisted　and　left　the

church。　　Early　next　morning　（on　the　9th　of　July）；　while　the　workmen

were　waiting　at　the　church　door　for　the　key；　the　bell　struck　four；

and　the　vibration　at　once　brought　down　the　tower；　which　overwhelmed

the　nave；　demolishing　all　the　pillars　along　the　north　side；　and

shattering　the　rest。　　〃The　very　parts　I　had　pointed　out；〃　says

Telford；　〃were　those　which　gave　way；　and　down　tumbled　the　tower；

forming　a　very　remarkable　ruin；　which　astonished　and　surprised　the

vestry；　and　roused　them　from　their　infatuation；　though　they　have

not　yet　recovered　from　the　shock。〃*＇8＇



The　other　circumstance　to　which　we　have　above　referred　was　the

discovery　of　the　Roman　city　of　Uriconium；　near　Wroxeter；　about　five

miles　from　Shrewsbury；　in　the　year　1788。　　The　situation　of　the　place

is　extremely　beautiful；　the　river　Severn　flowing　along　its　western

margin；　and　forming　a　barrier　against　what　were　once　the　hostile

districts　of　West　Britain。　　For　many　centuries　the　dead　city　had

slept　under　the　irregular　mounds　of　earth　which　covered　it；　like

those　of　Mossul　and　Nineveh。　　Farmers　raised　heavy　crops　of　turnips

and　grain　from　the　surface　and　they　scarcely　ever　ploughed　or

harrowed　the　ground　without　turning　up　Roman　coins　or　pieces　of

pottery。　　They　also　observed　that　in　certain　places　the　corn　was

more　apt　to　be　scorched　in　dry　weather　than　in　othersa　sure　sign

to　them　that　there　were　ruins　underneath；　and　their　practice；　when

they　wished　to　find　stones　for　building；　was　to　set　a　mark　upon　the

scorched　places　when　the　corn　was　on　the　ground；　and　after　harvest

to　dig　down；　sure　of　finding　the　store　of　stones　which　they　wanted

for　walls；　cottages；　or　farm…houses。　　In　fact；　the　place　came　to　be

regarded　in　the　light　of　a　quarry；　rich　in　ready…worked　materials

for　building　purposes。　　A　quantity　of　stone　being　wanted　for　the

purpose　of　erecting　a　blacksmith's　shop；　on　digging　down　upon　one

of　the　marked　places；　the　labourers　came　upon　some　ancient　works　of

a　more　perfect　appearance　than　usual。　　Curiosity　was　excited

antiquarians　made　their　way　to　the　spotand　lo！　they　pronounced

the　ruins　to　be　neither　more　nor　less　than　a　Roman　bath；　in　a

remarkably　perfect　state　of　preservation。　　Mr。　Telford　was　requested

to　apply　to　Mr。　Pulteney；　the　lord　of　the　manor；　to　prevent　the

destruction　of　these　interesting　remains；　and　also　to　permit　the

excavations　to　proceed；　with　a　view　to　the　buildings　being

completely　explored。　　This　was　readily　granted；　and　Mr。　Pulteney

authorised　Telford　himself　to　conduct　the　necessary　excavations　at

his　expense。　　This　he　promptly　proceeded　to　do；　and　the　result　was；

that　an　extensive　hypocaust　apartment　was　brought　to　light；　with

baths；　sudatorium；　dressing…room；　and　a　number　of　tile　pillars

all　forming　parts　of　a　Roman　floorsufficiently　perfect　to　show

the　manner　in　which　the　building　had　been　constructed　and　used。*＇9＇

Among　Telford's　less　agreeable　duties　about　the　same　time　was　that

of　keeping　the　felons　at　work。　　He　had　to　devise　the　ways　and　means

of　employing　them　without　risk　of　their　escaping；　which　gave　him

much　trouble　and　anxiety。　　〃Really；〃　he　said；　〃my　felons　are　a　very

troublesome　family。　　I　have　had　a　great　deal　of　plague　from　them；

and　I　have　not　yet　got　things　quite　in　the　train　that　I　could　wish。

I　have　had　a　dress　made　for　them　of　white　and　brown　cloth；　in　such

a　way　that　they　are　pye…bald。　　They　have　each　a　light　chain　about

one　leg。　　Their　allowance　in　food　is　a　penny　loaf　and　a　halfpenny

worth　of　cheese　for　breakfast；　a　penny　loaf；　a　quart　of　soup；　and

half　a　pound　of　meat　for　dinner；　and　a　penny　loaf　and　a　halfpenny

worth　of　cheese　for　supper；　so　that　they　have　meat　and　clothes　at

all　events。　　I　employ　them　in　removing　earth；　serving　masons　or

bricklayers；　or　in　any　common　labouring　work　on　which　they　can　be

employed；　during　which　time；　of　course；　I　have　them　strictly

watched。〃



Much　more　pleasant　was　his　first　sight　of　Mrs。　Jordan　at　the

Shrewsbury　theatre；　where　he　seems　to　have　been　worked　up　to　a

pitch　of　rapturous　enjoyment。　　She　played　for　six　nights　there　at

the　race　time；　during　which　there　were　various　other'

entertainments。　　On　the　second　day　there　was　what　was　called　an

Infirmary　Meeting；　or　an　assemblage　of　the　principal　county

gentlemen　in　the　infirmary；　at　which；　as　county　surveyor；　Telford

was　present。　　They　proceeded　thence　to　church　to　hear　a　sermon

preached　for　the　occasion；　after　which　there　was　a　dinner；　followed

by　a　concert。　　He　attended　all。　　The　sermon　was　preached　in　the　new

pulpit；　which　had　just　been　finished　after　his　design；　in　the

Gothic　style；　and　he　confidentially　informed　his　Langholm

correspondent　that　he　believed　the　pulpit　secured　greater

admiration　than　the　sermon；　With　the　concert　he　was　completely

disappointed；　and　he　then　became　convinced　that　he　had　no　ear　for

music。　　Other　people　seemed　very　much　pleased；　but　for　the　life　of

him　he　could　make　nothing　of　it。　　The　only　difference　that　he

recognised　between　one　tune　and　another　was　that　there　was　a

difference　in　the　noise。　　〃It　was　all　very　fine；〃　he　said；　〃I　have

no　doubt；　but　I　would　not　give　a　song　of　Jock　Stewart　*＇10＇　for　the

whole　of　them。　　The　melody　of　sound　is　thrown　away　upon　me。　　One

look；　one　word　of　Mrs。　Jordan；　has　more　effect　upon　me　than　all　the

fiddlers　in　England。　　Yet　I　sat　down　and　tried　to　be　as　attentive　as

any　mortal　could　be。　　I　endeavoured；　if　possible；　to　get　up　an

interest　in　what　was　going　on；　but　it　was　all　of　no　use。　　I　felt　no

emotion　whatever；　excepting　only　a　strong　inclination　to　go　to

sleep。　　It　must　be　a　defect；　but　it　is　a　fact；　and　I　cannot　help　it。

I　suppose　my　ignorance　of　the　subject；　and　the　want　of　musical

experience　in　my　youth；　may　be　the　cause　of　it。〃*＇11＇　　Telford's

mother　was　still　living　in　her　old　cottage　at　The　Crooks。　　Since　he

had　parted　from　her；　he　had　written　many　printed　letters　to　keep

her　informed　of　his　progress；　and　he　never　wrote　to　any　of　his

friends　in　the　dale　without　including　some　message　or　other　to　his

mother。　　Like　a　good　and　dutiful　son；　he　had　taken　care　out　of　his

means　to　provide　for　her　comfort　in　her　declining　years。　　〃She　has

been　a　good　mother　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　try　and　be　a　good

son　to　her。〃　　In　a　letter　written　from　Shrewsbury　about　this　time；

enclosing　a　ten　pound　note；　seven　pounds　of　which　were　to　be　given

to　his　mother；　he　said；　〃I　have　from　time　to　time　written　William

Jackson　＇his　cousin＇　and　told　him　to　furnish　her　with　whatever　she

wants　to　make　her　comfortable；　but　there　may　be　many　little　things

she　may　wish　to　have；　and　yet　not　like　to　ask　him　for。　　You　will

therefore　agree　with　me　that　it　is　right　she　should　have　a　little

cash　to　dispose　of　in　her　own　way。。。。　　I　am　not　rich　yet；　but　it

will　ease　my　mind　to　set　my　mother　above　the　fear　of　want。　　That　has

always　been　my　first　object；　and　next　to　that；　to　be　the　somebody

which　you　have　always　encouraged　me　to　believe　I　might　aspire　to

become。　　Perhaps　after　all　there　may　be　something　in　it！〃　*＇12＇

He　now　seems　to　have　occupied　much　of　his　leisure　hours　in

miscellaneous　reading。　　Among　the　numerous　books　which　he　read；　he

expressed　the　highest　admiration　for　Sheridan's　'Life　of　Swift。'

But　his　Langholm　friend；　who　was　a　great　politician；　having　invited

his　attention　to　politics；　Telford's　reading　gradually　extended　in

that　direction。　　Indeed　the　exciting　events　of　the　French

Revolution　then　tended　to　make　all　men　more　or　less　politicians。

The　capture　of　the　Bastille　by　the　people　of　Paris　in　1789　passed

like　an　electric　thrill　through　Europe。　　Then　followed　the

Declaration　of　Rights；　after　which；　in　the　course　of　six　months；

all　the　institutions　which　had　before　existed　in　France　were　swept

away；　and　the　reign　of　justice　was　fairly　inaugurated　upon　earth！



In　the　spring　of　1791　the　first　part　of　Paine's　'Rights　of　Man'

appeared；　and　Telford；　like　many　others；　read　it；　and　was　at　once

carried　away　by　it。　　Only　a　short　time　before；　he　had　admitted　with

truth　that　he　knew　nothing　of　politics；　but　no　sooner　had　he　read

Paine　than　he　felt　completely　enlightened。　　He　now　suddenly

discovered　how　much　reason　he　and　everybody　else　in　England　had　for

being　miserable。　　While　residing　at　Portsmouth；　he　had　quoted　to　his

Langholm　friend　the　lines　from　Cowper's　'Task；'　then　just

published；　beginning　〃Slaves　cannot　breathe　in　England；〃　but　lo！

Mr。　Paine　had　filled　his　imagination　with　the　idea　that　England　was

nothing　but　a　nation　of　bondmen　and　aristocrats。　　To　his　natural

mind；　the　kingdom　had　appeared　to　be　one　in　which　a　man　had　pretty

fair　play；　could　think　and　speak；　and　do　the　thing　he　would；

tolerably　happy；　tolerably　prosperous；　and　enjoying　many　blessings。

He　himself　had　felt　free　to　labour；　to　prosper；　and　to　rise　from

manual　to　head　work。　　No　one　had　hindered　him；　his　personal　liberty

had　never　been　interfered　with；　and　he　had　freely　employed　his

earnings　as　he　thought　proper。　　But　now　the　whole　thing　appeared　a

delusion。　　Those　rosy…cheeked　old　country　gentlemen　who　came　riding

into　Shrewsbury　to　quarter　sessions；　and　were　so　fond　of　their

young　Scotch　surveyor　occupying　themselves　in　building　bridges；

maintaining　infirmaries；　making　roads；　and　regulating　gaols

those　county　magistrates　and　members　of　parliament；　aristocrats　all；

were　the　very　men　who；　according　to　Paine；　were　carrying　the

country　headlong　to　ruin！



If　Telford　could　not　offer　an　opinion　on