the life of thomas telford-第55章

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Towards　the　close　of　his　life；　he　was　afflicted　by　deafness；　which

made　him　feel　exceedingly　uncomfortable　in　mixed　society。　　Thanks　to

a　healthy　constitution；　unimpaired　by　excess　and　invigorated　by

active　occupation；　his　working　powers　had　lasted　longer　than　those

of　most　men。　　He　was　still　cheerful；　clear…headed；　and　skilful　in

the　arts　of　his　profession；　and　felt　the　same　pleasure　in　useful

work　that　he　had　ever　done。　　It　was；　therefore；　with　difficulty　that

he　could　reconcile　himself　to　the　idea　of　retiring　from　the　field

of　honourable　labour；　which　he　had　so　long　occupied；　into　a　state

of　comparative　inactivity。　　But　he　was　not　a　man　who　could　be　idle；

and　he　determined；　like　his　great　predecessor　Smeaton；　to　occupy

the　remaining　years　of　his　life　in　arranging　his　engineering　papers

for　publication。　　Vigorous　though　he　had　been；　he　felt　that　the　time

was　shortly　approaching　when　the　wheels　of　life　must　stand　still

altogether。　　Writing　to　a　friend　at　Langholm；　he　said；　〃Having　now

being　occupied　for　about　seventy…five　years　in　incessant　exertion；

I　have　for　some　time　past　arranged　to　decline　the　contest；　but　the

numerous　works　in　which　I　am　engaged　have　hitherto　prevented　my

succeeding。　　In　the　mean　time　I　occasionally　amuse　myself　with

setting　down　in　what　manner　a　long　life　has　been　laboriously；　and　I

hope　usefully；　employed。〃　　And　again；　a　little　later；　he　writes：

〃During　the　last　twelve　months　I　have　had　several　rubs；　at

seventy…seven　they　tell　more　seriously　than　formerly；　and　call　for

less　exertion　and　require　greater　precautions。　　I　fancy　that　few　of

my　age　belonging　to　the　valley　of　the　Esk　remain　in　the　land　of　the

living。〃*＇4＇



One　of　the　last　works　on　which　Mr。　Telford　was　professionally

consulted　was　at　the　instance　of　the　Duke　of　Wellingtonnot　many

years　younger　than　himself；　but　of　equally　vigorous　intellectual

powersas　to　the　improvement　of　Dover　Harbour；　then　falling

rapidly　to　decay。　　The　long…continued　south…westerly　gales　of　1833…4

had　the　effect　of　rolling　an　immense　quantity　of　shingle　up　Channel

towards　that　port；　at　the　entrance　to　which　it　became　deposited　in

unusual　quantities；　so　as　to　render　it　at　times　altogether

inaccessible。　　The　Duke；　as　a　military　man；　took　a　more　than

ordinary　interest　in　the　improvement　of　Dover；　as　the　military　and

naval　station　nearest　to　the　French　coast；　and　it　fell　to　him　as

Lord　Warden　of　the　Cinque　Ports　to　watch　over　the　preservation　of

the　harbour；　situated　at　a　point　in　the　English　Channel　which　he

regarded　as　of　great　strategic　importance　in　the　event　of　a

continental　war。　　He　therefore　desired　Mr。　Telford　to　visit　the

place　and　give　his　opinion　as　to　the　most　advisable　mode　of

procedure　with　a　view　to　improving　the　harbour。　　The　result　was　a

report；　in　which　the　engineer　recommended　a　plan　of　sluicing；

similar　to　that　adopted　by　Mr。　Smeaton　at　Ramsgate；　which　was

afterwards　carried　out　with　considerable　success　by　Mr。　James

Walker；　C。E。



This　was　his　last　piece　of　professional　work。　　A　few　months　later　he

was　laid　up　by　bilious　derangement　of　a　serious　character；　which

recurred　with　increased　violence　towards　the　close　of　the　year；　and

on　the　2nd　of　September；　1834；　Thomas　Telford　closed　his　useful　and

honoured　career；　at　the　advanced　age　of　seventy…seven。　　With　that

absence　of　ostentation　which　characterised　him　through　life；　he

directed　that　his　remains　should　be　laid；　without　ceremony；　in　the

burial　ground　of　the　parish　church　of　St。　Margaret's；　Westminster。

But　the　members　of　the　Institute　of　Civil　Engineers；　who　justly

deemed　him　their　benefactor　and　chief　ornament；　urged　upon　his

executors　the　propriety　of　interring　him　in　Westminster　Abbey。



＇Image＇　Telford's　Burial　Place　in　Westminster　Abbey



He　was　buried　there　accordingly；　near　the　middle　of　the　nave；

where　the　letters；　〃Thomas　Telford；　1834；　mark　the　place　beneath

which　he　lies。*＇5＇　　The　adjoining　stone　bears　the　inscription；

〃Robert　Stephenson；　1859；〃　that　engineer　having　during　his　life

expressed　the　wish　that　his　body　should　be　laid　near　that　of

Telford；　and　the　son　of　the　Killingworth　engineman　thus　sleeps　by

the　side　of　the　son　of　the　Eskdale　shepherd。



It　was　a　long；　a　successful；　and　a　useful　life　which　thus　ended。

Every　step　in　his　upward　career；　from　the　poor　peasant's　hut　in

Eskdale　to　Westminster　Abbey；　was　nobly　and　valorously　won。　　The　man

was　diligent　and　conscientious；　whether　as　a　working　mason　hewing

stone　blocks　at　Somerset　House；　as　a　foreman　of　builders　at

Portsmouth；　as　a　road　surveyor　at　Shrewsbury；　or　as　an　engineer　of

bridges；　canals；　docks；　and　harbours。　　The　success　which　followed

his　efforts　was　thoroughly　well…deserved。　　He　was　laborious；

pains…taking；　and　skilful；　but；　what　was　better；　he　was　honest　and

upright。　　He　was　a　most　reliable　man；　and　hence　he　came　to　be

extensively　trusted。　　Whatever　he　undertook；　he　endeavoured　to　excel

in。　　He　would　be　a　first…rate　hewer；　and　he　became　one。　　He　was

himself　accustomed　to　attribute　much　of　his　success　to　the　thorough

way　in　which　he　had　mastered　the　humble　beginnings　of　this　trade。

He　was　even　of　opinion　that　the　course　of　manual　training　he　had

undergone；　and　the　drudgery；　as　some　would　call　it；　of　daily　labour

first　as　an　apprentice；　and　afterwards　as　a　journeyman　mason

had　been　of　greater　service　to　him　than　if　he　had　passed　through

the　curriculum　of　a　University。



Writing　to　his　friend；　Miss　Malcolm；　respecting　a　young　man　who

desired　to　enter　the　engineering　profession；　he　in　the　first　place

endeavoured　to　dissuade　the　lady　from　encouraging　the　ambition　of

her　protege；　the　profession　being　overstocked；　and　offering　very

few　prizes　in　proportion　to　the　large　number　of　blanks。　　〃But；〃

he　added；　〃if　civil　engineering；　notwithstanding　these

discouragements；　is　still　preferred；　I　may　point　out　that　the　way

in　which　both　Mr。　Rennie　and　myself　proceeded；　was　to　serve　a

regular　apprenticeship　to　some　practical　employmenthe　to　a

millwright；　and　I　to　a　general　house…builder。　　In　this　way　we

secured　the　means；　by　hard　labour；　of　earning　a　subsistence；　and；

in　time；　we　obtained　by　good　conduct　the　confidence　of　our

employers　and　the　public；　eventually　rising　into　the　rank　of　what

is　called　Civil　Engineering。　　This　is　the　true　way　of　acquiring

practical　skill；　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　materials　employed　in

construction；　and　last；　but　not　least；　a　perfect　knowledge　of　the

habits　and　dispositions　of　the　workmen　who　carry　out　our　designs。

This　course；　although　forbidding　to　many　a　young　person；　who

believes　it　possible　to　find　a　short　and　rapid　path　to　distinction；

is　proved　to　be　otherwise　by　the　two　examples　I　have　cited。　　For　my

own　part；　I　may　truly　aver　that　'steep　is　the　ascent；　and　slippery

is　the　way。'〃*＇6＇　　That　Mr。　Telford　was　enabled　to　continue　to　so

advanced　an　age　employed　on　laborious　and　anxious　work；　was　no

doubt　attributable　in　a　great　measure　to　the　cheerfulness　of　his

nature。　　He　was；　indeed；　a　most　happy…minded　man。　　It　will　be

remembered　that；　when　a　boy；　he　had　been　known　in　his　valley　as

〃Laughing　Tam。〃　　The　same　disposition　continued　to　characterise　him

in　his　old　age。　　He　was　playful　and　jocular；　and　rejoiced　in　the

society　of　children　and　young　people；　especially　when　well…informed

and　modest。　　But　when　they　pretended　to　acquirements　they　did　not

possess；　he　was　quick　to　detect　and　see　through　them。　　One　day　a

youth　expatiated　to　him　in　very　large　terms　about　a　friend　of　his；

who　had　done　this　and　that；　and　made　so　and　so；　and　could　do　all

manner　of　wonderful　things。　　Telford　listened　with　great　attention；

and　when　the　youth　had　done　…　he　quietly　asked；　with　a　twinkle　in

his　eye；　〃Pray；　can　your　friend　lay　eggs？〃



When　in　society　he　gave　himself　up　to　it；　and　thoroughly　enjoyed　it。

He　did　not　sit　apart；　a　moody　and　abstracted　〃lion；〃　nor　desire　to

be　regarded　as　〃the　great　engineer；〃　pondering　new　Menai　Bridges；

But　he　appeared　in　his　natural　character　of　a　simple；　intelligent；

cheerful　companion；　as　ready　to　laugh　at　his　own　jokes　as　at　other

people's；　and　he　was　as　communicative　to　a　child　as　to　any

philosopher　of　the　party。



Robert　Southey；　than　whom　there　was　no　better　judge　of　a　loveable

man；　said　of　him；　〃I　would　go　a　long　way　for　the　sake　of　seeing

Telford　and　spending　a　few　days　in　his　company。〃　　Southey；　as　we

have　seen；　had　the　best　opportunities　of　knowing　him　well；　for　a

long　journey　together　extending　over　many　weeks；　is；　probably；

better　than　anything　else；　calculated　to　bring　out　the　weak　as　well

as　the　strong　points　of　a　friend：　indeed；　many　friendships　have

completely　broken　down　under　the　severe　test　of　a　single　week's

tour。　　But　Southey　on　that　occasion　firmly　cemented　a　friendship

which　lasted　until　Telford's　death。　　On　one　occasion　the　latter

called　at　the　poet's　house；　in　company　with　Sir　Henry　Parnell；　when

engaged　upon　the　survey　of　one　of　his　northern　roads。　　Unhappily

Southey　was　absent　at　the　time；　and；　writing　about　the　circumstance

to　a　correspondent；　he　said；　〃This　was　a　mortification　to　me；　in　as

much　as　I　owe　Telford　every　kind　of　friendly　attention；　and　like

him　heartily。〃



Campbell；　the　poet；　was　another　early　friend　of　our　engineer；　and

the　attachment　seems　to　have　been　mutual。　　Writing　to　Dr。　Currie；

of　Liverpool；　in　1802；　Campbell　says：　〃I　have　become　acquainted　with

Telford　the　engineer；　'a　fellow　of　infinite　humour；'　and　of　strong

enterprising　mind。　　He　has　almost　made　me　a　bridge…builder　already；

at　least　he　has　inspired　me　with　new　sensations　of　interest　in　the

improvement　and　ornament　of　our　country。　　Have　you　seen　his　plan　of

London　Bridge？　or　his　scheme　for　a　new　canal　in　the　North　Highlands；

which　will　unite；　if　put　in　effect；　our　Eastern　and　Atlantic

commerce；　and　render　Scotland　the　very　emporium　of　navigation？

Telford　is　a　most　useful　cicerone　in　London。　　He　is　so　universally

acquainted；　and　so　popular　in　his　manners；　that　he　can　introduce

one　to　all　kinds　of　novelty；　and　all　descriptions　of　interesting

society。〃　　Shortly　after；　Campbell　named　his　first　son　after

Telford；　who　stood　godfather　for　the　boy。　　Indeed；　for　many　years；

Telford　played　the　part　of　Mentor　to　the　young　and　impulsive　poet；

advising　him　about　his　course　in　life；　trying　to　keep　him　steady；

and　holding　him　aloof　as　much　as　possible　from　the　seductive

allurements　of　the　capital。　　But　it　was　a　difficult　task；　and

Telford's　numerous　engagements　necessarily　left　the　poet　at　many

seasons　very　much　to　himself。　　It　appears　that　they　were　living

together　at　the　Salopian　when　Campbell　composed　the　first　draft　of

his　poem　of　Hohenlinden；　and　several　important　emendations　made　in

it　by　Telford　were　adopted　by　Campbell。　　Although　the　two　friends

pursued　different　roads　in　life；　and　for　many　years　saw　little　of

each　other；　they　often　met　again；　especially　after　Telford　took　up

his　abode　at　hi