the life of thomas telford-第31章

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where's　Tammy？〃　　He　was　immediately　sent　for。　　It　was　evening；　and

he　was　soon　found　at　the　house　of　Miss　Pasley。　　When　he　came

running　up；　Tibby　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　Tammy！　they've　been　on　the　brig；

and　they　say　its　shakin'！　It　'll　be　doon！〃　〃Never　you　heed　them；

Tibby；〃　said　Telford；　clapping　her　on　the　shoulder；　〃there's　nae

fear　o'　the　brig。　　I　like　it　a'　the　better　that　it　shakes

it　proves　its　weel　put　thegither。〃　　Tibby's　fears；　however；　were　not

so　easily　allayed；　and　insisting　that　she　heard　the　brig　〃rumlin；〃

she　ran　upso　the　neighbours　afterwards　used　to　say　of　herand　set

her　back　against　the　parapet　to　hold　it　together。　　At　this；　it　is

said；　〃Tam　bodged　and　leuch；〃　and　Tibby；　observing　how　easily　he

took　it；　at　length　grew　more　calm。　　It　soon　became　clear　enough

that　the　bridge　was　sufficiently　strong；　for　the　flood　subsided

without　doing　it　any　harm；　and　it　has　stood　the　furious　spates　of

nearly　a　century　uninjured。



Telford　acquired　considerable　general　experience　about　the　same

time　as　a　house…builder；　though　the　structures　on　which　he　was

engaged　were　of　a　humble　order；　being　chiefly　small　farm…houses　on

the　Duke　of　Buccleugh's　estate；　with　the　usual　out…buildings。

Perhaps　the　most　important　of　the　jobs　on　which　he　was　employed　was

the　manse　of　Westerkirk；　where　he　was　comparatively　at　home。

The　hamlet　stands　on　a　green　hill…side；　a　little　below　the　entrance

to　the　valley　of　the　Meggat。　　It　consists　of　the　kirk；　the　minister's

manse；　the　parish…school；　and　a　few　cottages；　every　occupant　of

which　was　known　to　Telford。　　It　is　backed　by　the　purple　moors；

up　which　he　loved　to　wander　in　his　leisure　hours　and　read　the　poems

of　Fergusson　and　Burns。　　The　river　Esk　gurgles　along　its　rocky　bed

in　the　bottom　of　the　dale；　separated　from　the　kirkyard　by　a　steep

bank；　covered　with　natural　wood；　while　near　at　hand；　behind　the

manse；　stretch　the　fine　woods　of　Wester　Hall；　where　Telford　was

often　wont　to　roam。



＇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　h