the life of thomas telford-第73章

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feet；　which　will　be　twenty　when　the　canal　is　completed。　　In　a　few

minutes　a　river　was　formed　of　no　inconsiderable　breadth；　which　ran

like　a　torrent　into　the　Lochy。



〃On　this　part　of　the　canal　everything　is　completed；　except　that　the

iron　bridges　for　it；　which　are　now　on　their　way；　are　supplied　by

temporary　ones。　　When　the　middle　part　shall　be　finished；　the　Lochy；

which　at　present　flows　in　its　own　channel　above　the　Regulating　Lock；

will　be　dammed　there；　and　made　to　join　the　Speyne　by　a　new　cut　from

the　lake。　　The　cut　is　made；　and　a　fine　bridge　built　over　it。

We　went　into　the　cut　and　under　the　bridge；　which　is　very　near　the

intended　point　of　junction。　　The　string…courses　were　encrusted　with

stalactites　in　a　manner　singularly　beautiful。　　Under　the　arches　a

strong　mound　of　solid　masonry　is　built　to　keep　the　water　in　dry

seasons　at　a　certain　height；　But　in　that　mound　a　gap　is　left　for

the　salmon；　and　a　way　made　through　the　rocks　from　the　Speyne　to

this　gap；　which　they　will　soon　find　out。〃



Arrived　at　Dumbarton；　Southey　took　leave　of　John　Mitchell；　who　had

accompanied　him　throughout　the　tour；　and　for　whom　he　seems　to　have

entertained　the　highest　admiration：



〃He　is　indeed；〃　says　Southey；　〃a　remarkable　man；　and　well　deserving

to　be　remembered。　　Mr。　Telford　found　him　a　working　mason；　who　could

scarcely　read　or　write。　　But　his　good　sense；　his　excellent　conduct；

his　steadiness　and　perseverance　have　been　such；　that　he　has　been

gradually　raised　to　be　Inspector　of　all　these　Highland　roads　which

we　have　visited；　and　all　of　which　are　under　the　Commissioners'　care

an　office　requiring　a　rare　union　of　qualities；　among　others

inflexible　integrity；　a　fearless　temper；　and　an　indefatigable

frame。　　Perhaps　no　man　ever　possessed　these　requisites　in　greater

perfection　than　John　Mitchell。　　Were　but　his　figure　less　Tartarish

and　more　gaunt；　he　would　be　the　very　'Talus'　of　Spenser。　　Neither

frown　nor　favour；　in　the　course　of　fifteen　years；　have　ever　made

him　swerve　from　the　fair　performance　of　his　duty；　though　the　lairds

with　whom　he　has　to　deal　have　omitted　no　means　of　making　him　enter

into　their　views；　and　to　do　things　or　leave　them　undone；　as　might

suit　their　humour　or　interest。　　They　have　attempted　to　cajole　and　to

intimidate　him　alike　in　vain。　　They　have　repeatedly　preferred

complaints　against　him　in　the　hope　of　getting　him　removed　from　his

office；　and　a　more　flexible　person　appointed　in　his　stead；　and　they

have　not　unfrequently　threatened　him　with　personal　violence。

Even　his　life　has　been　menaced。　　But　Mitchell　holds　right　on。

In　the　midst　of　his　most　laborious　life；　he　has　laboured　to　improve

himself　with　such　success；　that　he　has　become　a　good　accountant；

makes　his　estimates　with　facility；　and　carries　on　his　official

correspondence　in　an　able　and　highly　intelligent　manner。　　In　the

execution　of　his　office　he　travelled　last　year　not　less　than　8800

miles；　and　every　year　he　travels　nearly　as　much。　　Nor　has　this　life；

and　the　exposure　to　all　winds　and　weathers；　and　the　temptations

either　of　company　or　of　solicitude　at　the　houses　at　which　he　puts

up；　led　him　into　any　irregularities。　　Neither　has　his　elevation　in

the　slightest　degree　inflated　him。　　He　is　still　the　same　temperate；

industrious；　modest；　unassuming　man；　as　when　his　good　qualities

first　attracted　Mr。　Telford's　notice。〃



Southey　concludes　his　journal　at　Longtown；　a　little　town　just

across　the　Scotch　Border；　in　the　following　words：



〃Here　we　left　Mr。　Telford；　who　takes　the　mail　for　Edinburgh。



This　parting　company；　after　the　thorough　intimacy　which　a　long

journey　produces　between　fellow…travellers　who　like　each　other；　is

a　melancholy　thing。　　A　man　more　heartily　to　be　liked；　more　worthy　to

be　esteemed　and　admired；　I　have　never　fallen　in　with；　and　therefore

it　is　painful　to　think　how　little　likely　it　is　that　I　shall　ever

see　much　of　him　again；how　certain　that　I　shall　never　see　so　much。

Yet　I　trust　that　he　will　not　forget　his　promise　of　one　day　making

Keswick　in　his　way　to　and　from　Scotland。〃



Before　leaving　the　subject　of　Telford's　public　works　in　the

Highlands；　it　may　be　mentioned　that　875　miles　of　new　roads　were

planned　by　him；　and　executed　under　his　superintendence；　at　an

expense　of　454；189L。；　of　which　about　one…half　was　granted　by

Parliament；　and　the　remainder　was　raised　by　the　localities

benefited。　　Besides　the　new　roads；　255　miles　of　the　old　military

roads　were　taken　in　charge　by　him；　and　in　many　cases　reconstructed

and　greatly　improved。　　The　bridges　erected　in　connexion　with　these

roads　were　no　fewer　than　twelve　hundred。　　Telford　also　between　the

year　1823　and　the　close　of　his　life；　built　forty…two　Highland

churches　in　districts　formerly　unprovided　with　them；　and　capable　of

accommodating　some　22；000　persons。



Down　to　the　year　1854；　the　Parliamentary　grant　of　5000L。　a　year

charged　upon　the　Consolidated　Fund　to　meet　assessments　and　tolls　of

the　Highland　roads；　amounting　to　about　7500L。　a　year；　was

transferred　to　the　annual　Estimates；　when　it　became　the　subject　of

annual　revision；　and　a　few　years　since　the　grant　was　suddenly

extinguished　by　an　adverse　vote　of　the　House　of　Commons。　　The　Board

of　Commissioners　had；　therefore；　nothing　left　but　to　deliver　over

the　roads　to　the　several　local　authorities；　and　the　harbours　to　the

proprietors　of　the　adjacent　lands；　and　to　present　to　Parliament　a

final　account　of　their　work　and　its　results。　　Reviewing　the　whole；

they　say　that　the　operations　of　the　Commission　have　been　most

beneficial　to　the　country　concerned。　　They　〃found　it　barren　and

uncultivated；　inhabited　by　heritors　without　capital　or　enterprise；

and　by　a　poor　and　ill…employed　peasantry；　and　destitute　of　trade；

shipping；　and　manufactures。　　They　leave　it　with　wealthy　proprietors；

a　profitable　agriculture；　a　thriving　population；　and　active

industry；　furnishing　now　its　fair　proportion　of　taxes　to　the

national　exchequer；　and　helping　by　its　improved　agriculture　to　meet

the　ever…increasing　wants　of　the　populous　south。〃



Footnotes　for　Chapter　XIV。



*＇1＇　We　have　been　indebted　to　Mr。　Robert　Rawlinson；　C。E。；　in　whose

possession　the　MS。　now　is；　for　the　privilege　of　inspecting　it；　and

making　the　above　abstract；　which　we　have　the　less　hesitation　in

giving　as　it　has　not　before　appeared　in　print。



*＇2＇　Mr。　Rickman　was　the　secretary　to　the　Highland　Roads

Commission。



*＇3＇　Referring　to　the　famous　battle　of　Bannockburn；　Southey　writes

〃This　is　the　only　great　battle　that　ever　was　lost　by　the　English。

At　Hastings　there　was　no　disgrace。　　Here　it　was　an　army　of　lions

commanded　by　a　stag。〃



*＇4＇　See　View　of　Banff　facing　p。　216。





CHAPTER　XV。



MR。　TELFORD'S　LATER　YEARSHIS　DEATH　AND　CHARACTER。



When　Mr。　Telford　had　occasion　to　visit　London　on　business　during

the　early　period　of　his　career；　his　quarters　were　at　the　Salopian

Coffee　House；　now　the　Ship　Hotel；　at　Charing　Cross。　　It　is　probable

that　his　Shropshire　connections　led　him　in　the　first　instance　to

the　'Salopian；'　but　the　situation　being　near　to　the　Houses　of

Parliament；　and　in　many　respects　convenient　for　the　purposes　of　his

business；　he　continued　to　live　there　for　no　less　a　period　than

twenty…one　years。　　During　that　time　the　Salopian　became　a　favourite

resort　of　engineers；　and　not　only　Telford's　provincial　associates；

but　numerous　visitors　from　abroad　（where　his　works　attracted　even

more　attention　than　they　did　in　England）　took　up　their　quarters

there。　　Several　apartments　were　specially　reserved　for　Telford's

exclusive　use；　and　he　could　always　readily　command　any　additional

accommodation　for　purposes　of　business　or　hospitality。



The　successive　landlords　of　the　Salopian　came　to　regard　the

engineer　as　a　fixture；　and　even　bought　and　sold　him　from　time　to

time　with　the　goodwill　of　the　business。　　When　he　at　length　resolved；

on　the　persuasion　of　his　friends；　to　take　a　house　of　his　own；　and

gave　notice　of　his　intention　of　leaving；　the　landlord；　who　had