the life of thomas telford-第77章

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friend　Sir　David　（then　Dr。）　Brewster；　the　elaborate　and　able

articles　on　Architecture；　Bridge…building；　and　Canal…making。

Besides　his　contributions　to　that　work；　he　advanced　a　considerable

sum　of　money　to　aid　in　its　publication；　which　remained　a　debt　due

to　his　estate　at　the　period　of　his　death。



Notwithstanding　the　pains　that　Telford　took　in　the　course　of　his

life　to　acquire　a　knowledge　of　the　elements　of　natural　science；

it　is　somewhat　remarkable　to　find　him　holding；　acquirements　in

mathematics　so　cheap。　　But　probably　this　is　to　be　accounted　for　by

the　circumstance　of　his　education　being　entirely　practical；　and

mainly　self…acquired。　　When　a　young　man　was　on　one　occasion

recommended　to　him　as　a　pupil　because　of　his　proficiency　in

mathematics；　the　engineer　expressed　the　opinion　that　such

acquirements　were　no　recommendation。　　Like　Smeaton；　he　held　that

deductions　drawn　from　theory　were　never　to　be　trusted；　and　he

placed　his　reliance　mainly　on　observation；　experience；　and

carefully…conducted　experiments。　　He　was　also；　like　most　men　of

strong　practical　sagacity；　quick　in　mother　wit；　and　arrived　rapidly

at　conclusions；　guided　by　a　sort　of　intellectual　instinct　which　can

neither　be　defined　nor　described。*＇7＇　　Although　occupied　as　a

leading　engineer　for　nearly　forty　years　having　certified

contractors'　bills　during　that　time　amounting　to　several　millions

sterlinghe　died　in　comparatively　moderate　circumstances。　　Eminent

constructive　ability　was　not　very　highly　remunerated　in　Telford's

time；　and　he　was　satisfied　with　a　rate　of　pay　which　even　the

smallest　〃M。　I。　C。　E。〃　would　now　refuse　to　accept。　　Telford's

charges　were；　however；　perhaps　too　low；　and　a　deputation　of　members

of　the　profession　on　one　occasion　formally　expostulated　with　him　on

the　subject。



Although　he　could　not　be　said　to　have　an　indifference　for　money；　he

yet　estimated　it　as　a　thing　worth　infinitely　less　than　character；

and　every　penny　that　he　earned　was　honestly　come　by。　　He　had　no

wife；　*＇8＇　nor　family；　nor　near　relations　to　provide　for；only

himself　in　his　old　age。　　Not　being　thought　rich；　he　was　saved　the

annoyance　of　being　haunted　by　toadies　or　pestered　by　parasites。　　His

wants　were　few；　and　his　household　expenses　small；　and　though　he

entertained　many　visitors　and　friends；　it　was　in　a　quiet　way　and　on

a　moderate　scale。　　The　small　regard　he　had　for　personal　dignity　may

be　inferred　from　the　fact；　that　to　the　last　he　continued　the

practice；　which　he　had　learnt　when　a　working　mason；　of　darning　his

own　stockings。*＇9＇



Telford　nevertheless　had　the　highest　idea　of　the　dignity　of　his

profession；　not　because　of　the　money　it　would　produce；　but　of　the

great　things　it　was　calculated　to　accomplish。　　In　his　most

confidential　letters　we　find　him　often　expatiating　on　the　noble

works　he　was　engaged　in　designing　or　constructing；　and　the　national

good　they　were　calculated　to　produce；　but　never　on　the　pecuniary

advantages　he　himself　was　to　derive　from　them。　　He　doubtless　prized；

and　prized　highly；　the　reputation　they　would　bring　him；　and；　above

all；　there　seemed　to　be　uppermost　in　his　mind；　especially　in　the

earlier　part　of　his　career；　while　many　of　his　schoolfellows　were

still　alive；　the　thought　of　〃What　will　they　say　of　this　in

Eskdale？〃　but　as　for　the　money　results　to　himself；　Telford　seemed；

to　the　close　of　his　life；　to　regard　them　as　of　comparatively　small

moment。



During　the　twenty…one　years　that　he　acted　as　principal　engineer　for

the　Caledonian　Canal；　we　find　from　the　Parliamentary　returns　that

the　amount　paid　to　him　for　his　reports；　detailed　plans；　and

superintendence；　was　exactly　237L。　a　year。　　Where　he　conceived　any

works　to　be　of　great　public　importance；　and　he　found　them　to　be

promoted　by　public…spirited　persons　at　their　own　expense；　he

refused　to　receive　any　payment　for　his　labour；　or　even　repayment　of

the　expenses　incurred　by　him。　　Thus；　while　employed　by　the

Government　in　the　improvement　of　the　Highland　roads；　he　persuaded

himself　that　he　ought　at　the　same　time　to　promote　the　similar

patriotic　objects　of　the　British　Fisheries　Society；　which　were

carried　out　by　voluntary　subscription；　and　for　many　years　he　acted

as　their　engineer；　refusing　to　accept　any　remuneration　whatever　for

his　trouble。*＇10＇



Telford　held　the　sordid　money…grubber　in　perfect　detestation。

He　was　of　opinion　that　the　adulation　paid　to　mere　money　was　one　of

the　greatest　dangers　with　which　modern　society　was　threatened。

〃I　admire　commercial　enterprise；〃　he　would　say；　〃it　is　the　vigorous

outgrowth　of　our　industrial　life：　I　admire　everything　that　gives　it

free　scope：；　as；　wherever　it　goes；　activity；　energy；　intelligence

all　that　we　call　civilizationaccompany　it；　but　I　hold　that　the

aim　and　end　of　all　ought　not　to　be　a　mere　bag；　of　money；　but

something　far　higher　and　far　better。〃



Writing　once　to　his　Langholm　correspondent　about　an　old　schoolfellow；

who　had　grown　rich　by　scraping；　Telford　said：　〃Poor　Bob　L　His

industry　and　sagacity　were　more　than　counterbalanced　by　his

childish　vanity　and　silly　avarice；　which　rendered　his　friendship

dangerous；　and　his　conversation　tiresome。　　He　was　like　a　man　in

London；　whose　lips；　while　walking　by　himself　along　the　streets；

were　constantly　ejaculating　'Money！　Money！'　　But　peace　to　Bob's

memory：　I　need　scarcely　add；　confusion　to　his　thousands！〃　Telford

was　himself　most　careful　in　resisting　the　temptations　to　which　men

in　his　position　are　frequently　exposed；　but　he　was　preserved　by　his

honest　pride；　not　less　than　by　the　purity　of　his　character。

He　invariably　refused　to　receive　anything　in　the　shape　of　presents

or　testimonials　from　persons　employed　under　him。　　He　would　not　have

even　the　shadow　of　an　obligation　stand　in　the　way　of　his　duty　to

those　who　employed　him　to　watch　over　and　protect　their　　interests。

During　the　many　years　that　he　was　employed　on　public　works；　no　one

could　ever　charge　him　in　the　remotest　degree　with　entering　into　a

collusion　with　contractors。　　He　looked　upon　such　arrangements　as

degrading　and　infamous；　and　considered　that　they　meant　nothing　less

than　an　inducement　to　〃scamping；〃　which　he　would　never　tolerate。



His　inspection　of　work　was　most　rigid。　　The　security　of　his

structures　was　not　a　question　of　money；　but　of　character。　　As　human

life　depended　upon　their　stability；　not　a　point　was　neglected　that

could　ensure　it。　　Hence；　in　his　selection　of　resident　engineers　and

inspectors　of　works；　he　exercised　the　greatest　possible　precautions；

and　here　his　observation　of　character　proved　of　essential　value。

Mr。　Hughes　says　he　never　allowed　any　but　his　most　experienced　and

confidential　assistants　to　have　anything　to　do　with　exploring　the

foundations　of　buildings　he　was　about　to　erect。　　His　scrutiny　into

the　qualifications　of　those　employed　about　such　structures　extended

to　the　subordinate　overseers；　and　even　to　the　workmen；　insomuch

that　men　whose　general　habits　had　before　passed　unnoticed；　and

whose　characters　had　never　been　inquired　into；　did　not　escape　his

observation　when　set　to　work　in　operations　connected　with

foundations。*＇11＇　　If　he　detected　a　man　who　gave　evidences　of

unsteadiness；　inaccuracy；　or　carelessness；　he　would　reprimand　the

overseer　for　employing　such　a　person；　and　order　him　to　be　removed

to　some　other　part　of　the　undertaking　where　his　negligence　could　do

no　harm。　　And　thus　it　was　that　Telford　put　his　own　character；

through　those　whom　he　employed；　into　the　various　buildings　which　he

was　employed　to　construct。



But　though　Telford　was　comparatively　indifferent　about　money；　he

was　not　without　a　proper　regard　for　it；　as　a　means　of　conferring

benefits　on　others；　and　especially　as　a　means　of　being　independent。

At　the　close　of　his　life　he　had　accumulated　as　much　as；　invested　at

interest；　brought　him　in　about　800L。　a　year；　and　enabled　him　to

occupy　the　house　in　Abingdon　Street　in　which　he　died。　　This　was

amply　sufficient　for　his　wants；　and　more　than　enough　for　his

in