an autobiography-第74章

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During　the　visit　of　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine　to　England　about　that　time；　he　resided　for　some　days　with　the　Earl　of　Ellesmere　at　Worsley　Hall；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　Bridgewater　Foundry。　We　were　favoured　with　several　visits　from　the　Grand　Duke；　accompanied　by　Baron　Brunnow；　Admiral　Hoyden；　and　several　other　Russian　officials。　They　came　by　Lord　Ellesmere's　beautiful　barge；　which　drew　up　alongside　our　wharf；　where　the　party　landed　and　entered　the　works。　The　Grand　Duke　carefully　inspected　the　whole　place；　and　expressed　himself　as　greatly　pleased　with　the　complete　mastery　which　man　had　obtained　over　obdurate　materials；　through　the　unfailing　agency　of　mechanical　substitutes　for　manual　dexterity　and　muscular　force。

I　was　invited　to　meet　this　distinguished　party　at　Worsley　Hall　on　more　than　one　occasion；　and　was　much　pleased　with　the　frank　and　intelligent　conversation　of　the　Grand　Duke；　in　his　reference　to　what　he　had　seen　in　his　visits　to　our　works。　　It　was　always　a　source　of　high　pleasure　to　me　to　receive　visits　from　Lord　Ellesmere；　as　he　was　generally　accompanied　by　men　of　distinction　who　were　well　able　to　appreciate　the　importance　of　what　had　been　displayed　before　them。　　The　visits；　for　instance；　of　Rajah　Brooke；　the　Earl　of　Elgin；　the　Duke　of　Argyll；　Chevalier　Bunsen；　and　Count　Flahault；　stand　out　bright　in　my　memory。

But　to　return　to　my　rope…making　machinery。　　It　was　finished　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　Russian　officers。　　It　was　sent　off　by　ship　to　the　Black　Sea　in　July　1851；　and　fitted　up　at　Nicolaiev　shortly　after。　I　received　a　kind　and　pressing　invitation　from　Admiral　Kornileff　to　accompany　him　on　the　first　trip　of　a　magnificent　steamer　which　had　been　constructed　in　England　under　his　supervision。　　His　object　was；　not　only　that　I　might　have　a　pleasant　voyage　in　his　company；　but　that　I　might　see　my　machinery　in　full　action　at　Nicolaiev；　and　also　that　I　might　make　a　personal　survey　of　the　arsenal　workshops　at　Sebastopol。　It　would；　no　doubt；　have　been　a　delightful　trip；　but　it　was　not　to　be。　The　unfortunate　disruption　occurred　between　our　Government　and　that　of　Russia；　which　culminated　in　the　disastrous　Crimean　War。　One　of　the　first　victims　was　Admiral　Kornileff。　　He　was　killed　by　one　of　our　first　shots　while　engaged　in　placing　some　guns　for　the　defence　of　the　entrance　to　the　harbour　of　Sebastopol。


CHAPTER　18。　　Astronomical　pursuits。

Let　me　turn　for　a　time　from　the　Foundry；　the　whirr　of　the　self…acting　tools；　and　the　sound　of　the　steam　hammers；　to　my　quieter　pursuits　at　home。　There　I　had　much　tranquil　enjoyment　in　the　company　of　my　dear　wife。　I　had　many　hobbies。　　Drawing　was　as　familiar　to　me　as　language。　Indeed；　it　was　often　my　method　of　speaking。　　It　has　always　been　the　way　in　which　I　have　illustrated　my　thoughts。　　In　the　course　of　my　journeys　at　home　and　abroad　I　made　many　drawings　of　places　and　objects；　which　were　always　full　of　interest；　to　me　at　least；　and　they　never　ceased　to　bring　up　a　store　of　happy　remembrances。

Now　and　then　I　drew　upon　my　fancy；　and　with　pen　and　ink　I　conjured　up　〃The　Castle　of　Udolpho；〃　〃　A　Bit　of　Old　England；〃　〃The　Fairies　are　Out；〃　and　〃Everybody　for　Ever。〃　　The　last　is　crowded　with　thousands　of　figures　and　heads；　so　that　it　is　almost　impossible　to　condense　the　drawing　into　a　small　compass。　　To　these　I　added　〃The　Alchemist；〃　〃Old　Mortality；〃　〃Robinson　Crusoe；〃　and　a　bit　of　English　scenery；　which　I　called　〃Gathering　Sticks。〃　　I　need　not　say　with　how　much　pleasure　I　executed　these　drawings　in　my　evening　hours。　　They　were　not　〃published；〃　but　I　drew　them　with　lithographic　ink；　and　had　them　printed　by　Mr。　Maclure。　I　afterwards　made　presents　of　the　series　to　some　of　my　most　intimate　friends。

＇Image＇　　The　Antiquarian。　　By　James　Nasmyth　（Facsimile）

In　remembrance　of　the　great　pleasure　which　I　had　derived　from　the　perusal　of　Washington　Irving's　fascinating　works；　I　sent　him　a　copy　of　my　sketches。　　His　answer　was　charming　and　characteristic。　His　letter　was　dated　〃　Sunnyside；〃　Massachusetts；　where　he　lived。　He　said　（17th　January　1859）：

DEAR　SIRAccept　my　most　sincere　and　hearty　thanks　for　the　exquisite　fancy　sketches　which　you　have　had　the　kindness　to　send　me；　and　for　the　expressions　of　esteem　and　regard　in　the　letter　which　accompanied　them。　It　is　indeed　a　heartfelt　gratification　to　me　to　think　that　I　have　been　able　by　any　exercise　of　my　pen　to　awaken　such　warm　and　delicate　sympathies；　and　to　call　forth　such　testimonials　of　pleasure　and　approbation　from　a　person　of　your　cultivated　taste　and　intellectual　elevation。　　With　high　respect　and　regard；　I　remain；　nay　dear　sir；　your　truly　obliged　friend；　Washington　Irving。〃

＇Image＇　　The　Fairies。　　By　James　Nasmyth。　　（Facsimile）

Viscount　Duncan；　afterwards　Earl　Camperdown；　also　acknowledged　receipt　of　the　drawings　in　a　characteristic　letter。　　He　said：　〃We　are　quite　delighted　with　them；　especially　with　'The　Fairies；'　which　a　lady　to　whom　I　showed　them　very　nearly　stole；　as　she　declared　that　it　quite　realised　her　dreams　of　fairyland。　　I　am　only　surprised　that　amidst　your　numerous　avocations　you　have　found　time　to　execute　such　detailed　works　of　art；　and　I　shall　have　much　pleasure　in　being　reminded　as　I　look　at　the　drawings　that　the　same　hand　and　head　that　executed　them　invented　the　steam　hammer；　and　many　other　gigantic　pieces　of　machinery　which　will　tend　to　immortalise　the　Anglo…saxon　race。〃

But　my　most　favourite　pursuit；　after　my　daily　exertions　at　the　Foundry；　was　Astronomy。　　There　were　frequently　clear　nights　when　the　glorious　objects　in　the　Heavens　were　seen　in　most　attractive　beauty　and　brilliancy。

I　cannot　find　words　to　express　the　thoughts　which　the　impressive　grandeur　of　the　Stars；　seen　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　suggested　to　me；　especially　when　I　directed　my　Telescope；　even　at　random；　on　any　portion　of　the　clear　sky；　and　considered　that　each　Star　of　the　multitude　it　revealed　to　me；　was　a　SUN！　the　centre　of　a　system！　Myriads　of　such　stars；　invisible　to　the　unassisted　eye；　were　rendered　perfectly　distinct　by　the　aid　of　the　telescope。　　The　magnificence　of　the　sight　was　vastly　increased　when　the　telescope　was　directed　to　any　portion　of　the　Milky　Way。　　It　revealed　such　countless　multitudes　of　stars　that　I　had　only　to　sit　before　the　eyepiece；　and　behold　the　endless　procession　of　these　glorious　objects　pass　before　me。　The　motion　of　the　earth　assisted　in　changing　this　scene　of　inexpressible　magnificence；　which　reached　its　climax　when　some　object　such　as　the　〃Cluster　in　Hercules〃　came　into　sight。　　The　component　stars　are　so　crowded　together　there　as　to　give　the　cluster　the　appearance　of　a　gray　spot；　but　when　examined　with　a　telescope　of　large　aperture；　it　becomes　resolved　into　such　myriads　of　stars　as　to　defy　all　attempts　to　count　them。　　Nothing　can　convey　to　the　mind；　in　so　awful　and　impressive　a　manner；　the　magnificent　and　infinite　extent　of　Creation；　and　the　inconceivable　power　of　its　Creator！

I　had　already　a　slight　acquaintance　with　Astronomy。　　My　father　had　implanted　in　me　the　first　germs。　　He　was　a　great　admirer　of　that　sublimest　of　sciences。　　I　had　obtained　a　sufficient　amount　of　technical　knowledge　to　construct　in　1827　a　small　but　very　effective　reflecting　telescope　of　six　inches　diameter。　　Three　years　later　I　initiated　Mr。　Maudslay　into　the　art　and　mystery　of　making　a　reflecting　telescope。　I　then　made　a　speculum　of　ten　inches　diameter；　and　but　for　the　unhappy　circumstance　of　his　death　in　1831；　it　would　have　been　mounted　in　his　proposed　observatory　at　Norwood。　　After　I　had　settled　down　at　Fireside；　Patricroft；　I　desired　to　possess　a　telescope　of　considerable　power　in　order　to　enjoy　the　tranquil　pleasure　of　surveying　the　heavens　in　their　impressive　grandeur　at　night。

As　I　had　all　the　means　and　appliances　for　casting　specula　at　the　factory；　I　soon　had　the　felicity　of　embodying　all　my　former　self…acquired　skill　in　this　fine　art　by　producing　a　very　perfect　casting　of　a　ten…inch　diameter　speculum。　　The　alloy　consisted　of　fifteen　parts　of　pure　tin　and　thirty…two　parts　of　pure　copper；　with　one　part　of　arsenic。　　It　was　cast　with　perfect　soundness；　and　was　ground　and　polished　by　a　machine　which　I　contrived　for　the　purpose。　The　speculum　was　so　brilliant　that　when　my　friend　William　Lassell　saw　it；　he　said　〃it　made　his　mouth　water。〃