industrial biography-第29章

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science；　and　an　excellent　mechanic。　　He　introduced　great　improvements

in　the　working　of　the　coal　and　iron　mines；　employing　new　machinery

for　the　purpose；　and　availing　himself　with　much　ingenuity　of　the

discoveries　then　being　made　in　the　science　of　chemistry。　　He　was　also

an　inventor；　having　been　the　first　to　employ　（in　1788）　inclined

planes；　consisting　of　parallel　railways；　to　connect　and　work　canals

of　different　levels；an　invention　erroneously　attributed　to　Fulton；

but　which　the　latter　himself　acknowledged　to　belong　to　William

Reynolds。　　In　the　first　chapter　of　his　'Treatise　on　Canal　Navigation；'

published　in　1796；　Fulton　says：　　　〃As　local　prejudices　opposed　the

Duke　of　Bridgewater's　canal　in　the　first　instance；　prejudices　equally

strong　as　firmly　adhered　to　the　principle　on　which　it　was

constructed；　and　it　was　thought　impossible　to　lead　one　through　a

country；　or　to　work　it　to　any　advantage；　unless　by　locks　and　boats　of

at　least　twenty…five　tons；　till　the　genius　of　Mr。　William　Reynolds；

of　Ketley；　in　Shropshire；　stepped　from　the　accustomed　path；

constructed　the　first　inclined　plane；　and　introduced　boats　of　five

tons。　　This；　like　the　Duke's　canal；　was　deemed　a　visionary　project；

and　particularly　by　his　Grace；　who　was　partial　to　locks；　yet　this　is

also　introduced　into　practice；　and　will　in　many　instances　supersede

lock　canals。〃　　Telford；　the　engineer；　also　gracefully　acknowledged　the

valuable　assistance　he　received　from　William　Reynolds　in　planning　the

iron　aqueduct　by　means　of　which　the　Ellesmere　Canal　was　carried　over

the　Pont　Cysylltau；　and　in　executing　the　necessary　castings　for　the

purpose　at　the　Ketley　foundry。



The　future　management　of　his　extensive　ironworks　being　thus　placed　in

able　hands；　Richard　Reynolds　finally　left　Coalbrookdale　in　1804；　for

Bristol；　his　native　town；　where　he　spent　the　remainder　of　his　life　in

works　of　charity　and　mercy。　　Here　we　might　leave　the　subject；　but

cannot　refrain　from　adding　a　few　concluding　words　as　to　the　moral

characteristics　of　this　truly　good　man。　　Though　habitually　religious；

he　was　neither　demure　nor　morose；　but　cheerful；　gay；　and　humorous。　　He

took　great　interest　in　the　pleasures　of　the　young　people　about　him；

and　exerted　himself　in　all　ways　to　promote　their　happiness。　　He　was

fond　of　books；　pictures；　poetry；　and　music；　though　the　indulgence　of

artistic　tastes　is　not　thought　becoming　in　the　Society　to　which　he

belonged。　　His　love　for　the　beauties　of　nature　amounted　almost　to　a

passion；　and　when　living　at　The　Bank；　near　Ketley；　it　was　his　great

delight　in　the　summer　evenings　to　retire　with　his　pipe　to　a　rural

seat　commanding　a　full　view　of　the　Wrekin；　the　Ercall　Woods；　with

Cader　Idris　and　the　Montgomeryshire　hills　in　the　distance；　and　watch

the　sun　go　down　in　the　west　in　his　glory。　　Once　in　every　year　he

assembled　a　large　party　to　spend　a　day　with　him　on　the　Wrekin；　and

amongst　those　invited　were　the　principal　clerks　in　the　company's

employment；　together　with　their　families。　　At　Madeley；　near

Coalbrookdale；　where　he　bought　a　property；　he　laid　out；　for　the

express　use　of　the　workmen；　extensive　walks　through　the　woods　on

Lincoln　Hill；　commanding　beautiful　views。　　They　were　called　〃The

Workmen's　Walks；〃　and　were　a　source　of　great　enjoyment　to　them　and

their　families；　especially　on　Sunday　afternoons。



When　Mr。　Reynolds　went　to　London　on　business；　he　was　accustomed　to

make　a　round　of　visits；　on　his　way　home；　to　places　remarkable　for

their　picturesque　beauty；　such　as　Stowe；　Hagley　Park；　and　the

Leasowes。　　After　a　visit　to　the　latter　place　in　1767；　he　thus；　in　a

letter　to　his　friend　John　Maccappen；　vindicated　his　love　for　the

beautiful　in　nature：　　　〃I　think　it　not　only　lawful　but　expedient　to

cultivate　a　disposition　to　be　pleased　with　the　beauties　of　nature；　by

frequent　indulgences　for　that　purpose。　　The　mind；　by　being　continually

applied　to　the　consideration　of　ways　and　means　to　gain　money；

contracts　an　indifferency　if　not　an　insensibility　to　the　profusion　of

beauties　which　the　benevolent　Creator　has　impressed　upon　every　part

of　the　material　creation。　　A　sordid　love　of　gold；　the　possession　of

what　gold　can　purchase；　and　the　reputation　of　being　rich；　have　so

depraved　the　finer　feelings　of　some　men；　that　they　pass　through　the

most　delightful　grove；　filled　with　the　melody　of　nature；　or　listen　to

the　murmurings　of　the　brook　in　the　valley；　with　as　little　pleasure

and　with　no　more　of　the　vernal　delight　which　Milton　describes；　than

they　feel　in　passing　through　some　obscure　alley　in　a　town。〃



When　in　the　prime　of　life；　Mr。　Reynolds　was　an　excellent　rider；

performing　all　his　journeys　on　horseback。　　He　used　to　give　a　ludicrous

account　of　a　race　he　once　ran　with　another　youth；　each　having　a　lady

seated　on　a　pillion　behind　him；　Mr。　Reynolds　reached　the　goal　first；

but　when　he　looked　round　he　found　that　he　had　lost　his　fair

companion；　who　had　fallen　off　in　the　race！　On　another　occasion　he　had

a　hard　run　with　Lord　Thurlow　during　a　visit　paid　by　the　latter　to　the

Ketley　Iron…Works。　　Lord　Thurlow　pulled　up　his　horse　first；　and

observed；　laughing；　〃I　think；　Mr。　Reynolds；　this　is　probably　the

first　time　that　ever　a　Lord　Chancellor　rode　a　race　with　a　Quaker！〃

But　a　stranger　rencontre　was　one　which　befel　Mr。　Reynolds　on

Blackheath。　　Though　he　declined　Government　orders　for　cannon；　he　seems

to　have　had　a　secret　hankering　after　the　〃pomp　and　circumstance〃　of

military　life。　　At　all　event's　he　was　present　on　Blackheath　one　day

when　George　III。　was　reviewing　some　troops。　　Mr。　Reynold's　horse；　an

old　trooper；　no　sooner　heard　the　sound　of　the　trumpet　than　he　started

off　at　full　speed；　and　made　directly　for　the　group　of　officers　before

whom　the　troops　were　defiling。　　Great　was　the　surprise　of　the　King

when　he　saw　the　Quaker　draw　up　alongside　of　him；　but　still　greater；

perhaps；　was　the　confusion　of　the　Quaker　at　finding　himself　in　such

company。



During　the　later　years　of　his　life；　while　living　at　Bristol；　his　hand

was　in　every　good　work；　and　it　was　often　felt　where　it　was　not　seen。

For　he　carefully　avoided　ostentation；　and　preferred　doing　his　good　in

secret。　　He　strongly　disapproved　of　making　charitable　bequests　by

will；　which　he　observed　in　many　cases　to　have　been　the　foundation　of

enormous　abuses；　but　held　it　to　be　the　duty　of　each　man　to　do　all　the

possible　good　that　he　could　during　his　lifetime。　　Many　were　the

instances　of　his　princely；　though　at　the　time　unknown；　munificence。

Unwilling　to　be　recognised　as　the　giver　of　large　sums；　he　employed

agents　to　dispense　his　anonymous　benefactions。　　He　thus　sent　20；000L。

to　London　to　be　distributed　during　the　distress　of　1795。　　He　had　four

almoners　constantly　employed　in　Bristol；　finding　out　cases　of

distress；　relieving　them；　and　presenting　their　accounts　to　him

weekly；　with　details　of　the　cases　relieved。　　He　searched　the　debtors'

prisons；　and　where；　as　often　happened；　deserving　but　unfortunate　men

were　found　confined　for　debt；　he　paid　the　claims　against　them　and

procured　their　release。　　Such　a　man　could　not　fail　to　be　followed　with

blessings　and　gratitude；　but　these　he　sought　to　direct　to　the　Giver

of　all　Good。　　〃My　talent；〃　said　he　to　a　friend；　〃is　the　meanest　of　all

talentsa　little　sordid　dust；　but　as　the　man　in　the　parable　who　had

but　one　talent　was　held　accountable；　I　also　am　accountable　for　the

talent　that　I　possess；　humble　as　it　is；　to　the　great　Lord　of　all。〃　　On

one　occasion　the　case　of　a　poor　orphan　boy　was　submitted　to　him；

whose　parents；　both　dying　young；　had　left　him　destitute；　on　which　Mr。

Reynolds　generously　offered　to　place　a　sum　in　the　names　of　trustees

for　his　education　and　maintenance　until　he　could　be　apprenticed　to　a

business。　　The　lady　who　represented　the　case　was　so　overpowered　by　the

munificence　of　the　act　that　she　burst　into　tears；　and；　struggling　to

express　her　gratitude；　concluded　with〃and　when　the　dear　child　is

old　enough；　I　will　teach　him　to　thank　his　benefactor。〃　　〃Thou　must

teach　him　t