industrial biography-第65章

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interior　angles　in　ironwork；　whether　wrought　or　cast；　for　he　found

that　in　such　interior　angles　cracks　were　apt　to　originate；　and　when

the　article　was　a　tool；　the　sharp　angle　was　less　pleasant　to　the　hand

as　well　as　to　the　eye。　　In　the　application　of　his　favourite　round　or

hollow　corner　systemas；　for　instance；　in　the　case　of　the　points　of

junction　of　the　arms　of　a　wheel　with　its　centre　and　rimhe　used　to

illustrate　its　superiority　by　holding　up　his　hand　and　pointing　out

the　nice　rounded　hollow　at　the　junction　of　the　fingers；　or　by

referring　to　the　junction　of　the　branches　to　the　stem　of　a　tree。

Hence　he　made　a　point　of　having　all　the　angles　of　his　machine

framework　nicely　rounded　off　on　their　exterior；　and　carefully

hollowed　in　their　interior　angles。　　In　forging　such　articles　he　would

so　shape　his　metal　before　bending　that　the　result　should　be　the　right

hollow　or　rounded　corner　when　bent；　the　anticipated　external　angle

falling　into　its　proper　place　when　the　bar　so　shaped　was　brought　to


its　ultimate　form。　　In　all　such　matters　of　detail　he　was　greatly

assisted　by　his　early　dexterity　as　a　blacksmith；　and　he　used　to　say

that　to　be　a　good　smith　you　must　be　able　to　SEE　in　the　bar　of　iron

the　object　proposed　to　be　got　out　of　it　by　the　hammer　or　the　tool；

just　as　the　sculptor　is　supposed　to　see　in　the　block　of　stone　the

statue　which　he　proposes　to　bring　forth　from　it　by　his　mind　and　his

chisel。



Mr。　Maudslay　did　not　allow　himself　to　forget　his　skill　in　the　use　of

the　hammer；　and　to　the　last　he　took　pleasure　in　handling　it；

sometimes　in　the　way　of　business；　and　often　through　sheer　love　of　his

art。　　Mr　Nasmyth　says；　〃It　was　one　of　my　duties；　while　acting　as

assistant　in　his　beautiful　little　workshop；　to　keep　up　a　stock　of

handy　bars　of　lead　which　he　had　placed　on　a　shelf　under　his

work…bench；　which　was　of　thick　slate　for　the　more　ready　making　of　his

usual　illustrative　sketches　of　machinery　in　chalk。　　His　love　of

iron…forging　led　him　to　take　delight　in　forging　the　models　of　work　to

be　ultimately　done　in　iron；　and　cold　lead　being　of　about　the　same

malleability　as　red…hot　iron；　furnished　a　convenient　material　for

illustrating　the　method　to　be　adopted　with　the　large　work。　　I　well

remember　the　smile　of　satisfaction　that　lit　up　his　honest　face　when

he　met　with　a　good　excuse　for　'having　a　go　at'　one　of　the　bars　of

lead　with　hammer　and　anvil　as　if　it　were　a　bar　of　iron；　and　how；　with

a　few　dexterous　strokes；　punchings　of　holes；　and　rounded　notches；　he

would　give　the　rough　bar　or　block　its　desired　form。　　He　always　aimed

at　working　it　out　of　the　solid　as　much　as　possible；　so　as　to　avoid

the　risk　of　any　concealed　defect；　to　which　ironwork　built　up　of

welded　parts　is　so　liable；　and　when　he　had　thus　cleverly　finished　his

model；　he　used　forthwith　to　send　for　the　foreman　of　smiths；　and　show

him　how　he　was　to　instruct　his　men　as　to　the　proper　forging　of　the

desired　object。〃　　One　of　Mr。　Maudslay's　old　workmen；　when　informing　us

of　the　skilful　manner　in　which　he　handled　the　file；　said；　〃It　was　a

pleasure　to　see　him　handle　a　tool　of　any　kind；　but　he　was　QUITE

SPLENDID　with　an　eighteen…inch　file！〃　The　vice　at　which　he　worked　was

constructed　by　himself；　and　it　was　perfect　of　its　kind。　　It　could　be

turned　round　to　any　position　on　the　bench；　the　jaws　would　turn　from

the　horizontal　to　the　perpendicular　or　any　other

positionupside…down　if　necessaryand　they　would　open　twelve　inches

parallel。



Mr。　Nasmyth　furnishes　the　following　further　recollections　of　Mr。

Maudslay；　which　will　serve　in　some　measure　to　illustrate　his　personal

character。　　〃Henry　Maudslay；〃　he　says；　〃lived　in　the　days　of

snuff…taking；　which　unhappily；　as　I　think；　has　given　way　to　the

cigar…smoking　system。　　He　enjoyed　his　occasional　pinch　very　much。　　It

generally　preceded　the　giving　out　of　a　new　notion　or　suggestion　for

an　improvement　or　alteration　of　some　job　in　hand。　　As　with　most　of

those　who　enjoy　their　pinch；　about　three　times　as　much　was　taken

between　the　fingers　as　was　utilized　by　the　nose；　and　the　consequence

was　that　a　large　unconsumed　surplus　collected　in　the　folds　of　the

master's　waistcoat　as　he　sat　working　at　his　bench。　　Sometimes　a　file；

or　a　tool；　or　some　small　piece　of　work　would　drop；　and　then　it　was　my

duty　to　go　down　on　my　knees　and　fetch　it　up。　　On　such　occasions；　while

waiting　for　the　article；　he　would　take　the　opportunity　of　pulling

down　his　waistcoat　front；　which　had　become　disarranged　by　his

energetic　working　at　the　bench；　and　many　a　time　have　I　come　up　with

the　dropped　article；　half…blinded　by　the　snuff　jerked　into　my　eyes

from　off　his　waistcoat　front。



〃All　the　while　he　was　at　work　he　would　be　narrating　some　incident　in

his　past　life；　or　describing　the　progress　of　some　new　and　important

undertaking；　in　illustrating　which　he　would　use　the　bit　of　chalk

ready　to　his　hand　upon　the　slate　bench　before　him；　which　was　thus　in

almost　constant　use。　　One　of　the　pleasures　he　indulged　in　while　he　sat

at　work　was　Music；　of　which　he　was　very　fond；more　particularly　of

melodies　and　airs　which　took　a　lasting　hold　on　his　mind。　　Hence　he　was

never　without　an　assortment　of　musical　boxes；　some　of　which　were　of　a

large　size。　　One　of　these　he　would　set　agoing　on　his　library　table；

which　was　next　to　his　workshop；　and　with　the　door　kept　open；　he　was

thus　enabled　to　enjoy　the　music　while　he　sat　working　at　his　bench。

Intimate　friends　would　frequently　call　upon　him　and　sit　by　the　hour；

but　though　talking　all　the　while　he　never　dropped　his　work；　but

continued　employed　on　it　with　as　much　zeal　as　if　he　were　only

beginning　life。　　His　old　friend　Sir　Samuel　Bentham　was　a　frequent

caller　in　this　way；　as　well　as　Sir　Isambard　Brunel　while　occupied

with　his　Thames　Tunnel　works*

　＇footnote。。。

Among　the　last　works　executed　by　the　firm　during　Mr。　Maudslay's

lifetime　was　the　famous　Shield　employed　by　his　friend　Brunel　in

carrying　forward　the　excavation　of　the　Thames　Tunnel。　　He　also

supplied　the　pumping…engines　for　the　same　great　work；　the　completion

of　which　he　did　not　live　to　see。

　。。。＇

　and　Mr。　Chantrey；　who　was　accustomed　to　consult　him　about　the

casting　of　his　bronze　statuary。　　Mr。　Barton　of　the　Royal　Mint；　and　Mr。

Donkin　the　engineer；　with　whom　Mr。　Barton　was　associated　in

ascertaining　and　devising　a　correct　system　of　dividing　the　Standard

Yard；　and　many　others；　had　like　audience　of　Mr。　Maudslay　in　his

little　workshop；　for　friendly　converse；　for　advice；　or　on　affairs　of

business。



〃It　was　a　special　and　constant　practice　with　him　on　a　workman's

holiday；　or　on　a　Sunday　morning；　to　take　a　walk　through　his　workshops

when　all　was　quiet；　and　then　and　there　examine　the　various　jobs　in

hand。　　On　such　occasions　he　carried　with　him　a　piece　of　chalk；　with

which；　in　a　neat　and　very　legible　hand；　he　would　record　his　remarks

in　the　most　pithy　and　sometimes　caustic　terms。　　Any　evidence　of　want

of　correctness　in　setting　things　square；　or　in　'flat　filing；'　which

he　held　in　high　esteem；　or　untidiness　in　not　sweeping　down　the　bench

and　laying　the　tools　in　order；　was　sure　to　have　a　record　in　chalk

made　on　the　spot。　　If　it　was　a　mild　case；　the　reproof　was　recorded　in

gentle　terms；　simply　to　show　that　the　master's　eye　was　on　the

workman；　but　where　the　case　deserved　hearty　approbation　or　required

equally　hearty　reproof；　the　words　employed　were　few；　but　went

straight　to　the　mark。　　These　chalk　jottings　on　the　bench　were　held　in

the　highest　respect　by　the　workmen　themselves；　whether　they　conveyed

praise　or　blame；　as　they　were　sure　to　be　deserved；　and　when　the　men

next　assembled；　it　soon　became　known　all　over　the　shop　who　had

received　the　honour　or　otherwise　of　one　of　the　master's　bench

memoranda　in　chalk。〃



The　vigilant；　the　critical；　and　yet　withal　the　generous　eye　of　the

master　being　over　all　his　workmen；　it　will　readily　be　understood　how

Maudslay's　works　came　to　be　regarded　as　a　first…class　school　for

mechanical　engineers。　　Every　one　felt　that　the　quality　of