industrial biography-第66章

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

mechanical　engineers。　　Every　one　felt　that　the　quality　of　his

workmanship　was　fully　understood；　and；　if　he　had　the　right　stuff　in

him；　and　was　determined　to　advance；　that　his　progress　in　skill　would

be　thoroughly　appreciated。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　point　out　how

this　feeling；　pervading　the　establishment；　must　have　operated；　not

only　in　maintaining　the　quality　of　the　work；　but　in　improving　the

character　of　the　workmen。　　The　results　were　felt　in　the　increased

practical　ability　of　a　large　number　of　artisans；　some　of　whom

subsequently　rose　to　the　highest　distinction。　　Indeed　it　may　be　said

that　what　Oxford　and　Cambridge　are　in　letters；　workshops　such　as

Maudslay's　and　Penn's　are　in　mechanics。　　Nor　can　Oxford　and　Cambridge

men　be　prouder　of　the　connection　with　their　respective　colleges　than

mechanics　such　as　Whitworth；　Nasmyth；　Roberts；　Muir；　and　Lewis；　are

of　their　connection　with　the　school　of　Maudslay。　　For　all　these

distinguished　engineers　at　one　time　or　another　formed　part　of　his

working　staff；　and　were　trained　to　the　exercise　of　their　special

abilities　under　his　own　eye。　　The　result　has　been　a　development　of

mechanical　ability　the　like　of　which　perhaps　is　not　to　be　found　in

any　age　or　country。



Although　Mr。　Maudslay　was　an　unceasing　inventor；　he　troubled　himself

very　little　about　patenting　his　inventions。　　He　considered　that　the

superiority　of　his　tools　and　the　excellence　of　his　work　were　his

surest　protection。　　Yet　he　had　sometimes　the　annoyance　of　being

threatened　with　actions　by　persons　who　had　patented　the　inventions

which　he　himself　had　made。*

　＇footnote。。。

His　principal　patent's　weretwo；　taken　out　in　1805　and　1808；　while

in　Margaret　Street；　for　printing　calicoes　（Nos。　　2872　and　3117）；　one

taken　out　in　1806；　in　conjunction　with　Mr。　Donkin；　for　lifting　heavy

weights　（2948）；　one　taken　out　in　1807；　while　still　in　Margaret

Street；　for　improvements　in　the　steam…engine；　reducing　its　parts　and

rendering　it　more　compact　and　portable　（3050）；　another；　taken　out　in

conjunction　with　Robert　Dickinson　in　1812；　for　sweetening　water　and

other　liquids　（3538）；　and；　lastly；　a　patent　taken　out　in　conjunction

〃with　Joshua　Field　in　1824　for　preventing　concentration　of　brine　in

boilers　（5021）。

　。。。＇

He　was　much　beset　by　inventors；　sometimes　sadly　out　at　elbows；　but

always　with　a　boundless　fortune　looming　before　them。　　To　such　as

applied　to　him　for　advice　in　a　frank　and　candid　spirit；　he　did　not

hesitate　to　speak　freely；　and　communicate　the　results　of　his　great

experience　in　the　most　liberal　manner；　and　to　poor　and　deserving　men

of　this　class　he　was　often　found　as　ready　to　help　them　with　his　purse

as　with　his　still　more　valuable　advice。　　He　had　a　singular　way　of

estimating　the　abilities　of　those　who　thus　called　upon　him　about

their　projects。　　The　highest　order　of　man　was　marked　in　his　own　mind

at　l00　degrees；　and　by　this　ideal　standard　he　measured　others；

setting　them　down　at　90　degrees；　80　degrees；　and　so　on。　　A　very

first…rate　man　he　would　set　down　at　95　degrees；　but　men　of　this　rank

were　exceedingly　rare。　　After　an　interview　with　one　of　the　applicants

to　him　for　advice；　he　would　say　to　his　pupil　Nasmyth；　〃Jem；　I　think

that　man　may　be　set　down　at　45　degrees；　but　he　might　be　WORKED　UP　TO

60　degreesa　common　enough　way　of　speaking　of　the　working　of　a

steam…engine；　but　a　somewhat　novel　though　by　no　means　an　inexpressive

method　of　estimating　the　powers　of　an　individual。



But　while　he　had　much　toleration　for　modest　and　meritorious

inventors；　he　had　a　great　dislike　for　secret…mongers；schemers　of

the　close；　cunning　sort；and　usually　made　short　work　of　them。　　He　had

an　almost　equal　aversion　for　what　he　called　the　〃fiddle…faddle

inventors；〃　with　their　omnibus　patents；　into　which　they　packed　every

possible　thing　that　their　noddles　could　imagine。　　〃Only　once　or　twice

in　a　century；〃　said　he；　〃does　a　great　inventor　appear；　and　yet　here

we　have　a　set　of　fellows　each　taking　out　as　many　patents　as　would

fill　a　cart；some　of　them　embodying　not　a　single　original　idea；　but

including　in　their　specifications　all　manner　of　modifications　of

well…known　processes；　as　well　as　anticipating　the　arrangements　which

may　become　practicable　in　the　progress　of　mechanical　improvement。〃

Many　of　these　〃patents〃　he　regarded　as　mere　pit…falls　to　catch　the

unwary；　and　he　spoke　of　such　〃inventors〃　as　the　pests　of　the

profession。



The　personal　appearance　of　Henry　Maudslay　was　in　correspondence　with

his　character。　　He　was　of　a　commanding　presence；　for　he　stood　full　six

feet　two　inches　in　height；　a　massive　and　portly　man。　　His　face　was

round；　full；　and　lit　up　with　good　humour。　　A　fine；　large；　and　square

forehead；　of　the　grand　constructive　order；　dominated　over　all；　and

his　bright　keen　eye　gave　energy　and　life　to　his　countenance。　　He　was

thoroughly　〃jolly〃　and　good…natured；　yet　full　of　force　and　character。

It　was　a　positive　delight　to　hear　his　cheerful；　ringing　laugh。　　He　was

cordial　in　manner；　and　his　frankness　set　everybody　at　their　ease　who

had　occasion　to　meet　him；　even　for　the　first　time。　　No　one　could　be

more　faithful　and　consistent　in　his　friendships；　nor　more　firm　in　the

hour　of　adversity。　　In　fine；　Henry　Maudslay　was；　as　described　by　his

friend　Mr。　Nasmyth；　the　very　beau　ideal　of　an　honest；　upright；

straight…forward；　hard…working；　intelligent　Englishman。



A　severe　cold　which　he　caught　on　his　way　home　from　one　of　his　visits　to

France；　was　the　cause　of　his　death；　which　occurred　on　the　l4th　of

February；　1831。　　The　void　which　his　decease　caused　was　long　and　deeply

felt；　not　only　by　his　family　and　his　large　circle　of　friends；　but　by

his　workmen；　who　admired　him　for　his　industrial　skill；　and　loved　him

because　of　his　invariably　manly；　generous；　and　upright　conduct　towards

them。　　He　directed　that　he　should　be　buried　in　Woolwich

parish…churchyard；　where　a　cast…iron　tomb；　made　to　his　own　design；　was

erected　over　his　remains。　　He　had　ever　a　warm　heart　for　Woolwich；　where

he　had　been　born　and　brought　up。　　He　often　returned　to　it；　sometimes　to

carry　his　mother　a　share　of　his　week's　wages　while　she　lived；　and

afterwards　to　refresh　himself　with　a　sight　of　the　neighbourhood　with

which　he　had　been　so　familiar　when　a　boy。　　He　liked　its　green　common；

with　the　soldiers　about　it；　Shooter's　Hill；　with　its　out…look　over　Kent

and　down　the　valley　of　the　Thames；　the　river　busy　with　shipping；　and

the　royal　craft　loading　and　unloading　their　armaments　at　the　dockyard

wharves。　　He　liked　the　clangour　of　the　Arsenal　smithy　where　he　had　first

learned　his　art；　and　all　the　busy　industry　of　the　place。　　It　was

natural；　therefore；　that；　being　proud　of　his　early　connection　with

Woolwich；　he　should　wish　to　lie　there；　and　Woolwich；　on　its　part；　let

us　add；　has　equal　reason　to　he　proud　of　Henry　Maudslay。





CHAPTER　XIII。



JOSEPH　CLEMENT。



〃It　is　almost　impossible　to　over…estimate　the　importance　of　these

inventions。　　The　Greeks　would　have　elevated　their　authors　among　the

gods；　nor　will　the　enlightened　judgment　of　modern　times　deny　them　the

place　among　their　fellow…men　which　is　so　undeniably　their　due。〃

Edinburgh　Review。





That　Skill　in　mechanical　contrivance　is　a　matter　of　education　and

training　as　well　as　of　inborn　faculty；　is　clear　from　the　fact　of　so

many　of　our　distinguished　mechanics　undergoing　the　same　kind　of

practical　discipline；　and　perhaps　still　more　so　from　the　circumstance

of　so　many　of　them　passing　through　the　same　workshops。　　Thus　Maudslay

and　Clement　were　trained　in　the　workshops　of　Bramah；　and　Roberts；

Whitworth；　Nasmyth；　and　others；　were　trained　in　those　of　Maudslay。



Joseph　Clement　was　born　at　Great　Ashby　in　Westmoreland；　in　the　year

1779。　　His　father　was　a　hand…loom　weaver；　and　a　man　of　remarkable

culture　considering　his　humble　station　in　life。　　He　was　an　ardent

student　of　natural　history；　and　possessed　a　much　more　complete

knowledge　of　several