men of invention and industry-第58章

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to　eighty；　he　still　continued　to　grapple　with　the　immense

business　involved　in　working　a　traffic　extending　over　two

thousand　five　hundred　miles　of　road。



Nor　was　Bianconi　without　honour　in　his　adopted　country。　　He　began

his　great　enterprise　in　1815；　though　it　was　not　until　1831　that

he　obtained　letters　of　naturalisation。　　His　application　for　these

privileges　was　supported　by　the　magistrates　of　Tipperary　and　by

the　Grand　Jury；　and　they　were　at　once　granted。　　In　1844　he　was

elected　Mayor　of　Clonmel；　and　took　his　seat　as　Chairman　at　the

Borough　Petty　Sessions　to　dispense　justice。



The　first　person　brought　before　him　was　James　Ryan；　who　had　been

drunk　and　torn　a　constable's　belt。　　〃Well；　Ryan；〃　said　the

magistrate；　〃what　have　you　to　say？〃　　〃Nothing；　your　worship；　only

I　wasn't　drunk。〃　　〃Who　tore　the　constable's　belt？〃　　〃He　was

bloated　after　his　Christmas　dinner；　your　worship；　and　the　belt

burst！〃　　〃You　are　so　very　pleasant；〃　said　the　magistrate；　〃that

you　will　have　to　spend　forty…eight　hours　in　gaol。〃



He　was　re…elected　Mayor　in　the　following　year；　very　much　against

his　wish。　　He　now　began　to　buy　land；　for　〃land　hunger〃　was　strong

upon　him。　　In　1846　he　bought　the　estate　of　Longfield；　in　the

parish　of　Boherlahan；　county　of　Tipperary。　　It　consisted　of　about

a　thousand　acres　of　good　land；　with　a　large　cheerful　house

overlooking　the　river　Suir。　　He　went　on　buying　more　land；　until

he　became　possessor　of　about　eight　thousand　English　acres。



One　of　his　favourite　sayings　was：　〃Money　melts；　but　land　holds

while　grass　grows　and　water　runs。〃　　He　was　an　excellent　landlord；

built　comfortable　houses　for　his　tenantry；　and　did　what　he　could

for　their　improvement。　　Without　solicitation；　the　Government

appointed　him　a　justice　of　the　peace　and　a　Deputy…lientenant　for

the　county　of　Tipperary。　　Everything　that　he　did　seemed　to

thrive。　　He　was　honest；　straightforward；　loyal；　and　law…abiding。



On　first　taking　possession　of　his　estate　at　Longfield；　he　was　met

by　a　procession　of　the　tenantry；　who　received　him　with　great

enthusiasm。　　In　his　address　to　them；　he　said；　amongst　other

things：　　〃Allow　me　to　impress　upon　you　the　great　importance　of

respecting　the　laws。　　The　laws　are　made　for　the　good　and　the

benefit　of　society；　and　for　the　punishment　of　the　wicked。　　No　one

but　an　enemy　would　counsel　you　to　outrage　the　laws。　　Above　all

things；　avoid　secret　and　unlawful　societies。　　Much　of　the

improvement　now　going　on　amongst　us　is　owing　to　the　temperate

habits　of　the　people；　to　the　mission　of　my　much　respected　friend；

Father　Mathew；　and　to　the　advice　of　the　Liberator。　　Follow　the

advice　of　O'Connell；　be　temperate；　moral；　peaceable；　and　you　will

advance　your　country；　ameliorate　your　condition；　and　the　blessing

of　God　will　attend　all　your　efforts。〃



Bianconi　was　always　a　great　friend　of　O'Connell。　　From　an　early

period　he　joined　him　in　the　Catholic　Emancipation　movement。　　He

took　part　with　him　in　founding　the　National　Bank　in　Ireland。　　In

course　of　time　the　two　became　more　intimately　related。　

Bianconi's　son　married　O'Connell's　granddaughter；　and　O'Connell's

nephew；　Morgan　John；　married　Bianconi's　daughter。　　Bianconi's　son

died　in　1864；　leaving　three　daughters；　but　no　male　heir　to　carry

on　the　family　name。　　The　old　man　bore　the　blow　of　his　son's

premature　death　with　fortitude；　and　laid　his　remains　in　the

mortuary　chapel；　which　he　built　on　his　estate　at　Longfield。



In　the　following　year；　when　he　was　seventy…eight；　he　met　with　a

severe　accident。　　He　was　overturned；　and　his　thigh　was　severely

fractured。　　He　was　laid　up　for　six　months；　quite　incapable　of

stirring。　　He　was　afterwards　able　to　get　about　in　a　marvellous

way；　though　quite　crippled。　　As　his　life's　work　was　over；　he

determined　to　retire　finally　from　business；　and　he　handed　over

the　whole　of　his　cars；　coaches；　horses；　and　plant；　with　all　the

lines　of　road　he　was　then　working；　to　his　employes；　on　the　most

liberal　terms。



My　youngest　son　met　Mr。　Bianconi；　by　appointment；　at　the　Roman

Catholic　church　at　Boherlahan；　in　the　summer　of　1872。　　Although

the　old　gentleman　had　to　be　lifted　into　and　out　of　his　carriage

by　his　two　men…servants；　he　was　still　as　active…minded　as　ever。　

Close　to　the　church　at　Boherlahan　is　Bianconi's　mortuary　chapel；

which　he　built　as　a　sort　of　hobby；　for　the　last　resting…place　of

himself　and　his　family。　　The　first　person　interred　in　it　was　his

eldest　daughter；　who　died　in　Italy；　the　second　was　his　only　son。　

A　beautiful　monument　with　a　bas…relief　has　been　erected　in　the

chapel　by　Benzoni；　an　Italian　sculptor；　to　the　memory　of　his

daughter。



〃As　we　were　leaving　the　chapel；〃　my　son　informs　me；　〃we　passed　a

long　Irish　car　containing　about　sixteen　people；　the　tenants　of

Mr。　Bianconi；　who　are　brought　at　his　expense　from　all　parts　of

the　estate。　　He　is　very　popular　with　his　tenantry；　regarding

their　interests　as　his　own；　and　he　often　quotes　the　words　of　his

friend　Mr。　Drummond；　that　'property　has　its　duties　as　well　as　its

rights。'　He　has　rebuilt　nearly　every　house　on　his　extensive

estates　in　Tipperary。



〃On　our　way　home；　the　carriage　stopped　to　let　me　down　and　see　the

strange　remains　of　an　ancient　fort；　close　by　the　roadside。　　It

consists　of　a　high　grass…grown　mound；　surrounded　by　a　moat。　　It

is　one　of　the　so…called　Danish　forts；　which　are　found　in　all

parts　of　Ireland。　　If　it　be　true　that　these　forts　were　erected　by

the　Danes；　they　must　at　one　time　have　had　a　strong　hold　of　the

greater　part　of　Ireland。



〃The　carriage　entered　a　noble　avenue　of　trees；　with　views　of

prettily　enclosed　gardens　on　either　side。　　Mr。　Bianconi

exclaimed；　'Welcome　to　the　Carman's　Stage！'　Longfield　House；

which　we　approached；　is　a　fine　old…fashioned　house；　situated　on

the　river　Suir；　a　few　miles　south　of　Cashel；　one　of　the　most

ancient　cities　in　Ireland。　　Mr。　Bianconi　and　his　family　were　most

hospitable；　and　I　found　him　most　lively　and　communicative。　　He

talked　cleverly　and　with　excellent　choice　of　language　for　about

three　hours；　during　which　I　learnt　much　from　him。



〃Like　most　men　who　have　accomplished　great　things；　and　overcome

many　difficulties；　Mr。　Bianconi　is　fond　of　referring　to　the　past

events　in　his　interesting　life。　　The　acuteness　of　his

conversation　is　wonderful。　　He　hits　off　a　keen　thought　in　a　few

words；　sometimes　full　of　wit　and　humour。　　I　thought　this　very

good：　　'Keep　before　the　wheels；　young　man；　or　they　will　run　over

you：　　always　keep　before　the　wheels！'　He　read　over　to　me　the

memoir　he　had　prepared　at　the　suggestion　of　Mr。　Drummond；

relating　to　the　events　of　his　early　life；　and　this　opened　the　way

for　a　great　many　other　recollections　not　set　down　in　the　book。



〃He　vividly　remembered　the　parting　from　his　mother；　nearly

seventy　years　ago；　and　spoke　of　her　last　words　to　him：　'When　you

remember　me；　think　of　me　as　waiting　at　this　window；　watching　for

your　return。'　This　led　him　to　speak　of　the　great　forgetfulness

and　want　of　respect　which　children　have　for　their　parents

nowadays。　　'We　seem；'　he　said；　'to　have　fallen　upon　a

disrespectful　age。'



〃'It　is　strange；'　said　he；　'how　little　things　influence　one's

mind　and　character。　　When　I　was　a　boy　at　Waterford；　I　bought　an

old　second…hand　book　from　a　man　on　the　quay；　and　the　maxim　on　its

title…page　fixed　itself　deeply　on　my　memory。　　It　was；　〃Truth；

like　water；　will　find　its　own　level。〃'　And　this　led　him　to　speak

of　the　great　influence　which　the　example　and　instruction　of　Mr。

Rice；　of　the　Christian　Brothers；　had　had　upon　his　mind　and

character。　　'That　religions　institution；'　said　he；　'of　which　Mr。

Rice　was　one　of　the　founders；　has　now　spread　itself　over　the

country；　and；　by　means　of　the　instruction　which　the　members　have

imparted　to　the　poorer　ignorant　classes；　they　have　effected　quite

a　revolution　in　the　south　of　Ireland。'



〃'I　am　not　much　of　a　reader；'　said　Mr。　Bianconi；　'the　best　part

of　my　reading　has　consisted　in　reading　way…bills。　　But　I　was　once