章节正文
welcome. Southey said of his: "Mr. Telford has most kindly and
unexpectedly left me 500L., with a share of his residuary property,
which I am told will make it amount in all to 850L. This is truly a
godsend, and I am most grateful for it. It gives me the comfortable
knowledge that, if it should please God soon to take me from this
world, my family would have resources fully sufficient for their
support till such time as their affairs could be put in order, and
the proceeds of my books, remains, &c., be rendered available.
I have never been anxious overmuch, nor ever taken more thought for
the morrow than it is the duty of every one to take who has to earn
his livelihood; but to be thus provided for at this time I feel to
be an especial blessing.'"*[14] Among the most valuable results of
Telford's bequests in his own district, was the establishment of
the popular libraries at Langholm and Westerkirk, each of which now
contains about 4000 volumes. That at Westerkirk had been
originally instituted in the year 1792, by the miners employed to
work an antimony mine (since abandoned) on the farm of Glendinning,
within sight of the place where Telford was born. On the
dissolution of the mining company, in 1800, the little collection
of books was removed to Kirkton Hill; but on receipt of Telford's
bequest, a special building was erected for their reception at Old
Bentpath near the village of Westerkirk. The annualincome derived
from the Telford fund enabled additions of new volumes to be made
to it from time to time; and its uses as a public institution were
thus greatly increased. The books are exchanged once a month, on
the day of the full moon; on which occasion readers of all ages and
conditions,--farmers, shepherds, ploughmen, labourers, and their
children,--resort to it from far and near, taking away with them as
many volumes as they desire for the month's readings.
Thus there is scarcely a cottage in the valley in which good books
are not to be found under perusal; and we are told that it is a
common thing for the Eskdale shepherd to take a book in his plaid
to the hill-side--a volume of Shakespeare, Prescott, or Macaulay--
and read it there, under the blue sky, with his sheep and the green
hills before him. And thus, so long as the bequest lasts, the good,
great engineer will not cease to be remembered with gratitude in
his beloved Eskdale.
Footnotes for Chapter XV.
*[1] In his inaugural address to the members on taking the chair,
the President pointed out that the principles of the Institution
rested on the practical efforts and unceasing perseverance of the
members themselves. "In foreign countries," he said, "similar
establishments are instituted by government, and their members and
proceedings are under their control; but here, a different course
being adopted, it becomes incumbent on each individual member to
feel that the very existence and prosperity of the Institution
depend, in no small degree, on his personal conduct and exertions;
and my merely mentioning the circumstance will, I am convinced, be
sufficient to command the best efforts of the present and future
members."
*[2] We are informed by Joseph Mitchell, Esq., C.E., of the origin
of this practice. Mr. Mitchell was a pupil of Mr. Telford's, living
with him in his house at 24, Abingdon Street. It was the engineer's
custom to have a dinner party every Tuesday, after which his
engineering friends were invited to accompany him to the Institution,
the meetings of which were then held on Tuesday evenings in a house
in Buckingham Street, Strand. The meetings did not usually consist
of more than from twenty to thirty persons. Mr. Mitchell took
notes of the conversations which followed the reading of the papers.
Mr. Telford afterwards found his pupil extending the notes,
on which he asked permission to read them, and was so much pleased
that he took them to the next meeting and read them to the members.
Mr. Mitchell was then formally appointedreporter of conversations
to the Institute; and the custom having been continued, a large
mass of valuable practical information has thus been placed on
record.
*[3] Supplement to Weale's 'Bridges,' Count Szechenyi's Report, p. 18.
*[4] Letter to Mrs. Little, Langholm, 28th August, 1833.
*[5] A statue of him, by Bailey, has since been placed in the east
aisle of the north transept, known as the Islip Chapel. It is
considered a fine work, but its effect is quite lost in consequence
of the crowded state of the aisle, which has very much the look of
a sculptor's workshop. The subscription raised for the purpose of
erecting the statue was 1000L., of which 200L. was paid to the Dean
for permission to place it within the Abbey.
*[6] Letter to Miss Malcolm, Burnfoot, Langholm, dated 7th October,
1830.
*[7] Sir David Brewster, observes on this point: "It is difficult
to analyse that peculiarfaculty of mind which directs a successful
engineer who is not guided by the deductions of the exact sciences;
but it must consist mainly in the power of observing the effects of
natural causes acting in a variety of circumstances; and in the
judicious application of this knowledge to cases when the same
causes come into operation. But while this sagacity is a prominent
feature in the designs of Mr. Telford, it appears no less
distinctly in the choice of the men by whom they were to be
practically executed. His quick perception of character, his
honesty of purpose, and his contempt for all otheracquirements,--
save that practical knowledge and experience which was best fitted
to accomplish, in the best manner, the object he had in view,--have
enables him to leave behind him works of inestimable value, and
monuments of professionalcelebrity which have not been surpassed
either in Britain or in Europe."--'Edinburgh Review,' vol. lxx. p. 46.
*[8] It seems singular that with Telford's great natural powers of
pleasing, his warm social temperament, and his capability of
forming ardentattachments for friends, many of them women, he
should never have formed an attachment of the heart. Even in his
youthful and poetical days, the subject of love, so frequently the
theme of boyish song, is never alluded to; while his school
friendships are often recalled to mind and, indeed, made the
special subject of his verse. It seems odd to find him, when at
Shrewsbury--a handsome fellow, with a good position, and many
beautiful women about him--addressing his friend, the blind
schoolmaster at Langholm, as his "Stella"!
*[9] Mr. Mitchell says: "He lived at the rate of about 1200L. a
year. He kept a carriage, but no horses, and used his carriage
principally for making his journeys through the country on business.
I once accompanied him to Bath and Cornwall, when he made me keep
an accuratejournal of all I saw. He used to lecture us on being
independent, even in little matters, and not ask servants to do for
us what we might easily do for ourselves. He carried in his pocket
a small book containing needles, thread, and buttons, and on an
emergency was always ready to put in a stitch. A curious habit he
had of mending his stockings, which I suppose he acquired when a
working mason. He would not permit his housekeeper to touch them,
but after his work at night, about nine or half past, he would go
up stairs, and take down a lot, and sit mending them with great
apparent delight in his own room till bed-time. I have frequently
gone in to him with some message, and found him occupied with this
work."
*[10] "The British Fisheries Society," adds Mr. Rickman, "did not
suffer themselves to be entirely outdone in liberality, and shortly
before his death they pressed upon Mr. Telford a very handsome gift
of plate, which, being inscribed with expressions of their
thankfulness and gratitude towards him, he could not possibly
refuse to accept."--'Life of Telford,' p. 283.
*[11] Weale's 'Theory. Practice, and Architecture of Bridges,'
vol.i.: 'Essay on Foundations of Bridges,' by T. Hughes, C.E., p. 33.
*[12] Letter to Mr. William Little, Langholm, 24th January, 1815.
*[13] Telford thought so little about money, that he did not even
know the amount he died possessed of. It turned out that instead of
16,600L. it was about 30,000L.; so that his legatees had their
bequests nearly doubled. For many years he had abstained from
drawing the dividends on the shares which he held in the canals and
other public companies in which he was concerned. At the money
panic of 1825, it was found that he had a considerable sum lying in
the hands of his London bankers at little or no interest, and it
was only on the urgentrecommendation of his friend, Sir P. Malcolm,
that he invested it in government securities, then very low.
*[14] 'Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey,' vol. iv.,
p. 391. We may here mention that the last article which Southey
wrote for the 'Quarterly' was his review of the ' Life of Telford.'
End
unexpectedly left me 500L., with a share of his residuary property,
which I am told will make it amount in all to 850L. This is truly a
godsend, and I am most grateful for it. It gives me the comfortable
knowledge that, if it should please God soon to take me from this
world, my family would have resources fully sufficient for their
support till such time as their affairs could be put in order, and
the proceeds of my books, remains, &c., be rendered available.
I have never been anxious overmuch, nor ever taken more thought for
the morrow than it is the duty of every one to take who has to earn
his livelihood; but to be thus provided for at this time I feel to
be an especial blessing.'"*[14] Among the most valuable results of
Telford's bequests in his own district, was the establishment of
the popular libraries at Langholm and Westerkirk, each of which now
contains about 4000 volumes. That at Westerkirk had been
originally instituted in the year 1792, by the miners employed to
work an antimony mine (since abandoned) on the farm of Glendinning,
within sight of the place where Telford was born. On the
dissolution of the mining company, in 1800, the little collection
of books was removed to Kirkton Hill; but on receipt of Telford's
bequest, a special building was erected for their reception at Old
Bentpath near the village of Westerkirk. The annualincome derived
from the Telford fund enabled additions of new volumes to be made
to it from time to time; and its uses as a public institution were
thus greatly increased. The books are exchanged once a month, on
the day of the full moon; on which occasion readers of all ages and
conditions,--farmers, shepherds, ploughmen, labourers, and their
children,--resort to it from far and near, taking away with them as
many volumes as they desire for the month's readings.
Thus there is scarcely a cottage in the valley in which good books
are not to be found under perusal; and we are told that it is a
common thing for the Eskdale shepherd to take a book in his plaid
to the hill-side--a volume of Shakespeare, Prescott, or Macaulay--
and read it there, under the blue sky, with his sheep and the green
hills before him. And thus, so long as the bequest lasts, the good,
great engineer will not cease to be remembered with gratitude in
his beloved Eskdale.
Footnotes for Chapter XV.
*[1] In his inaugural address to the members on taking the chair,
the President pointed out that the principles of the Institution
rested on the practical efforts and unceasing perseverance of the
members themselves. "In foreign countries," he said, "similar
establishments are instituted by government, and their members and
proceedings are under their control; but here, a different course
being adopted, it becomes incumbent on each individual member to
feel that the very existence and prosperity of the Institution
depend, in no small degree, on his personal conduct and exertions;
and my merely mentioning the circumstance will, I am convinced, be
sufficient to command the best efforts of the present and future
members."
*[2] We are informed by Joseph Mitchell, Esq., C.E., of the origin
of this practice. Mr. Mitchell was a pupil of Mr. Telford's, living
with him in his house at 24, Abingdon Street. It was the engineer's
custom to have a dinner party every Tuesday, after which his
engineering friends were invited to accompany him to the Institution,
the meetings of which were then held on Tuesday evenings in a house
in Buckingham Street, Strand. The meetings did not usually consist
of more than from twenty to thirty persons. Mr. Mitchell took
notes of the conversations which followed the reading of the papers.
Mr. Telford afterwards found his pupil extending the notes,
on which he asked permission to read them, and was so much pleased
that he took them to the next meeting and read them to the members.
Mr. Mitchell was then formally appointedreporter of conversations
to the Institute; and the custom having been continued, a large
mass of valuable practical information has thus been placed on
record.
*[3] Supplement to Weale's 'Bridges,' Count Szechenyi's Report, p. 18.
*[4] Letter to Mrs. Little, Langholm, 28th August, 1833.
*[5] A statue of him, by Bailey, has since been placed in the east
aisle of the north transept, known as the Islip Chapel. It is
considered a fine work, but its effect is quite lost in consequence
of the crowded state of the aisle, which has very much the look of
a sculptor's workshop. The subscription raised for the purpose of
erecting the statue was 1000L., of which 200L. was paid to the Dean
for permission to place it within the Abbey.
*[6] Letter to Miss Malcolm, Burnfoot, Langholm, dated 7th October,
1830.
*[7] Sir David Brewster, observes on this point: "It is difficult
to analyse that peculiarfaculty of mind which directs a successful
engineer who is not guided by the deductions of the exact sciences;
but it must consist mainly in the power of observing the effects of
natural causes acting in a variety of circumstances; and in the
judicious application of this knowledge to cases when the same
causes come into operation. But while this sagacity is a prominent
feature in the designs of Mr. Telford, it appears no less
distinctly in the choice of the men by whom they were to be
practically executed. His quick perception of character, his
honesty of purpose, and his contempt for all otheracquirements,--
save that practical knowledge and experience which was best fitted
to accomplish, in the best manner, the object he had in view,--have
enables him to leave behind him works of inestimable value, and
monuments of professionalcelebrity which have not been surpassed
either in Britain or in Europe."--'Edinburgh Review,' vol. lxx. p. 46.
*[8] It seems singular that with Telford's great natural powers of
pleasing, his warm social temperament, and his capability of
forming ardentattachments for friends, many of them women, he
should never have formed an attachment of the heart. Even in his
youthful and poetical days, the subject of love, so frequently the
theme of boyish song, is never alluded to; while his school
friendships are often recalled to mind and, indeed, made the
special subject of his verse. It seems odd to find him, when at
Shrewsbury--a handsome fellow, with a good position, and many
beautiful women about him--addressing his friend, the blind
schoolmaster at Langholm, as his "Stella"!
*[9] Mr. Mitchell says: "He lived at the rate of about 1200L. a
year. He kept a carriage, but no horses, and used his carriage
principally for making his journeys through the country on business.
I once accompanied him to Bath and Cornwall, when he made me keep
an accuratejournal of all I saw. He used to lecture us on being
independent, even in little matters, and not ask servants to do for
us what we might easily do for ourselves. He carried in his pocket
a small book containing needles, thread, and buttons, and on an
emergency was always ready to put in a stitch. A curious habit he
had of mending his stockings, which I suppose he acquired when a
working mason. He would not permit his housekeeper to touch them,
but after his work at night, about nine or half past, he would go
up stairs, and take down a lot, and sit mending them with great
apparent delight in his own room till bed-time. I have frequently
gone in to him with some message, and found him occupied with this
work."
*[10] "The British Fisheries Society," adds Mr. Rickman, "did not
suffer themselves to be entirely outdone in liberality, and shortly
before his death they pressed upon Mr. Telford a very handsome gift
of plate, which, being inscribed with expressions of their
thankfulness and gratitude towards him, he could not possibly
refuse to accept."--'Life of Telford,' p. 283.
*[11] Weale's 'Theory. Practice, and Architecture of Bridges,'
vol.i.: 'Essay on Foundations of Bridges,' by T. Hughes, C.E., p. 33.
*[12] Letter to Mr. William Little, Langholm, 24th January, 1815.
*[13] Telford thought so little about money, that he did not even
know the amount he died possessed of. It turned out that instead of
16,600L. it was about 30,000L.; so that his legatees had their
bequests nearly doubled. For many years he had abstained from
drawing the dividends on the shares which he held in the canals and
other public companies in which he was concerned. At the money
panic of 1825, it was found that he had a considerable sum lying in
the hands of his London bankers at little or no interest, and it
was only on the urgentrecommendation of his friend, Sir P. Malcolm,
that he invested it in government securities, then very low.
*[14] 'Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey,' vol. iv.,
p. 391. We may here mention that the last article which Southey
wrote for the 'Quarterly' was his review of the ' Life of Telford.'
End
- welcome [´welkəm]
a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词) - amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- grateful [´greitful] a.感谢的；令人愉快的 (初中英语单词)
- anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)
- valuable [´væljuəbəl, -jubəl] a.有价值的，贵重的 (初中英语单词)
- establishment [i´stæbliʃmənt] n.建(成)立；研究所 (初中英语单词)
- receipt [ri´si:t] n.收到；收据 (初中英语单词)
- annual [´ænjuəl] a.每年的 n.年刊 (初中英语单词)
- income [´inkʌm] n.收入，所得 (初中英语单词)
- institution [,insti´tju:ʃən] n.建立；制定；制度 (初中英语单词)
- cottage [´kɔtidʒ] n.村舍；小屋；小别墅 (初中英语单词)
- valley [´væli] n.谷；河谷；流域 (初中英语单词)
- shepherd [´ʃepəd] n.牧羊人 vt.带领 (初中英语单词)
- volume [´vɔlju:m, ´vɑljəm] n.卷；书籍；体积；容量 (初中英语单词)
- shakespeare [´ʃeikspiə] n.莎士比亚 (初中英语单词)
- gratitude [´grætitju:d] n.感激，感谢 (初中英语单词)
- beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为....所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- existence [ig´zistəns] n.存在；生存；生活 (初中英语单词)
- prosperity [prɔ´speriti] n.繁荣；成功；幸运 (初中英语单词)
- reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)
- permission [pə´miʃən] n.允许；同意；许可 (初中英语单词)
- institute [´institju:t] n.学院 vt.建立；设置 (初中英语单词)
- statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)
- chapel [´tʃæpəl] n.小教堂 (初中英语单词)
- peculiar [pi´kju:liə] a.特有的；奇异的 (初中英语单词)
- faculty [´fækəlti] n.才干；天赋；院，系 (初中英语单词)
- mainly [´meinli] ad.主要地；大体上 (初中英语单词)
- acting [´æktiŋ] a.代理的 n.演戏 (初中英语单词)
- variety [və´raiəti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)
- application [,æpli´keiʃən] n.申请；申请书；应用 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- professional [prə´feʃənəl] a.职业的 n.自由职业 (初中英语单词)
- carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)
- accurate [´ækjurət] a.准确的；精密的 (初中英语单词)
- journal [´dʒə:nəl] n.日记；日报；杂志 (初中英语单词)
- considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)
- review [ri´vju:] v.&n.复习；回顾；检查 (初中英语单词)
- mining [´mainiŋ] n.采矿；矿业 (高中英语单词)
- reception [ri´sepʃən] n.接待；欢迎；招待会 (高中英语单词)
- reporter [ri´pɔ:tə] n.报告人；记者；广播员 (高中英语单词)
- crowded [´kraudid] a.充(拥)满了的 (高中英语单词)
- analyse [´ænəlaiz] vt.分析，分解 =analyze (高中英语单词)
- contempt [kən´tempt] n.轻蔑；受辱；不顾 (高中英语单词)
- singular [´siŋgjulə] a.单一的；非凡的 (高中英语单词)
- temperament [´tempərəmənt] n.气质；性格 (高中英语单词)
- stitch [stitʃ] n.针脚 v.缝(纫) (高中英语单词)
- housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
- architecture [´ɑ:kitektʃə] n.建筑术；建筑学 (高中英语单词)
- concerned [kən´sə:nd] a.有关的；担心的 (高中英语单词)
- recommendation [,rekəmen´deiʃən] n.推荐；劝告 (高中英语单词)
- morrow [´mɔrəu] n.翌日 (英语四级单词)
- livelihood [´laivlihud] n.生活，生计 (英语四级单词)
- formally [´fɔ:məli] ad.形式地，正式地 (英语四级单词)
- supplement [´sʌplimənt, ´sʌpliment] n.增补；增刊；附录 (英语四级单词)
- workshop [´wə:kʃɔp] n.车间；工场；创作室 (英语四级单词)
- subscription [səb´skripʃən] n.预订；预约；捐款 (英语四级单词)
- perception [pə´sepʃən] n.感觉；概念；理解力 (英语四级单词)
- ardent [´ɑ:dənt] a.热心的；热情洋溢的 (英语四级单词)
- attachment [ə´tætʃmənt] n.附着；附件；爱慕 (英语四级单词)
- boyish [´bɔiiʃ] a.少年的；幼稚的 (英语四级单词)
- urgent [´ə:dʒənt] a.急迫的，紧急的 (英语四级单词)
- especial [i´speʃəl] a.特别的，特殊的 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- perseverance [,pə:si´viərəns] n.毅力；坚持 (英语六级单词)
- august [ɔ:´gʌst] a.尊严的；威严的 (英语六级单词)
- sagacity [sə´gæsəti] n.精明；敏锐；有远见 (英语六级单词)
- celebrity [si´lebriti] n.名声；名人 (英语六级单词)
- poetical [pəu´etikəl] a.理想化了的 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
京公网安备 11011202003401号
