The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-17 00:00:00

GEORGE STEPHENSON.

The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal is now
publishing a life of the late George Stephenson, from
the pen of Mr. Hyde Clarke, which has been oticed
for its philosophical bearing. The aim of the writer
very evidently is to show the moral and social influ-
ences which affect a working man in his endeavours
to make his way through life, and the career of
Stephenson is eventful enough to afford many inter-
esting illustrations. The great engineer is taken
from his cradle, and the incidents of his life pour-
trayed, the difficulties with which he had to struggle,
his want of education, and his preparations for emi-
gration to America. He is then traced as an indus-
trious and ingenious workman, employing his spare
time in mending clocks and watches to get his son
an education, until we have, in his own words, his
invention of the safety lamp, and his contest with
Davy, who was then a great man with a great
name, and overshadowed the colliery engineman. A
further step is the improvement of the locomotive
engine, and here it is noticed that Stephenson had no
means to take out a patent, and had his machine been
perfect he would have been deprived of all reward.
It so happened, however, that it was imperfect, and
therefore, having got some one to help him, he was
able to obtain a patent afterwards for an improved
engine. The ways in which friends and patrons
gradually grew up around him, how from small
things he gained confidence for greater works, and
one connexion led to another, are very closely fol-
lowed, so that we can watch him, step by step,
emerging from poverty and obscurity to wealth and
distinction. The opportunity of doing this is not
commonly afforded to us, and very rarely in a lead-
ing man of our own time. His character is very
freely illustrated throughout; his manliness, his in-
tegrity, his perseverance, and his enterprise, and par-
ticularly in contrast with many of his leading con-
temporaries. It is shown that Stephenson had no
more " luck " than they had; that he was just as
dependent on external influences, but much more in-
dependent in himself. The part at present published
brings him to the turning point of his fortunes. The
author says, " We have followed Stephenson so far
until he is upon the eve of starting in a new path,
and we find him in a new walk of life, and much
better off. We have seen his beginning from his
father's cot, his struggles as a workman, his care as a
father, and the spreading of his name after making
the locomotive and the safety lamp. He had
begun to reap some reward from his toil, and
instead of being poor and penniless, he had
had eleven hundred guineas given to him
beyond what he had earned. From being the man
he had become the master; from being the learner
he was to be henceforth a teacher. Ile had a share in
two patents, and there was a call for his work ; for,
besides his old masters at Killingworth, the neigh-
bouring coal owners were now among his friends.
As his rise had been quick, and he was brought at
once into the fellowship of the northern gentry, his
honours came blushing thick upon him. He did not
so fully Feel his own weight, but having been kept
down so long, he hailed willingly the hands which
were stretched forth towards him, taking everything
as a kindness held out to him, instead of looking upon
it as a right. It was better, perhaps, that it was so,