behind the manse, stretch the fine woods of Wester Hall, where Telford was often wont to roam. We can scarcely therefore wonder that, amidst such pastoral scenery, the descriptive poetic faculty of the country mason should have become so decidedly and strongly developed. It was while working at Westerkirk manse that Telford sketched the first draft of his descriptive poem, entitled 'Eskdale,' which was published in the 'Poetical Museum'1 in 1784.

These early poetical efforts were at least useful as stimulating his self-education. For the practice of poetical composition, while it cultivates the sentiment of beauty in thought and feeling, is probably the best of all exercises in the art of writing correctly, grammatically, and expressively. By drawing a man out of his ordinary calling, too, it often furnishes him with a power of happy thinking which may in after life be a fountain of the purest pleasure; and this, we believe, proved to be the case with Telford, even though he ceased in later years to pursue the special cultivation of the art.

And western suns with mellow radiance play,

And gild his straw-roof'd cottage with their ray,

Feels Nature's love his throbbing heart employ,

Nor envies towns their artificial joy." The features of the valley are very fairly described. Its early history is then rapidly sketched; next its period of border strife, at length happily allayed by the union of the kingdoms, under which the Johnstones, Pasleys, and others, men of Eskdale, achieve honour and fame. Nor did he forget to mention Armstrong, the author of the Art of Preserving Health,' who seems to have been educated in the valley; and Mickle, the translator of the Lusiad,' whose father was minister of the parish of Langholm; both of whom Telford took a natural pride in as native poets of Eskdale.

Shortly after, when work became slack in the district, Telford undertook to do small jobs on his own account -such as the hewing of gravestones and ornamental doorheads. He prided himself especially upon his hewing, and from the specimens of his workmanship which are still to be seen in the churchyards of Langholm and Westerkirk, he had evidently attained considerable skill. On some of these pieces of masonry the year is carved-1779, or 1780. One of the most ornamental is that set into the wall of Westerkirk church, being a monumental slab, with an inscription and moulding, surmounted by a coat of arms, to the memory of James Pasley of Craig.

He had now learnt all that his native valley could teach him of the art of masonry; and, bent upon selfimprovement and gaining a larger experience of life as well as knowledge of his trade, he determined to seek employment elsewhere. He accordingly left Eskdale for the first time, in 1780, and sought work in Edinburgh, where the New Town was then in course of erection on the elevated land, formerly green fields, extending along the north bank of the "Nor' Loch." A bridge had been thrown across the Loch in 1769, the stagnant pond or marsh in the hollow had been filled up, and Princes Street was rising as if by magic. Skilled masons were in great demand for the purpose of carrying out these and the numerous other architectural improvements which were in progress, and Telford had no difficulty in obtaining abundant employment. He remained at Edinburgh for about two years, during which he had the advantage of taking part in first-rate work and maintaining himself comfortably, whilst he devoted much of his spare time to drawing, in its application to architecture. He took the opportunity of visiting and carefully studying the fine specimens of ancient work at Holyrood House and Chapel, the Castle, Heriot's Hospital, and the numerous curious illustrations of middle age domestic

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architecture with which the Old Town abounds. He also made several journeys to the beautiful old chapel of Rosslyn, in the highly ornamented Gothic style, situated some miles to the south of Edinburgh, making careful drawings of the more important parts of that building.

When he had thus improved himself "and studied all that was to be seen in Edinburgh, in returning to the western border," he says, "I visited the justly celebrated Abbey of Melrose." There he was charmed by the delicate and perfect workmanship still visible even in the ruins of that fine old Abbey; and with his folio filled with sketches and drawings, he made his way back to Eskdale and the humble cottage at The Crooks. But not to remain there long. He merely wished to pay a parting visit to his mother and relations before starting upon a longer journey. "Having acquired," he says in his Autobiography, "the rudiments of my profession, I considered that my native country afforded few opportunities of exercising it to any extent, and therefore judged it advisable (like many of my countrymen) to proceed southward, where industry might find more employment and be better remunerated.”

Before setting out he called upon all his old friends and acquaintances in. the dale-the neighbouring farmers, who had befriended him and his mother when struggling with poverty-his schoolfellows, many of whom were preparing to migrate, like himself, from their native valley-and the many friends and acquaintances he had made whilst working as a mason in Langholm. Everybody knew that Tam was going south, and all wished him God speed. At length the leave-taking was over, and he set out for London in the year 1782, when twenty-five years of age. He had, like the little river Meggat, on the banks of which he was born, floated gradually on towards the outer world: first from the nook in the valley, to Westerkirk school; then to Langholm and its little circle;

like the Meggat, which flows with the Esk into

the ocean, he was about to be borne away into the wide world. Tam, however, had confidence in himself, and no one had fears for him. As the neighbours said, wisely wagging their heads, "Ah, he's an auld-farran chap is Tam; he'll either mak a spoon or spoil a horn; any how, he's gatten a good trade at his fingers' ends."

Telford had made all his previous journeys on foot; but this one he rode on horseback. It happened that Sir James Johnstone, the laird of Wester Hall, had occasion to send a horse from Eskdale to a member of his family in London; but he had some difficulty in finding a person to take charge of it. It occurred to Mr. Jackson, the laird's factor, that this was a capital opportunity for his cousin Tom, the mason; and it was accordingly arranged that he should ride the horse to town. When a boy, he had learnt rough-riding sufficiently well for the purpose; and the better to fit him for the hardships of the road, Mr. Jackson lent him his buckskin breeches. Thus Tom set out from his native valley well mounted, with his little bundle of "traps" buckled behind him, and, after a prosperous journey, duly reached London, and delivered up the horse as he had been directed. Long after, Mr. Jackson used to tell the story of his cousin's first ride to London with great glee, and he always took care to wind up with "but Tam forgot to send me back my breeks!"

[By Percival Skelton.]

CHAPTER III.

TELFORD A WORKING MASON IN LONDON, AND FOREMAN OF
MASONS AT PORTSMOUTH.

A COMMON working man, whose sole property consisted in his mallet and chisels, his leathern apron and his industry, might not seem to amount to much in "the great world of London." But, as Telford afterwards used to say, very much depends on whether the man has got a head, with brains in it of the right sort, upon his shoulders. In London the weak man is simply a unit added to a vast floating crowd, and may be driven hither and thither, if he do not sink altogether; whilst the strong man will strike out, keep his head above water, and make a course for himself, as Telford did. There is indeed a wonderful impartiality about London. There the capable person usually finds his place. When work of importance is required, nobody cares to ask where the man who can do it best comes from, or what he has been; but what he is, and what he can do. Nor did it ever stand in Telford's way that his father had been a poor shepherd in Eskdale, and that he himself had begun his London career by working for weekly wages with his mallet and chisel.

After duly delivering up the horse, Telford proceeded to present a letter with which he had been charged by his friend Miss Pasley on leaving Langholm. It was addressed to her brother, Mr. John Pasley, an eminent London merchant-brother also of Sir Thomas Pasley, and uncle of the Malcolms. Miss Pasley requested his influence on behalf of the young