”Abouttheyears1827and1828，thesubjectofsteam-carriagesforcommonroadsoccupiedmuchoftheattentionofthepublic。Manytriedtosolvetheproblem。Imadeaworkingmodelofanenginewhichperformedsowellthatsomefriendsdeterminedtogivemethemeansofmakingoneonalargerscale。ThisIdid；andIshallneverforgetthepleasureandthedownrighthardworkIhadinproducing，intheautumnof1828，atanoutlayof60L。，acompletesteam-carriage，thatranmanyamilewitheightpersonsonit。Afterkeepingitinactiontwomonths，tothesatisfactionofallwhowereinterestedinit，myfriendsallowedmetodisposeofit，andIsolditagreatbargain，afterwhichtheenginewasusedindrivingasmallfactory。ImaymentionthatinthatengineIemployedthewastesteamtocauseanincreaseddraughtbyitsdischargeupthechimney。ThisimportantuseofthewastesteamhadbeenintroducedbyGeorgeStephensonsomeyearsbefore，thoughentirelyunknowntome。”TheearnestdesirewhichIcherishedofgettingforwardintherealbusinessoflifeinducedmetoturnmyattentiontoobtainingemploymentinsomeofthegreatengineeringestablishmentsoftheday，attheheadofwhich，inmyfancyaswellasinreality，stoodthatofHenryMaudslay，ofLondon。Itwasthesummitofmyambitiontogetworkinthatestablishment；butasmyfatherhadnotthemeansofpayingapremium，IdeterminedtotrywhatIcoulddotowardsattainingmyobjectbysubmittingtoMr。Maudslayactualspecimensofmycapabilityasayoungworkmananddraughtsman。TothisendIsettoworkandmadeasmallsteam-engine，everypartofwhichwastheresultofmyownhandiwork，includingthecastingandtheforgingoftheseveralparts。ThisIturnedoutinsuchastyleasIshouldevennowbeproudof。Mysampledrawingswere，Imaysay，highlyrespectable。ArmedwithsuchmeansofobtainingthegoodopinionofthegreatHenryMaudslay，onthel9thofMay，1829，IsailedforLondoninaLeithsmack，andafteraneightdays’voyagesawthemetropolisforthefirsttime。ImadeboldtocallonMr。Maudslay，andtoldhimmysimpletale。Hedesiredmetobringmymodelsforhimtolookat。Ididso，andwhenhecametomeIcouldseebytheexpressionofhischeerful，well-rememberedcountenance，thatIhadattainedmyobject。Hethenandthereappointedmetobehisownprivateworkman，toassisthiminhislittleparadiseofaworkshop，furnishedwiththemodelsofimprovedmachineryandengineeringtoolsofwhichhehasbeenthegreatoriginator。Heleftmetoarrangeastowageswithhischiefcashier，Mr。RobertYoung，andonthefirstSaturdayeveningIaccordinglywenttothecounting-housetoenquireofhimaboutmypay。Heaskedmewhatwouldsatisfyme。KnowingthevalueofthesituationIhadobtained，andhavingaverymodestnotionofmyworthinesstooccupyit，Isaid，thatifhewouldnotconsiderl0s。aweektoomuch，IthoughtIcoulddoverywellwiththat。IsupposeheconcludedthatIhadsomemeansofmyowntoliveonbesidesthel0s。aweekwhichIasked。HelittleknewthatIhaddeterminednottocostmyfatheranotherfarthingwhenIleft-hometobegintheworldonmyownaccount。Myproposalwasatonceaccededto。AndwelldoIremembertheprideanddelightIfeltwhenIcarriedtomythreeshillingsaweeklodgingthatnightmyfirstwages。Ampletheywereinmyidea；forIknewhowlittleIcouldliveon，andwaspersuadedthatbystricteconomyIcouldeasilycontrivetomakethemoneysupportme。Tohelpmeinthisobject，Icontrivedasmallcookingapparatus，whichIforthwithgotmadebyatinsmithinLambeth，atacostof6s。，andbyitsaidImanagedtokeeptheeatinganddrinkingpartofmyprivateaccountwithin3s。6d。perweek，or4s。attheoutside。Ihadthreemeatdinnersaweek，andgenerallyfourriceandmilkdinners，allofwhichwerecookedbymylittleapparatus，whichIsetinactionafterbreakfast。Theoilcostnotquiteahalfpennyperday。Themeatdinnersconsistedofastewoffromahalftothreequartersofalb。oflegofbeef，themeatcosting31/2d。perlb。，which，withslicedpotatoesandalittleonion，andasmuchwaterasjustcoveredall，withasprinkleofsaltandblackpepper，bythetimeIreturnedtodinnerathalf-pastsixfurnishedarepastineveryrespectasgoodasmyappetite。ForbreakfastIhadcoffeeandadueproportionofquarternloaf。AfterthefirstyearofmyemploymentunderMr。Maudslay，mywageswereraisedto15s。aweek，andIthen，butnottillthen，indulgedintheluxuryofbuttertomybread。Iamthemoreparticularinallthis，toshowyouthatIwasathriftyhousekeeper，althoughonlyalodgerina3s。room。Ihavetheoldapparatusbymeyet，andIshallhaveanotherdinneroutofitereIamayearolder，outofregardtodaysthatwerefulloftherealromanceoflife。”OnthedeathofHenryMaudslayin1831，Ipassedovertotheserviceofhisworthypartner，Mr。JoshuaField，andactedashisdraughtsman，muchtomyadvantage，untiltheendofthatyear，whenI
returnedtoEdinburgh，toconstructasmallstockofengineeringtoolsforthepurposeofenablingmetostartinbusinessonmyownaccount。Thisoccupiedmeuntilthespringofl833，andduringtheintervalIwasaccustomedtotakeinjobstoexecuteinmylittleworkshopinEdinburgh，soastoobtainthemeansofcompletingmystockoftools。*
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MostofthetoolswithwhichhebeganbusinessinManchesterweremadebyhisownhandsinhisfather’slittleworkshopatEdinburgh，Hewasononeoccasion”hardup”forbrasswithwhichtomakeawheelforhisplaningmachine。Therewasarowofold-fashionedbrasscandlesticksstandinginbrightarrayonthekitchenmantelpiecewhichhegreatlycovetedforthepurpose。Hisfatherwasreluctanttogivethemup；”for，”saidhe，”IhavehadmanyacrackwithBurnswhenthesecandlestickswereonthetable。Buthismotheratlengthyielded；whenthecandlestickswereatoncerecast，andmadeintothewheeloftheplaningmachine，whichisstillatworkinManchester。
InJune，1834，IwenttoManchester，andtookaflatofanoldmillinDaleStreet，whereIbeganbusiness。Intwoyearsmystockhadsoincreasedastooverloadtheflooroftheoldbuildingtosuchanextentthatthelandlord，Mr。Wrenn，becamealarmed，especiallyasthetenantbelowme——aglass-cutter——hadavisitfromtheendofa20-horseenginebeamonemorningamonghiscuttumblers。Tosettheiranxietyatrest，IwentoutthateveningtoPatricroftandtookalookataratherchoicebitoflandboundedononesidebythecanal，andontheotherbytheLiverpoolandManchesterRailway。BytheendoftheweekIhadsecuredaleaseofthesitefor999years；