Mr。NasmythsaysthathehadanaccountfromCookehimselfofhissmallbeginnings。Hewasoriginallyashoemakerinasmallcountryvillage。Manyamanhasrisentodistinctionfromashoemaker’sseat。Bulwer，inhis’WhatwillHedowithIt？’hasdiscussedthedifferencebetweenshoemakersandtailors。“Theoneisthrownuponhisownresources，theotherworksinthecompanyofhisfellows:theonethinks，theothercommunicates。
Cookewasamanofnaturalability，andhemadethebestuseofhispowers。Opportunity，soonerorlater，comestonearlyallwhoworkandwait，andaredulypersevering。Shoemakingwasnotfoundveryproductive；andCooke，beingfairlyeducatedaswellasself-educated，openedavillageschool。Hesucceededtolerablywell。Hetaughthimselfgeometryandmathematics，anddailyapplicationmadehimmoreperfectinhisstudies。Incourseoftimeanextraordinaryambitiontookpossessionofhim:
nolessthantheconstructionofareflectingtelescopeofsixinchesdiameter。Theideawouldnotlethimrestuntilhehadaccomplishedhispurpose。Hecastandpolishedthespeculumwithgreatlabour；butjustashewasabouttofinishit，thecastingbroke！Whatwastobedone？Aboutone-fifthhadbrokenaway，butstillthereremainedalargepiece，whichheproceededtogrinddowntoaproperdiameter。Hisperseverancewasrewardedbythepossessionofa31/2inchspeculum，whichbyhisrareskillheworkedintoareflectingtelescopeofverygoodquality。
Hewas，however，somuchannoyedbythetreacherouslybrittlenatureofthespeculummetalthatheabandoneditsuse，andbetookhimselftoglass。Hefoundthatbeforehecouldmakeagoodachromatictelescopeitwasnecessarythatheshouldcalculatehiscurvesfromdatadependinguponthenatureoftheglass。Heaccordinglyproceededtostudytheopticallawsofrefraction，inwhichhisknowledgeofgeometryandmathematicsgreatlyhelpedhim。Andincourseoftime，byhisrareandexquisitemanipulativeskill，hesucceededinconstructingafour-inchrefractor，orachromatictelescope，ofadmirabledefiningpower。
Theexcellenceofhisfirstworksbecamenoisedabroad。
Astronomicalobserverstookaninterestinhim；andfriendsbegantogatherroundhim，amongstothersthelateProfessorPhillipsandtheRev。VernonHarcourt，DeanofYork。Cookereceivedanorderforatelescopelikehisown；thenhereceivedotherorders。Atlasthegaveupteaching，andtooktotelescopemaking。Headvancedstepbystep；andlikeapractical，thoughtfulman，heinventedspecialtoolsandmachineryforthepurposeofgrindingandpolishinghisglasses。HeopenedashopinYork，andestablishedhimselfasaprofessedmakeroftelescopes。Headdedtothisthebusinessofageneraloptician，hiswifeattendingtothesaleintheshop，whilehehimselfattendedtotheworkshop。
Suchwastheexcellenceofhisworkthatthedemandforhistelescopeslargelyincreased。Theywerenotonlybettermanufactured，butgreatlycheaperthanthosewhichhadbeforebeenincommonuse。ThreeoftheLondonmakershadbeforepossessedamonopolyofthebusiness；butnowthetradewasthrownopenbytheenterpriseofCookeofYork。Heproceededtoerectacompletefactory——theBuckinghamStreetworks。Hisbrothertookchargeofthegrindingandpolishingofthelenses，whilehissonsattendedtothemechanismoftheworkshop；butCookehimselfwasthemasterspiritofthewholeconcern。
Everythingthathedidwasgoodandaccurate。Hisclockswereaboutthebestthatcouldbemade。Hecarriedouthisclock-makingbusinesswiththesamezealthathedevotedtotheperfectionofhisachromatictelescopes。Hisworkwasalwaysfirst-rate。Therewasnoscampingaboutit。Everythingthathedidwasthoroughlygoodandhonest。His41/4-inchequatorialsareperfectgems；andhisadmirableachromatics，manyofthemofthelargestclass，areknownallovertheworld。Altogether，ThomasCookewasaremarkableinstanceofthepowerofSelf-Help。
SuchwasthestoryofhisLife，ascommunicatedbyMr。Nasmyth。
Iwasafterwardsenabled，throughthekindassistanceofhiswidow，Mrs。Cooke，whomIsawatSaltburn，inYorkshire，toaddafewparticularstohisbiography。
“Myhusband，“shesaid，“wasthesonofaworkingshoemakeratPocklington，intheEastRiding。Hewasbornin1807。Hisfather’scircumstancesweresostraitenedthathewasnotabletodomuchforhim；buthesenthimtotheNationalschool，wherehereceivedsomeeducation。Heremainedthereforabouttwoyears，andthenhewasputtohisfather’strade。Buthegreatlydislikedshoemaking，andlongedtogetawayfromit。Helikedthesun，thesky，andtheopenair。Hewaseagertobeasailor，and，havingheardofthevoyagesofCaptainCook，hewishedtogotosea。Hespenthissparehoursinlearningnavigation，thathemightbeagoodseaman。ButwhenhewasreadytosetoutforHull，theentreatiesandtearsofhismotherprevailedonhimtogiveuptheproject；andthenhehadtoconsiderwhatheshoulddotomaintainhimselfathome。
“Heproceededwithhisself-education，andwithsuchsmallaidsashecouldprocure，hegatheredtogetheragooddealofknowledge。Hethoughtthathemightbeabletoteachothers。
Everybodylikedhim，forhisdiligence，hisapplication，andhisgoodsense。Attheageofseventeenhewasemployedtoteachthesonsoftheneighbouringfarmers。HesucceededsowellthatinthefollowingyearheopenedavillageschoolatBeilby。Hewentoneducatinghimself，andlearntalittleofeverything。HenextremovedhisschooltoKirpenbeck，nearStamfordBridge；anditwasthere，“proceededMrs。Cooke，“thatIgottoknowhim，forI
wasoneofhispupils。“
“Hefirstlearnedmathematicsbybuyinganoldvolumeatabookstall，withaspareshilling。Thatwasbeforehebegantoteach。Healsogotoddsheets，andreadotherbooksaboutgeometryandmathematics，beforehecouldbuythem；forhehadverylittletospare。Hestudiedandlearntasmuchashecould。
Hewasveryanxioustogetaninsightintoknowledge。Hestudiedopticsbeforehehadanyteaching。Thenhetriedtoturnhisknowledgetoaccount。WhileatKirpenbeckhemadehisfirstobject-glassoutofathicktumblerbottom。Hegroundtheglasscleverlybyhand；thenhegotapieceoftinandsolderedittogether，andmountedtheobject-glassinitsoastoformatelescope。
“HenextgotasituationattheRev。Mr。Shapkley’sschoolinMicklegate，York，wherehetaughtmathematics。Healsotaughtinladies’schoolsinthecity，anddidwhathecouldtomakealittleincome。Ourintimacyhadincreased，andwehadarrangedtogetmarried。Hewastwenty-four，andIwasnineteen，whenwewerehappilyunited。Iwasthenhispupilforlife。
“ProfessorPhillipssawhisfirsttelescope，withtheobject-glassmadeoutofthethicktumblerbottom，andhewassomuchpleasedwithitthatmyhusbandmadeitovertohim。Buthealsogotanorderforanother，fromMr。Gray，solicitor，morebywayofencouragementthanbecauseMr。Graywantedit，forhewasamostkindman。Theobject-glasswasoffour-inchaperture，andwhenmountedthedefiningpowerwasfoundexcellent。Myhusbandwassosuccessfulwithhistelescopesthathewentonfromsmallertogreater，andatlengthhebegantothinkofdevotinghimselftoopticsaltogether。Hisknowledgeofmathematicshadledhimon，andfriendswerealwaysreadytoencouragehiminhispursuits。
“Duringthistimehehadcontinuedhisteachingattheschoolintheday-time；andhealsotaughtonhisownaccountthesonsofgentlemenintheevening:amongstothersthesonsofDr。WakeandDr。Belcomb，bothmedicalmen。Hewasonlymakingabout100L。ayear，andhisfamilywasincreasing。Itwasnecessarytobeveryeconomical，andIwascarefulofeverything。AtlengthmyuncleMilneragreedtoadvanceabout100L。asaloan。AshopwastakeninStonegatein1836，andprovidedwithopticalinstruments。I
attendedtotheshop，whilemyhusbandworkedinthebackpremises。Tobringinalittlereadymoney，Ialsotookinlodgers。
“Myhusbandnowdevotedhimselfentirelytotelescopemakingandoptics。Buthetookinotherwork。Hispumpswereconsideredexcellent；andhefurnishedallthoseusedatthepump-room，Harrogate。Hisclocks，telescope-driving[6]andothers，wereofthebest。Hecommencedturret-clockmakingin1852，andmademanyimprovementsinthem。WehadbythattimeremovedtoConeyStreet；andin1855theBuckinghamWorkswereestablished，wherealargenumberoffirst-rateworkmenwereemployed。AplacewasalsotakeninSouthamptonStreet，London，in1868，forthesaleoftheinstrumentsmanufacturedatYork。“
ThusfarMrs。Cooke。ItmaybeaddedthatThomasCookerevivedtheartofmakingrefractingtelescopesinEngland。SincethediscoverybyDollond，in1758，oftherelationbetweentherefractiveanddispersivepowersofdifferentkindsofglass，andtheinventionbythatdistinguishedopticianoftheachromatictelescope，themanufactureofthatinstrumenthadbeenconfinedtoEngland，wherethebestflintglasswasmade。Butthroughtheshort-sightedpolicyoftheGovernment，anexorbitantdutywasplaceduponthemanufactureofflintglass，andtheEnglishtradewasalmostentirelystampedout。Wehadaccordinglytolooktoforeigncountriesforthefurtherimprovementoftheachromatictelescope，whichDollondhadsomuchadvanced。
AhumblemechanicofBrenetz，intheCantonofNeufchatel，Switzerland，namedGuinaud，havingdirectedhisattentiontothemanufactureofflintglasstowardsthecloseoflastcentury，atlengthsucceeded，afterperseveringefforts，inproducingmassesofthatsubstanceperfectlyfreefromstain，andthereforeadaptedfortheconstructionoftheobject-glassesoftelescopes。
Frauenhofer，theBavarianoptician，havingjustbegunbusiness，heardofthewonderfulsuccessofGuinaud，andinducedtheSwissmechanictoleaveBrenetzandenterintopartnershipwithhimatMunichin1805。
Theresultwasperfectlysuccessful；andthenewfirmturnedoutsomeofthelargestobject-glasseswhichhaduntilthenbeenmade。Withoneoftheseinstruments，havinganapertureof9。9
inches，Struve，theRussianastronomer，madesomeofhisgreatestdiscoveries。FrauenhoferwassucceededbyMerzandMahler，whocarriedouthisviews，andturnedoutthefamousrefractorsofPulkowaObservatoryinRussia，andofHarvardUniversityintheUnitedStates。Theselasttwotelescopescontainedobject-glassesoffifteeninchesaperture。
TheperniciousimpostuponflintglasshavingatlengthbeenremovedbytheEnglishGovernment，anopportunitywasaffordedtoournativeopticianstorecoverthesupremacywhichtheyhadsolonglost。ItistoThomasCooke，morethantoanyotherperson，thatweowetherecoveryofthismanufacture。Mr。Lockyer，writingin1878，says:“ThetwolargestandmostperfectlymountedrefractorsontheGermanformatpresentinexistencearethoseatGatesheadandWashington，U。S。TheformerbelongstoMr。Newall，agentlemanwho，connectedwiththosewhowereamongthefirsttorecognisethegeniusofourgreatEnglishoptician，Cooke，didnothesitatetoriskthousandsofpoundsinonegreatexperiment，thesuccessofwhichwillhaveamostimportantbearingupontheastronomyofthefuture。“[7]
TheprogresswhichMr。Cookemadeinhisenterprisewasslowbutsteady。Shortlyafterhebeganbusinessasanoptician，hebecamedissatisfiedwiththemethodofhand-polishing，andmadearrangementstopolishtheobject-glassesbymachineryworkedbysteampower。Bythismeanshesecuredperfectaccuracyoffigure。Hewasalsoabletoturnoutalargequantityofglasses，soastofurnishastronomersinallpartsoftheworldwithtelescopesofadmirabledefiningpower，atacomparativelymoderateprice。Inallhisworksheendeavouredtointroducesimplicity。Helefthismarkonnearlyeveryastronomicalinstrument。Hefoundtheequatorialcomparativelyclumsy；heleftitnearlyperfect。Hisbeautiful“dividingmachine，“formarkingdivisionsonthecircles，fourfeetindiameterandaltogetherself-acting——whichdividestofiveminutesandreadsofftofivesecondsisnottheleastofhistriumphs。
Thefollowingaresomeofhismoreimportantachromatictelescopes。In1850，whenhehadbeenfourteenyearsinbusiness，hefurnishedhisearliestpatron，ProfessorPhillips，withanequatorialtelescopeof61/4inchesaperture。Hissecondof61/8wassuppliedtwoyearslater，toJamesWigglesworthofWakefield。WilliamGray，Solicitor，ofYork，oneofhisearliestfriends，boughta61/2-inchtelescopein1853。
Inthefollowingyear，ProfessorPritchardofOxfordwassuppliedwitha61/2-inch。Theotherimportantinstrumentswereasfollows:in1854，Dr。Fisher，Liverpool，6inches；in1855，H。L。
Patterson，Gateshead，71/4inches；in1858，J。G。Barclay，Layton，Essex，71/4inches；in1857，IsaacFletcher，Cockermouth，91/4inches；inl858，SirW。KeithMurray，Ochtertyre，Crieff，9inches；in1859，CaptainJacob，9inches；
in1860，JamesNasmyth，Penshurst，8inches；in1861，anothertelescopetoJ。G。Barclay，10inches；in1864，theRev。W。R。
Dawes，Haddenham，Berks，8inches；andin1867，EdwardCrossley，Bermerside，Halifax，93/8inches。