Brunelformanufacturingships’blocks。ThecareerofBrunelwasofamoreromanticcharacterthanfallstotheordinarylotofmechanicalengineers。Hisfatherwasasmallfarmerandpostmaster，atthevillageofHacqueville，inNormandy，whereMarcIsambardwasbornin1769。Hewasearlyintendedforapriest，andeducatedaccordingly。

　　Buthewasmuchfonderofthecarpenter’sshopthanoftheschool；

　　andcoaxing，entreaty，andpunishmentalikefailedinmakingahopefulscholarofhim。Hedrewfacesandplansuntilhisfatherwasalmostindespair。SenttoschoolatRouen，hischiefpleasurewasinwatchingtheshipsalongthequays；andonedayhiscuriositywasexcitedbythesightofsomelargeironcastingsjustlanded。Whatwerethey?Howhadtheybeenmade?Wheredidtheycomefrom?Hiseagerinquiriesweresoonanswered。TheywerepartsofanengineintendedforthegreatPariswater-works；theenginewastopumpwaterbythepowerofsteam；andthecastingshadbeenmadeinEngland，andhadjustbeenlandedfromanEnglishship。”England！”

　　exclaimedtheboy，”ah！whenIamamanIwillgoseethecountrywheresuchgrandmachinesaremade！”Ononeoccasion，seeinganewtoolinacutler’swindow，hecoveteditsomuchthathepawnedhishattopossessit。Thiswasnottherightroadtothepriesthood；andhisfathersoonsawthatitwasofnouseurginghimfurther：buttheboy’sinstinctprovedtruerthanthefather’sjudgment。

　　Itwaseventuallydeterminedthatheshouldqualifyhimselftoentertheroyalnavy，andatseventeenhewasnominatedtoserveinacorvetteas”volontaired’honneur。”Hisshipwaspaidoffin1792，andhewasatParisduringthetrialoftheKing。Withtheincautiousnessofyouthheopenlyavowedhisroyalistopinionsinthecafewhichhefrequented。OntheverydaythatLouiswascondemnedtodeath，Brunelhadanangryaltercationwithsomeultra-republicans，afterwhichhecalledtohisdog，”Viens，citoyen！”Scowlinglookswereturneduponhim，andhedeemeditexpedienttotakethefirstopportunityofescapingfromthehouse，whichhedidbyaback-door，andmadethebestofhiswaytoHacqueville。FromthencehewenttoRouen，andsucceededinfindingapassageonboardanAmericanship，inwhichhesailedforNewYork，havingfirstpledgedhisaffectionstoanEnglishgirl，SophiaKingdom，whomhehadaccidentallymetatthehouseofMr。Carpentier，theAmericanconsulatRouen。

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