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was so enormous；*＇13＇ arising from the corrupt administration of
the country； that it was impossible the 〃bloated mass〃 could hold
together any longer； and as he could not expect that 〃a hundred
Pulteneys；〃 such as his employer； could be found to restore it to
health； the conclusion he arrived at was that ruin was
〃inevitable。〃*＇14＇ Notwithstanding the theoretical ruin of England
which pressed so heavy on his mind at this time； we find Telford
strongly recommending his correspondent to send any good wrights he
could find in his neighbourhood to Bath； where they would be
enabled to earn twenty shillings or a guinea a week at piece…work
the wages paid at Langholm for similar work being only about half
those amounts。
In the same letter in which these observations occur； Telford
alluded to the disgraceful riots at Birmingham； in the course of
which Dr。 Priestley's house and library were destroyed。 As the
outrages were the work of the mob； Telford could not charge the
aristocracy with them； but with equal injustice he laid the blame
at the door of 〃the clergy；〃 who had still less to do with them；
winding up with the prayer； 〃May the Lord mend their hearts and
lessen their incomes！〃
Fortunately for Telford； his intercourse with the townspeople of
Shrewsbury was so small that his views on these subjects were never
known； and we very shortly find him employed by the clergy
themselves in building for them a new church in the town of
Bridgenorth。 His patron and employer； Mr。 Pulteney； however； knew
of his extreme views； and the knowledge came to him quite
accidentally。 He found that Telford had made use of his frank to
send through the post a copy of Paine's 'Rights of Man' to his
Langholm correspondent；*＇15＇ where the pamphlet excited as much
fury in the minds of some of the people of that town as it had done
in that of Telford himself。 The 〃Langholm patriots 〃broke out into
drinking revolutionary toasts at the Cross； and so disturbed the
peace of the little town that some of them were confined for six
weeks in the county gaol。
Mr。 Pulteney was very indignant at the liberty Telford had taken
with his frank； and a rupture between them seemed likely to ensue；
but the former was forgiving； and the matter went no further。 It is
only right to add； that as Telford grew older and wiser； he became
more careful in jumping at conclusions on political topics。
The events which shortly occurred in France tended in a great measure
to heal his mental distresses as to the future of England。 When the
〃liberty〃 won by the Parisians ran into riot； and the 〃Friends of Man〃
occupied themselves in taking off the heads of those who differed
from them； he became wonderfully reconciled to the enjoyment of the
substantial freedom which； after all； was secured to him by the
English Constitution。 At the same time； he was so much occupied in
carrying out his important works； that he found but little time to
devote either to political speculation or to versemaking。
While living at Shrewsbury； he had his poem of 'Eskdale' reprinted
for private circulation。 We have also seen several MS。 verses by
him； written about the same period； which do not appear ever to
have been printed。 One of thesethe bestis entitled 'Verses to
the Memory of James Thomson； author of 〃Liberty； a poem；〃' another
is a translation from Buchanan； 'On the Spheres；' and a third；
written in April； 1792； is entitled 'To Robin Burns； being a
postscript to some verses addressed to him on the establishment of
an Agricultural Chair in Edinburgh。' It would unnecessarily occupy
our space to print these effusions； and； to tell the truth； they
exhibit few if any indications of poetic power。 No amount of
perseverance will make a poet of a man in whom the divine gift is
not born。 The true line of Telford's genius lay in building and
engineering； in which direction we now propose to follow him。
＇Image＇ Shrewsbury Castle
Footnotes for Chapter IV。
*＇1＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Shrewsbury Castle；
21st Feb。； 1788。
*＇2＇ This practice of noting down information； the result of
reading and observation； was continued by Mr。 Telford until the
close of his life； his last pocket memorandum book； containing a
large amount of valuable information on mechanical subjectsa sort
of engineer's vade mecumbeing printed in the appendix to the 4to。
'Life of Telford' published by his executors in 1838； pp。 663…90。
*＇3＇ A medical man； a native of Eskdale； of great promise； who died
comparatively young。
*＇4＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm。
*＇5＇ It would occupy unnecessary space to cite these poems。
The following； from the verses in memory of William Telford； relates
to schoolboy days； After alluding to the lofty Fell Hills； which
formed part of the sheep farm of his deceased friend's father； the
poet goes on to say：
〃There 'mongst those rocks I'll form a rural seat；
And plant some ivy with its moss compleat；
I'll benches form of fragments from the stone；
Which； nicely pois'd； was by our hands o'erthrown；
A simple frolic； but now dear to me；
Because； my Telford； 'twas performed with thee。
There； in the centre； sacred to his name；
I'll place an altar； where the lambent flame
Shall yearly rise； and every youth shall join
The willing voice； and sing the enraptured line。
But we； my friend； will often steal away
To this lone seat； and quiet pass the day；
Here oft recall the pleasing scenes we knew
In early youth； when every scene was new；
When rural happiness our moments blest；
And joys untainted rose in every breast。〃
*＇6＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated 16th July； 1788。
*＇7＇ Ibid。
*＇8＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated 16th July； 1788。
*＇9＇ The discovery formed the subject of a paper read before the
Society of Antiquaries in London on the 7th of May； 1789； published
in the 'Archaeologia；' together with a drawing of the remains
supplied by Mr。 Telford。
*＇10＇ An Eskdale crony。 His son； Colonel Josias Stewart； rose to
eminence in the East India Company's service； having been for many
years Resident at Gwalior and Indore。
*＇11＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated 3rd Sept。 1788。
*＇12＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Shrewsbury；
8th October； 1789。
*＇13＇ It was then under seventeen millions sterling； or about a
fourth of what it is now。
*＇14＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated 28th July； 1791。
*＇15＇ The writer of a memoir of Telford； in the 'Encyclopedia
Britannica；' says：〃Andrew Little kept a private and very small
school at Langholm。 Telford did not neglect to send him a copy of
Paine's 'Rights of Man；' and as he was totally blind； he employed
one of his scholars to read it in the evenings。 Mr。 Little had
received an academical education before he lost his s