1858. VISIT TO BRIDGE OF ALLAN. 331 



me to work with less sense of oppressive dulness than has 

 been the case hitherto." 



"BRIDGE OF ALLAN, December 29, 1858. 



" MY DEAR MOTHER, ' How did Tubal-Cain first learn 

 to work iron ? ' I was about to have that momentous ques- 

 tion answered when the train reached this, and had to hurry 

 out without receiving a reply, The chance of having the 

 problem stated above made clear is not likely to occur 

 again. I may, I think, make up my mind that I won't, 

 however long I live, find any one in a condition to tell me 

 how Smith the first learned to hammer iron. Yet my 

 neighbour in the railway carriage, whom Uncle could not 

 fail to recognise as having something antediluvian about 

 him, seemed to know all about the matter. We had been 

 talking about iron-manufacture, when suddenly referring to 

 a supposed improvement which a very ignorant person had, 

 as he imagined, 'introduced' into iron-making, not aware 

 that the practice was immemorially ancient, my fellow- 

 traveller said to me, ' Why, Tubal-Cain found that out the 

 second day? 



" Well, thought I to myself, if you know what T. C. did 

 the second day, perhaps you can tell me what he did the 

 first ; and so I put the question which begins this note. I 

 lost the answer, but I don't think, though I had gone on to 

 Aberdeen with my good friend, I would have got more than 

 an oracular response. He could answer other questions, 

 however, and is largely to help the Museum, for which I 

 begged all the way. 



" We are in quiet comfortable lodgings. I am steadily 

 progressing with my lectures. To-day is magnificently 

 bright, and we shall presently visit Dunblane. 



" Your loving son, GEORGE." 



