JAMES BRINDLEY. 53 



we are told, to build the machinery of a paper mill, which he 

 had never seen in his life, took a journey to a distant part 

 of the country expressly for the purpose of inspecting one 

 which might serve him for a model. However, he had made 

 his observations, it would seem, to very Uttle purpose; for, 

 having returned home and fallen to work, he could make 

 nothing of the business at all, and was only bewildering him- 

 self, when a stranger, who understood something of such 

 matters, happening one day to see what he was about, felt 

 no scruple in remarking in the neighbourhood that the man 

 was only throwing away his employer's money. The reports 

 which in consequence got abroad soon reached the ears of 

 Brindley, who had been employed on the machinery under 

 the directions of his master. Having probably of himself 

 begun ere this to suspect that all was not right, his suspicions 

 were only confirmed by what he heard ; but, aware how 

 unlikely it was that his master would be able to explain 

 matters, or even to assist him in getting out of his difficulties, 

 he did not apply to him. On the contrary, he said nothing 

 to any one, but, waiting till the work of the week was over, 

 set out by himself one Saturday evening to see the mill 

 which his master had already visited. He accomplished his 

 object, and was back to his work by Monday morning, having 

 travelled the whole journey of fifty miles on foot. Perfectly 

 master now of the construction of the mill, he found no diffi- 

 culty in going on with his undertaking, and completed the 

 machine, indeed, not only so as perfectly to satisfy the pro- 

 prietor, but with several improvements on his model of his 

 own contrivance. 



After remaining some years with Bennet, he set up in 

 business for himself. With the reputation he had already 



