240 HEROES OF SCIENCE. 



This was the critical moment ; from this event 

 flowed all the current of his useful life, and to 

 the same origin may be ascribed many of the pecu- 

 liar habits and feelings, the contrasted lights and 

 shades, which diversified his character. 



Edward Webb was, like his pupil, self-taught, 

 and very slightly acquainted with languages and 

 general literature, but possessed of great ingenuity 

 and skill in mechanics, mensuration, logarithms, 

 algebra and fluxions. His practice as a surveyor 

 included many things now conceded to the engineer, 

 such as the determination of the forces of water, 

 and planning machinery. His instruments were 

 commonly invented, often made and divided by 

 himself; peculiar pentagraphs, theodolites, scales, 

 and even compasses and field books, of new con- 

 struction enriched the ofiice at Stow, and stimulated 

 the young men who were fortunate enough to be 

 placed in it, to thought and exertion. " I admired," 

 says the subject of this memoir, " the talent of my 

 master, his placid and ever unruffled temper, and 

 his willingness to let me get on, for I required no 

 teaching." 



Speedily entrusted with the management of all 

 the ordinary business of a surveyor, Mr. Smith 

 traversed, in continual activity, the oolitic lands of 

 Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, the lias clays and 

 red marls of Warwickshire; visited (1788) the 

 Salperton tunnel on the Thames and Severn 

 Canal, and (1790) examined the soils and circum- 

 stances connected with a boring for coal in the 



