310 UI-'K OF mJlXDLKY. PART A'. 



which proved to be founded on correct principles, and 

 worked to the millers' entire satisfaction. Bennett, on 

 afterwards inspecting the gearing of one of the mills 

 repaired by Brindley, found it so securely and sul>- 

 stantially fitted, that he even complained to him of his 

 style of work. " Jem," said he, " if thou persist in this 

 foolish way of working, there will be very little trade 

 left to be done when thou comes out of thy time : thou 

 kiiaws firmness of wark's th' ruin o' trade." Brindley, 

 however, gave no heed whatever to the unprincipled 

 suggestion, and considered it the duty and the pride of 

 the mechanic always to execute the best possible work. 



Among the other jobs which Brindley's master was 

 employed to execute about this time, was the machinery 

 of a new paper-mill proposed to be erected on the river 

 Dane. The arrangements were to be the same as those 

 adopted in the Smedley paper-mill on the Irk, and at 

 Throstle-Nest on the Irwell, near Manchester; and 

 Bennett went over to inspect the machinery at those 

 places. But Brindley was afterwards of opinion that he 

 must have inspected the taverns in Manchester much 

 more closely than the paper-mills in the neighbourhood ; 

 for when he returned, the practical information lie 

 brought with him proved almost a blank. Nevertheless, 

 Bennett could not let slip the opportunity of undertaking 

 so lucrative a piece of employment in his special line, 

 and, ill-informed though he was, he set his men to work 

 upon the machinery of the proposed paper-mill. 



It very soon appeared that Bennett was altogether 

 unfitted for the performance of the contract which he 

 had undertaken. The machinery, when made, would 

 not fit; it would not work; and, what with drink and 

 what with perplexity, Bennett soon got completely be- 

 wildered. Yet to give up the job altogether would be 

 to admit his own incompetency as a mechanic, and must 

 necessarily affect his future employment as a millwright. 

 He and his men, therefore, continued distractedly to 



