472 BIMNDLEY'S BEATO CHARACTERISTICS. 



pursuing' liis favourite study of practical media 

 The training of his inventive faculty and constructive 

 skill was, indeed, a slow but a continuous process ; and 

 when the time and the opportunity arrived for turning 

 these to account when the silk-throwing machinery of 

 the Congleton mill, for instance, had to be perfected and 

 brought to the point of effectively doing its intended 

 duty Brindley was found able to take it in hand and 

 finish the work, when even its own designer had given 

 it up in despair. But it must also be remembered that 

 this great facility of Brindley had been in a great mea- 

 sure the result of the closest observation, the most pains- 

 taking study of details, and the most indefatigable in- 

 dustry. 



The same qualities were displayed in his improve- 

 ments of the steam-engine, and his arrangements to 

 economise power in the pumping of water from drowned 

 mines. It was often said of his works, as was said of 

 Columbus' s discovery, " how easy ! how simple !" but 

 this was after the fact. Before he had brought his fund 

 of experience and clearness of vision to bear upon a 

 difficulty, every one was equally ready to exclaim, " how 

 difficult ! how absolutely impracticable !" This was tlie 

 case with his " castle in the air," the Barton Viaduct- 

 such a work as had never before been attempted in 

 England, though now any common mason would under- 

 take it. It was Brindley 's merit always to be ready 

 with his simple, practical expedient ; and he rarely failed 

 to effect his purpose, difficult although at first sight its 

 accomplishment might seem to be. 



Like men of a similar stamp, Brindley had great con- 

 fidence in himself and in his powers and resources. 

 Without this, it were impossible for him to have accom- 

 plished so much as he did. It is said that the King of 

 France, hearing of his great natural genius, and the 

 works he had performed for the Duke of Bridgewater 

 at Worsley, expressed a desire to see him, and sent a 



