10 SMEATON LEARNS THE TRADE OF PAHT VI. 



CHAPTER II. 



SMEATON LEARNS THE TRADE OF MATHEMATICAL INSTRUMENT 



MAKER. 



YOUNG SMEATON left school in his sixteenth year, and 

 from that time he was employed in his father's office, 

 copying legal documents, and passing through the 

 necessary preliminary training to fit him to follow the 

 profession of an attorney. Mr. Smeaton, having a good 

 connection in his native town, naturally desired that his 

 only son should succeed him. But the youth took no 

 pleasure in the law : his heart was in his workshop 

 amongst his tools ; and though he mechanically travelled 

 to the office daily, worked assiduously at his desk, and 

 then travelled back again to Austhorpe, he more and 

 more felt the irksomeness of his intended vocation. 

 Partly to wean him from his mechanical pursuits at 

 home, which often engrossed his attention half the night, 

 and partly to give him the best legal education which it 

 was in his power to bestow, Mr. Smeaton sent his son 

 to London towards the end of the year 1742, and for 

 a short time he occupied himself, in conformity with his 

 parent's wishes, in attending the Courts in Westminster 

 Hall. But at length he could not repress his strong 

 desire to follow some mechanical occupation, and in a 

 strong but respectful memorial to his father, he fully set 

 forth his views as to the calling which he wished to 

 pursue in preference to that of the law. 



The father's heart was touched, and probably also his 

 good sense was influenced, by the son's earnest appeal ; 

 and he wrote back, giving his assent, though not with- 

 out his strong expression of regret as to the course which 



