82 SMEATON'S P1UVATE LIFE PART VI. 



his Narrative of the construction of the Edclystone Light- 

 house. Indeed, he states that he found the task of de- 

 scribing this work even more difficult than that of erecting 

 it, and he consequently seems to have become inordinately 

 impressed with a sense of the importance of literary com- 

 position. He very naively observes in the Preface : " I 

 am convinced that to write a book tolerably well is not a 

 light or an easy matter ; for, as I have proceeded in this 

 work, I have been less and less satisfied with the execu- 

 tion. In truth, I have found much more difficulty in 

 writing than I did in building, as well as a greater length 

 of time and application of mind to be employed. I am 

 indeed now older by thirty-five years than I was when I 

 first entered on that enterprise, and therefore my faculties 

 are less active and vigorous ; but when I consider that I 

 have been employed full seven years, at every opportu- 

 nity, in forwarding this book, having all the original 

 draughts and materials to go upon, and that the produc- 

 tion of these original materials as well as the building 

 itself were despatched in half that time, I am almost 

 tempted to subscribe to the sentiment adopted by Mr. 

 Pope, that ' Nature's chief masterpiece is writing well.' 

 It is true that I have not been bred to literature, but it is 

 equally true that I was no more bred to mechanics : we 

 must therefore conclude that the same mind has in reality 

 a much greater facility in some subjects than in others." 

 Smeaton's story of the Eddystone Lighthouse is, how- 

 ever, told in a very effective manner. It possesses an 

 interest almost dramatic, exhibiting a contest between a 

 strong, skilled, and determined man, and the most tre- 

 mendous forces of nature. It is truly observed by the 

 late Lord Ellesmere, in his ' Essays on Engineering,' that 

 bloody battles have been won, and campaigns conducted 

 to a successful issue, with less of personal exposure to 



tions made to him lately for further Under- 

 takings, but confining himself in future to 

 the Objects above mentioned, and to such 

 occasional Consultations as will not take up 



much Time, he shall not incur the Dis- 

 approbation of his Friends. 



" Gray's Inn, 6th October, 1791." 



