xil PREFACE. 



it was believed, would form an interesting and con- 

 tinuous narrative of George Stephenson's early career, 

 the author proceeded to communicate the result to 

 Robert Stephenson, and to express the hope of now 

 being able to proceed with the proposed biography of 

 his father. To this communication a reply was re- 

 ceived, dated " Dover, 26th Sept., 1854," in which 

 Mr. Stephenson said " I am glad to hear that you 

 have not given up the idea of writing a memoir of 

 my late father ; and now that I have more leisure, it 

 will afford me pleasure to assist you in many points 

 which are known only to myself, especially in reference 

 to the phases which the Locomotive Engine put on at 

 different periods of my father's active and remarkable 

 life a life which spreads over a period comprising 

 probably one of the most astonishing pages in the history 

 of civilization. I am about to visit Newcastle, when 

 I shall make a point of giving you my views as to the 

 form which the memoir, in my opinion, ought to take ; 

 and respecting the mechanical portions, I shall feel it 

 my duty to give every assistance." 



Mr. Stephenson paid his promised visit -to Newcastle 

 in the beginning of October, 1854, when he com- 

 municated his views as to the treatment of the proposed 

 biography, and took the author over the scenes of his 

 own and his father's early life, relating by the way 

 many interesting incidents which the sight of them 

 recalled to his memory. The ride to Killingworth 

 will be found described at pp. 64-6 of the following 

 work. The author afterwards read over to Mr. Ste- 

 phenson the narrative he had by this time prepared 

 of his father's early life, much of which was entirely 



