28 AKTIF1CIAL BIRD-HATCHING. CHAP. III. 



was eighteen years old before lie learnt to read ; and, 

 having the charge of an engine which occupied his 

 time to the extent of twelve hours every day, he had 

 thus very few leisure moments that he could call his 

 own. But the busiest man will find them if he watch 

 for them ; and if he be careful in turning these mo- 

 ments to useful account, he will prove them to be the 

 very " gold-dust of time," as Young has so beautifully 

 described them. 



Not many of his fellow- workmen had learnt to read ; 

 but those who could do so were placed under frequent 

 contribution by George and the other labourers at the 

 pit. It was one of their greatest treats to induce some 

 one to read to them by the engine-fire, out of any book 

 or stray newspaper which found its way into the vil- 

 lage of Newburn. Buonaparte was then overrunning 

 Italy, and astounding Europe by his brilliant succession 

 of victories; and there was no more eager auditor of 

 these exploits, when read from the newspaper accounts, 

 than the young engine-man at the Water-row Pit. 



There were also numerous stray bits of information 

 and intelligence contained in these papers, which excited 

 Stephenson's interest. One of these related to the 

 Egyptian art of hatching birds' eggs by means of 

 artificial heat. Curious about everything relating to 

 birds, he determined to test the art by experiment. It 

 was spring time, and he forthwith went a birdnesting 

 in the adjoining woods and hedges, where there were 

 few birds' nests of which he did not know. He brought 

 a collection of eggs. of all kinds into the engine-house, 

 set them in flour in a warm place, covering the whole 

 over with wool, and then waited the issue of his experi- 

 ment. But though the heat was kept as steady as 

 possible, and the eggs were carefully turned every 

 twelve hours, they never hatched. The eggs chipped, 

 and some of them exhibited well-grown chicks ; but 

 none of the birds came forth alive, and thus the experi- 



