70 



CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUN-DIAL. 



CHAP. V. 



Bruce has related that, when visiting Killingworth on 

 one occasion, he found him engaged in teaching algebra 

 to such of the pitmen's boys as would become his pupils. 

 While Robert was still at school, his father proposed 

 to him during the holidays that he should construct a 

 sun-dial, to be placed over their cottage-door at West 

 Moor. " I expostulated with him at first," said Robert, 

 " that I had not learnt sufficient astronomy and mathe- 

 matics to enable me to make the necessary calculations. 

 But he would have no denial. ' The thing is to be 

 done/ said he ; ' so just set about it at once.' Well ; 

 we got a i Ferguson's Astronomy,' and studied the 

 subject together. Many a sore head I had while making 

 the necessary calculations to adapt the dial to the lati- 

 tude of Killingworth. But at length it was fairly 

 drawn out on paper, and then my father got a stone, 

 and we hewed, and carved, and polished it, until we 

 made a very respectable dial of it; and there it is, you 

 see," pointing to it over the cottage-door, " still quietly 

 , ....... numbering the hours 



when the sun is shining. 

 I assure you, not a little 

 was thought of that piece 

 of work by the pitmen 

 when it was put up, and 

 began to tell its tale of 

 time." The date carved 

 upon the dial is "August 

 llth, MDCCC.XVI." Both 

 father and son were in 

 after-life very proud of 

 their joint production. 

 Many years after, George 



took a party of savans, when attending the meeting of 

 the British Association at Newcastle, over to Killing- 

 worth to see the pits, and he did not fail to direct their 

 attention to the sun-dial ; and Robert, on the last visit 



'WwpilP 1 



