CHAP. XVI. LIFE AT ALTON GRANGE. 341 



with matter for quotation, or to give that insight into 

 the life and character of the writer which the letters of 

 literary men so often furnish. They were, for the most 

 part, letters of mere business, relating to works in 

 progress, parliamentary contests, new surveys, estimates 

 of cost, and railway policy, curt, and to the point ; in 

 short, the letters of a man every moment of whose time 

 was precious. He was also frequently called upon to 

 inspect and report upon colliery works, salt works, brass 

 and copper works, and such like, in addition to his own 

 colliery and railway business. He usually staked out 

 himself the lines laid out by him, which involved a 

 good deal of labour since undertaken by assistants. 

 And occasionally he would run up to London, attending 

 in person to the preparation and deposit of the plans 

 and sections of the projected undertakings for which he 

 was engaged as engineer. 



Fortunately Mr. Stephenson possessed a facility of 

 sleeping, which enabled him to pass through this 

 enormous amount of fatigue and labour without injury 

 to his health. He had been trained in a hard school, 

 and could bear with ease conditions which, to men more 

 softly nurtured, would have been the extreme of physical 

 discomfort. Many, many nights he snatched his sleep 

 while travelling in his chaise ; and at break of day he 

 would be at work, surveying until dark, and this for 

 weeks in succession. His whole powers seemed to be 

 under the control of his will, for he could wake at any 

 hour, and go to work at once. It \vas difficult for 

 secretaries and assistants to keep up with such a man. 



It is pleasant to record that in the midst of these 

 engrossing occupations, his heart remained as soft and 

 loving as ever. In spring-time he would not be 

 debarred of his boyish pursuit of bird-nesting ; but 

 would go rambling along the hedges spying for nests. 

 In the autumn he went nutting, and when he could 

 snatch a few minutes he indulged in his old love of 



