CHAP. XVII. MECHANICS' INSTITUTES. 361 



Vice-Presidents in the section of Mechanical Science. 

 Extraordinary changes had occurred in his own fortunes, 

 as well as in the face of the country, since he had first 

 appeared before a scientific body in Newcastle the 

 members of the Literary and Philosophical Institute- 

 to submit his safety-lamp for their examination. 

 Twenty-three years had passed over his head, full of 

 honest work, of manful struggle ; and the humble 

 " colliery enginewright of the name of Stephenson " 

 had achieved an almost world-wide reputation as a 

 public benefactor. His fellow-townsmen, therefore, could 

 not hesitate to recognise his merits and do honour 

 to his name. During the sittings of the Association, 

 Mr. Stephenson took the opportunity of paying a visit 

 to Killingworth, accompanied by some of the dis- 

 tinguished savans whom he numbered amongst his 

 friends. He there pointed out to them, with a degree 

 of honest pride, the cottage in which he had lived for 

 so many years, showed what parts of it had been his 

 own handiwork, and told them the story of the sun-dial 

 over the door, describing the study and the labour it 

 had cost him and his son to calculate its dimensions, 

 and fix it in its place. The dial had been serenely 

 numbering the hours through the busy years that had 

 elapsed since that humble dwelling had been his home ; 

 during which the Killingworth locomotive had become 

 a great working power, and its contriver had established 

 the railway system, which was now rapidly becoming 

 extended in all parts of the world. 



About the same time, his services were very much 

 in request at the meetings of Mechanics' Institutes 

 held throughout the northern counties. From an early 

 period in his history, he had taken an active interest in 

 these valuable institutions. While residing at Newcastle 

 in 1824, shortly after his locomotive foundry had been 

 started in Forth-street, he presided at a public meeting 

 held in that town for the purpose of establishing a 



