CHAP. XXI. ENERGY AND DETERMINATION. 467 



himself thoroughly up to it. Like the painter, he might 

 say that he had become great " by neglecting nothing." 

 Whatever he was engaged upon, he was as careful of 

 the details as if each were itself the whole. He did all 

 thoroughly and honestly. There was no " scamping " 

 with him. When a workman he put his brains and 

 labour into his work ; and when a master he put his 

 conscience and character into it. He would have no 

 slop-work executed merely for the sake of profit. The 

 materials must be as genuine as the workmanship was 

 skilful. The structures which he designed and executed 

 were distinguished for their thoroughness and solidity ; 

 his locomotives were famous for their durability and 

 excellent working qualities. The engines which he sent 

 to the United States in 1832 are still in good condition ; 

 and even the engines built by him for the Killingworth 

 colliery, upwards of thirty years ago, are working 

 steadily there to this day. All his work was honest, 

 representing the actual character of the man. 



The battle which Mr. Stephenson fought for the 

 locomotive and he himself always spoke of it as a 

 " battle " would have discouraged most other men ; 

 but it only served to bring into prominence that energy 

 and determination which formed the back-bone of his 

 character. "I have fought," said he, "for the loco- 

 motive single-handed for nearly twenty years, having 

 no engineer to help me until I had reared engineers 

 under my own care." The leading engineers of the 

 day were against him, without exception : yet he did 

 not despair. He had laid hold of a great idea, and he 

 stuck by it; his mind was locked and bolted to the 

 results. "I put up," he says, "with every rebuff, 

 determined not to be put down." When the use of his 

 locomotive on the Liverpool and Manchester line was 

 reported against, and the employment of fixed engines 

 recommended instead, Mr. Stephenson implored the 

 directors, who were no engineers, only to afford him a 



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