476 HUMAN EQUALITY. CHAP. XXL 



it may be generally, is not invariably true. There are 

 many great minds which never close. Mr. Stephenson, 

 to the last, was open to the reception of new ideas, new 

 facts, new theories. He was a late learner; but he 

 went on learning to the end. He shut his mind, how- 

 ever, against what he considered humbugs especially 

 mechanical humbugs. Thus, he said at Tarn worth, that 

 he had not been to see the atmospheric railway, because 

 it was a great humbug. He had gone to see Pinkus's 

 model of it, and that had determined him on the subject. 

 He then declared the atmospheric system to be " a rope 

 of sand ; " that it could never hold together, and he 

 would not countenance it. 



When he heard of Perkins's celebrated machine, which 

 was said to work at a tremendous pressure, without 

 steam, but with water in the boiler almost at red heat, 

 he went with his son to see it. The engine exhibited 

 was of six-horse power, and the pressure was said to be 

 not less than 1500 Ibs. to the square inch. Mr. Ste- 

 phenson said he thought it humbug ; but he would test 

 its power. Taking up a little oakum, and wrapping 

 some round each hand, he firmly seized hold of the 

 piston-rod and held it down with all his strength. The 

 machine was at once brought to a stand, very much to 

 Mr. Perkins's annoyance. But the humbug had been 

 exploded to Mr. Stephenson' s satisfaction. 



Towards the close of his life he frequently went down 

 to Newcastle, and visited the scenes of his boyhood. 

 " I have been to Callerton," said he one day to a friend, 

 " and seen the fields in which I used to pull turnips at 

 twopence a day ; and many a cold finger, I can tell you, 

 I had." 



On one occasion, he accidentally met a gentleman 

 and his wife at an inn in Derbyshire, whom he enter- 

 tained for some time with his shrewd observations and 

 playful sallies. At length the lady requested to know 

 the name of the remarkable stranger. " Why, madam," 



