54 The PytcJiley Htmt, Past and Pi^esent, [chap. h. 



good people of Northampton tbat coal was to be found at 

 Kingsthorpe. Asked for liis opinion on this iaiportant 

 question^ Mr. Murchison unhesitatingly affirmed that 

 '' no coal was to be found anywhere in Northampton- 

 shire/^ The stone, however, had been set rolling ; the 

 spirit of speculation was stalking abroad, and tbe opinion 

 of a geologist who had not a coaly mind was held of 

 little worth. A company was formed ; shares were 

 taken up by small tradesmen and domestic servants ; a 

 shaft was sunk at Kingsttorpe ; and loud were the 

 promises of the consulting engineer. For a time, all 

 went on merry as a marriage-bell. Hope played her 

 usual part and filled the air with flattering .tales. The 

 shareholders of moderate means felt assured that the 

 ship they had been so long dreaming of had come in at 

 last, and that they were about to be as well off as other 

 folk, if not better ! When one tine day it was noised 

 abroad ^^ that coal of good quality had been found in the 

 pit/^ the excitement was uncontrollable. Tlie bells of 

 the Northampton churcbes were set a-ringing ; flags 

 were displayed from the windows ; pedestrians in the 

 streets congratulated each other; and it was agreed on 

 all sides that the shoemakers' city was to become an im- 

 proved Birmingham. The rejoicings, however, were 

 but short-lived. On some of the exultant shareholders 

 wishing to hear all about the discovery from the 

 engineer himself, he was nowhere to be found ! But 

 he left a statement to the effect that the pieces of the 

 much desired mineral had been found in the pit, but — 

 that they were only what he had taken down himself ! 

 He kindly added the information that " to the best of 

 his belief, there was no other coal within miles of where 



