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mechanical inventor is on account of the Jib or Balance Crane of the Bell
Rock； which are beautiful contrivances。 But the great merit of this
engineer was not in the field of engines。 He was above all things a
projector of works in the face of nature； and a modifier of nature itself。 A
road to be made； a tower to be built； a harbour to be constructed； a river to
be trained and guided in its channel … these were the problems with which
his mind was continually occupied； and for these and similar ends he
travelled the world for more than half a century； like an artist； note…book in
hand。
He once stood and looked on at the emptying of a certain oil…tube； he
did so watch in hand； and accurately timed the operation； and in so doing
offered the perfect type of his profession。 The fact acquired might never
be of use： it was acquired： another link in the world's huge chain of
processes was brought down to figures and placed at the service of the
engineer。 ‘The very term mensuration sounds ENGINEER…LIKE；' I find
him writing； and in truth what the engineer most properly deals with is
that which can be measured； weighed； and numbered。 The time of any
operation in hours and minutes； its cost in pounds； shillings； and pence； the
strain upon a given point in foot…pounds … these are his conquests； with
which he must continually furnish his mind； and which； after he has
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acquired them； he must continually apply and exercise。 They must be not
only entries in note…books； to be hurriedly consulted； in the actor's phrase；
he must be STALE in them； in a word of my grandfather's； they must be
‘fixed in the mind like the ten fingers and ten toes。'
These are the certainties of the engineer； so far he finds a solid footing
and clear views。 But the province of formulas and constants is restricted。
Even the mechanical engineer comes at last to an end of his figures； and
must stand up； a practical man； face to face with the discrepancies of
nature and the hiatuses of theory。 After the machine is finished； and the
steam turned on； the next is to drive it； and experience and an exquisite
sympathy must teach him where a weight should be applied or a nut
loosened。 With the civil engineer； more properly so called （if anything
can be proper with this awkward coinage）； the obligation starts with the
beginning。 He is always the practical man。 The rains； the winds and
the waves； the complexity and the fitfulness of nature； are always before
him。 He has to deal with the unpredictable； with those forces （in
Smeaton's phrase） that ‘are subject to no calculation'； and still he must
predict； still calculate them； at his peril。 His work is not yet in being； and
he must foresee its influence： how it shall deflect the tide； exaggerate the
waves； dam back the rain…water； or attract the thunderbolt。 He visits a
piece of sea…board； and from the inclination and soil of the beach； from the
weeds and shell…fish； from the configuration of the coast and the depth of
soundings outside； he must deduce what magnitude of waves is to be
looked for。 He visits a river； its summer water babbling on shallows； and
he must not only read； in a thousand indications； the measure of winter
freshets； but be able to predict the violence of occasional great floods。
Nay； and more； he must not only consider that which is； but that which
may be。 Thus I find my grandfather writing； in a report on the North Esk
Bridge： ‘A less waterway might have sufficed； but the VALLEYS MAY
COME TO BE MELIORATED BY DRAINAGE。' One field drained
after another through all that confluence of vales； and we come to a time
when they shall precipitate by so much a more copious and transient flood；
as the gush of the flowing drain…pipe is superior to the leakage of a peat。
It is plain there is here but a restricted use for formulas。 In this sort
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of practice； the engineer has need of some transcendental sense。
Smeaton； the pioneer； bade him obey his ‘feelings'； my father； that ‘power
of estimating obscure forces which supplies a coefficient of its own to
every rule。' The rules must be everywhere indeed； but they must
everywhere be modified by this transcendental coefficient； everywhere
bent to the impression of the trained eye and the FEELINGS of the
engineer。 A sentiment of physical laws and of the scale of nature； which
shall have been strong in the beginning and progressively fortified by
observation； must be his guide in the last recourse。 I had the most
opportunity to observe my father。 He would pass hours on the beach；
brooding over the waves； counting them； noting their least deflection；
noting when they broke。 On Tweedside； or by Lyne or Manor； we have
spent together whole afternoons； to me； at the time； extremely wearisome；
to him； as I am now sorry to think； bitterly mortifying。 The river was to
me a pretty and various spectacle； I could not see … I could not be made to
see … it otherwise。 To my father it was a chequer…board of lively forces；
which he traced from pool to shallow with minute appreciation and
enduring interest。 'That bank was being under…cut；' he might say。 ‘Why？
Suppose you were to put a groin out here； would not the FILUM
FLUMINIS be cast abruptly off across the channel？ and where would it
impinge upon the other shore？ and what would be the result？ Or suppose
you were to blast that boulder； what would happen？ Follow it … use the
eyes God has given you … can you not see that a great deal of land would
be reclaimed upon this side？' It was to me like school in holidays； but to
him； until I had worn him out with my invincible triviality； a delight。
Thus he pored over the engineer's voluminous handy…book of nature； thus
must； too； have pored my grand…father and uncles。
But it is of the essence of this knowledge； or this knack of mind； to be
largely incommunicable。 ‘It cannot be imparted to another；' says my
father。 The verbal casting…net is thrown in vain over these evanescent；
inferential relations。 Hence the insignificance of much engineering
literature。 So far as the science can be reduced to formulas or diagrams；
the book is to the point； so far as the art depends on intimate study of the
ways of nature； the author's words will too often be found vapid。 This
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fact … that engineering looks one way； and literature another … was what my
grand…father overlooked。 All his life long； his pen was in his hand； piling
up a treasury of knowledge； preparing himself against all possible
contingencies。 Scarce anything fell under his notice but he perceived in
it some relation to his work； and chronicled it in the pages of his journal in
his always lucid； but sometimes inexact and wordy； style。 The Travelling
Diary （so he called it） was kept in fascicles of ruled paper； which were at
last bound up； rudely indexed； and put by for future reference。 Such
volumes as have reached me contain a surprising medley： the whole
details of his employment in the Northern Lights and his general practice；
the whole biography of an enthusiastic engineer。 Much of it is useful and
curious； much merely otiose； and much can only be described as an
attempt to impart that which cannot be imparted in words。 Of such are
his repeated and heroic descriptions of reefs； monuments of misdirected
literary energy； which le