The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

176 LIFE OF GEOEGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xvi.
the obstacles which still lay in their way, Stephenson said to
him, "I think, sir, I have some knowledge of craniology, and
from what I see of your head, I feel sure that if you will fairly
hucMe to this railway, you are the man successfully to carry it
through." " I think so, too," rejoined Mr. Pease ; " and I may
observe to thee, that if thou succeed in making this a good railway,
thou may consider thy fortune as good as made." He
added that all they would require at present was an estimate of
the cost of resurveying the line, with the direction of which the
company were not quite satisfied ; and as they had already paid
away several hundred pounds, and found themselves very little
advanced, Mr. Pease asked that this new survey should be done
at as little expense as possible. This Stephenson readily as-
sented to ; and after Mr. Pease had pledged himself to bring
his application for the appointment of engineer before the Di-
rectors on an early day, and to support it with his influence, the
two visitors prepared to take their leave, informing Mr. Pease
that they intended to return as they had come, " by nip ;
" that
is, they would obtain a sort of smuggled lift on the stage coach,
by tipping Jehu,—for in those days the stage coachmen were
wont to regard all casual roadside passengers as their special
perquisite. And thus the two contrived to make a cheap jour-
ney of it between Darlington and Killingworth.
Mr. Pease having made further inquiries respecting the
character and qualifications of George Stephenson, and having
received from John Grimshaw—also a Friend, the inventor of
endless spinning—a very strong recommendation of him as the
right man for the intended work, he brought the subject of his
application before the directors of the Stockton and Darlington
Company. They resolved to adopt his recommendation that a
railway be formed instead of a tramroad ; and they further re-
quested Mr. Pease to write to Mr. Stephenson, which he ac-
cordingly did, requesting him to report as to the practicabiUty,
or otherwise, of the line as laid out by Mr. Overton, and to state
his recommendations as to any deviations or improvements in its
course, together with estimates of comparative expenses. " In
short," said Mr. Pease, " we wish thee to proceed in all thy
levels, estimates, and calculations, with that care and economy