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

32 LIFE OF GEOEGE STEPHENSON. [chap. iir.
the issue of his experiment. But though the heat was kept as
steady as possible, and the eggs were carefully turned every
twelve hours, they never hatched. The eggs chipped, and some
of them exhibited well-grown chicks ; but none of the birds came
forth alive, and thus the experiment failed. This incident, how-
ever, shows that the inquiring mind of the youth was now fairly
at work.
Another of his favourite occupations continued to be the mod-
elling of clay engines. He not only tried to model engines
which he had himself seen, but he also attempted to form models
in clay of engines which were described to him as being in
existence ; and doubtless his modelling at this time, imperfect
though his knowledge was, exhibited considerable improvement
upon his first attempts in the art when a herd-boy in the bog at
Dewley Burn. He was told, however, that all the wonderful
engines of Watt and Boulton, about which he was so anxious to
know, were to be found described in books, and that he must
satisfy his curiosity by searching the publications of the day for
a more complete description of them. But, alas ! Stephenson
could not read ;
he had not yet learnt even his letters.
Thus he shortly found, when gazing wistfully in the direction
of knowledge, that to advance further as a skilled workman, he
must master this wonderful art of reading—the key to so many
other arts. He would thus be enabled to gain an access to
books, the depositories of the experience and wisdom of all times.
Although now a grown man, and doing the work of a man, he
was not ashamed to confess his ignorance and go to school, big
as he was, to learn his letters. Perhaps, too, he foresaw that
in laying out a little of his spare earnings for this purpose^ he
was investing money judiciously, and that, every hour he spent
at school, he was really working for better wages. , At all
events, he determined to make a beginning—a small beginning,
it is true, but still a right one, and a pledge and assurance that
he was in earnest in the work of self-culture. He desired to
find a road into knowledge ; and no man can sincerely desire
this but he will eventually succeed. He possessed that will
and purpose which are the invariable forerunners of success.
His first schoolmaster was Robin Cowens, a poor teacher in