himself to study
diligently the principles of mechanics, and to master the laws by which
his engine worked. For a workman, he was even at that time more than
ordinarily speculative--often taking up strange theories, and trying to
sift out the truth that was in them. While sitting by his wife's side in
his cottage-dwelling in the winter evenings, he was usually occupied in
studying mechanical subjects, or in modelling experimental machines.
Amongst his various speculations while at Willington, he tried to
discover a means of Perpetual Motion. Although he failed, as so many
others had done before him, the very efforts he made tended to whet his
inventive faculties, and to call forth his dormant powers. He went so
far as to construct the model of a machine for the purpose. It consisted
of a wooden wheel, the periphery of which was furnished with glass tubes
filled with quicksilver; as the wheel rotated, the quicksilver poured
itself down into the lower tubes, and thus a sort of self-acting motion
was kept up in the apparatus, which, however, did not prove to be
perpetual. Where he had first obtained the idea of this machine--whether
from conversation or reading, is not known; but his son Robert was of
opinion that he had heard of the apparatus of this kind described in the
"History of Inventions." As he had then no access to books, and indeed
could barely read with ease, it is probable that he had been told of the
contrivance, and set about testing its value according to his own
methods.

Much of his spare time continued to be occupied by labour more
immediately profitable, regarded in a pecuniary point of view. In the
evenings, after his day's labour at his engine, he would occasionally
employ himself for an hour or two in casting ballast out of the collier
ships, by which means he was enabled to earn a few extra shillings
weekly. Mr. William Fairbairn of Manchester has informed us that while
Stephenson was employed at Willington, he himself was working in the
neighbourhood as an engine apprentice at the Percy Main Colliery. He was
very fond of George, who was a fine, hearty fellow, besides being a
capital workman. In the summer evenings young Fairbairn was accustomed
to go down to the Quay to see his friend, and on such occasions he would
frequently take charge of George's engine while he took a turn at heaving
ballast out of the ships' holds. It is pleasant to think of the future
President of the British Ass