ch was often a cause of great anxiety and pain to him; for it was
difficult to satisfy men of all tempers, and some of these not of the
most generous sort. On such occasions he might be seen with his
right-hand thumb thrust through the topmost button-hole of his
coat-breast, vehemently hitching his right shoulder, as was his habit
when labouring under any considerable excitement. Occasionally he would
take an early ride before breakfast, to inspect the progress of the
Sankey viaduct. He had a favourite horse, brought by him from Newcastle,
called "Bobby,"--so tractable that, with his rider on his back, he would
walk up to a locomotive with the steam blowing off, and put his nose
against it without shying. "Bobby," saddled and bridled, was brought to
Mr. Stephenson's door betimes in the morning; and mounting him, he would
ride the fifteen miles to Sankey, putting up at a little public house
which then stood upon the banks of the canal. There he had his breakfast
of "crowdie," which he made with his own hands. It consisted of oatmeal
stirred into a basin of hot water,--a sort of porridge,--which was supped
with cold sweet milk. After this frugal breakfast, he would go upon the
works, and remain there, riding from point to point for the greater part
of the day. When he returned before mid-day, he examined the pay-sheets
in the different departments, sent in by the assistant engineers, or by
the foremen of the workshops. To all these he gave his most careful
personal attention, requiring when necessary a full explanation of the
items.

After a late dinner, which occupied very short time and was always of a
plain and frugal description, he disposed of his correspondence, or
prepared sketches of drawings, and gave instructions as to their
completion. He would occasionally refresh himself for this evening work
by a short doze, which, however, he would never admit had exceeded the
limits of "winking," to use his own term. Mr. Frederick Swanwick, who
officiated as his secretary, after the appointment of Mr. Gooch as
Resident Engineer to the Bolton and Leigh Railway, has informed us that
he then remarked--what in after years he could better appreciate--the
clear, terse, and vigorous style of Mr. Stephenson's dictation. There
was nothing superfluous in it; but it was close, direct, and to the
point,--in short, thoroughly businesslike. And if, in passing through
the pen of the amanuensis, his meaning happened in any way