pondence which only constant practice can give. He
gradually, however, acquired great facility in dictation, and possessed
the power of labouring continuously at this work; the gentleman who acted
as his secretary in 1835, having informed us that during his busy season
he one day dictated not fewer than 37 letters, several of them embodying
the results of much close thinking and calculation. On another occasion,
he dictated reports and letters for twelve continuous hours, until his
secretary was ready to drop off his chair from sheer exhaustion, and at
length he pleaded for a suspension of the labour. This great mass of
correspondence, although closely bearing on the subjects under
discussion, was not, however, of a kind to supply the biographer with
matter for quotation, or give that insight into the life and character of
the writer which the letters of literary men so often furnish. They
were, for the most part, letters of mere business, relating to works in
progress, parliamentary contests, new surveys, estimates of cost, and
railway policy,--curt, and to the point; in short, the letters of a man
every moment of whose time was precious. He was also frequently called
upon to inspect and report upon colliery works, salt works, brass and
copper works, and such like, in addition to his own colliery and railway
business. And occasionally he would run up to London, for the purpose of
attending in person to the preparation and deposit of the plans and
sections of the projected undertakings of which he had been appointed
engineer.

Fortunately Stephenson possessed a facility of sleeping, which enabled
him to pass through this enormous amount of fatigue and labour without
injury to his health. He had been trained in a hard school, and could
bear with ease conditions which, to men more softly nurtured, would have
been the extreme of physical discomfort. Many, many nights he snatched
his sleep while travelling in his chaise; and at break of day he would be
at work, surveying until dark, and this for weeks in succession. His
whole powers seemed to be under the control of his will, for he could
wake at any hour, and go to work at once. It was difficult for
secretaries and assistants to keep up with such a man.

It is pleasant to record that in the midst of these engrossing
occupations, his heart remained as soft and loving as ever. In
spring-time he would not be debarred of his boyish pursuit of
bird-nesting; but woul