his duties.

As Maudslay had served no regular apprenticeship, and was of a very
youthful appearance, the foreman of the shop had considerable doubts as
to his ability to take rank alongside his experienced hands. But
Maudslay soon set his master's and the foreman's mind at rest.
Pointing to a worn-out vice-bench, he said to Bramah, "Perhaps if I can
make that as good as new by six o'clock to-night, it will satisfy your
foreman that I am entitled to rank as a tradesman and take my place
among your men, even though I have not served a seven years'
apprenticeship." There was so much self-reliant ability in the
proposal, which was moreover so reasonable, that it was at once acceded
to. Off went Maudslay's coat, up went his shirt sleeves, and to work
he set with a will upon the old bench. The vice-jaws were re-steeled
"in no time," filed up, re-cut, all the parts cleaned and made trim,
and set into form again. By six o'clock, the old vice was screwed up
to its place, its jaws were hardened and "let down" to proper temper,
and the old bench was made to look so smart and neat that it threw all
the neighbouring benches into the shade! Bramah and his foreman came
round to see it, while the men of the shop looked admiringly on. It
was examined and pronounced "a first-rate job." This diploma piece of
work secured Maudslay's footing, and next Monday morning he came on as
one of the regular hands.

He soon took rank in the shop as a first-class workman. Loving his
art, he aimed at excellence in it, and succeeded. For it must be
understood that the handicraftsman whose heart is in his calling, feels
as much honest pride in turning out a piece of thoroughly good
workmanship, as the sculptor or the painter does in executing a statue
or a picture. In course of time, the most difficult and delicate jobs
came to be entrusted to Maudslay; and nothing gave him greater pleasure
than to be set to work upon an entirely new piece of machinery. And
thus he rose, naturally and steadily, from hand to head work. For his
manual dexterity was the least of his gifts. He possessed an intuitive
power of mechanical analysis and synthesis. He had a quick eye to
perceive the arrangements requisite to effect given purposes; and
whenever a difficulty arose, his inventive mind set to work to overcome
it.

His fellow-workmen were not slow to recognise his many admirable
qualities, of hand, mind, and heart; and he became not only the
favouri