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parish of Westerkirk was； it possessed the advantage of that
admirable institution； the parish school。 The legal provision made
at an early period for the education of the people in Scotland；
proved one of their greatest boons。 By imparting the rudiments of
knowledge to all； the parish schools of the country placed the
children of the peasantry on a more equal footing with the children
of the rich； and to that extent redressed the inequalities of
fortune。 To start a poor boy on the road of life without
instruction； is like starting one on a race with his eyes bandaged
or his leg tied up。 Compared with the educated son of the rich man；
the former has but little chance of sighting the winning post。
To our orphan boy the merely elementary teaching provided at the
parish school of Westerkirk was an immense boon。 To master this was
the first step of the ladder he was afterwards to mount： his own
industry； energy； and ability must do the rest。 To school
accordingly he went； still working a…field or herding cattle during
the summer months。 Perhaps his own 〃penny fee〃 helped to pay the
teacher's hire； but it is supposed that his cousin Jackson defrayed
the principal part of the expense of his instruction。 It was not
much that he learnt； but in acquiring the arts of reading； writing；
and figures； he learnt the beginnings of a great deal。 Apart from
the question of learning； there was another manifest advantage to
the poor boy in mixing freely at the parish school with the sons of
the neighbouring farmers and proprietors。 Such intercourse has an
influence upon a youth's temper； manners； and tastes； which is
quite as important in the education of character as the lessons of
the master himself； and Telford often； in after life； referred with
pleasure to the benefits which he had derived from his early school
friendships。 Among those to whom he was accustomed to look back
with most pride； were the two elder brothers of the Malcolm family；
both of whom rose to high rank in the service of their country；
William Telford； a youth of great promise； a naval surgeon；
who died young； and the brothers William and Andrew Little； the former
of whom settled down as a farmer in Eskdale； and the latter；
a surgeon； lost his eyesight when on service off the coast of Africa。
Andrew Little afterwards established himself as a teacher at
Langholm； where he educated； amongst others； General Sir Charles
Pasley； Dr。 Irving； the Custodier of the Advocate's Library at
Edinburgh； and others known to fame beyond the bounds of their
native valley。 Well might Telford say； when an old man； full of
years and honours； on sitting down to write his autobiography；
〃I still recollect with pride and pleasure my native parish of
Westerkirk； on the banks of the Esk； where I was born。〃
＇Image＇ Westerkirk Church and School。
Footnotes for Chapter I。
*＇1＇ Sir Waiter Scott； in his notes to the 'Minstrelsy of the
Scottish Border；' says that the common people of the high parts of
Liddlesdale and the country adjacent to this day hold the memory of
Johnnie Armstrong in very high respect。
*＇2＇ It was long before the Reformation flowed into the secluded
valley of the Esk； but when it did； the energy of the Borderers
displayed itself in the extreme form of their opposition to the old
religion。 The Eskdale people became as resolute in their
covenanting as they had before been in their free…booting； the
moorland fastnesses of the moss…troopers becoming the haunts of the
persecuted ministers in the reign of the second James。 A little
above Langholm is a hill known as 〃Peden's View；〃 and the well in
the green hollow at its foot is still called 〃Peden's Well〃that
place having been the haunt of Alexander Peden； the 〃prophet。〃 His
hiding…place was among the alder…bushes in the hollow； while from
the hill…top he could look up the valley； and see whether the
Johnstones of Wester Hall were coming。 Quite at the head of the
same valley； at a place called Craighaugh； on Eskdale Muir； one
Hislop； a young covenanter； was shot by Johnstone's men； and buried
where he fell； a gray slabstone still marking the place of his rest。
Since that time； however； quiet has reigned in Eskdale； and its
small population have gone about their daily industry from one
generation to another in peace。 Yet though secluded and apparently
shut out by the surrounding hills from the outer world； there is
not a throb of the nation's heart but pulsates along the valley；
and when the author visited it some years since； he found that a
wave of the great Volunteer movement had flowed into Eskdale；
and the 〃lads of Langholm〃 were drilling and marching under their
chief； young Mr。 Malcolm of the Burnfoot； with even more zeal than
in the populous towns and cities of the south。
*＇3＇ The names of the families in the valley remain very nearly the
same as they were three hundred years agothe Johnstones； Littles；
Scotts； and Beatties prevailing above Langholm； and the Armstrongs；
Bells； Irwins； and Graemes lower down towards Canobie and Netherby。
It is interesting to find that Sir David Lindesay； in his curious
drama published in 'Pinkerton's Scottish Poems' vol。 ii。； p。 156；
gives these as among the names of the borderers some three hundred
years since。 One Common Thift； when sentenced to condign
punishment； thus remembers his Border friends in his dying speech：
〃Adew！ my bruther Annan thieves；
That holpit me in my mischeivis；
Adew！ Grosaws； Niksonis； and Bells；
Oft have we fairne owrthreuch the fells：
Adew！ Robsons； Howis； and Pylis；
That in our craft hes mony wilis：
Littlis； Trumbells； and Armestranges；
Baileowes； Erewynis； and Elwandis；
Speedy of flicht； and slicht of handis；
The Scotts of Eisdale； and the Gramis；
I haf na time to tell your nameis。〃
Telford； or Telfer； is an old name in the same neighbourhood；
commemorated in the well known border ballad of 'Jamie Telfer of
the fair Dodhead。' Sir W。 Scott says； in the 'Minstrelsy；' that
〃there is still a family of Telfers。 residing near Langholm ； who
pretend to derive their descent from the Telfers of the Dodhead。〃
A member of the family of 〃Pylis〃 above mentioned； is said to have
migrated from Ecclefechan southward to Blackburn； and there founded
the celebrated Peel family。
*＇4＇ We were informed in the valley that about the time of Telford's
birth there were only two tea…kettles in the whole parish of
Westerkirk； one of which was in the house of Sir James Johnstone
of Wester Hall； and the other at 〃The Burn；〃 the residence of
Mr。 Pasley； grandfather of General Sir Charles Pasley。
CHAPTER II。
LANGHOLMTELFORD LEARNS THE TRADE OF A STONEMASON。
The time arrived when young Telford must be put to some regular
calling。 Was he to be a shepherd like his father and his uncle；
or was he to be a farm…labourer； or put apprentice to a trade？
There was not much choice； but at length it was determined to bind
him to a stonemason。 In Eskdale that trade was for the most part
confined to the building of drystone walls； and there was very
little more art employed in it than an ordinarily neat…handed
labourer could manage。 It was eventually decided to send the
youthand he was now a strong lad of about fifteento a mason at
Lochmaben； a small town across the hills to the westward； where a
little more building and of a better sortsuch as of farm…houses；
barns； and road…bridgeswas carried on than in his own immediate
neighbourhood。 There he remained only a few months； for his master
using him badly； the high…spirited youth would not brook it； and
ran away； taking refuge with his mother at The Crooks； very much to
her dismay。
What was now to be done with Tom？ He was willing to do anything or
go anywhere rather than back to his Lochmaben master。 In this
emergency his cousin Thomas Jackson； the factor or land…steward at
Wester Hall； offered to do what he could to induce Andrew Thomson；
a small mason at Langholm； to take Telford for the remainder of his
apprenticeship； and to him he went accordingly。 The business
carried on by his new master was of a very humble sort。 Telford；
in his autobiography； states that most of the farmers' houses in the
district then consisted of 〃one storey of mud walls； or rubble
stones bedded in clay； and thatched with straw； rushes； or heather；
the floors being of earth； and the fire in the middle； having a
plastered creel chimney for the escape of the smoke； while； instead
of windows； small openings in the thick mud walls admitted a scanty
light。〃 The farm…buildings were of a similarly wretched
description。
The principal owner of the landed property in the neighbourhood was
the Duke of Buccleugh。 Shortly after the young Duke Henry succeeded
to the title and estates； in 1767； he introduced considerable
improvements in the farmers' houses an