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to the title and estates； in 1767； he introduced considerable
improvements in the farmers' houses and farm…steadings； and the
peasants' dwellings； as well as in the roads throughout Eskdale。
Thus a demand sprang up for masons' labour； and Telford's master
had no want of regular employment for his hands。 Telford profited
by the experience which this increase in the building operations of
the neighbourhood gave him； being employed in raising rough walls
and farm enclosures； as well as in erecting bridges across rivers
wherever regular roads for wheel carriages were substituted for the
horse…tracks formerly in use。
During the greater part of his apprenticeship Telford lived in the
little town of Langholm； taking frequent opportunities of visiting
his mother at The Crooks on Saturday evenings； and accompanying her
to the parish church of Westerkirk on Sundays。 Langholm was then a
very poor place； being no better in that respect than the district
that surrounded it。 It consisted chiefly of mud hovels； covered
with thatchthe principal building in it being the Tolbooth；
a stone and lime structure； the upper part of which was used as a
justice…hall and the lower part as a gaol。 There were； however；
a few good houses in the little town； occupied by people of the
better class； and in one of these lived an elderly lady； Miss Pasley；
one of the family of the Pasleys of Craig。 As the town was so
small that everybody in it knew everybody else； the ruddyy…cheeked；
laughing mason's apprentice soon became generally known to all the
townspeople； and amongst others to Miss Pasley。 When she heard that
he was the poor orphan boy from up the valley； the son of the
hard…working widow woman； Janet Jackson； so 〃eident〃 and so
industrious； her heart warmed to the mason's apprentice； and she
sent for him to her house。 That was a proud day for Tom； and when
he called upon her； he was not more pleased with Miss Pasley's
kindness than delighted at the sight of her little library of
books； which contained more volumes than he had ever seen before。
Having by this time acquired a strong taste for reading； and
exhausted all the little book stores of his friends； the joy of the
young mason may be imagined when Miss Pasley volunteered to lend
him some books from her own library。 Of course； he eagerly and
thankfully availed himself of the privilege； and thus； while
working as an apprentice and afterwards as a journeyman； Telford
gathered his first knowledge of British literature； in which he was
accustomed to the close of his life to take such pleasure。
He almost always had some book with him； which he would snatch a
few minutes to read in the intervals of his work； and on winter
evenings he occupied his spare time in poring over such volumes as
came in his way； usually with no better light than the cottage
fire。 On one occasion Miss Pasley lent him 'Paradise Lost；' and he
took the book with him to the hill…side to read。 His delight was
such that it fairly taxed his powers of expression to describe it。
He could only say； 〃I read； and read； and glowred； then read； and
read again。〃 He was also a great admirer of Burns； whose writings
so inflamed his mind that at the age of twenty…two； when barely out
of his apprenticeship； we find the young mason actually breaking
out in verse。*＇1＇ By diligently reading all the books that he could
borrow from friends and neighbours； Telford made considerable
progress in his learning； and； what with his scribbling of 〃poetry〃
and various attempts at composition； he had become so good and
legible a writer that he was often called upon by his less…educated
acquaintances to pen letters for them to their distant friends。
He was always willing to help them in this way； and； the other working
people of the town making use of his services in the same manner；
all the little domestic and family histories of the place soon
became familiar to him。 One evening a Langholm man asked Tom to
write a letter for him to his son in England； and when the young
scribe read over what had been written to the old man's dictation；
the latter； at the end of almost every sentence； exclaimed；
〃Capital！ capital！〃 and at the close he said； 〃Well！ I declare；
Tom！ Werricht himsel' couldna ha' written a better！〃Wright being
a well…known lawyer or 〃writer〃 in Langholm。
His apprenticeship over； Telford went on working as a journeyman at
Langholm； his wages at the time being only eighteen pence a day。
What was called the New Town was then in course of erection；
and there are houses still pointed out in it； the walls of which
Telford helped to put together。 In the town are three arched
door…heads of a more ornamental character than the rest； of Telford's
hewing； for he was already beginning to set up his pretensions as a
craftsman； and took pride in pointing to the superior handiwork
which proceeded from his chisel。
About the same time； the bridge connecting the Old with the New
Town was built across the Esk at Langholm； and upon that structure
he was also employed。 Many of the stones in it were hewn by his
hand； and on several of the blocks forming the land…breast his
tool…mark is still to be seen。
Not long after the bridge was finished； an unusually high flood or
spate swept down the valley。 The Esk was 〃roaring red frae bank to
brae；〃 and it was generally feared that the new brig would be
carried away。 Robin Hotson； the master mason； was from home at the
time； and his wife； Tibby； knowing that he was bound by his
contract to maintain the fabric for a period of seven years； was in
a state of great alarm。 She ran from one person to another；
wringing her hands and sobbing； 〃Oh！ we'll be ruinedwe'll a' be
ruined！〃 In her distress she thought of Telford； in whom she had
great confidence； and called out； 〃Oh！ where's Tammy Telfer
where's Tammy？〃 He was immediately sent for。 It was evening； and
he was soon found at the house of Miss Pasley。 When he came
running up； Tibby exclaimed； 〃Oh； Tammy！ they've been on the brig；
and they say its shakin'！ It 'll be doon！〃 〃Never you heed them；
Tibby；〃 said Telford； clapping her on the shoulder； 〃there's nae
fear o' the brig。 I like it a' the better that it shakes
it proves its weel put thegither。〃 Tibby's fears； however； were not
so easily allayed； and insisting that she heard the brig 〃rumlin；〃
she ran upso the neighbours afterwards used to say of herand set
her back against the parapet to hold it together。 At this； it is
said； 〃Tam bodged and leuch；〃 and Tibby； observing how easily he
took it； at length grew more calm。 It soon became clear enough
that the bridge was sufficiently strong； for the flood subsided
without doing it any harm； and it has stood the furious spates of
nearly a century uninjured。
Telford acquired considerable general experience about the same
time as a house…builder； though the structures on which he was
engaged were of a humble order； being chiefly small farm…houses on
the Duke of Buccleugh's estate； with the usual out…buildings。
Perhaps the most important of the jobs on which he was employed was
the manse of Westerkirk； where he was comparatively at home。
The hamlet stands on a green hill…side； a little below the entrance
to the valley of the Meggat。 It consists of the kirk； the minister's
manse； the parish…school； and a few cottages； every occupant of
which was known to Telford。 It is backed by the purple moors；
up which he loved to wander in his leisure hours and read the poems
of Fergusson and Burns。 The river Esk gurgles along its rocky bed
in the bottom of the dale； separated from the kirkyard by a steep
bank； covered with natural wood； while near at hand； behind the
manse； stretch the fine woods of Wester Hall； where Telford was
often wont to roam。
＇Image＇ Valley of Eskdale； Westerkirk in the distance。
We can scarcely therefore wonder that； amidst such pastoral
scenery； and reading such books as he did； the poetic faculty of
the country mason should have become so decidedly developed。
It was while working at Westerkirk manse that he sketched the first
draft of his descriptive poem entitled 'Eskdale；' which was published
in the 'Poetical Museum' in 1784。*＇2＇ These early poetical efforts
were at least useful in stimulating his self…education。 For the
practice of poetical composition； while it cultivates the
sentiment of beauty in thought and feeling； is probably the best of
all exercises in the art of writing correctly； grammatically；
and expressively。 By drawing a man out of his ordinary calling； too；
it often furnishes him with a power of happy thinking which may in
after life become a source of the purest pleasure； and this； we
believe； proved to be the case with Telford； even though he ceased
in later years to pursue the special cultivation of the art。
Shortly after； when work became slack in the district； Telford
undertook to do small