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authorised Telford himself to conduct the necessary excavations at
his expense。 This he promptly proceeded to do； and the result was；
that an extensive hypocaust apartment was brought to light； with
baths； sudatorium； dressing…room； and a number of tile pillars
all forming parts of a Roman floorsufficiently perfect to show
the manner in which the building had been constructed and used。*＇9＇
Among Telford's less agreeable duties about the same time was that
of keeping the felons at work。 He had to devise the ways and means
of employing them without risk of their escaping； which gave him
much trouble and anxiety。 〃Really；〃 he said； 〃my felons are a very
troublesome family。 I have had a great deal of plague from them；
and I have not yet got things quite in the train that I could wish。
I have had a dress made for them of white and brown cloth； in such
a way that they are pye…bald。 They have each a light chain about
one leg。 Their allowance in food is a penny loaf and a halfpenny
worth of cheese for breakfast； a penny loaf； a quart of soup； and
half a pound of meat for dinner； and a penny loaf and a halfpenny
worth of cheese for supper； so that they have meat and clothes at
all events。 I employ them in removing earth； serving masons or
bricklayers； or in any common labouring work on which they can be
employed； during which time； of course； I have them strictly
watched。〃
Much more pleasant was his first sight of Mrs。 Jordan at the
Shrewsbury theatre； where he seems to have been worked up to a
pitch of rapturous enjoyment。 She played for six nights there at
the race time； during which there were various other'
entertainments。 On the second day there was what was called an
Infirmary Meeting； or an assemblage of the principal county
gentlemen in the infirmary； at which； as county surveyor； Telford
was present。 They proceeded thence to church to hear a sermon
preached for the occasion； after which there was a dinner； followed
by a concert。 He attended all。 The sermon was preached in the new
pulpit； which had just been finished after his design； in the
Gothic style； and he confidentially informed his Langholm
correspondent that he believed the pulpit secured greater
admiration than the sermon； With the concert he was completely
disappointed； and he then became convinced that he had no ear for
music。 Other people seemed very much pleased； but for the life of
him he could make nothing of it。 The only difference that he
recognised between one tune and another was that there was a
difference in the noise。 〃It was all very fine；〃 he said； 〃I have
no doubt； but I would not give a song of Jock Stewart *＇10＇ for the
whole of them。 The melody of sound is thrown away upon me。 One
look； one word of Mrs。 Jordan； has more effect upon me than all the
fiddlers in England。 Yet I sat down and tried to be as attentive as
any mortal could be。 I endeavoured； if possible； to get up an
interest in what was going on； but it was all of no use。 I felt no
emotion whatever； excepting only a strong inclination to go to
sleep。 It must be a defect； but it is a fact； and I cannot help it。
I suppose my ignorance of the subject； and the want of musical
experience in my youth； may be the cause of it。〃*＇11＇ Telford's
mother was still living in her old cottage at The Crooks。 Since he
had parted from her； he had written many printed letters to keep
her informed of his progress； and he never wrote to any of his
friends in the dale without including some message or other to his
mother。 Like a good and dutiful son； he had taken care out of his
means to provide for her comfort in her declining years。 〃She has
been a good mother to me；〃 he said； 〃and I will try and be a good
son to her。〃 In a letter written from Shrewsbury about this time；
enclosing a ten pound note； seven pounds of which were to be given
to his mother； he said； 〃I have from time to time written William
Jackson ＇his cousin＇ and told him to furnish her with whatever she
wants to make her comfortable； but there may be many little things
she may wish to have； and yet not like to ask him for。 You will
therefore agree with me that it is right she should have a little
cash to dispose of in her own way。。。。 I am not rich yet； but it
will ease my mind to set my mother above the fear of want。 That has
always been my first object； and next to that； to be the somebody
which you have always encouraged me to believe I might aspire to
become。 Perhaps after all there may be something in it！〃 *＇12＇
He now seems to have occupied much of his leisure hours in
miscellaneous reading。 Among the numerous books which he read； he
expressed the highest admiration for Sheridan's 'Life of Swift。'
But his Langholm friend； who was a great politician； having invited
his attention to politics； Telford's reading gradually extended in
that direction。 Indeed the exciting events of the French
Revolution then tended to make all men more or less politicians。
The capture of the Bastille by the people of Paris in 1789 passed
like an electric thrill through Europe。 Then followed the
Declaration of Rights； after which； in the course of six months；
all the institutions which had before existed in France were swept
away； and the reign of justice was fairly inaugurated upon earth！
In the spring of 1791 the first part of Paine's 'Rights of Man'
appeared； and Telford； like many others； read it； and was at once
carried away by it。 Only a short time before； he had admitted with
truth that he knew nothing of politics； but no sooner had he read
Paine than he felt completely enlightened。 He now suddenly
discovered how much reason he and everybody else in England had for
being miserable。 While residing at Portsmouth； he had quoted to his
Langholm friend the lines from Cowper's 'Task；' then just
published； beginning 〃Slaves cannot breathe in England；〃 but lo！
Mr。 Paine had filled his imagination with the idea that England was
nothing but a nation of bondmen and aristocrats。 To his natural
mind； the kingdom had appeared to be one in which a man had pretty
fair play； could think and speak； and do the thing he would；
tolerably happy； tolerably prosperous； and enjoying many blessings。
He himself had felt free to labour； to prosper； and to rise from
manual to head work。 No one had hindered him； his personal liberty
had never been interfered with； and he had freely employed his
earnings as he thought proper。 But now the whole thing appeared a
delusion。 Those rosy…cheeked old country gentlemen who came riding
into Shrewsbury to quarter sessions； and were so fond of their
young Scotch surveyor occupying themselves in building bridges；
maintaining infirmaries； making roads； and regulating gaols
those county magistrates and members of parliament； aristocrats all；
were the very men who； according to Paine； were carrying the
country headlong to ruin！
If Telford could not offer an opinion on politics before； because
he 〃knew nothing about them；〃 he had now no such difficulty。 Had
his advice been asked about the foundations of a bridge； or the
security of an arch； he would have read and studied much before
giving it； he would have carefully inquired into the chemical
qualities of different kinds of limeinto the mechanical
principles of weight and resistance； and such like； but he had no
such hesitation in giving an opinion about the foundations of a
constitution of more than a thousand years' growth。 Here； like
other young politicians； with Paine's book before him； he felt
competent to pronounce a decisive judgment at once。 〃I am
convinced；〃 said he； writing to his Langholm friend； 〃that the
situation of Great Britain is such； that nothing short of some
signal revolution can prevent her from sinking into bankruptcy；
slavery； and insignificancy。〃 He held that the national expenditure
was so enormous；*＇13＇ arising from the corrupt administration of
the country； that it was impossible the 〃bloated mass〃 could hold
together any longer； and as he could not expect that 〃a hundred
Pulteneys；〃 such as his employer； could be found to restore it to
health； the conclusion he arrived at was that ruin was
〃inevitable。〃*＇14＇ Notwithstanding the theoretical ruin of England
which pressed so heavy on his mind at this time； we find Telford
strongly recommending his correspondent to send any good wrights he
could find in his neighbourhood to Bath； where they would be
enabled to earn twenty shillings or a guinea a week at piece…work
the wages paid at Langholm for similar work being only about half
those amounts。
In the same letter in which these observations occur； Telford
alluded to the disgraceful riots at Birmingham； in the course of
which Dr。 Priestley's house and library were destroyed。 As the
outrages were the work of the mob； Telford could not charge the
aristocracy with them； but with equal injustice he laid the blame
at the door of