CHAPTER XVIII. GEORGE STEPHENSON’S CLOSING YEARS—ILLNESS AND DEATH. George Stephenson’s Life at Tapton—Experiments in 341–356 Horticulture, Gardening, and Farming—Affection for animals—Bird-hatching and bee-keeping—Reading and conversation—Rencontre with Lord Denman—Hospitality at Tapton—Experiments with the microscope—Frolics—“A crowdie night”—Visits to London—Visit to Sir Robert Peel at Drayton Manor—Encounter with Dr. Buckland—Coal formed by the sun’s light—Opening of the Trent Valley Railway—Meeting with Emerson—Illness, death, and funeral—Memorial Statues CHAPTER XIX. ROBERT STEPHENSON’S VICTORIA BRIDGE, LOWER CANADA—ILLNESS AND DEATH—STEPHENSON CHARACTERISTICS. Robert Stephenson’s inheritances—Gradual retirement 357–380 from the profession of engineer—His last great works—Tubular Bridges over the St. Lawrence and the Nile—The Grand Trunk Railway, Canada—Necessity for a great railway bridge near Montreal—Discussion as to the plan—Robert Stephenson’s report—A tubular bridge determined on—Massiveness of the piers—Ice-floods in the St. Lawrence—Victoria Bridge constructed and completed—Tubular bridges in Egypt—The Suez Canal—Robert Stephenson’s employment as arbitrator—Assists Brunel at launching of the “Great Eastern”—Regardlessness of health—Death and Funeral—Characteristics of the Stephensons and resumé of their history—Politics of father and son—Services rendered to civilization by the Stephensons INDEX 381 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE