These views were early adopted by the author and carried out by him in the preparation of the original work, with the concurrence of Robert Stephenson, who supplied the necessary particulars relating to himself. Such portions of these were accordingly embodied in the narrative as could with propriety be published during his life-time, and the remaining portions are now added with the object of rendering more complete the record of the son's life, as well as the early history of the Railway System. CONTENTS. PART I. CHAPTER I. SCHEMERS AND PROJECTORS. Man's Desire for rapid Transit.--Origin of the Railway.--Early Coal Wagon-ways in the North of England.--Early Attempts to apply the Power of Wind to drive Carriages.--Sailing-coaches.--Sir Isaac Newton's Proposal to employ Steam-power.--Dr. Darwin's Speculations on the Subject.--Mr. Edgeworth's Speculations.--Dr. Darwin's Prophecy. Pg 47 CHAPTER II. EARLY LOCOMOTIVE MODELS. Watt and Robison's proposed Steam-carriage.--Memoir of Joseph Cugnot and his Road-locomotive.--Francis Moore.--James Watt's Specification of a Locomotive-engine.--William Murdoch's Model.--William Symington's model Steam-carriage.--Oliver Evans's model Locomotive. 60 CHAPTER III. THE CORNISH LOCOMOTIVE--MEMOIR OF TREVITHICK. Early Welsh Railway Acts.--Wandsworth, Croydon, and Merstham Railway.--Boyhood of Trevithick.--Becomes an Engineer.--His Career.--Constructs a Steam-carriage.--Its Exhibition in London.--Constructs a Tram-engine.--Its Trial on the Merthyr Railroad.--Trevithick's Improvements in the Steam-engine.--Attempts to construct a Tunnel under the Thames.--His numerous Inventions and Patents.--Engines ordered of him for Peru.--Trevithick a Mining Engineer in South America.--Is ruined by the Peruvian Revolution.--His return Home.--His last Patents.--Death and Characteristics. 73 PART II. CHAPTER I. THE NEWCASTLE COAL-FIELD--GEORGE STEPHENSON'S EARLY YEARS. Newcastle in ancient Times.--The Coal-trade.--Modern Newcastle.--The Colliery Workmen.--The Pumping-engines.--The Pitmen.--The Keelmen.--Wylam Colliery and Village.--George Stephenson's Birthplace.--The Stephenson Family.--Old Robert Stephenson.--George's Boyhood.--Employed as a Herd-boy.--Makes Clay Engines.--Employed as Corf-bitter.--Drives the Gin-horse.--Appointed assistant Fireman. 97 CHAPTER II. NEWBURN AND CALLERTON--GEORGE STEPHENSON LEARNS TO BE AN ENGINE-MAN. Stephenson's Life at Newburn.--Appointed Engine-man.--Duties of Plugman.--Study of the Steam-engine.--Experiments in Bird-hatching.--Learns to Read.--His Schoolmasters.--Progress in Arithmetic.--His Dog.--Learns to Brake.--Duties of Brakesman.--Begins Shoe-mending.--Fight with a Pitman. 111 CHAPTER III. ENGINE-MAN AT WILLINGTON QUAY AND KILLINGWORTH.