BEING A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF TIMOTHY CLAXTON, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. TOGETHER WITH J MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. -. 1839. -. CONTENTS.- CHAPTER I. CHILDHOOD. Birth and parentage. Early education. A benevolent lady. Occupations. . Disposition. - Anecdotes. . 9-14 CHAPTER 11. APPRENTICESHIP. Arrangements. Benefits of a little learning. A useful friend. An intelligent journeyman with an ignorant master. An attempt at clock-making. Writing and composition-Advantages of practising them. Draming. Apprenticeship happily ended. . . . . 15-24 CHAPTER 111. RESIDENCE IN LONDON. fanner of spending time. The industrious find enough to do. Experiments on perpetual motion. Ingenious mouse-traps. Female acquaintance. New friends. Marriage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-32 CHAPTER IV. SCIENTIFIC IMPROVEblENT. A new field of thought. Scientific lectures and studies. Formation of the Mechanical Institution. Its history.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-36 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. RESIDENCE I S RUSSIA. Arrival at St. Petersburg. Description of the building in which the writer was employed. Difficulties. Thcir settlement. Recommendation. An accident. A threatened explosion. More scared than hurt. . 37-44 CHAPTER VI. THE ARTS IN RUSSIA. Russian workmen. Public buildings. Carpenters. Ma sons. Useful contrivances. Carriages and horses. Academy of Arts. The Emperors Hermitage. The Summer Palace.. . . . . 45-54 CHAPTER VII. FIRST ADVENTURES IN AMERICA. Employment during the passage to America. Excursions in tile country. First impressions. Anecdote. Residence at hlethuen. Reading society. Amusements, c. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55-64 CHAPTER VIII. RESIDENCE AND OCCUPATION IN BOSTON. How employed. Making of school and philosopllical apparatus. Causcs of success. Loss of shop and materials by fire. Good fortune comcs at last. . S 7 2 CHAPTER IX. INVENTIOXS. Small Air-pump. Experiments performed with it. How invented. Large Air-pump. Medium sizcd Air-pump. Bottle-proving machine. . . . . . . . . . 73-80 CONTENTS. 3 A CHAPTER X.. S0. CIETlES . IN BOSTON. 1 Boston Mechanics Institution. Its history. Classes. r Charitable , Mechanics. Association. Boston Lyceum, . rr Mechanics Lyceum. The Essayist. The Young echanic. fanklinL ectures. . . . . . . 81-92 . . . . . CHAPTER XI. HOME REVISITED. . , . Anticipations. Visits. to friends. London. Early impressions. Occupations. Formation of the Bungay Lyceum. Hints to Mechanics. Engagement in manufacturing apparatus. . . . . . . . . 93-100 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. Introduction, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Origin of Mechanics Institutions, . . . . . . . London Mechanical Institution, . . . . . . . . Methuen Literary Society, . . . . . . . . . . Boston Mechanics Lyceum, . . . . . . . . . The Ignis Fatuus, . . . . . . . . . . . . . I r A Paper for all, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hints on the Economy of Heat, . . . . . . . . New Air Engine, . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perpetual Motion a Perpetual Notion, . . . . . . Theory and Practice, . . . . . . . . . . . . Hydrostatic Lamps, . . . . . . . . . . . . A New Discovery-Apprentices Library A ssociations, Amphibious Steamer, . . . , . . . , . . . . 4 CONTENTS . Society for the Encouragement of hleclianical Genius. 1.1 Warming Kooms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.57 The Present Condition of the Working Classes. . 160 Extracts fro111 Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . J G2 Jlussian Recomlnendation. . . . . . . . . . . 1 67 Tlie Young 3Ic. clinnic. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 G Rlr . CInstons Inventions. . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Tlie Bungay Lyccunl. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 73 . IIints to 3Icchanics. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.