ItwasinahouseofsuchindustryandmechanismthatIwasbroughtup。Asayouth，Iwasslowatmylessons；preferringtowatchandassistworkmenwhenIhadanopportunityofdoingso，evenwiththecertaintyofhavingathrashingfromtheschoolmasterformyneglect。ThusIgottoknoweveryworkshopandeveryworkmaninthetown。AtanyrateIpickedupasmatteringofavarietyoftrades，whichafterwardsprovedofthegreatestusetome。Thechiefofthesewaswoodenshipbuilding，abranchofindustrythenextensivelycarriedonbyMessrs。
WilliamandRobertTindall，theformerofwhomresidedinLondon；
hewasoneofthehalf-dozengreatshipbuildersandownerswhofounded“Lloyd’s。“SplendidEastIndiamen，ofsome1000tonsburden，werethenbuiltatScarborough；andscarcelyatimberwasmoulded，aplankbent，asparlinedoff，orlaunchingship-wayslaid，withoutmybeingpresenttowitnessthem。Andthus，incourseoftime，Iwasabletomakeformyselftheneatestandfastestofmodelyachts。
Atthattime，IattendedtheGrammarSchool。Oftherudimentstaught，Iwasfondestofdrawing，geometry，andEuclid。Indeed，IwenttwicethroughthefirsttwobooksofthelatterbeforeI
wastwelveyearsold。AtthisageIwassenttotheEdinburghAcademy，myeldestbrotherWilliambeingthenamedicalstudentattheUniversity。IremainedatEdinburghtwoyears。Myearlyprogressinmathematicswouldhavebeenlostintheclassicaltrainingwhichwastheninsisteduponattheacademy，butformybrotherwhowasnotonlyagoodmathematicianbutanexcellentmechanic。Hetookcaretocarryonmyinstructioninthatbranchofknowledge，aswellastoteachmetomakemodelsofmachinesandbuildings，inwhichhewashimselfproficient。Iremember，inoneofmyjourneystoEdinburgh，bycoachfromDarlington，thatagentlemanexpressedhiswonderwhatascrewpropellercouldbelike；forthescrew，asamethodofpropulsion，wasthenbeingintroduced。Ipointedouttohimthepatenttailofawindmillbytheroadside，andsaid，“Itisjustlikethat！“