Chapter I: Preface

One of the most useful and pleasing forms under which knowledge can be presented to the general reader, is that of the biography of distinguished men who have contributed to the progress of that knowledge in some one or other of its various departments. But it too frequently happens that the biographical notices of great men consist rather of personal, trivial, and unimportant details, than of a clear and broad outline of the influence which they exerted upon the pursuit and upon the age in which they were distinguished. The true object of biography is, in tracing the progress of an individual, to show clearly what result his active life has produced on the well-being of his fellow-men, and also what is the position which he occupies as one of the 'great landmarks in the map of human nature[1].'

Yet we are not satisfied with a biography which regards its subject in his public capacity alone: we are naturally curious to ascertain whether the same qualities which rendered him celebrated in public followed him likewise into private life, and distinguished him there. We regard with interest in his private capacity the man who has been the originator of much public good; we look with an attentive eye on his behaviour when he stands alone, when his native impulses are under no external excitement, when he is, in fact, 'in the undress of one who has retired from the stage on which he felt he had a part to sustain[2].'

But a detail of the public and private events in the life of a distinguished man do not alone suffice to form a just estimate of his character. The reader requires to be made acquainted with the state of a particular branch of knowledge at the time when the individual appeared whose efforts so greatly extended its boundaries;--without this it is quite impossible to estimate the worth of the man whose life is being perused, or the blessings and advantages conferred upon society by his means.

On the other hand, in tracing the history of any particular branch of knowledge, unless connected with biography, we lose sight of individual efforts;--they are mingled with the labours of others, or are absorbed into the history of the whole, and are consequently no longer individualized:--hence we are likely to fail in recognizing the obligations due to our distinguished countrymen, or to deprive of their just merit those of our foreign brethren whose useful lives have influenced distant lands, as well as their own.

With these views we propose to connect the name of SMEATON with the interesting subject of LIGHTHOUSES. In the _first_ place, we propose to present a brief history of Lighthouses, up to the time when Smeaton gave a type for this peculiar class of buildings upon dangerous and difficult points of coast; _secondly_, a general sketch of the life of Smeaton, so far as his very brief biographers will allow; and _thirdly_, a history of the improvements in Lighthouses which have been effected since the erection of the Eddystone.

In this compilation, the writer desires to express his obligations to the following works: _A Narrative of the Building, and a Description of the Construction of the Eddystone Lighthouse with Stone_, by JOHN SMEATON, fol. London, 1791;--Mr. HOLMES's short _Memoir of_ SMEATON;--The Communication of Mrs. DIXON, Smeaton's daughter, to the Institution of Civil Engineers;--_An Account of the Bell-Rock Lighthouse, including the Details of the Erection, and peculiar Structure of that Edifice_, by ROBERT STEVENSON, 4to. Edin. 1824;--_The Edinburgh Encyclopædia_, and the _Encyclopædia Britannica_;--An article _on Lighthouses_, by M. ARAGO, in the _Annuaire_;--_The Civil Engineer's and Architect's Journal_;--_The Nautical Magazine_;--and the _Annual Reports of the Trinity House_ presented to the House of Commons.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Coleridge.]

[Footnote 2: Coleridge.]

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIGHTHOUSES.

PAGE

Origin of Lighthouses--Beacon Fires--Character of the Early Watch-towers--Cressets--Colossus of Rhodes--The Pharos of Alexandria--Epitome of Ancient Lighthouses--The Tour de Corduan 9

CHAPTER II.

THE LIGHTHOUSES OF ENGLAND.

Management of English Lighthouses--The Trinity House--Early History of this Corporation--Management of Lighthouses vested in--The Power of the Crown to grant Patents for Lighthouses-- Recent Law for the Regulation of Lighthouses--Revenue of Corporation--Rates of Dues--How collected and disbursed-- Constitution of the Corporation--The Public Lights of England 15

CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF THE EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE TO THE TIME OF SMEATON.

The Eddystone Rocks--Their Situation and dangerous Character--The first Lighthouse by Winstanley--Its Progress and Completion--Its awful Fate--Rudyerd's Lighthouse--Description of--Its Destruction by Fire--Smeaton appointed to construct a New Edifice 21

CHAPTER IV.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF SMEATON.

Birth of Smeaton--His early Character and Employments--Educated for an attorney--His dislike of that profession--Becomes Philosophical Instrument Maker--His Scientific Inquiries--Is appointed to build the Eddystone Lighthouse--His subsequent Employments--Public Works designed and completed by him--His Literary Works--His last Illness and Death--His Character-- Illustrative Anecdotes 40

CHAPTER V.

THE EDDYSTONE AS A TYPE OF ENGLISH LIGHTHOUSES.

A Stone Lighthouse proposed--Smeaton's first Visit to the Rock--Operations of the First Season--Second Season--Structure of the Foundation--Ingenious Mode of securing the Stones--Third Season--State of the Work--Progress and Description of the Work--Accidents to the Engineer--Proposal to exhibit a Light before the completion of the Building refused--Fourth Season-- Completion of the Work--Appearance of the Lighthouse during a Storm--Situation of the Light-keepers 50

CHAPTER VI.

THE NORTHERN LIGHTHOUSES.

Importance of Lighting the Scottish Coast--Formation of Board of Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses--Early Proceedings of the Board--Principal Northern Lighthouses--The Isle of May Lighthouse--Loss of two Frigates--Application of the Admiralty to the Lighthouse Board, by whom the Duties and the Island of May are purchased--Numerous Shipwrecks on the Island of Sanday--Foundation-stone of Start-Point Lighthouse laid--Rev. W. Traill's Address upon the occasion-- Subsequent Proceedings on Sanday Island--North Ronaldsay Lighthouse--Melancholy Accident--Importance of the Northern Lighthouses 64