Note 9 — THE EYES BUSY ON THINGS ABOUT US.

“Sir Isambert Bru-nelˈ.” (1769-1849.) The well known executor of the Thames tunnel. He was a Frenchman, and was intended for the church, but manifested so strong a liking for the physical sciences, and so great a genius for mathematics, that he was allowed to follow his natural bent and adopt the profession of a civil engineer. During the French Revolution he emigrated to the United States, where he engaged in many great works. After a stay of some years he went to England and there invented a number of useful machines, and was steadily employed upon important architectural and engineering works. His greatest achievement was the construction of the tunnel under the Thames River, which after many difficulties and disasters was completed in 1843, eighteen years after it was commenced. He was a member of the Royal Society, and also of the French Academy.