1the River Arno raiſed by a Land-flood half a Brace, I might con
fidently affirm the ſaid River to be raiſed in Piſa thoſe ſix or ſe
ven Braces, &c. From ſuch like accidents I conclude in the ſame
Letter, that it is neceſſary to make great account of every little
riſe that Fiume morto ſhall make towards the Sea. Now cometh
Bartolotti (and perhaps becauſe I knew not how to expreſs my
ſelf better, underſtandeth not my Propoſition) and ſpeaketh that
which indeed is true, but yet beſides our caſe: Nor have I ever
ſaid the contrary; and withall doth not apply it to his purpoſe.
Nay I ſay, that if he had well applyed it, this alone had been a
ble to have made him change his opinion. And becauſe he ſaith,
that I ſaid, that it is true, when the abatement proceedeth from
ſome cauſe above, as namely by Rain, or opening of Lakes;
But when the cauſe is from below, that is, by ſome ſtop, as for
inſtance ſome Fiſhers Wears or Locks, or ſome impediment re
mote from the Sea, although at the Level it ſhall riſe ſome Braces
where the impediment is, yet that riſing ſhall go upwards; and
here he finiſheth his Diſcourſe, and concludeth not any thing
more. To which I ſay firſt, that I have alſo ſaid the ſame in the
Propoſition, namely, that a Flood coming (which maketh Arno
to riſe in Piſa ſix or ſeven Braces (which I take to be a ſuperiour
cauſe whether it be Rain or the opening of Lakes, as beſt plea
ſeth Bartolotti) in ſuch a caſe I ſay, and in no other (for towards
the Sea-coaſts it ſhall not cauſe a riſing of full half a Brace; and
therefore ſeeing Arno at the Sea-ſide to be raiſed by a Flood, whe
ther of Rain, or of opening of Lakes half a Brace) it may be
inferred, that at Piſa it ſhall be raiſed thoſe ſix or ſeven Braces;
which variety, well conſidered, explaineth all this affair in favour
of my opinion: For the riſing that is made by the impediment
placed below, of Fiſhing Weares and Locks, operateth at the be
ginning, raiſing the Waters that are neer to the impediment;
and afterwards leſs and leſs, as we retire upwards from the im
pediment: provided yet that we ſpeak not of a Flood that com
meth by acceſſion, but onely of the ordinary Water impeded.
But there being a new acceſſion, as in our caſe, then the Water
of the Flood, I ſay, ſhall make a greater riſing in the parts ſuperi
our, far from the impediment; and theſe impediments ſhall
come to be thoſe that ſhall overflow the Plains, as happened
eighteen or nineteen years ago, before the opening of Fiume
morto into the Sea, The ſame will certainly follow, if Fiume
morto be let into Serchio. Here I could alledge a very pretty
caſe that befell me in la ^{*} Campagna di Roma, neer to the Sea
ſide. where I drained a Bog or Fen, of the nature of the Wa
ters of Piſa, and I ſucceeded in the enterprize, the Waters in their
ſite towards the Sea abating only three Palmes, and yet in the
fidently affirm the ſaid River to be raiſed in Piſa thoſe ſix or ſe
ven Braces, &c. From ſuch like accidents I conclude in the ſame
Letter, that it is neceſſary to make great account of every little
riſe that Fiume morto ſhall make towards the Sea. Now cometh
Bartolotti (and perhaps becauſe I knew not how to expreſs my
ſelf better, underſtandeth not my Propoſition) and ſpeaketh that
which indeed is true, but yet beſides our caſe: Nor have I ever
ſaid the contrary; and withall doth not apply it to his purpoſe.
Nay I ſay, that if he had well applyed it, this alone had been a
ble to have made him change his opinion. And becauſe he ſaith,
that I ſaid, that it is true, when the abatement proceedeth from
ſome cauſe above, as namely by Rain, or opening of Lakes;
But when the cauſe is from below, that is, by ſome ſtop, as for
inſtance ſome Fiſhers Wears or Locks, or ſome impediment re
mote from the Sea, although at the Level it ſhall riſe ſome Braces
where the impediment is, yet that riſing ſhall go upwards; and
here he finiſheth his Diſcourſe, and concludeth not any thing
more. To which I ſay firſt, that I have alſo ſaid the ſame in the
Propoſition, namely, that a Flood coming (which maketh Arno
to riſe in Piſa ſix or ſeven Braces (which I take to be a ſuperiour
cauſe whether it be Rain or the opening of Lakes, as beſt plea
ſeth Bartolotti) in ſuch a caſe I ſay, and in no other (for towards
the Sea-coaſts it ſhall not cauſe a riſing of full half a Brace; and
therefore ſeeing Arno at the Sea-ſide to be raiſed by a Flood, whe
ther of Rain, or of opening of Lakes half a Brace) it may be
inferred, that at Piſa it ſhall be raiſed thoſe ſix or ſeven Braces;
which variety, well conſidered, explaineth all this affair in favour
of my opinion: For the riſing that is made by the impediment
placed below, of Fiſhing Weares and Locks, operateth at the be
ginning, raiſing the Waters that are neer to the impediment;
and afterwards leſs and leſs, as we retire upwards from the im
pediment: provided yet that we ſpeak not of a Flood that com
meth by acceſſion, but onely of the ordinary Water impeded.
But there being a new acceſſion, as in our caſe, then the Water
of the Flood, I ſay, ſhall make a greater riſing in the parts ſuperi
our, far from the impediment; and theſe impediments ſhall
come to be thoſe that ſhall overflow the Plains, as happened
eighteen or nineteen years ago, before the opening of Fiume
morto into the Sea, The ſame will certainly follow, if Fiume
morto be let into Serchio. Here I could alledge a very pretty
caſe that befell me in la ^{*} Campagna di Roma, neer to the Sea
ſide. where I drained a Bog or Fen, of the nature of the Wa
ters of Piſa, and I ſucceeded in the enterprize, the Waters in their
ſite towards the Sea abating only three Palmes, and yet in the
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