A
CONSIDERATION
Upon the
DRAINING
OF THE
Pontine Fenns.
BY
CONSIDERATION
Upon the
DRAINING
OF THE
Pontine Fenns.
BY
D. BENEDETTO CASTELLI, Abbot
of S. BENEDETTO ALOISIO, and Profeſſor
of the Mathematicks to P. Urban VIII. in the
Univerſity of ROME.
of S. BENEDETTO ALOISIO, and Profeſſor
of the Mathematicks to P. Urban VIII. in the
Univerſity of ROME.
CONSIDERATION III.
Amongſt the enterprizes by me eſteemed, if not ab
ſolutely impoſſible, , at leaſt exceeding difficult,
one was that famous one of Draining the Pontine
Fenns; and therefore I was thorowly reſolved
never to apply my minde thereunto, although
by my Patrons I ſhould be commanded to the
ſame: accounting that it was an occaſion rather of loſing repu
tation by the miſcarriage of the attempt, than of gaining fame by
reducing things to a better paſs then they now are at. Yet never
theleſs, having of late years obſerved the place, and ſailed through
thoſe Chanels, and thoſe Waters; after I had made ſome reflection
thereupon, I thought that the enterprize was not ſo difficult as
I had at firſt conceited it to be; and I am the more confirmed in
this opinion, upon the inducement of that which I have written
ſolutely impoſſible, , at leaſt exceeding difficult,
one was that famous one of Draining the Pontine
Fenns; and therefore I was thorowly reſolved
never to apply my minde thereunto, although
by my Patrons I ſhould be commanded to the
ſame: accounting that it was an occaſion rather of loſing repu
tation by the miſcarriage of the attempt, than of gaining fame by
reducing things to a better paſs then they now are at. Yet never
theleſs, having of late years obſerved the place, and ſailed through
thoſe Chanels, and thoſe Waters; after I had made ſome reflection
thereupon, I thought that the enterprize was not ſo difficult as
I had at firſt conceited it to be; and I am the more confirmed in
this opinion, upon the inducement of that which I have written