Castelli, Benedetto
,
Of the mensuration of running waters
,
1661
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Geometrically in my Treatiſe of the Menſuration of Running
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Waters; ſo that talking with ſeveral perſons, I adventured to
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affirm, in diſcoures, that this improvement might poſſibly be
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brought into a good eſtate.</
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>Now I have reſolved to ſet down my thoughts in writing, and
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to honour this my Paper with the Noble Name of your Lordſhip,
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to render it the more credible and conſpicuous at the firſt view,
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if it ſhould chance that the Subject I treat of, were not of ſuch
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moment, as that it did deſerve to be valued for any other reaſon.
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<
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>Pardon me, Sir, if I have been too bold, and continue me in the
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number of your Servants.</
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>The enterprize of Draining a great part of the Territories of
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the
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Pontine Fenns,
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hath been undertaken both in the time of
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the antient
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Romans,
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and laſt of all, in our days; yea in the late
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times by
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Sixtus
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V. </
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>I do not doubt in the leaſt, but that it will
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be poſſible yet to reduce things to a very good paſs; and if I be not
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miſtaken, with a very ſmall charge in compariſon of the profit that
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would be received from thoſe rich Grounds. </
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<
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>This improvement
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was of great expence in the time of
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Sixtus Quintus,
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but by rea
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ſon the thing was not rightly underſtood, there were made many
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Drains; a great part of which were unprofitable and vain: and
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amongſt ſo many operations, there hapned ſome to be made that
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ſucceeded, as was deſired; but not being underſtood, they were
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held in no account; and thus the buſineſs being neglected, the
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waters are returned into the ſame ſtate as they were at firſt, be
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fore the improvement. </
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<
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>Here I have by familiar diſcourſes
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with my friends, explained this enterprize undertaken by
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Six
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tus
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V. and haply alſo by ſome more antient, with the example of
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the Fable of
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Orilo,
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in
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Arioſto.
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This Monſter was made up with
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ſuch enchantment, that men fought with him alwayes in vain;
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for though in the Combate he were cut in pieces, thoſe divided
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Members preſently re-united, and returned to the fight more
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fierce then ever. </
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>But the
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Paladine Aſtolfo
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coming to undertake
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him, after a long diſpute, at the end he cut his head ſheer off
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from the ſhoulders at one blow; and nimbly alighting from his
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Horſe, took the Monſtrous head, and mounting again, as he rid
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away he fell to ſhave the Pole of that Monſter, and ſo he loſt
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the Lock of Hair, in which alone the enchantment lay; and then
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the horrible Head in an inſtant manifeſted ſigns of death, and the
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trunk which ran, ſeeking to reunite to it anew, gave the laſt gaſp,
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and in this manner the enchantment ended. </
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<
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>The Book of Fate
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ſerved admirably to the
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Paladine,
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whereby he came to under
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ſtand that Charm; for by ſhaving his whole head, the enchanted
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hairs came to be cut off amongſt the reſt: In the ſame manner, I
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ſay, that it hath ſometimes happened in Draining thoſe Fields; </
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