Castelli, Benedetto, Of the mensuration of running waters, 1661

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              thoſe who finde therein ſome kinde of obſcurity.</s>
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              * Larghezza, but
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              miſprinted.</s>
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              <s>In the dayes of yore, before that the admirable Art of Wea­
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              ving was in uſe, there was found in
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              Perſia
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              a vaſtand unvaluable
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              Treaſure, which conſiſted in an huge multitude of pieces of Er­
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              meſin, or Damask, I know not whether; which, as I take it,
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              amounted to near two thouſand pieces; which were of ſuch a
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              nature, that though their Breadth and Thickneſs were finite and
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              determinate, as they uſe to be at this day; yet nevertheleſs, their
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              Length was in a certain ſenſe infinite, for that thoſe two thouſand
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              pieces, day and night without ceaſing, iſſued out with their ends
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              at ſuch a rate, that of each piece there iſſued 100. Ells a day, from
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              a deep and dark Cave, conſecrated by the Superſtition of thoſe
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              people, to the fabulous
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              Arachne.
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              In thoſe innocent and early
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              times (I take it to have been, in that ſo much applauded and
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              deſired Golden age) it was left to the liberty of any one, to cut
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              off of thoſe pieces what quantity they pleaſed without any diffi­
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              culty: But that felicity decaying and degenerating, which was
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              altogether ignorant of
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              Meum
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              and
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              Tuum
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              ; terms certainly moſt
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              pernicious, the Original of all evils, and cauſe of all diſcords;
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              there were by thoſe people ſtrong and vigilant Guards placed
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              upon the Cave, who reſolved to make merchandize of the Stuffes;
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              and in this manner they began to ſet a price upon that ineſtima­
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              ble Treaſure, ſelling the propriety in thoſe pieces to divers Mer­
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              chants; to ſome they ſold a right in one, to ſome in two, and to
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              ſome in more. </s>
              <s>But that which was the worſt of all, There was
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              found out by the inſatiable avarice of theſe men crafty inventions
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              to deceive the Merchants alſo; who came to buy the aforeſaid
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              commodity, and to make themſelves Maſters, ſome of one
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              ſome of two, and ſome of more ends of thoſe pieces of ſtuff;
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              and in particular, there were certain ingenuous Machines placed
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              in the more ſecret places of the Cave, with which at the pleaſure
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              of the Guards, they did retard the velocity of thoſe Stuffs, in
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              their iſſuing out of the Cave; inſomuch, that he who ought to have
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              had 100. Ells of Stuff in a day, had not above 50, and he who
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              ſhould have had 400, enjoyed the benefit of 50. onely; and ſo all
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              the reſt were defrauded of their Rights, the ſurpluſage being ſold,
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              appropriated, and ſhared at the will of the corrupt Officers: So
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              that the buſineſs was without all order or juſtice, inſomuch that
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              the Goddeſs
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              Arachne
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              being diſpleaſed at thoſe people, deprived
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              every one of their benefit, and with a dreadful Earthquake for
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              ever cloſing the mouth of the Cave, in puniſhment of ſo much
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              impiety and malice: Nor did it avail them to excuſe themſelves,
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              by ſaying that they allowed the Buyer the Breadth and Thick­
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              neſs bargained for; and that of the Length, which was infinite, </s>
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