1there could no account be kept: For the wiſe and prudent
Prieſt of the Sacred Grotto anſwered, That the deceit lay in the
length, which they were defrauded of, in that the velocity of the
ftuffe was retarded, as it iſſued out of the Cave: and although
the total length of the Piece was infinite, for that it never cea
ſed coming forth, and ſo was not to be computed; yet never
theleſs its length conſidered, part by part, as it came out of the
Cave, and was bargained for, continued ſtill finite, and might
be one while greater, and another while leſſer, according as the
Piece was conſtituted in greater or leſſer velocity; and he added
withall, that exact Juſtice required, that when they ſold a piece
of ſtuff, and the propriety or dominion therein, they ought not
only to have aſcertained the breadth and thickneſſe of the Piece,
but alſo to have determined the length, determining its ve
locity.
Prieſt of the Sacred Grotto anſwered, That the deceit lay in the
length, which they were defrauded of, in that the velocity of the
ftuffe was retarded, as it iſſued out of the Cave: and although
the total length of the Piece was infinite, for that it never cea
ſed coming forth, and ſo was not to be computed; yet never
theleſs its length conſidered, part by part, as it came out of the
Cave, and was bargained for, continued ſtill finite, and might
be one while greater, and another while leſſer, according as the
Piece was conſtituted in greater or leſſer velocity; and he added
withall, that exact Juſtice required, that when they ſold a piece
of ſtuff, and the propriety or dominion therein, they ought not
only to have aſcertained the breadth and thickneſſe of the Piece,
but alſo to have determined the length, determining its ve
locity.
The ſame diſorder and confuſion, that was repreſented in the
Fable, doth come to paſſe in the Hiſtory of the Diſtribution of
the Waters of Conduits and Fountains, ſeeing that they are ſold
and bought, having regard only to the two Dimenſions, I mean
of Breadth and Height of the Mouth that diſchargeth the Wa
ter; and to remedy ſuch an inconvenience, it is neceſſary to de
termine the length in the velocity; for never ſhall we be able to
make a gueſſe at the quantity of the Body of Running Water,
with the two Dimenſions only of Breadth and Height, without
Length.
Fable, doth come to paſſe in the Hiſtory of the Diſtribution of
the Waters of Conduits and Fountains, ſeeing that they are ſold
and bought, having regard only to the two Dimenſions, I mean
of Breadth and Height of the Mouth that diſchargeth the Wa
ter; and to remedy ſuch an inconvenience, it is neceſſary to de
termine the length in the velocity; for never ſhall we be able to
make a gueſſe at the quantity of the Body of Running Water,
with the two Dimenſions only of Breadth and Height, without
Length.
And to the end, that the whole buſineſs may be reduced
to a moſt eaſie practice, by which the waters of Aqueducts
may be bought and ſold juſtly, and with meaſures alwayes ex
act and conſtant.
to a moſt eaſie practice, by which the waters of Aqueducts
may be bought and ſold juſtly, and with meaſures alwayes ex
act and conſtant.
Firſt, the quantity of the Water ought diligently to be exa
mined, which the whole principal ^{*} Pipe diſchargeth in a time
certain, as for inſtance, in an hour, in half an hour, or in a leſſe
interval of time, (for knowing which I have a moſt exact and
eaſie Rule) and finding that the whole principal pipe diſchar
geth v. g. a thouſand Tuns of Water in the ſpace of one or
more hours, in ſelling of this water, it ought not to be uttered by
the ordinary and falſe meaſure, but the diſtribution is to be
made with agreement to give and maintain to the buyer ten or
twenty, or a greater number of Tuns, as the bargain ſhall be
made, in the ſpace of an hour, or of ſome other ſet and deter
minate time. And here I adde, that if I were to undertake to
make ſuch an adjuſtment, I would make uſe of a way to divide
and meaſure the time with ſuch accurateneſſe, that the ſpace of
an hour ſhould be divided into four, ſix, or eight thouſand parts
mined, which the whole principal ^{*} Pipe diſchargeth in a time
certain, as for inſtance, in an hour, in half an hour, or in a leſſe
interval of time, (for knowing which I have a moſt exact and
eaſie Rule) and finding that the whole principal pipe diſchar
geth v. g. a thouſand Tuns of Water in the ſpace of one or
more hours, in ſelling of this water, it ought not to be uttered by
the ordinary and falſe meaſure, but the diſtribution is to be
made with agreement to give and maintain to the buyer ten or
twenty, or a greater number of Tuns, as the bargain ſhall be
made, in the ſpace of an hour, or of ſome other ſet and deter
minate time. And here I adde, that if I were to undertake to
make ſuch an adjuſtment, I would make uſe of a way to divide
and meaſure the time with ſuch accurateneſſe, that the ſpace of
an hour ſhould be divided into four, ſix, or eight thouſand parts
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