1unleſs it be as it is at Venice, that the Lakes
being kept in conſtant Agitation by the Winds
and Tides, never ſubſide, and ſo cannot cor
rupt. The Country of Alexandria is ſaid to
have been much of the ſame Nature; but the
conſtant overflowing of the Nile in Summer,
cured it of that Defect. Thus we are in
ſtructed by Nature what is proper to be done,
and that where the Ground is marſhy, we
ought either to dry it up entirely, or elſe to
bring a conſtant Supply of running Water into
it, either from ſome Stream or River, or from
the Sea; or laſtly, to dig it ſo deep as to come
to ſome living Spring. Of which we ſhall ſay
no more in this Place.
being kept in conſtant Agitation by the Winds
and Tides, never ſubſide, and ſo cannot cor
rupt. The Country of Alexandria is ſaid to
have been much of the ſame Nature; but the
conſtant overflowing of the Nile in Summer,
cured it of that Defect. Thus we are in
ſtructed by Nature what is proper to be done,
and that where the Ground is marſhy, we
ought either to dry it up entirely, or elſe to
bring a conſtant Supply of running Water into
it, either from ſome Stream or River, or from
the Sea; or laſtly, to dig it ſo deep as to come
to ſome living Spring. Of which we ſhall ſay
no more in this Place.
CHAP. II.
That Water is the moſt neceſſary Thing of all, and of its various Sorts.
We are now to take care that nothing
be wanting, which may be neceſſary
for our Uſe. What Things are neceſſary I
ſhall not waſte much Time in recounting, be
cauſe they are manifeſt, as Food, Raiment,
Shelter, and, above all Things, Water. Thales
the Mileſian affirmed, that Water was the firſt
Principle of all Things, and even of Commu
nities among Men. Ariſtobulus ſays, that he
ſaw above a thouſand Towns left quite deſart,
becauſe the River Indus had turned his Courſe
another Way. I own it to be my Opinion,
that Water is to Animals the Source of natural
Heat and the Nouriſher of Life; not to men
tion its Conſequence to Plants, and to every
Thing elſe which is intended for the Uſe of
Mankind; to all which I imagine it to be ſo
abſolutely neceſſary, that, without Water, no
thing which grows or is nouriſhed in the Earth
would be capable even of exiſting. In the
Country, along the River Euphrates, the People
do not ſuffer their Cattle to feed as long as
they would, for fear of their growing too fat
in Paſtures too luxurious, occaſioned, as is ſup
poſed, by the Exuberance of Moiſture: And
ſome believe, that ſuch huge Bodies as Whales
are produced in the Sea, becauſe of the great
Abundance of Nouriſhment which is afforded
by Water. Xenophon tells us, that the Kings
of Sparta were allowed, by way of Dignity,
to have a Lake of Water before the Doors of
their Houſes. Water is uſed by us in the Ce
remonies of our Nuptials, Sacrifices, and almoſt
all other ſacred Rites, according to the Prac
tice of our Fore-fathers; all which ſhews what
a high Eſteem ancient Times had of Water.
But indeed who can deny the great Uſe and
Service which it is of to Mankind, inſomuch
that it is always thought to be deficient, where
there is not a very large Abundance of it for all
Manner of Occaſions. With this great Ne
ceſſary therefore, we ſhall here begin, ſince,
according to the old Saying, we want it whe
ther ſick or well. The Meſſagetœ, a Nation
of Scythia, made their Country abound in Wa
ter by opening the River Aragus in ſeveral
Places. The Tygris and Euphrates were brought
by Labour to Babylon, which was built origi
nally in a dry Place. Queen Semiramis cut a
Paſſage through a high Hill for the Space of
five-and-twenty Furlongs to make Way for a
Canal, fifteen Foot broad, by which ſhe brought
Water to the City of Ecbatana. An Arabian
King brought Water from the Chorus, a River
of Arabia, into that droughty Deſart where he
waited for Cambyſes, in an Aqueduct made of
the Hides of Bulls, if we may believe every
thing that we read in Herodotus. In the Coun
try of the Samians, among other ſurprizing
Works, the moſt extraordinary of all was a
Trench ſeventy Furlongs in Length, made
through a Mountain which was an hundred
and fifty Paces high. Megareus's Conduct was
alſo mightily admired, which brought the
Water of a Spring to the City in a Frame
twenty Foot high. But in my Judgment the
ancient City of Rome far excelled all the Cities
in the World in the Grandeur and Contrivance
of her Aqueducts, and the great Plenty of
Water conveyed in them. But you are not
every where ſure to find Springs or Rivers from
whence Water can be brought. Alexander,
to ſupply his Fleet with Water, dug a Number
of Wells along the Sea Shore of Perſia. Ap
pian tells us, that Hannibal, when he was cloſe
preſſed by Scipio, near the Town of Cilla, not
being able to find Water in the Field where he
was encamped, provided for the Neceſſities of
his Troops by digging Wells. Beſides, it is
not all Waters which you find, that are good
and proper for the Uſe of Men; for beſides
that, ſome are hot, ſome cold, ſome ſweet,
be wanting, which may be neceſſary
for our Uſe. What Things are neceſſary I
ſhall not waſte much Time in recounting, be
cauſe they are manifeſt, as Food, Raiment,
Shelter, and, above all Things, Water. Thales
the Mileſian affirmed, that Water was the firſt
Principle of all Things, and even of Commu
nities among Men. Ariſtobulus ſays, that he
ſaw above a thouſand Towns left quite deſart,
becauſe the River Indus had turned his Courſe
another Way. I own it to be my Opinion,
that Water is to Animals the Source of natural
Heat and the Nouriſher of Life; not to men
tion its Conſequence to Plants, and to every
Thing elſe which is intended for the Uſe of
Mankind; to all which I imagine it to be ſo
abſolutely neceſſary, that, without Water, no
thing which grows or is nouriſhed in the Earth
would be capable even of exiſting. In the
Country, along the River Euphrates, the People
do not ſuffer their Cattle to feed as long as
they would, for fear of their growing too fat
in Paſtures too luxurious, occaſioned, as is ſup
poſed, by the Exuberance of Moiſture: And
ſome believe, that ſuch huge Bodies as Whales
are produced in the Sea, becauſe of the great
Abundance of Nouriſhment which is afforded
by Water. Xenophon tells us, that the Kings
of Sparta were allowed, by way of Dignity,
to have a Lake of Water before the Doors of
their Houſes. Water is uſed by us in the Ce
remonies of our Nuptials, Sacrifices, and almoſt
all other ſacred Rites, according to the Prac
tice of our Fore-fathers; all which ſhews what
a high Eſteem ancient Times had of Water.
But indeed who can deny the great Uſe and
Service which it is of to Mankind, inſomuch
that it is always thought to be deficient, where
there is not a very large Abundance of it for all
Manner of Occaſions. With this great Ne
ceſſary therefore, we ſhall here begin, ſince,
according to the old Saying, we want it whe
ther ſick or well. The Meſſagetœ, a Nation
of Scythia, made their Country abound in Wa
ter by opening the River Aragus in ſeveral
Places. The Tygris and Euphrates were brought
by Labour to Babylon, which was built origi
nally in a dry Place. Queen Semiramis cut a
Paſſage through a high Hill for the Space of
five-and-twenty Furlongs to make Way for a
Canal, fifteen Foot broad, by which ſhe brought
Water to the City of Ecbatana. An Arabian
King brought Water from the Chorus, a River
of Arabia, into that droughty Deſart where he
waited for Cambyſes, in an Aqueduct made of
the Hides of Bulls, if we may believe every
thing that we read in Herodotus. In the Coun
try of the Samians, among other ſurprizing
Works, the moſt extraordinary of all was a
Trench ſeventy Furlongs in Length, made
through a Mountain which was an hundred
and fifty Paces high. Megareus's Conduct was
alſo mightily admired, which brought the
Water of a Spring to the City in a Frame
twenty Foot high. But in my Judgment the
ancient City of Rome far excelled all the Cities
in the World in the Grandeur and Contrivance
of her Aqueducts, and the great Plenty of
Water conveyed in them. But you are not
every where ſure to find Springs or Rivers from
whence Water can be brought. Alexander,
to ſupply his Fleet with Water, dug a Number
of Wells along the Sea Shore of Perſia. Ap
pian tells us, that Hannibal, when he was cloſe
preſſed by Scipio, near the Town of Cilla, not
being able to find Water in the Field where he
was encamped, provided for the Neceſſities of
his Troops by digging Wells. Beſides, it is
not all Waters which you find, that are good
and proper for the Uſe of Men; for beſides
that, ſome are hot, ſome cold, ſome ſweet,