1he ſhall plainly ſee, who ſhall have underſtood my Book of the
Meaſure of Running Waters And this was the Reaſon why all
the Countrey did grow dry upon the opening of the Mouth into
the Sea. And here I propoſe to conſideration that which the Pea
ſants about Piſa relate, namely, That the Water in the Fields
doth no conſiderable harm by continuing there five or ſix, yea, or
eight dayes. And therefore the work of the Countrey is to o
pen the Mouth of Fiume morto, in ſuch manner, that the Water
being come, they may have the Trench free and ready, when that
the Water cometh it may have a free drain, and may not ſtay
there above eight or nine dayes, for then the overflowings be
come hurtful. It is to be deſired alſo, that if any Propoſition is
produced touching theſe affairs, it might be propounded the moſt
diſtinctly that may be poſſible, and not conſiſt in generals, eſpe
cially when the Diſpute is of the riſings, of velocity, of tardity,
of much and little water; things that are all to be ſpecified by
meaſures.
Meaſure of Running Waters And this was the Reaſon why all
the Countrey did grow dry upon the opening of the Mouth into
the Sea. And here I propoſe to conſideration that which the Pea
ſants about Piſa relate, namely, That the Water in the Fields
doth no conſiderable harm by continuing there five or ſix, yea, or
eight dayes. And therefore the work of the Countrey is to o
pen the Mouth of Fiume morto, in ſuch manner, that the Water
being come, they may have the Trench free and ready, when that
the Water cometh it may have a free drain, and may not ſtay
there above eight or nine dayes, for then the overflowings be
come hurtful. It is to be deſired alſo, that if any Propoſition is
produced touching theſe affairs, it might be propounded the moſt
diſtinctly that may be poſſible, and not conſiſt in generals, eſpe
cially when the Diſpute is of the riſings, of velocity, of tardity,
of much and little water; things that are all to be ſpecified by
meaſures.
6. Your Letter ſaith, in the next place, that Signore Barto
lotti confeſſeth, that if the Mouth of the Fiume morto might al
wayes be kept open, it would be better to let it continue as it is:
the which, that I may not yield to him in courteſie, I confeſſe,
for the keeping it ſtopt on all ſides would be a thing moſt per
nicious. But admitting of his confeſſion I again reply, that Fi
ume morto ought not to be let into Serchio, but immediately in
to the Sea; becauſe although ſometimes the Mouth to Sea
wards be ſtopt up, yet for all that, the raiſing of the Bank above
the Plains (which is all the buſineſſe of importance) ſhall be ever
leſſer, if we make uſe of the Mouth leading to the Sea, than u
ſing that of Serchio.
lotti confeſſeth, that if the Mouth of the Fiume morto might al
wayes be kept open, it would be better to let it continue as it is:
the which, that I may not yield to him in courteſie, I confeſſe,
for the keeping it ſtopt on all ſides would be a thing moſt per
nicious. But admitting of his confeſſion I again reply, that Fi
ume morto ought not to be let into Serchio, but immediately in
to the Sea; becauſe although ſometimes the Mouth to Sea
wards be ſtopt up, yet for all that, the raiſing of the Bank above
the Plains (which is all the buſineſſe of importance) ſhall be ever
leſſer, if we make uſe of the Mouth leading to the Sea, than u
ſing that of Serchio.
7. I will not omit to mention a kinde of ſcruple that I have
concerning the poſition of Sign. Bartolotti, that is, where he ſaith
that the two Mouths A and D are equal to the like Mouths into
the Sea; Now it ſeems to me, that the Mouth A of Fiume morto
into Serchio is abſolutely within Serchio, nor can it be made low
er, and is regulated by the height of Serchio: But the Mouth
of Fiume morto terminates, and ought to be underſtood to ter
minate in the Sea it ſelf, the loweſt place. And this I believe
was very well peroeived by Sig. Bartolotti, but I cannot tell why
he paſt it over without declaring it: and we ſee not that the
Mouth D falleth far from the Sea, which Mouth ought to be let
into the Sea it ſelf, and ſo the advantage of the Mouth into the
Sea more clearly appeareth.
concerning the poſition of Sign. Bartolotti, that is, where he ſaith
that the two Mouths A and D are equal to the like Mouths into
the Sea; Now it ſeems to me, that the Mouth A of Fiume morto
into Serchio is abſolutely within Serchio, nor can it be made low
er, and is regulated by the height of Serchio: But the Mouth
of Fiume morto terminates, and ought to be underſtood to ter
minate in the Sea it ſelf, the loweſt place. And this I believe
was very well peroeived by Sig. Bartolotti, but I cannot tell why
he paſt it over without declaring it: and we ſee not that the
Mouth D falleth far from the Sea, which Mouth ought to be let
into the Sea it ſelf, and ſo the advantage of the Mouth into the
Sea more clearly appeareth.
8. That which Sig. Bartolotti addeth, that when it is high
Waters, at ſuch time as the Waters are out, and when Winds
choak up Fiume morto, they not only retard it, but return the
Waters, at ſuch time as the Waters are out, and when Winds
choak up Fiume morto, they not only retard it, but return the