1And ſo great is the eſteem that I have for that which I am now
about to ſay touching this particular, that I am content that all
the reſt of my Diſcourſe be rejected; provided, that that be per
fectly underſtood, which I am hereafter to propoſe, I holding
and knowing it to be a main Principle, upon which all that is
founded that can be ſaid either well or handſomely on this parti
cular. The other Diſcourſes may have an appearance of being
probable, but this hits the mark as full as can be deſired, arriving
at the higheſt degree of certainty.
about to ſay touching this particular, that I am content that all
the reſt of my Diſcourſe be rejected; provided, that that be per
fectly underſtood, which I am hereafter to propoſe, I holding
and knowing it to be a main Principle, upon which all that is
founded that can be ſaid either well or handſomely on this parti
cular. The other Diſcourſes may have an appearance of being
probable, but this hits the mark as full as can be deſired, arriving
at the higheſt degree of certainty.
I have, ſeventeen years ſince, as I repreſented to the moſt Se
rene Prince, and to the Right Honourable the Preſident of the
Lords the Commiſſioners of the ^{*}Sewers, written a Treatiſe of the
Meaſure of the waters that move, in which I Geometrically de
monſtrate and declare this buſineſſe, and they who ſhall have
well underſtood the ground of my Diſcourſe, will reſt fully ſa
tisfied with that which I am now about to propoſe: But that all
may become rhe more eaſie, I will more briefly explicate and
declare ſo much thereof as I have demonſtrated in the Diſcourſe,
which will ſuffice for our purpoſe: And if that ſhould not be
enough, we have alwayes the experiment of a very eaſie and
cheap way to clear up the whole buſineſſe. And moreover I
will take the boldneſſe to affirm, that in caſe there ſhould not for
the preſent any deliberation be made concerning this affair, ac
cording to my opinion; yet nevertheleſſe it will be, at ſome
time or other; or if it be not, things will grow worſe and
worſe.
rene Prince, and to the Right Honourable the Preſident of the
Lords the Commiſſioners of the ^{*}Sewers, written a Treatiſe of the
Meaſure of the waters that move, in which I Geometrically de
monſtrate and declare this buſineſſe, and they who ſhall have
well underſtood the ground of my Diſcourſe, will reſt fully ſa
tisfied with that which I am now about to propoſe: But that all
may become rhe more eaſie, I will more briefly explicate and
declare ſo much thereof as I have demonſtrated in the Diſcourſe,
which will ſuffice for our purpoſe: And if that ſhould not be
enough, we have alwayes the experiment of a very eaſie and
cheap way to clear up the whole buſineſſe. And moreover I
will take the boldneſſe to affirm, that in caſe there ſhould not for
the preſent any deliberation be made concerning this affair, ac
cording to my opinion; yet nevertheleſſe it will be, at ſome
time or other; or if it be not, things will grow worſe and
worſe.
* I. Savii dell'
Acque, a particu
lar Council that
take care of the
Lakes and other
Aquatick affairs.
Acque, a particu
lar Council that
take care of the
Lakes and other
Aquatick affairs.
For more clear underſtanding, therefore, it ought to be known,
that it being required, as it is generally uſed, to meaſure the wa
ters of a River, its breadth and its depth is taken, and theſe two
dimenſions being multiplied together, the product is affirmed to
be the quantity of that River: As for example, if a River ſhall
be 100. feet broad, and 20. feet high, it will be ſaid, that that
River is 2000 feet of Water, and ſo if a Ditch ſhall be 15. feet
broad, and 5. feet high, this ſame Ditch will be affirmed to be
75. feet of Water: And this manner of meaſuring Running
Water hath been uſed by the Ancients, and by Moderns, with
no other difference, ſave onely that ſome have made uſe of the
Foot, others of the Palme, others of the Brace, and others of
other meaſures.
that it being required, as it is generally uſed, to meaſure the wa
ters of a River, its breadth and its depth is taken, and theſe two
dimenſions being multiplied together, the product is affirmed to
be the quantity of that River: As for example, if a River ſhall
be 100. feet broad, and 20. feet high, it will be ſaid, that that
River is 2000 feet of Water, and ſo if a Ditch ſhall be 15. feet
broad, and 5. feet high, this ſame Ditch will be affirmed to be
75. feet of Water: And this manner of meaſuring Running
Water hath been uſed by the Ancients, and by Moderns, with
no other difference, ſave onely that ſome have made uſe of the
Foot, others of the Palme, others of the Brace, and others of
other meaſures.
Now becauſe that in obſerving theſe Waters that move, I fre
quently found, that the ſame Water of the ſame River was in
ſome ſites of its Chanel pretty big, and in others much leſſe,
not arriving in ſome places to the twentieth, nor to the hundreth
part of that which it is ſeen to be in other places; therefore this
vulgar way of meaſuring the Waters that move, for that they did
quently found, that the ſame Water of the ſame River was in
ſome ſites of its Chanel pretty big, and in others much leſſe,
not arriving in ſome places to the twentieth, nor to the hundreth
part of that which it is ſeen to be in other places; therefore this
vulgar way of meaſuring the Waters that move, for that they did