Castelli, Benedetto, Of the mensuration of running waters, 1661
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              <s>Now touching this, I had the fortune to offer an admirable
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              accident that we meet with when we come to the effect, which
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              I verily believe will be an utter ruine to the Lake of
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              Ve­
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              nice.
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              <s>I ſay therefore, that by diverting theſe five Rivers that re­
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              main, although their water that they diſcharge for the preſent in­
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              to the Lake is not all taken together 4/5 parts of what the
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              Brent
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              alone did carry, yet nevertheleſſe the abatement of the water of
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              the Lake which ſhall enſue upon this laſt diverſion of four parts,
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              which was the whole water, ſhall prove double to that which hath
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              happened by the diverſion of
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              Brent
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              onely, although that the
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              Brent
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              alone carried five parts of that water, of which the Rivers
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              that are to be diverted carry four: A wonder really great, and
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              altogether unlikely; for the reducing all this Propoſition to be
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              underſtood, is as if we ſhould ſay, that there being given us
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              three Rivers, of which the firſt diſchargeth five parts, the ſecond
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              three, and the third one, and that from the diverſion of the
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              firſt, there did follow ſuch a certain abatement or fall; from
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              the taking away of the ſecond there ought to follow alſo ſo
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              much more abatement; And laſtly, from the withdrawing of
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              the third the water ought to fall ſo much more, which is wholly
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              impoſſible: And yet it is moſt certain, and beſides the demon­
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              ſtration that perſwades me to it, which I ſhall explain in due
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              time, I can ſet before your eyes ſuch an experiment as is not to
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              be denied by any one, although obſtinate: and I will make it
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              plainly ſeen and felt, that by taking away only four parts of the
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              five, which ſhall have been taken away, the abatement proveth
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              double to the abatement enſuing upon the diverting firſt of the
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              five onely; which thing being true, as moſt certainly it is, it
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              will give us to underſtand how pernicious this diverſion of five
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              Rivers is like to prove, if it ſhall be put in execution.</s>
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              <s>By this little that I have hinted, and the much that I could
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              ſay, let your Highneſſe gather with what circumſpection this bu­
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              ſineſſe ought to be managed, and with how great skill he ought
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              to be furniſhed who would behave himſelf well in theſe difficult
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              affairs.</s>
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              <s>I have not at this time explained the demonſtration, nor have
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              I ſo much as propounded the way to make the Experiment, that
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              I am able to make in confirmation of what I have ſaid, that ſo
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              by ſome one or others miſ-apprehending the Demonſtration,
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              and maiming the Experiment, the truth may not happen to ſhine
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              with leſſe clarity than it doth, when all miſts of difficulty are re­
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              moved: and if ſo be, no account ſhould be made of the Reaſons
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              by me alledged, and that men ſhould ſhut their eyes againſt the
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              Experiments that without coſt or charge may be made, I do de­</s>
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