Castelli, Benedetto, Of the mensuration of running waters, 1661

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              the ſecond: to which in the firſt place I ſay, that one of the firſt
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              things that I propoſed in this affair was, that I held it impoſſible
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              to do any act, though never ſo beneficial, that was not alſo ac­
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              companied by ſome inconvenience and miſchief; and therefore
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              we are to conſider well the profit, and the loſſe and prejudice;
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              and they both being weighed, we ſhall be able to chooſe the leſ­
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              ſer evil: Secondly, I admit it to be moſt true, that
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              Brent
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              is at ſome
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              times muddy, but it is alſo true, that for the greater part of the
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              year it is not muddy. </s>
              <s>Thirdly, I do not ſee nor underſtand
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              what ſtrength this objection hath, being taken ſo at large, and in
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              general; and methinks that it is not enough to ſay, that the
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Brent
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              runneth muddy, and to aſſert that it depoſeth its Muddi­
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              neſſe in the Lake, but we ought moreover to proceed to particu­
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              lars, and ſhew how much this Mud is, and in what time this
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              choaking up of the Ports may be effected. </s>
              <s>For the Reaſons are
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              but too apparent and particular, that conclude the ruine of the
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              Lake, and that in a very ſhort time, (for mention is made of
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              dayes) the Waters diverſion being made, and moreover we
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              have the circumſtance of an Experiment, the ſtate of things be­
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              ing obſerved to have grown worſe ſince the ſaid diverſion. </s>
              <s>And
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              I have demonſtrated, that in caſe the Diverſion of the
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              Sile
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              and
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              the other Rivers ſhould be put in execution, the Lake would in a
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              few dayes become almoſt dry; and the Ports would be loſt, with
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              other miſchievous conſequences. </s>
              <s>But on the other ſide, al­
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              though that we did grant the choaking of them, we may very
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              probably ſay, that it will not happen, ſave onely in the ſucceſſion
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              of many and many Centuries of years. </s>
              <s>Nor can I think it pru­
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              dent counſel to take a reſolution and imbrace a Deſigne now, to
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              obtain a benefit very uncertain, and more than that, which only
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              ſhall concern thoſe who are to come very many Ages after us,
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              and thereby bring a certain inconvenience upon our ſelves, and
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              upon our children that are now alive and preſent.</s>
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              <s>Let it be alledged therefore, (although I hold it falſe) that by
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              the diverſions of the Rivers the Lake may be kept in good con­
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              dition for ſeveral years to come.</s>
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              <s>But I ſay confidently, and hope to demonſtrate it; That the
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              Diverſions will bring the Lake, even in our dayes, to be almoſt
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              dry, and at leaſt will leave ſo little water in it, that it ſhall ceaſe
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              to be Navigable, and the Ports ſhall moſt infallibly be choaked
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              up. </s>
              <s>I will therefore ſay upon experience, in anſwer to this Ob­
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              jection, that it is very neceſſary firſt well to diſcourſe, and ratio­
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              nally to particularize and aſcertain the beſt that may be this
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              point of the quantity of this ſinking Mud or Sand.</s>
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              <s>Now I fear I ſhall make my ſelf ridiculous to thoſe, who mea­
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              ſuring the things of Nature with the ſhallowneſſe of their brains </s>
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