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assisted by canal navigations, which at the same time float to its manufactures, upon cheap terms, the prodigious supply of coals necessary for the working of its machinery; and carry back from thence, at the like easy rates, the different articles

which they produce. Of these canals his Grace the Duke of Bridgwater's famous one, connecting Manchester with Worsley, claimed particular attention, as well from the boldness with which it was conceived as the ability with which it has been executed; and the essential beneficial consequences to the country at large, that have resulted from this vast speculation of a noble individual. The difficulty and expence that attended the conveyance of the production of his Grace's coal-mines at Worsley to Manchester, induced him to think of establishing a water-carriage between the two places; an idea encouraged in its first stage, matured into a plan, and carried into execution, by the abilities of James Brindley, that great selfinstructed engineer. This remarkable man, who exhibited in a high degree the powers of natural vigour of mind, unassisted by the adventitious adantages of regular education, was born in Derbyshire in 1716, and being the unfortunate offspring of a thriftless father, was utterly neglected till the age of seventeen, when his native genius for mechanics stirring uncontrolably within him, he burst through the trammels of the plough, to which he had been as yet tied, and bound himself apprentice to a mill-wright at Macclesfield. Having here an opportunity, though in a subordinate degree, of

giving scope to his genius, he quickly astonished his master and the workmen with improvements upon the old principles of the trade, and new ideas in the line of mill-machinery; talents which acquired him the management of his master's business till the old man's death. After this event Brindley established himself in business, and met with deserved success. The sphere of his reputation gradually extending itself, Brindley was at length applied to in order to undertake a work in that line which afterwards compleated his fame and made his fortune, the driving of a tunnel through a solid rock nearly half a mile in length at Clifton in Lancashire. It was not long before the Duke of Bridgwater became apprised of Mr. Brindley's merits; and with his well-known judgment and discrimination, immediately saw the immense advantages that would accrue to his speculations by the employment of such a mind in their erection; he, therefore, immediately engaged Mr. B. in the projected labour of forming the canal of which we are now speaking; who, with a boldness of genius peculiar to himself, which scorned the assistance of parallel rivers,* or any aid that na

*During an examination in the House of Commons on some navigation business, wherein Brindley had spoken contemptuously of rivers, being asked for what purpose he thought they had been created, he answered, "for that of feeding canals."

ture could present, carried his mighty work under mountains of rock, over streams of water, and along the back of lofty mounds, pushing themselves far above the level of the valley, to the desired spot through a distance of eleven or twelve miles. The whole of this canal (particularly interesting, as being the first ever formed upon the admirable plans and principles which they at present display) is extremely worth investigation; which may be easily and agreeably done either by water in a barge, or on horseback by the track.

Commencing with the Medlock, (at Castlefield, in the suburbs of Manchester) whose waters feed it with a constant supply of water, it is carried in a circuitous direction near nine or ten miles, in order to preserve the level. In the course of this journey it passes near Stratford, whose flat grounds presented a difficulty to Mr. Brindley which all his brother engineers considered as an insuperable one; but nothing could surmount the force of his genius, and in the course of a short time they beheld with astonishment the canal passing on high in air, carried over the flat on a stupendous artificial mound of earth constructed for the purpose. companying its waters, we proceeded by this Herculean labour to Barton-Bridge, an aqueduct thrown over the Irwell, and carrying the canal in

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