Excerpt from Journal Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania, 1829, Vol. 3 In the year 1756, he undertook to erect a steam engine, on a new plan, at Newcastle-under-line; and he was, for a time, very intent upon a variety of contrivances for improving this useful piece of mechanism. But from these designs he was, happily for the public, called away to take the lead in what the event has proved to be a national concern of capital importance - the projecting the system of canal navigation. The duke of Bridgewater, who had formed his design of carrying a canal from his coal works, at Worsley, to Manchester, was induced, by the reputation of Mr. Brindley, 'to consult him on the execution of it; and having the sagacity to per ceive, and strength of mind to confide in, the original and command ing abilities of this self-taught genius, he committed to him the management of the arduous undertaking. M r. Brindley, from the very first, adopting those_leading principles in the projecting of these works, which he ever afterwards adhered to, and in which he has been imitated by all succeeding engineers. To preserve as much as possible the level of his canals, and to avoid the mixture and inter ference of all natural streams, were objects at which be constantly aimed. To accomplish these, no labours and expense were spared; and his genius seemed to delight in overcoming all obstacles to them, by the discovery of new and extraordinary contrivances. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.