Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/162

 [ 1^0 ]

which they produce. Of these canals his Grace the Duke of Bridgwater's famous one, connecting Manchester with Worsley, claimed particular at- tention, as well from the boldness with which it was conceived as the ability with which it has been executed; and the essential benefic'al 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-m : nes at Worsley to Manchester, induced him to think of establishing a water-carriage between the two places; an idea encouraged in its first stage, ma- tured into a plan, and carried into execution, by the abilities of James Brindley, that great self- instructed engineer. This remarkable man, who exhibited in a high degree the powers of natural v'gour o. c mind, unassisted by the adventitious ad- ar.tages of regular education, was born in Derbyshire in 1 716, and being the unfortunate offsprng of a thriftless father, was utterly neglected till the age of seventeen, when his native genius for me- chanics 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-wrioht at Macclesfield. Havinti here an

o o

opportunity, though in ;i subordinate degree, of

�� �