The Life, Times, and Scientific Labours of the Second Marquis of Worcester: To which is added a reprint of his Century of Inventions, 1663, with a Commentary thereon.Dircks, Henry
History
The Life, Times, and Scientific Labours of the Second Marquis of Worcester: To which is added a reprint of his Century of Inventions, 1663, with a Commentary thereon.
Dircks, Henry
Industrial arts -- History; Inventions; Worcester, Edward Somerset, Marquis of, 1601-1667
“4. A vice-gerent, or countervail, supplying the place, and performing
the full force of man, wind, beast, or mill.
“5. A holme, or stern, with bit and reins, wherewith any child may
guide, order, and control the whole operation.
“6. A particular magazine for water, according to the intended height
and quantity.
“7. An aqueduct, capable of any intended quantity, or height of water.
“8. A place for the original fountain, or even river, to run into,
and naturally of its own accord to incorporate itself with the rising
water, and at the very bottom of the same aqueduct, though never so big
or high.”
This communication affords the earliest distinct reference to the
Water-commanding Engine, and renders it reasonable to suppose that
similar written copies of the “Definition” were in circulation at the
same period, if not earlier.
The letter itself is peculiarly interesting for the insight it gives
us into a distinguishing trait in his mental constitution, when
he observes:--“a humour I have, never to be contented to produce
any invention the _second_ time _without appearing refined_.” He
seems to have had no idea of cessation in invention. It was in this
self-same spirit that he dedicated his “Century” to the Houses
of Parliament:--“The more you shall be pleased to make use of my
inventions, the more inventive shall you ever find me, one invention
begetting still another.”
It is rather remarkable that, with this exception, his inventions are
never named either in his own or his family’s correspondence; indeed
the latter may have considered the circumstance as more marking his
misfortune, than calculated to bring him enduring fame.
The death of Cromwell, the short reign of his son, and the proclamation
of Charles the Second on the 8th of May, 1660, followed by his
triumphal entry into the metropolis on his birth-day, the 29th of
the same month, must have had their influence on the Marquis in his
most distressing condition. He was, no doubt, one among the privileged
to congratulate his Majesty in private, at Whitehall, while bonfires
blazed, fireworks glared, and cannon roared; what conflicting emotions
must have revelled in his own breast, broken down as he was by
disasters on every hand, which through more than thirteen years he had
borne with magnanimous fortitude.
His son, Lord Herbert, resided at Badminton House, Gloucestershire, but
being in London, on his way to Dover, after the proclamation, he wrote
to his wife, as follows:--[K]
“MY DEAR HEART,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account