embrace you. And be pleased to make use of me and my endeavours to enrich them, not myself; such being my onely request unto you, spare me not in what your wisdoms shall find me useful; who do esteem myself not onely by the act of the watercommanding engine 4 (which so chearfully you have ↑ A MS. addition to Mr. Heber's copy of lord Worcester's book contains the following description of this grand hydraulic machine; ascribed by the enthusiastic contriver to celestial inspiration. "A stupendious or a water-commanding engine; boundless for height or quantity, requiring no external nor even additional help or force, to be set or continued in motion, but what intrinsically is afforded from its own operation, nor yet the twentieth part thereof: and the engine consisteth of the following particulars. "1. A perfect counterpoise for what quantity soever of water. 66 2. A perfect countervail for what height soever it is to be brought unto. "3. A primum mobile, commanding both height and quantity, regulator-wise. 66 4. A vicegerent or countervail, supplying the place and performing the full force of man, wind, beast, or mill. "5. A helm or stern, with bitt and reins, wherewith any child may guide, order, and controul the whole operation. "6. A particular magazine for water, according to the intended quantity or height of water. “7. An aquaduct, 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 incorporate itself with the rising water, and at the very bottom of the same aquaduct, though never so big or high. past) sufficiently rewarded, but likewise with courage. enabled to do ten times more for the future: and my debts being paid, and a competency to live according to my birth and quality setled, the rest shall I dedicate to the service of our king and country by your disposals. And esteem me not the more, or rather any more; by what is past, but what's to come; professing really from my heart, that my intentions are to out-go the six or seven hundred thousand pounds already sacrificed; if countenanced and encouraged by you; ingenuously confessing that the melancholy "By Divine Providence and heavenly inspiration, this is my stupendious water-commanding engine, boundless for height and quantity. "Whosoever is master of weight, is master of force; "Whosoever is master of water is master of both: "And consequently to him all forceable actions and atchievements are easie, which are in any wise beneficial to or for mankind. "Exegi monumentum ære perennius, Regalique situ pyramidum altius; Quod non imber edax, non Aquilo impotens, Possit diruere, aut innumerabilis Annorum series, et fuga temporum. Non omnis moriar: multáque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam, dum stabit Anglia. HORACE. "To God alone be all praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever, Amen. "WORCESTER." This is followed by " Copia vera" of the act of parliament; and some encomiastic verses on the marquis's inventive powers, signed Jacobus Rollocus, Scoto-Belga-Britannus. which hath lately seized upon me (the cause whereof none of you but may easily guess) hath, I dare say, retarded more advantages to the publick service then modesty will permit me to utter. And now, revived by your promising favours, I shall infallibly be enabled thereunto in the experiments extant, and comprised under these heads practicable with my directions by the unparallel'd workman, both for trust and skill, Caspar Kaltoff's hand, who hath been these five and thirty years as in a school under me imployed, and, still at my disposal, in a place by my great expences made fit for publick service, yet lately like to be taken from me, and consequently from the service of king and kingdom, without the least regard of above ten thousand pounds expended by me, and through my zele to the common good; my zele, I say, a field large enough for you (my lords and gentlemen) to work upon. "The treasures buried under these heads, both for war, peace, and pleasure, being inexhaustible; I beseech you pardon if I say so; it seems a vanity, but comprehends a truth; since no good spring but becomes the more plentiful by how much more it is drawn; and the spinner to weave his web is never stinted, but further inforc'd. "The more then that you shall be pleased to make use of my inventions, the more inventive shall you ever find me; one invention begetting still another, and more and more improving my ability to serve my king and you and as to my heartiness therein there needs no addition, nor to my readiness a spur. And there fore (my lords and gentlemen) be pleased to begin, and desist not from commanding me till I flag in my obedience and endeavours to serve my king and country: "For certainly you'l find me breathless first t' expire, Before my hands grow weary, or my legs do tire. "Yet abstracting from any interest of my own, but as a fellow-subject and compatriot will I ever labour in the vineyard, most heartily and readily obeying the least summons from you, by putting faithfully in execution, what your judgments shall think fit to pitch upon amongst this Century of Experiences; perhaps dearly purchased by me, but now frankly and gratis offered to you. "Vouchsafe therefore to dispose freely of me, and whatever lieth in my power to perform: first, in order to his majesty's service; secondly, for the good and advantage of the kingdom; thirdly, to all your satisfactions, for particular profit and pleasure to your individual selves; professing that in all and each of the three respects I will ever demean myself as it best be comes, "My lords and gentlemen, "Your most passionately-bent fellow-subject in his majesty's service, compatriot for the publick good and advantage, and a most humble servant to all and every of you. "Worcester."] GEORGE MONCK, DUKE OF ALBEMARLE. THIS memorable man, who raised himself by his personal merit within reach of a crown, which he had the prudence or the virtue to wave; whose being able to place it on the head of the heir is imputed to astonishing art or secrecy, when in reality he only furnished a hand to the heart of a nation; and who, after the greatest services that a subject could perform, either wanted the sense, or had the sense to distinguish himself no farther (for perhaps he was singularly fortunate in always embracing the moment of propriety); this man was an author; a light in which he is by no means known, and yet in which he did not want merit. After his death was published by authority, a treatise in his own profession, which he composed while a prisoner in the Tower: it is called, "Observations upon military and political Affairs; written by the most honourable George Duke of Albemarle," &c. 2. [Published by authority; and described by the dedicator to have been written five-and-twenty years before, and sent |