CHAP.V. JOHN MK'IVALF, 1!OA1> MAKKII. 223 



extending over a period of more than thirty years. By 

 the time that he had finished the road, the building of 

 a bridge at Boroughbridge was advertised, and Metcalf 

 sent in his tender with many others. At the same time 

 lie frankly stated that, though he wished to undertake 

 the work, he had not before executed anything of the 

 kind. His tender being on the whole the most favour- 

 able, the trustees sent for Metcalf, and on his appearing 

 before them, they asked him what he knew of a bridge. 

 He replied that he could readily describe his plan of the 

 one they proposed to build, if they would be good enough 

 to write down his figures. " The span of the arch, 

 18 feet," said he, "being a semi-circle, makes 27 : the 

 arch-stones must be a foot deep, which, if multiplied 

 by 27, will be 486 ; and the basis will be 72 feet more. 

 This for the arch; but it will require good backing, for 

 which purpose there are proper stones in the Old Roman 

 wall at Aldborough, which maybe used for the purpose, 

 if you please to give directions to that effect." It is 

 doubtful whether the trustees were able to follow his 

 rapid calculations ; but they were so much struck by his 

 readiness and apparently complete knowledge of the 

 work he proposed to execute, that they gave him the 

 contract to build the bridge ; and he completed it within 

 the stipulated time in a satisfactory and workmanlike 

 manner. 



He next agreed to make the mile and a half of turn- 

 pi ke-road between his native town of Knaresborough and 

 Harrogate ground with which he was more than ordi- 

 narily familiar. Walking one day over a portion of 

 the ground over which the road was to be made, whilst 

 still covered with grass, he told the workmen that he 

 thought it differed from the ground adjoining it, arid he 

 directed them to try for stone or gravel underneath ; 

 and, strange to say, not many feet down, the men came 

 upon the stones of an old Roman causeway, from which 

 he obtained much valuable material for the making of 



