CHAP. VI. Dl'KK's CAXAL TO iM'N'mi.'N. 331 



Hull. ;iinl IVisto]. l.y M system of inland water-eomnnini- 

 cation. With this ohjeet. MS we have seen, lie had often 

 visited the Karl ;it liis seat at Trentham, and discussed 

 with him tlu> plans ly whieh this truly magnificent enter- 

 prise was to he earned out ; and lie had frequently visited 

 the Earl of Stamford at his seat at Enville for the same 

 purpose. But those schemes were too extensive and 

 costly to he carried out hy the private means of either of 

 these ooblemen, or even by both combined. They were, 

 therefore, under the necessity of stirring up the latent 

 enterprise of the landed proprietors in their respective 

 districts, and waiting until they had received a sufficient 

 a mount of local support to enable them to act with vigour 

 in carrying their great design into effect. The Duke of 

 Bridgewater's scheme of uniting Manchester and Liver- 

 pool by MH entirely new line of water-communication, 

 cut across bogs and out of the solid earth in some places, 

 and carried over rivers and valleys at others by bridges 

 Miid embankments, was scarcely less bold or costly. 

 Though it was spoken of as another of the Duke's " castles 

 in the air," and his resources were by no means overflow- 

 ing at the time he projected it, he nevertheless determined 

 to enter upon the undertaking, and to go on alone with it 

 though no one else should join him. The Duke thus 

 proved himself a real Dux or leader of the industrial 

 enterprise of his district ; and by cutting his canal, and 

 providing a new, short, and cheap water-way between 

 Liverpool and Manchester, which was afterwards ex- 

 tended through the counties of Chester, Stafford, and 

 Warwick, he thus unquestionably paved the way for the 

 creation and development of the modern manufacturing 

 system existing in the north-western counties of England. 

 We need scarcely say how admirably he was supported 

 throughout by the skill and indefatigable energy of his 

 engineer. Brindley's fertility in resources was the theme 

 of general admiration. Arthur Young, who visited the 

 works during their progress, speaks with enthusiastic 



