402 THE DUKE'S DIFFICULTIES TAUT ^ 7 . 



population of the district. It greatly added to their 

 comforts, increased their employment, and facilitated 

 the operations of industry in all ways. The canal Avas 

 no sooner opened than its advantages were at once 

 felt. The charge for water-carriage between Liverpool 

 and Manchester was lowered one-half. All sorts of pro- 

 duce were brought to the latter town, at moderate rates, 

 from the farms and gardens adjacent to the navigation, 

 whilst the value of agricultural property was immediately 

 raised by the facilities afforded for the conveyance of lime 

 and manure, as well as by reason of the more ready access 

 to good markets which it provided for the farming 

 classes. The Earl of Ellesmere has not less truly than 

 elegantly observed, that " the history of Francis Duke 

 of Bridgewater is engraved in intaglio on the face of the 

 country he helped to civilize and enrich." 



Probably the most remarkable circumstance connected 

 with the money history of the enterprise is this : that 

 although the canal yielded an income which eventually 

 reached about 80,000/. a year, it was planned and exe- 

 cuted by Brindley at a rate of pay considerably less than 

 that of an ordinary mechanic of the present day. The 

 highest wage he received whilst in the employment of 

 the Duke was 3s. 6d. a day. For the greater part of 

 the time he received only half-a-crown. Brindley, no 

 doubt, accommodated himself to the Duke's pinched 

 means, and the satisfactory completion of the canal was 

 quite as much a matter of character with him as of pay. 

 Indeed, he seems to have studied economy in everything, 

 and strove to keep down his expenses to the very lowest 

 point. Whilst superintending the works at Longford 

 Bridge, we find him making an entry of his day's per- 

 sonal expenses at only 6d. for " ating and drink." On 

 other days his expenditure was confined to 2d. for the 

 turnpike. When living at " The Bull," near the works 

 at Throstle Nest, we find his dinner costing Sd. mid his 

 breakfast (if/. His entire expenses were on an equally 



