404 



THE DTKF/S DIFFICULTIES 



TAUT V. 



proper mode of carrying on the works ; but Brindley 

 was quite as obstinate as the Duke on such occasions, 

 and when he felt convinced that his own plan was the 

 right one he would not yield an inch. It is said that, 

 after long evening discussions at the hearth of the old 

 timbered hall at Worsley, or at the Duke's house at 

 Liverpool, while the works there were in progress, the 

 two would often part at night almost at daggers-drawn. 

 But next morning, on meeting at breakfast, the Duke 

 would very frankly say to his engineer, " Well, Brindley, 

 I have been thinking over what we were talking about 

 last night. I find you may be right after all ; so just 

 finish the work in your own way." 



The Duke himself, to the end of his life, took the 

 greatest personal interest in the working of his coal- 

 mines, his canals, his mills, and his various branches of 

 industry. These were his hobbies, and he took pleasure 

 in nothing else. He was utterly lost to the fashionable 

 world, and, as some thought, to a sense of its proprieties. 

 Shortly after his canal had been opened for the convey- 

 ance of coals, the Duke established a service of passage- 

 boats between Manchester and Worsley, and between 

 Manchester and a station within two miles of Warring- 

 ton, by which passengers were conveyed at the rate of a 

 penny a mile. The boats were fitted up like the Dutch 

 treckschuyts, and, being found cheap as well as con- 

 venient, were largely patronized by the public. 1 This 



a statement of the claims of Mr. 

 Brindley's representatives, forwarded 

 to the Earl of Bridgewater on the 3rd 

 of November, 1803, it is further stated 

 that "during the period of his em- 

 ploy under His Grace, many highly 

 advantageous and lucrative offers were 

 made to him, particularly one from 

 the Prince of Hesse, in 1766, who at 

 that time was meditating a canal 

 through his dominions in Germany, 

 and who offered to subscribe to any 

 terms Mr. Brindley might stipulate. 

 T> this engagement his family strongly 



urged him, but the solicitation of the 

 Duke, in this as in every other in- 

 stance, to remain with him, out- 

 weighed all pecuniary considerations; 

 relying upon such a remuneration 

 from His Grace as the profits of his 

 work might afterwards justify." 



1 When the Duke had put on the 

 boats and established the service, he 

 offered to let them for 60/. a year; 

 but not being able to iind any person 

 to take them at that price, he was 

 under the necessity of conducting the 

 service himself, l>y means of an agent. 



