370 IKON AND OTHER BRIDGES. PART YTII. 



other day I was in London, since that I have been in 

 Liverpool, and in a few days I expect to be in Bristol. 

 Such is my life ; and to tell you the truth, I think it suits 

 my disposition." 



One of the projects on which he was engaged at this 

 time was a plan for supplying the town of Liverpool 

 with water, conveyed through pipes, in the same manner 

 as had long before been adopted in London. He was 

 much struck by the activity and enterprise apparent in 

 that town compared with Bristol. " Liverpool," he said, 

 " has taken firm root in the country by means of the 

 canals : it is young, vigorous, and well situated. Bristol 

 is sinking in commercial importance : its merchants are 

 rich and indolent, and in their projects they are always 

 too late. Besides, the place is badly situated. There 

 will probably arise another port somewhere near the 

 Severn ; but Liverpool will nevertheless continue of 

 the first commercial importance, and their water will be 

 turned into wine. We are making rapid progress in this 

 country I mean from Liverpool to Bristol, and from 

 Wales to Birmingham. This is an extensive and rich 

 district, abounding in coal, lime, iron, and lead. Agri- 

 culture too is improving, and manufactures are advancing 

 at rapid strides towards perfection. Think of such a 

 mass of population, industrious, intelligent, and ener- 

 getic, in continual exertion ! In short, I do not believe 

 that any part of the world, of like dimensions, ever 

 exceeded Great Britain, as it now is, in regard to the 

 production of wealth and the practice of the useful 

 arts." l 



At the same time, he thought there was a prospect 

 for Ireland too, amidst all this improvement. " There 

 is a board of five members, appointed by Parliament, to 

 act as a board of control over all the inland navigations, 

 &c., of Ireland. One of the members is a particular 



1 Letter to Mr. Andrew Little, Langholm, dated Salop, 13th July, 1799. 



