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It is in fuch refolutions that a man rifes 



fuperior to the common herd In the 



moments of mental a(5tivity, when the foul 

 has the courage to purfue the vifions of 

 the fancy, and reaUze ideal worlds. Im- 



pofTibilities exift only with the vulgar. 



The character of a great man has in al- 

 mofl every inftance been gained by thofe 

 attempts, which fittle minds call rafh. When 

 the idea is fpirited, there is honour even in 

 ill-faccefs. 



Magnis tamen excidit aujis, 



Mr. Scroope had the courage to attempt 

 •what was deemed abfurd to think of; and 

 he had the conduQ to command fuccefs. 



He began his works in the year 1755, by 

 marking out a contiguous 900 acres. In 

 that tradl was fome of the foil, called in 

 Yorkfiire white earth, that is very good 

 land, but quite uncultivated, and partly 

 over-run with fpontaneous rubbifh. But 

 moft of it was a black peat moor, bearing a 

 fhort ftintcd ling. 



His firft bufmefs was the inclofure, which 

 he did by walling ; the furface of the moor 

 yielded, in fome places, a fufficiency of 

 ftones for this work, but in many others 

 pits were funk for them, the quarries are 

 all lime-ftone, and m.oftly near the furface. 

 The firft year 289 roods were built of the 

 ring fence. This work was all contradled 



for 



