EMBANKING. 439 



tire previous steps are very expensive, like embanking a 

 marsh, draining a bog, &c. it is essential to profit, that 

 the land be advanced to the higliest perfe6tion. possible, as 

 those preparations to culture cost no more for a great thaa 

 a small rental. 



Count Bentinck liad one idea in tlie execution of his 

 work, which had considerable merit ; he planned a navi- 

 gation from a quay to each of his tarms, over the whole 

 estate, by a large ditch capable of admitting long-boats, 

 some of which he aiSlually built ready for the business: by 

 this means the farmers would be able to carry their corn, 

 or bring manure from Lynn, if they chose to do it, with- 

 out the least land-carriage ; but his death, which was oc- 

 casioned by too assiduous an attention to building the bank, 

 living in a tent, in a bad season, and aguish situation, 

 without the precautions of adapting his diet to those cir- 

 cumstances— pi evented the execution. 



One circumstance ot toily in his neighbours, prevented 

 the improvement from being so considerable as th-j CcJnt 

 had planned. At thefurdier extremity, towards the "W is- 

 beach river, there -s a common belonging to the parish of 

 Terrington, to which the sea, by retiring, makes addi- 

 tions similar to those by which individuals have profited. 



A continuation of his bank, iri nearly a rigiit line to the 

 Wisbeach river, would have taken in about 500 acres of 

 that conimon. Mr. Bentinck applied :c< :he parish for 

 their consent to do it, which would have been the nvrans 

 of shortening his bank. Though several Indivifiuals would 

 have been glad of making use of so favourable an opportu- 

 nity, the body refused their consent. They were even so pre- 

 posterous in their opposition, that v\'heti he nuerwards of- 

 fered to be at the sole expense, provided they would give 

 lilm a lease of 21 years of the land recovered, they still n - 

 fused it. Upon which, he was obliged to follow (!v. n- 



Ff4 rci^jiar 



