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schemes that have failed, which perhaps made me 

 go supperless to bed at times, when I might have 

 been in opulence, but these plans and schemes never 

 were intruded on the public until I could come boldly 

 forward with a stubborn fact as a proof, and say, that 

 such is an improvement that cannot be denied, the prac- 

 ticability and utility of which I have fairly tried, and am 

 ready to prove ; such is the case with my system and 

 method of draining bogs and marshes. I have not 

 brought it forward till I had proved it, and I trust, 

 for their own benefit, the Lords of the soil will read 

 it with unjaundiced eyes, and give it an impartial 

 consideration ; it is so plain, simple, and easy to be 

 understood, that he who runs may read, and scep- 

 ticism put to the blush. I am well aware that any 

 new scheme introduced to notice is too apt to be 

 treated with neglect, or considered as visionary ; 

 few read it, and still fewer will take the trouble 

 of putting it to the test of experiment ; besides, 

 books which contribute merely to amusement, and 

 save the trouble of thought, is better fitted to the 

 taste of the present age. But to return ; it is well 

 known to all, that wherever there is a free level 

 or descent there is no difficulty in draining, but it is 

 also known, that in many cases, to obtain this level or 

 descent, it would cost more than the purchase or 

 value of the land, but wherever a descent or level can 

 be obtained at no extraordinary expense, it is a per- 

 manent and sure plan. It is also a well known fact, 

 that where there is a gravelly and sandy bottom, .all 

 such bogs, fens, marshes, or mosses can be drained, by 

 boring or pitting ; in some cases two or three bores 

 will be sufficient to drain an acre ; in other cases, 

 where the ground is covered, or almost so, with sur- 



