Arthur Young. 
17 
canal, and the letter has many illustrations of scenes on the 
canal and the mechanical appliances invented by Brindley for 
its construction and service, to which is added a very clear 
account of the driving the canal on the same level into the rami- 
fications of the Duke’s coal-mines, and the method of conveying 
the coal in boats out of the mine, whence they were drawn by 
mules along the canal to Manchester. 
He considers the Duke’s scheme for carrying his canal for 
500 yards across the Mersey on its way to Liverpool, if exe- 
cuted, the greatest work that ever yet was thought of; exceed- 
ing the noblest works of the Romans when masters of the world ; 
or the legendary tales even of Semiramis herself. The expe- 
rience and mechanical power, however, now at the disposal of 
engineers, with the aid of abundant public capital, such as 
Brindley and his Duke had not the slightest share in, enable 
them to attempt the construction of a sea way to Manchester, 
with an extent of works which from their point of view dwarfs 
the effort of the Duke’s great engineer, the projector of the artifi- 
cial waterways so soon to open up and develop the wealth of our 
country. But the genius of these two men was after all of the 
higher order, their conceptions were entirely original and lofty, 
and their achievements productive of effects in the social advance 
of the nation to which the application of steam on railways must 
after all be regarded as secondary. There were intellectual 
giants then in our old country — Brindley, Wedgwood, Watt, 
Bramah, Priestley, Smeaton, Banks, Adam Smith, Malthus, 
Howard, Jenner, Wesley, Nelson, Cook, Sam. Johnson, Burns, 
and Scott. The name of Arthur Young may be fitly added to 
the number of the famous dead of those days. Let those who 
question his title to such a distinction study the second part of 
the Tour in Ireland , and the second part of the Travels in 
France , to learn how far in advance of the prevalent ideas of the 
time Young’s intellect bore him. and with what mastery of our 
language he could unfold his vivid imaginations to the reader. 
The Eastern tour was made in 1770 and published in 1771 
as a Register of a Journey through various Counties of the Kingdom 
to Enquire into the State of Agriculture , etc. Again his intention to 
make this tour was previously advertised, and resulted in bis re- 
ceiving numerous letters and very important communications. 
He had evidently been annoyed by the reviewers of his previous 
writings, and says : “ A writer on husbandry should be tried by 
a jury of real farmers, instead of which he often falls into the hands 
of a motley crew who endeavour to become important by abuse.” 
He claims to be qualified as a writer on agriculture by his having 
VOL. IV. T. S. — J3 C 
