1798.] Mr. Elkington’s Plan for draining mar by Grounds. a 
highly probable that he was the moft in- 
-dulgent hufband in the world, and that 
fhe was the moft unreafonable and difobe- 
dient wife. Or, fhould this not be the 
cafe, the reverfe will exaétly ferve the 
fame purpofe ; that is, gratify that infa-_ 
tiable defire for zews, which is become as 
neceflary as the food we eat, or the rai- 
ment we put on. 
We contftantly pray to be delivered . 
« from battle, murder, and from fudden 
death ;” (this, by the bye, feems an 
anti-climax, battle being the greateft ca- 
Jamity of the three ; but let that pafs) 
and yet, Mr. Editor, I know no three 
ingredients more neceffary, nor, of late 
years, more frequent than thefe. Battles, 
‘indeed, from long habit, we read over 
with frigid indifference, and I mutt fay, 
they are very dull and unentertaining. The 
other two, however, afford many com- 
ments, which greatly tend to promote 
converfation, becaule they come home to 
‘men’s bufinefs and bofoms.”’ The 
death of one man in the ftreets, who 
thought himfelf a match for half a dozen 
armed robbers, is a topic of converfation 
for a month; but the proftration of ten 
thoufand bodies on a field, to gratity the 
inexplicable fchemes of contending courts, 
is the ephemera which cannot outlive the 
day. 
Thus much for the fads recorded in 
our newfpapers. Now, Sir, only confider 
what the cafe muft be, if, after dwelling 
fo long upon any impertant event handed 
to us at our breakiaft-tables, and carried 
from thence about with us wherever we 
go throughout the day, as ammunition 
ready to fhoot the monfter, /iexce, and 
fupply the deficiency, thought---if, I fay, 
after all this, it fhould be next day con- 
tradiéted by the fame authority. This 
may appear fomewhat embarrafling ; but 
habit has reconciled us to this alfo. “* We 
always thought there was fomething im- 
probable in the ftory ;”” or, ‘* we had our 
Sufpicions, yet did not chufe to communi- 
cate them;”’ or, “* we were very cautious 
in giving full credit to the report, al- 
though, to be fure, it appeared to be very 
swell founded, and every body muft ac- 
knowledge it was remarkably well told.”’ 
With this ex poff faffo fagacity, fome 
continue to get out of the f{crape pretty 
decently, while others, determined to 
fupport the dignity of firft impreffions, 
and ftudiows to avoid the weather-cock 
variations of common changelings, are 
fill firmly of opinion that there was fome- 
thing m it, and vote vem. con. * that there 
is no {candalous ftory without fome foun- 
dation.” \ 
I might now proceed ta confider the 7es 
ceffity of newfpapers, as fupplying fund 
for political converfation ; but as that 
“fubjeé would lead me to be more prolix 
than in duty bound, I thal! adjourn the 
queftion five die, and conclude with an 
humble hope that I have fuggefted enough 
to prove that new{papers are articles of 
abfolute neceflity, and of the «¢ firft re- 
quifition.” Iam, Sir, your’s, &c. — 
RuHAPsoODICUS, 

| 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, of : 
U fuccefs fhall not betray you to relax 
your efforts, your Magazine {eems 
likely to become the moft excellent and the 
moft generally acceptable periodical mifccl- 
laay of the age. For this reafon, and 
as thofe who have juft begun to learn, are 
often the moft eager to teach, I beg leave 
to trouble you, for the information of 
your readers, with a fhort account of Mr. 
ELKINGTON’s Mode of Draining ; with 
which I have had a recent opportunity te 
make mytelf acquainted. 
‘There are but two ways in which /fag- 
nant water can be diffuled over grounds, 
fo as to reduce them into the ftate of #o- 
raffes. Ut may proceed from the over- 
flowing of adjacent rivers, or the collec- 
tion ef rain-water; or, it may bubble up 
inceffantly from fprings difperfed within 
the bounds of the morafs. 
In the former of thefe cafes, the overs 
flowing of adjacent rivers is to be prevent- 
ed only by ftrong embankments ; and any 
fimple trench will eafily carry away ftag- 
nant water, which has no interior fource, 
and merely floats upon the furface. 
In almoft all lakes and moraffes, nu- 
merous f{prings are difperfed within the 
compals of the lake or morafs. Thefe can | 
never be exhaufted. Very many morafles 
have therefore lorig baffled every endea- 
vour to drain them effeétually for cultiva~ 
tion. ‘Trenches of almoft every different 
depth, and in almoft every different di-. 
rection, have been tried, in vain, or at 
beft, with very imperfect fuccefs, Vaft 
tracts of morafs,'in England, in Scotland, 
and in Ireland, have been hopelefsly aban- 
doned to perpetual barrennefs, 
But, about the year 1764, Mr. Elkzng- 
fons in an attempt to draw fome part 
of the farm ef Princethorpe, in the parifh 
of Stretton, upon Duntimore, in the county” 
of Warwick, was accidentally led to ob- 
{erve 
