with as much precifion as he would the mechanical powers; and he can as readily make allowance for the workings of vanity, or the bias of felf-intereft in his friends, as for the power of friction, or the irregularities of the needle. THE THE CANAL AND THE BROOK. AN APOLOGUE. A DELIGHTFULLY pleafant evening fucceeding a fultry fummer-day, invited me to take a folitary walk; and leaving the duft of the highway, I fell into a path which led along a pleasant little valley watered by a small meandering brook. The meadow-ground on its banks had been lately mown, and the new grafs was was fpringing up with a lively verdure. The brook was hid in feveral places by fhrubs that grew on each fide, and intermingled their branches. The fides of the valley were roughened by small irregular thickets; and the whole fcene had an air of folitude and retirement, uncommon in the neighbourhood of a populous town. The Duke of Bridgewater's canal croffed the valley, high raised on a mound of earth, which preferved a level with the elevated ground on each fide. An arched road was carried under it, beneath which the brook that ran along the valley was conveyed by a fubterraneous paffage. I threw myself upon a green bank, fhaded by a leafy thicket, and refting my head upon my hand, after a welcome indolence had overcome my fenfes, I faw, with the eyes of fancy, the following scene. THE firm-built fide of the aqueduct fuddenly fuddenly opened, and a gigantic form. iffued forth, which I foon discovered to be the Genius of the Canal. He was clad in a close garment of a ruffet hue. A. mural crown, indented with battlements, furrounded his brow. His naked feet were discoloured with clay. On his left fhoulder he bore a huge pick-ax; and in his right hand he held certain inftruments, ufed in furveying and levelling. His looks were thoughtful, and his features. harfh. The breach through which he proceeded, inftantly closed; and with a heavy tread he advanced into the valley. As he approached the brook, the Deity of the Stream arose to meet him. He was habited in a light green mantle, and the clear drops fell from his dark hair, which was encircled with a wreath of water lily, interwoven with fweet fcented flag. An angling rod fupported his fteps. The Genius of the Canal eyed him with a G con contemptuous look, and in a hoarfe voice thus began: "HENCE, ignoble rill! with thy fcanty "tribute to thy lord, the Merfey; nor "thus wafte thy almost exhaufted urn in lingering windings along the vale. "Feeble as thine aid is, it will not be "unacceptable to that mafter ftream "himself; for, as I lately croffed his "channel, I perceived his fands loaded " with ftranded veffels. I faw, and pitied "him, for undertaking a task to which "he is unequal. But thou, whofe languid "current is obfcured by weeds, and in terrupted by mishapen pebbles; who lofeft thyfelf in endless mazes, remote "from any found, but thy own idle "gurgling; how canft thou fupport an "existence fo contemptible and useless? "For me, the nobleft child of art, who "hold my unremitting courfe from hill « to |