Essays on History, Biography, Geography, Engineering &C. Contributed to the Quarterly Review by the Late Earl of Ellesmere (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ...who introduced Brindley to the duke, but we have no positive evidence of intimacy between Gilbert and Brindley earlier than 17C0, when the Essay VII. JOHN AND THOMAS GILBERT. 235 brothers Brindley, and Henshall, the brother-in-law of James, purchased the Golden Hill estate, full of minerals, in partnership with Gilbert. Gilbert was also an active promoter of the Trent and Mersey canal, of which Brindley became the engineer, and is said to a trifling degree to have turned his influence with the latter to his 'own advantage, by procuring a slight deviation from the original scheme of the Harecastle Tunnel, and bringing it through his own estate. J. Gilbert is described to us by a surviving friend as a " practical, persevering, out-door man. Ho loved mines and underground works; had like to have been killed at Donnington Wood, when he was down in the work, by holding his candle too near the roof. The foul air went off with a loud explosion, and blew Die gearing at the pit eye into atoms. He was saved by a collier throwing him flat down and lying on him in the drift, but had his stock burnt partly off his neck, and the crown of his head scorched. The collier was badly burned, but Mr. Gilbert provided for him and his family." We may mention that the elder brother Thomas was the author of those parochial unions which bear his name, and which, having been unquestionable improvements on the old system of poor-law, have been much used as engines of resistance to the introduction of the new. It is certain that in J. Gilbert's energy, perseverance, and firmness the duke found a spirit kindred to his own. It has been said that, when the moment arrived for admitting the water into the Barton aqueduct, Brindley's nerve was unequal to the interest of the crisis, ...