then, though by times it had indeed something of life in the time of
the late civil war. I allow, no age has been altogether without
something of this nature, and some very happy projects are left to
us as a taste of their success; as the water-houses for supplying of
the city of London with water, and, since that, the New River--both
very considerable undertakings, and perfect projects, adventured on
the risk of success. In the reign of King Charles I. infinite
projects were set on foot for raising money without a Parliament:
oppressing by monopolies and privy seals; but these are excluded our
scheme as irregularities, for thus the French are as fruitful in
projects as we; and these are rather stratagems than projects.
After the Fire of London the contrivance of an engine to quench
fires was a project the author was said to get well by, and we have
found to be very useful. But about the year 1680 began the art and
mystery of projecting to creep into the world. Prince Rupert, uncle
to King Charles II., gave great encouragement to that part of it
that respects engines and mechanical motions; and Bishop Wilkins
added as much of the theory to it as writing a book could do. The
prince has left us a metal called by his name; and the first project
upon that was, as I remember, casting of guns of that metal and
boring them--done both by a peculiar method of his own, and which
died with him, to the great loss of the undertaker, who to that
purpose had, with no small charge, erected a water-mill at Hackney
Marsh, known by the name of the Temple Mill, which mill very happily
performed all parts of the work; and I have seen some of those guns
on board the Royal Charles, a first-rate ship, being of a reddish
colour, different either from brass or copper. I have heard some
reasons of state assigned why that project was not permitted to go
forward; but I omit them, because I have no good authority for them.
After this we saw a floating-machine, to be wrought with horses, for