luded within the walls," as at Corinth, in the midst of the
town almost, there was _arx altissima scatens fontibus_, a goodly mount
full of fresh water springs: "if nature afford them not they must be had by
art." It is a wonder to read of those [2909]stupend aqueducts, and infinite
cost hath been bestowed in Rome of old, Constantinople, Carthage,
Alexandria, and such populous cities, to convey good and wholesome waters:
read [2910]Frontinus, Lipsius _de admir._ [2911]Plinius, _lib. 3. cap. 11_,
Strabo in his _Geogr._ That aqueduct of Claudius was most eminent, fetched
upon arches fifteen miles, every arch 109 feet high: they had fourteen such
other aqueducts, besides lakes and cisterns, 700 as I take it; [2912]every
house had private pipes and channels to serve them for their use. Peter
Gillius, in his accurate description of Constantinople, speaks of an old
cistern which he went down to see, 336 feet long, 180 feet broad, built of
marble, covered over with arch-work, and sustained by 336 pillars, 12 feet
asunder, and in eleven rows, to contain sweet water. Infinite cost in
channels and cisterns, from Nilus to Alexandria, hath been formerly
bestowed, to the admiration of these times; [2913]their cisterns so
curiously cemented and composed, that a beholder would take them to be all
of one stone: when the foundation is laid, and cistern made, their house is
half built. That Segovian aqueduct in Spain, is much wondered at in these
days, [2914]upon three rows of pillars, one above another, conveying sweet
water to every house: but each city almost is full of such aqueducts.
Amongst the rest [2915]he is eternally to be commended, that brought that
new stream to the north side of London at his own charge: and Mr. Otho
Nicholson, founder of our waterworks and elegant conduit in Oxford. So much
have all times attributed to this element, to be conveniently provided of
it: although Galen hath taken exceptions at such waters, which run through
leaden pipes, _ob cerussam quae in iis generatur_, for that unctuous
ceruse, which causeth dysenteries and fluxes; [2916]yet as Alsarius Crucius
of Genna well answers, it is opposite to common experience. If that were
true, most of our Italian cities, Montpelier in France, with infinite
others, would find this inconvenience, but there is no such matter. For
private families, in what sort they should furnish themselves, let them
consult with P. Crescentius, _de Agric. l. 1. c. 4_, Pamphilius Hir