[St. George and St. Michael by George MacDonald]@TWC D-Link book
St. George and St. Michael

CHAPTER XVII
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Listen then: That engine is a mingling of discovery and invention such as hath never had its equal since first the mechanical powers were brought to the light.

For this shall be as a soul to animate those, all and each--lever, screw, pulley, wheel, and axle--what you will.

No engine of mightiest force ever for defence or assault invented, let it be by Archimedes himself, but could by my fire-engine be rendered tenfold more mighty for safety or for destruction, although as yet I have applied it only to the blissful operation of lifting water, thus removing the curse of it where it is a curse, and carrying it where the parched soil cries for its help to unfold the treasures of its thirsty bosom.

My fire-engine shall yet uplift the nation of England above the heads of all richest and most powerful nations on the face of the whole earth.

For when the troubles of this rebellion are over, which press so heavily on his majesty and all loyal subjects, compelling even a peaceful man like myself to forsake invention for war, and the workman's frock which I love, for the armour which I love not, when peace shall smile again on the country, and I shall have time to perfect the work of my hands, I shall present it to my royal master, a magical supremacy of power, which shall for ever raise him and his royal progeny above all use or need of subsidies, ship-money, benevolences, or taxes of whatever sort or name, to rule his kingdom as independent of his subjects in reality as he is in right; for this water-commanding engine, which God hath given me to make, shall be the source of such wealth as no accountant can calculate.


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