Inthis，asinmanyothermatters，Bramahshotaheadofthemechanicalnecessitiesofhistime；andhencemanyofhispatentsofwhichheheldatonetimemorethantwentyprovedaltogetherprofitless。Hislastpatent，takenoutin1814，wasfortheapplicationofRomancementtotimberforthepurposeofpreventingdryrot。
Besideshisvariousmechanicalpursuits，Bramahalsofollowedtoacertainextenttheprofessionofacivilengineer，thoughhismoreurgentengagementsrendereditnecessaryforhimtorefusemanyadvantageousoffersofemploymentinthisline。Hewas，however，ledtocarryoutthenewwater-worksatNorwich，betweentheyearsl790
andl793，inconsequenceofhishavingbeencalledupontogiveevidenceinadisputebetweenthecorporationofthatcityandthelessees，inthecourseofwhichhepropoundedplanswhich，itwasalleged，couldnotbecarriedout。Toprovethattheycouldbecarriedout，andthathisevidencewascorrect，heundertookthenewworks，andexecutedthemwithcompletesuccess；besidesdemonstratinginaspiritedpublicationelicitedbythecontroversy，theinsufficiencyandincongruityoftheplanswhichhadbeensubmittedbytherivalengineer。
ForsometimepriortohisdeathBramahhadbeenemployedintheerectionofseverallargemachinesinhisworksatPimlicoforsawingstoneandtimber，towhichheappliedhishydraulicpowerwithgreatsuccess。Newmethodsofbuildingbridgesandcanal-locks，withavarietyofothermatters，wereinanembryostateinhismind，buthedidnotlivetocompletethem。HewasoccupiedinsuperintendingtheactionofhishydrostaticpressatHoltForest，inHants——whereupwardsof300treesofthelargestdimensionswereinaveryshorttimetornupbytheroots，——whenhecaughtaseverecold，whichsettleduponhislungs，andhislifewassuddenlybroughttoacloseonthe9thofDecember，1814，inhis66thyear。
Hisfriend，Dr。CullenBrown，*