Chapter 6 R.

I would refer your correspondent Σ., who has put a Query whether persons who have suffered execution by hanging have outlived the infliction, to a case of a woman named Anne Green, which appears to be authenticated upon the most unequivocal testimony of two very estimable authors. The event to which I allude is described in Dr. Robert Plot's History of Oxfordshire, folio, Oxford, 1705, p. 201.; and also in the Physico-Theology of Rev. W. Derham, F.R.S., 3rd edit., 8vo., London, 1714, p. 157. The above-mentioned Anne Green was executed at Oxford, December 14, 1650.

I will not trespass upon your space, which appears pretty well occupied, with a lengthened detail from the authors pointed out, as their works are to be found in most libraries; and thinking Polonius's observation that "brevity is the soul of wit" may be more extensively applied than to what relates to fancy and imagination. I would, however, crave one word, which is, that you would suggest to your correspondents generally that in referring to works they would give, as distinctly as possible, the heads of the title, the name of the author, the edition, if more than one, the place of publication, date, and page. I have experienced much loss of time from incorrect and imperfect references, not to mention complete disappointment in many instances, which I trust may plead my apology for this remark.[4]

Γ.

Footnote 4:(return) As our pages are frequently consulted for literary purposes, the suggestion of Γ is extremely valuable, and we trust his hints will be adopted by our numerous correspondents.-Ed.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE.

A Stereoscopic Note.-I possess a small volume entitled A Disquisition about the Final Causes of Natural Things, by T. H., B.B., Fellow of the Royal Society, 1688. "To which are subjoined, by way of Appendix, some uncommon observations about vitiated sight." In this strange appendix, one of the uncommon observations is worth the notice of your correspondents who write on stereoscopic subjects. I give you an extract from it:

"It has been of late the opinion of very learned men, that though both our eyes are open, and turned towards an object, yet 'tis but one of them at a time that is effectually employed in giving us the representation of it: which opinion, in this place where I am writing but observations, it were not proper to discuss, especially because what is suppos'd to be observed will not always uniformly happen, but may vary in particular persons according to their several customs, and the constitution of their eyes: for I have, by an experiment purposely made, several times found, that my two eyes together see an object in another situation than either of them apart would do." And in giving instances for and against binocular vision, the author says: "A yet more considerable instance of such mistakes I afterwards had from a noble person, who, having in a fight, where he play'd the hero, had one of his eyes strangely shot out by a musquet bullet, that came out at his mouth, answered me, that not only he could not well pour drink out of one vessel into another, but had broken many glasses by letting them fall out of his hand, when he thought he had put them into another's, or set them down upon a table." The whole book is a very curious one, and I should be obliged if the Editor of "N. & Q." could tell me who T. H. was?[5]

J. Lawson Sisson.

Edingthorpe.

Footnote 5:(return) The Hon. Robert Boyle.

Photographic Query.-I think many amateur photographers would be thankful for plain and simple directions how to mount their positives on cardboard. Would the Editor of "N. & Q." assist us in this?

J. L. S.

Deepening Collodion Negatives.-I have lately been trying a method of deepening collodion negatives, so as to render instantaneous impressions capable of being printed from, which I have found to answer admirably; and although it is but a slight modification of Mr. Lyte's process described in "N. & Q.," it is a very important one, and will be found to produce far better results. The picture having been developed in the usual way, with a solution of pyrogallic acid, is whitened by means of Mr. Archer's solution of bichloride of mercury. The plate is then washed with water and a solution of iodide of cadmium poured on. This converts the white chloride of mercury, which constitutes the picture, into the yellow iodide, in the same manner as the solution of iodide of potassium recommended by Mr. Lyte; but is much to be preferred, as it produces a more uniform deposit. The solution of iodide of potassium dissolves the iodide of mercury as soon as it is formed, and therefore cannot be left on the plate until the decomposition of the chloride is complete, without injury resulting to the picture, as the half-tones are thereby lost, and those parts over which the solution first flows become bleached before the other parts have attained their highest tone; whereas the solution of iodide of cadmium may be allowed to remain for any length of time on the plate, without any fear of its injuring the negative.

J. Leachman.

Caution to Photographers.-About six months since, I procured some gun cotton from a chemist which appeared very good, being quite soluble, and the collodion produced by it was excellent. That which I did not use I placed in what I believed to be a clean dry-stopped bottle, and put the bottle in a dark cupboard. I was much surprised the other day, upon going to the cupboard, to find the stopper blown out, and the cotton giving out dense red fumes of nitrous acid. It appears to me to be almost upon the point of combustion, and I have, accordingly, placed it under a bell-glass in a porcelain dish to watch the result. I feel satisfied, however, that there is some risk, and, as it may often be near ether, spirits of wine, or other inflammable chemicals, that caution is necessary not only in preserving it at home, but especially in its transmission abroad, which is now done to some extent.

An Amateur.

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Replies to Minor Queries.

Artesian Wells (Vol. ix., p.222.).-Wells are often so called without just pretence to a similarity with those in Artois, whence this name is derived. There are some natural springs in the northern slope of the chalk in Lincolnshire, near the Humber, called blow-wells, which may be considered naturally Artesian. The particular character by which an Artesian well may be known is, that the water, if admitted into a tube, will rise above the level of the ground in its immediate vicinity up to the level of its sources in the basin of the district; this basin being usually gravel, lying betwixt two strata impervious to water, formed the surrounding hills, and extending often over many miles of the earth's surface. If we conceive the figure of a large bowl, inclosing a somewhat smaller one, the interstice being filled with gravel, and the rain falling on the earth being collected within such interstice, then this interstice being tapped by boring a well, the water will rise up from the well to the same height as it stands in the interstice, or rim of the natural basin. Such is an Artesian well. Supposing this huge mineral double bowl to be broken by a geological fault, the same hydrostatic principle will act similarly.

The question of preferable put by Stylites must be governed by the cui bono. Universal adoption is forbidden, first, by the absence of a gravelly stratum betwixt two strata impervious to water; and secondly, by the excessive expense of boring to such great depths. Where expense is not in excess of the object to be attained, and where the district is geologically favourable, the Artesian wells are preferable to common ones derived from natural tanks or water caverns, first, for the superabundant supply; secondly, for the height to which the water naturally rises above the ground; and thirdly, because boring Artesian wells, properly so called, does not rob a neighbour's well for your own benefit, afterwards to be lost when any neighbour chooses to dig a little deeper than you. This is a matter with which London brewers are familiar.

T. J. Buckton.

Lichfield.

Prior's Epitaph on Himself (Vol. i., p. 482.).-Mr. Singer quotes an epitaph on "John Carnegie," and says it is the prototype of Prior's epitaph on himself. I have looked among Prior's poems for this epitaph, and have not been able to discover anything that can be said to answer Mr. Singer's description of it. Would your correspondent oblige me with a copy of the epitaph to which he alludes? My edition of Prior is a very old one; and this may account for the omission, if such it be.

Henry H. Breen.

St. Lucia.

[The following is a copy of the epitaph:

"Nobles and heralds, by your leave,

Here lies what once was Matthew Prior,

The son of Adam and of Eve;

Can Bourbon or Nassau claim higher?"]

Handwriting (Vol. viii., p. 639.).-In your concluding Number of last year, E. B. requested information as to any work in English, French, German, or Spanish, giving a standard alphabet for the various kinds of writing now in use, with directions for teaching the same. I fear I shall not satisfy all your correspondent's inquiries; but the following may be of some service. I have in my possession a German work, nearly of the kind he requires. The title is, Gründliche Anweisung zum Sch?nschreiben, by Martin Schüssler, Wiesbaden, 1820. It is of an oblong shape, and consists entirely of engraved plates, in number thirty-two. It begins with some directions for the form and inclination of letters; then follows an explanation of five rules for writing, which are given in the German handwriting. After exhausting the German, the author proceeds to English letters and handwriting, followed by engrossing hand. Then he gives the fractur, or black-letter characters, with some elaborate and beautiful capitals. He next gives specimens of French handwriting, and ends with Greek current hand, and plates of large capitals of ornamental patterns; all different.

If this work would at all answer the purpose of E. B., and he would wish to see it, it shall be sent to him by post on his giving his address to the writer, whose card is enclosed.

F. C. H.

I have in my possession for sale, a scarce old work, folio, a good clean copy of Geo. Bickman's Universal Penman, 1733; with numerous engravings.

D. H. Strahan.

10. Winsly Street, Oxford Street.

"Begging the Question" (Vol. viii., p. 640.; Vol. ix., p. 136.).-It may interest your logical readers to be informed of the fact that this fallacy was called the petition of the principle, this being, of course, a literal rendering of the Latin phrase. The earliest English work on logic in which I have found this Latinism is, The Arte of Logike, plainelie set foorth in our English Tongue, easie both to be understoode and practised, 1584. Here occurs the following passage:

"Now of the default of Logike, called Sophisme. It is eyther { Generall. } / { Speciall. } The generall are those which cannot be referred to any part of Logike. They are eyther { Begging of the question, called the petition of the principle. } / { Bragging of no proof. } Begging of the question is when nothing is brought to prooue, but the question, or that which is as doubtfull."