Replies.

THE ADVICE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO JULIUS III.

(Vol. viii., p. 54.; Vol. ix. passim.)

Your correspondent Novus has very judiciously warned controversialists on the use of a document as emanating from the papal court, which, to every one who reads it through (if a shorter examination will not be satisfactory), must carry evidence of its not being papal authority, but intended as a satire on Rome. A writer in the Christian Remembrancer, vol. xii., attaches undue importance to the signatures, in the absence of which, he admits, "we should conclude that this was the production of some enemy in disguise."

In a 4to. volume of Tracts now before me is a copy of the genuine document—

"Consilium delectorum cardinalium et aliorum prælatorum, de emendanda ecclesia. S. D. N. Papa Paulo III. ipso jubente conscriptum et exhibitum anno 1538;"

two copies of the supposititious

"Consilium quorundam episcoporum Bononiæ congregatorum quod de ratione stabiliendæ Romanæ ecclesiæ Julio III. Pont. Max. datum est. Quo artes et astutiæ Romanensium et arcana imperii papalis non pauca propalantur. Ex bibliotheca W. Crashauii. Londini, 1613;"

and several other tracts, so rare that an enumeration of them, and a few extracts, will perhaps be acceptable to many of the readers of "N. & Q." Fourth in order:

"Marcus Antonius de Dominis archiepiscopus Spalatensis, suæ profectionis consilium exponit. Londini, 1616."

"Bellum Papale, sive concordia discors Sixti Quinti et Clementis Octavi, circa Hieronymianam editionem, etc. Auctore Thoma Jamesio. Londini, 1600."

"[Ejusdem] Bellum Gregorianum, sive corruptionis Romanæ in operibus D. Gregorii M. jussu pontificum Rom. recognitis atque editis, etc. Oxoniæ, 1610."

"Summa actorum Facultatis Theologiæ Parisiensis contra librum inscriptum, Controversia Anglicana de potestate regis et pontificis, etc. Auctore Martino Becano. Londini, 1613."

"Antitortobellarminus, sive refutatio calumniarum, mendaciorum, et imposturarum laico-cardinalis Bellarmini, contra jura omnium regum et sinceram illibatamque famam Serenissimi, potentissimi piissimique Principis Jacobi ... fidei catholicæ defensoris et propugnatoris: per Joan. Gordonium. Londini, 1610."

"Epilogus ad quatuor colloquia Dⁿⁱ D^ris Wrighti pro mala fide habita; et a Jacobo Nixon non bona fide relata; et Guilielmo Stanleio nullius fidei perduelli dicata: pro amico et gentili suo D^no Thoma Roe equite editus. Authore Guilielmo Roe. Londini, 1615."

"D^no D^ri Wright Anglo, malæ causæ clienti: et Jacobo Nixon Hiberno, advocato pejori: et Guilielmo Stanleio, patrono pessimo; religionis et patriæ hostibus: pœnam seram et pœnitentiam seriam Guilielmus Roe exoptat."

"Egregia facinora tua vidit Hibernia, experta est Hollandia, agnoscit Hispania, prædicat Gallia, fatetur Flandria, neque potest negare Anglia. Ergo cum bona frontis tuæ serenitate sustinebis, si elogii tui vocem ad assensum nostrum repercussam, instar Ecchus remittamus, et Stanleium hominem egregie facinorosum dixerimus, quod in Hispanis consilio suo immissis vidit Hibernia, in Daventriæ proditione experta est Hollandia, in stipendio proditioni imputato agnoscit Hispania, in pluribus locis frustra et cum ignominia tentatis prædicat Gallia, et nullam illi præfecturam unquam integrè credendo fatetur Flandria, neque post tot in patriam suam molitiones, et præsertim expeditionem quam ad fragorem pulverariæ conjurationis in nos habiturus erat, negare potest Anglia."

"Eadgarus in Jacobo redivivus: seu pietatis Anglicanæ defensio. Ab Adamo Reuter. Londini, 1614."

"[Ejusdem] Libertatis Anglicanæ defensio seu demonstratio: regnum Angliæ non esse feudum pontificis: in nobilissima et antiquissima Oxoniensi academia, publice apposita Martino Becano. Londini, 1613."

"[Ejusdem] Oratio: quam Papam esse Bestiam quæ non est et tamen est, apud Johan. Apoc. xvii. 8. in fine probantem ... recitavit Adam Reuter. Londini, 1610."

"[Ejusdem] Contra conspiratorum consilia orationes duæ. Habitæ ... 5^o Aug. et 5^o Nov., anno 1611, diebus regiæ liberationis a conspiratione Govvrie, et tormentaria. Londini, 1612."

"Ejusdem, Delineatio consilii brevissima: quam societati mercatorum Belgarum Londini florentiss. commorantium consecrat A. R. Londini, 1614."

"Πονησις Χριστοφορου του Αγγελου, etc. At Oxford, 1617."

"[The same]. Christopher Angell, who tasted of many stripes and torments, inflicted by the Turkes for the faith which he had in Christ Jesus. At Oxford, 1617."

"Expositio mysteriorum misse et verus modus rite celebrandi. A Guilhelmo de Gouda. Daventrie, 1504."

Had I not already occupied so much space, I should have added an extract from Angell's Epistle in commendation of England and the Inhabitants thereof. He begins thus:

"O faire like man, thou most fertill and pleasant countrie of England, which art the head of the world, indued with those two faire eies, the two Universities."

Bibliothecar. Chetham.

Had your correspondent Novus, in his first communication, specified by name the Consilium Quorundam Episcoporum as the document whose fictitious character he desired to notify, I should not have been betrayed into my supererogatory vindication of the Consilium Delectorum Cardinalium; the latter piece having lately been much before me, and its very extraordinary frankness in acknowledging the existence of the gravest abuses, of which the Reformers complained, giving it so much the air of satirical fiction. The use of the other document, moreover, being chiefly in the hands of a class of writers I am happy in not being able to boast a very extensive acquaintance with, recent anti-papal controversialists, I certainly did think that Novus had impugned the authenticity of the genuine Consilium.

R. G. is mistaken in supposing that I thought there were nine Cardinals in the committee which drew up the genuine Consilium, as the full title of this piece will show:—Consilium novem Delectorum Cardinalium et aliorum Prælatorum, de emendanda Ecclesia.

B. B. Woodward.

Bungay, Suffolk.

LORD ROSEHILL.

(Vol. ix., p. 422.)

Something more than a partiality for the novelist takes me now and then to the scene of the antiquary—Aberbrothock, or Arbroath. On one occasion, in company with a few friends, we made a day of it in a ramble along the romantic eastern coast of that burgh, and the scene of the perilous incident related of Sir Arthur Lekiss Wardour, when rescued from the incoming tide by being drawn up the face of the precipitous cliff by the doughty Mucklebacket, under the superintendence of Oldbuck and young Lovel. The fresh breeze from the German Ocean, and the excitement of the occasion, imparted a keen relish for the locality and its associations; and by the time we reached the hostelry of Mrs. Walker, at Auchmithie, a no less sharp appreciation of the piscatorial spread we had the foresight to bespeak the previous day. Ushered into Lucky Walker's best dining-room, our attention was immediately drawn to an aristocratic emblazonment of arms which occupied one entire side of the room, with a ribbon, artistically disposed over the same, upon which was inscribed Lord Rosehill, who was, we were informed, the eldest son of the Earl of Northesk (Carnegie), a great proprietor in that neighbourhood, and the special patron of our hostess and her establishment.

With respect to the particular Lord Rosehill, alluded to by your correspondent W. D. R., I beg to offer him the following brief notice from Douglas' Peerage, by Wood, Edin. 1813:

"David L. Rosehill (son of Geo. 6th E. of Northesk) was born at Edin., 5th April, 1749; had an Ensign's commission in the 26th Reg. Foot in 1765; quitted the army 1767, and went to America. He married in Maryland, in Aug. 1768, Miss Mary Cheer, and died without issue at Rouen, in Normandy, 19 Feb. 1788, æt. 39."

From a dear old lady, whom I always find a mine of Forfarshire anecdote of the last century, I obtain some corroborative proof that the said David Lord Rosehill was the eccentric character we might infer from the above, in the assurance that he was "a ne'er do weel, and ran away with the tincklers (i. e. gypsies) in early life."

If I may farther travel out of the record, allow me here to recommend to such of your readers as meditate the northern tour this summer, to diverge a little from the beaten track, and visit the neighbourhood above alluded to; your antiquarian friends, especially, will be delighted with that fine old ruin, the Abbey of Aberbrothock, now that it is brushed up and fit to receive visitors. The worthy Mr. Peter, in charge, has some curious relics acquired at the last diggins, and possesses a fragment of a black-letter Chronicle to satisfy the incredulous that in identifying the objects exhibited, he has his warrant in Hector Boece. The man of progress, too, will find in Fairport, or Arbroath, a hive of industry; but, I regret to add, threatened with a check by this closing of the Baltic trade, which is, if I may say so, both woof and warp in the prosperity of this and other towns on the east coast of Scotland. And lastly, the lovers of ocean, rocks, and caves, will be not less interested with the environs, and I doubt not all would leave it exclaiming with Johnson, that if they had seen no more of old Scotia than Aberbrothock, they would not have regretted their journey.

J. O.

MAJOR ANDRÉ.

(Vol. ix., p. 111.)

On the 13th of January, 1817, Mr. Chappell made a report unfavourable to the petition of John Paulding (one of the citizens who captured Major André), who prays for an increase of the pension allowed to him by the government in consequence of that service. On the question to reverse this report, an interesting debate followed.

We copy the following from the National Intelligencer, January 14, 1817:

"What gave interest principally to the debate, was the disclosure by Mr. Tallmadge of Connecticut (an officer at the time, and commanding the advance guard when Major André was brought in) of his view of the merit of this transaction, with which history and the records of the country have made every man familiar. The value of the service he did not deny; but on the authority of the declaration of Major André (made while in the custody of Colonel Tallmadge), he gave it as his opinion that, if Major André could have given to these men the amount they demanded for his release, he never would have been hung as a spy, nor in captivity on that occasion. Mr. T.'s statement was minutely circumstantial, and given with expressions of his individual confidence in its correctness. Among other circumstances he stated, that when Major André's boots were taken off by them, it was to search for plunder, and not to detect treason. These persons, indeed, he said, were of that class of people who passed between both armies, as often in one camp as the other, and whom, he said, if he had met with them, he should probably as soon have apprehended as Major André, as he had always made it a rule to do with these suspicious persons. The conclusion to be drawn from the whole of Mr. Tallmadge's statement, of which this is a brief abstract, was, that these persons had brought in Major André only because they should probably get more for his apprehension than for his release."

The question on reversing the report was decided in the negative:—Ayes, 53; Noes, 80 or 90.

It is proper to say that the question was decided on the ground taken in the report, viz. on the injustice of legislating on a single case of pension, whilst there were many survivors of the Revolution whom the favour of the government had not distinguished.

From The Gleaner, published at Wilkesbury, Pennsylvania (copied into the National Intelligencer of Washington, March 4, 1817):

"The disclosure recently made by Colonel Tallmadge in the House of Representatives, relative to the capture of Major André, seems to have been received in every instance with the confidence to which it was certainly entitled. That gentleman related what he saw and knew; and those who are attempting to dispute him, relate only what they had been informed of. To those of our readers who may not have seen the report of Colonel Tallmadge's remarks, it may be proper to observe, that those three men who captured Major André, applied to Congress for an increase of pension settled on them by the government, and that when this application was under consideration, Colonel Tallmadge (a member for Connecticut) rose and stated, that having been the officer to whom the care of André was entrusted, he had heard André declare that those men robbed him, and upon his offer to reward them for taking him to the British lines, he believes they declined only from the impossibility of giving them sufficient security, &c., and that it was not patriotism but the hope of gain which induced them to deliver him to the Americans. To this declaration of Colonel Tallmadge, and in support of his opinion, we are happy to have it in our power to offer the following corroborating testimony.

"There is now living in this town a gentleman who was an officer in the Massachusets line, and who was particularly conversant in all the circumstances of that transaction. It was this gentleman who, in company with Captain Hughes, composed the special guard of André's person, was with him during the last twenty-four hours of his life, and supported him to the place of execution. From him we have received the following particulars: it is needless to say we give them our implicit belief, since to those who are acquainted with the person to whom we allude, no other testimony is ever necessary than his simple declaration.

"To this gentleman André himself related that he was passing down a hill, at the foot of which, under a tree, playing cards, were the three men who took him. They were close by the road side, and he had approached very near them before either party discovered the other; upon seeing him they instantly rose and seized their rifles. They approached him and demanded who he was; he immediately answered that he was a British officer, supposing, from their being so near the British lines, that they belonged to that party. They then seized him, robbed him of the few guineas which he had with him, and the two watches which he then wore, one of gold and the other of silver. He offered to reward them if they would take him to New York; they hesitated, and in his (André's) opinion, the reason why they did not do so, was the impossibility on his part to secure to them the performance of the promise.

"He informs also that it was an opinion too prevalent to admit of any doubt, that these men were of that description of persons called 'cow boys,' or those who, without being considered as belonging to either party, made it a business to pillage from both. He has frequently heard this opinion expressed at that time by several officers who were personally acquainted with all these men, and who could not have been mistaken in their general characters.

"André frequently spoke of the kindness of the American officers, and particularly of the attention of Major Tallmadge; and on the way to the place of execution sent for that officer to come near him, that he might learn the manner in which he was to die."

Statement of Van Wart (from the National Intelligencer of Feb. 25, 1817):

"Isaac Van Wart, of the town of Mount Pleasant, in the county of Westchester, being duly sworn, doth depose and say, that he is one of the three persons who arrested Major André during the American revolutionary war, and conducted him to the American camp. That he, this deponent, together with David Williams and John Paulding, had secreted themselves at the side of the highway, for the purpose of detecting any person coming from, or having unlawful intercourse with, the enemy, being between the two armies; a service not uncommon in those times. That this deponent and his companions were armed with muskets, and upon seeing Major André approach the place where they were concealed, they rose and presented their muskets at him, and required him to stop, which he did. He then asked them whether they belonged to his party, and then they asked him which was his party? to which he replied the lower party. Upon which they, deeming a little stratagem under such circumstances not only justifiable but necessary, gave him to understand that they were of his party, upon which he joyfully declared himself to be a British officer, and told them that he had been out upon very particular business. Having ascertained thus much, this deponent and his companions undeceived him as to their characters, declaring themselves to be Americans, and that he must consider himself their prisoner. Upon this, with seeming unconcern, he said he had a pass from General Arnold, which he exhibited, and then insisted on their permitting him to proceed. But they told him that, as he had confessed himself to be a British officer, they deemed it to be their duty to convey him to the American camp; and then took him into a wood, a short distance from the highway, in order to guard against being surprised by parties of the enemy, who were frequently reconnoitering in that neighbourhood. That when they had him in the wood they proceeded to search him, for the purpose of ascertaining who and what he was, and found inside of his stockings and boots, next to his bare feet, papers which satisfied them he was a spy. Major André now showed them his gold watch, and remarked that it was evidence of his being a gentleman, and also promised to make them any reward they might name, if they would but permit him to proceed, which they refused. He then told them that if they doubted the fulfilment of his promise, they might conceal him in some secret place, and keep him there until they could send to New York and receive their reward. And this deponent expressly declares, that every offer made by Major André to them was promptly and resolutely refused. And, for himself, he solemnly declares that he had not, and he does most sincerely believe that Paulding and Williams had not, any intention of plundering their prisoner; nor did they confer with each other, or even hesitate whether they should accept his promise, but, on the contrary, they were, in the opinion of this deponent, governed, like himself, by a deep interest in the cause of the country, and a strong sense of duty. And this deponent further says that he never visited the British camp, nor does he believe or suspect that either Paulding or Williams ever did, except that Paulding was, once before André's capture, and once afterwards, made a prisoner by the British, as this deponent has been informed and believes. And this deponent, for himself, expressly denies that he ever held any unlawful traffic or any intercourse whatever with the enemy. And, appealing solemnly to that omniscient Being, at whose tribunal he must soon appear, he doth expressly declare that all accusations, charging him therewith, are utterly untrue.

Isaac Van Wart.

"We the subscribers, inhabitants of the county of Westchester, do certify that during the revolutionary war we were well acquainted with Isaac Van Wart, David Williams, and John Paulding, who arrested Major André; and that at no time during the revolutionary war was any suspicion ever entertained by their neighbours or acquaintances, that they, or either of them, held any undue intercourse with the enemy. On the contrary, they were universally esteemed, and taken to be ardent and faithful in the cause of the country. We further certify that the said Paulding and Williams are not now resident among us, but that Isaac Van Wart is a respectable freeholder of the town of Mount Pleasant, that we are all well acquainted with him, and we do not hesitate to declare our belief that there is not an individual in the county of Westchester, acquainted with Isaac Van Wart, who would hesitate to describe him as a man of a sober, moral, industrious, and religious life, as a man whose integrity is as unimpeachable as his veracity is undoubted. In these respects no man in the county of Westchester is his superior.

F. D.

The following works furnish much that is interesting concerning Major André:—

An Authentic Narrative of the Causes which led to the Death of Major André, by Joshua Hett Smith, London, 1808. Printed for Matthews and Leigh, 18. Strand.

The Plot of Arnold and Sir Henry Clinton against the United States, and against General Washington, Paris, 1816. Printed by Didot the Elder.

Niles' Weekly Register for 1817, vol. ii. p. 386. Printed at Baltimore.

Anon.

THE TERMINATIONS "-BY" AND "-NESS."

The linguistic origin of these descriptive syllables, when found as suffixes to the names of places, is a question of some interest to the antiquary and ethnologist; and, as to the former of them, has, on that account, fitly enough been made the subject of occasional discussion in the pages of "N. & Q." The -by, as your pages evince (Vol. vii., p. 536.), is implicitly relied upon by Mr. Worsaae and his disciples, in support of the Danish theory of that eminent northern scholar; and that too, as it appears, without any very minute regard to the etymology and meaning of the former syllabic divisions of proper names so characterised. If only the designation of a locality end with -by, evidence sufficient is given, that it owes its paternity specially to the Danes alone, of all the Scandinavian tribes who obtained a permanent footing on our shores. The same is the case with respect to the termination -ness, and its orthographic varieties. As with the Ashbys, Newbys, and Kirbys of our several counties, so (inter alia) with the Hackness of Yorkshire, the Longness of Man, the Bowness of Westmoreland, and the Foulness of Essex. All have the Danish mark upon them; and all, therefore, possess a Danish original, and bear witness of a Danish location.

With regard to the -by, I have already, in these pages, taken occasion to suggest a doubt whether, in that particular instance, the Worsaaen theory be not as fallacious as it is dogmatical. And, adopting the same method with the -ness, I think it will be evident, on examination of the following list of almost identical forms of the expression, that, as to this point also, no argument can be founded upon it, one way or the other, beyond the fact of its derivation from some of the Scandinavian tribes who, in the fifth and succeeding centuries, established themselves on our shores: if, indeed, I do not, even with this enlarged extension, assign to the presence of the term in our topography a too restricted application.

I have a list now before me of 521 places with this suffix, distributed over twenty-five counties. It does not pretend to be complete; but as it offers a more extended view of the question than in Vol. ix., p. 136., I subjoin the results:

Yorkshire 173

Lincolnshire 163

Leicestershire 49

Norfolk 22

Cumberland 21

Westmoreland 18

Northamptonshire 17

Lancashire 14

Nottinghamshire 14

Suffolk and Derbyshire, 5 each 10

Durham and Warwickshire, 3 each 6

Essex and Isle of Man, 2 each 4

Cardiganshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Kent, Monmouthshire, Northumberland, Pembrokeshire, Salop, and Wiltshire, 1 each 10

521

Our termination -ness, then, is the old northern or Icelandic nes, the parent of the Dan. næs, and the Ang.-Sax. nese and næs, signifying "a neck of land, or promontory." From this nes came, naturally enough, the old northern naos or nös, whence the Dan. næse, the Germ. nase; the Ang.-Sax. nase, næse, nose; the Norman-Fr. naz, and Su.-Goth. naese (in Al. and Sansc. nasa, and in Gall. nes); the Latin nasus, and Eng. nose, or nase as it is spelt by Gower in his Conf. Am. b. v., "Both at mouth and at nase." Closely akin to the same word, and probably derived from an identical source, is the old northern nef, whence were formed the Vulg.-Isl. nebbi, the Dan. neb, and the Ang.-Sax. nebbe and neb (in Pers. anef; in C. Tscherh. ep, in Curd. defin), the beak or bill, the neb or nib of a bird; and also used of the prominent feature of the human face divine, to which the term is applied by Shakspeare and Bacon, as it is occasionally at the present day by the older inhabitants of the Yorkshire dales.

Thus have we the origin of our nase, -nese, -ness, -nib, -nab, &c., which are found in the composition of many of our local proper names; but, after looking over the foregoing paragraph, who can tell whether these forms were transported to our shores in a Saxon, Jutish, Anglic, or Danish bark?

Wm. Matthews.

Cowgill.

The Termination "-by."—Having gone over the remaining letters H to Z, I send you the following results:

Lincoln 94 , in former list 65 Total 159

York 41 " " 24 " 65

Leicester 22 " " 21 " 43

Norfolk 13 " " 6 " 19

Notts 9 " " 2 " 11

Cumberland 9 " " 7 " 16

Lancaster 6 " " 2 " 8

Westmoreland 5 " " 3 " 8

Warwick 3 " " 0 " 3

Northampton 3 " " 9 " 12

Suffolk 3 " " 0 " 3

Essex (Kirby-le-Soken) 1 " " 0 " 1

Chester (West Kirby or Kirkby) 1 " " 0 " 1

Pembroke (Tenby) 1 " " 0 " 1

211

Derby 2 " 2

Sussex 1 " 1

142 353

I leave this for the study of others.

B. H. C.

As B. H. C. could only find seven places in Cumberland ending in -by, I take the liberty of sending him a few additional names. Writing from memory, I may very possibly have omitted many more:

Aglionby. Allonby. Alwardby. Arcleby. Birkby. Botcherby. Corby. Crosby. Cross Cannonby. Dovenby. Etterby. Flimby. Gamelsby. Glassonby. Harby. Harraby. Ireby. Johnby. Langwathby. Lazonby. Maughanby. Melmerby. Moresby. Motherby. Netherby. Ormesby. Ousby. Outerby. Parsonby. Ponsonby. Rickerby. Scaleby. Scotby. Sowerby. Tarraby. Thursby. Uckmanby. Uprightby, pronounced Heaverby.

Many names of places in Cumberland commence with Cum, as our Cumbrian bard has it:

From whence is derived the prefix Cum?

John o' the Ford.

Malta.

NEWSPAPER FOLK LORE.

(Vol. vi., pp. 221. 338. 466.; Vol. ix., pp. 29. 84. 276)

Is it quite certain that "no animal can live in the alimentary canal but the parasites which belong to that part of the animal economy?" Being ignorant of the matter I give no opinion, but would bring before your readers' notice the following seemingly well-authenticated instance. I quote from Insect Transformations, 1830, p. 239., a work put forth by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.

"That there was no deception on the part of the woman, is proved by the fact that she was always anxious to conceal the circumstance; and that it was only by accident that the medical gentlemen, Drs. Pickells, Herrick, and Thomson, discovered it. Moreover, it does not appear that, though poor, she ever took advantage of it to extort money. It is interesting to learn that, by means of turpentine in large doses, she was at length cured."

Edward Peacock.

Bottesford Moors, Kirton-in-Lindsey.

VENTILATION.

(Vol. ix., p. 415.)

"Airs from heaven or blasts from hell."

The mistake which, it is very respectfully submitted, the professed ventilationists fall into, and which may be considered the fons et origo malorum, is the notion that foul air rises upwards, and that pure air comes from below; which is just the reverse of the fact.

In any room containing animals or vegetables, the air undergoes a change by respiration.

Leaving the vegetables to care for themselves, and considering the animals, if such a title may be reverently given to members of the House and others shut up in confined apartments for the benefit of their species, it is obvious that the pure air of heaven must undergo a change by the respiratory organs of the members, which change is absolutely necessary to preserve their lives, and each such apartment is a manufactory for converting pure into foul air. Its steam-power is seated in the lungs, which, at each inspiration, take up the oxygen (the principle of life and flame) of the air, and at each expiration give out the carbon of the blood, conveyed by the veins from all parts of the body as refuse, and when purged therefrom by oxygen inspired, convert the venous blood into arterial, and bring life out of death.

What, then, becomes of the expired carbon? The professional ventilationists say it ascends, and they provide mechanically, but not scientifically, accordingly. On the contrary, it finally descends; and this is the reason why our beds are always a few feet above the floor. If proof is needed, it may be found by applying a candle to the door, slightly ajar, of a room occupied by a few persons, when it will be found that the flame of the candle will point, when held at the lower part of the door, outwards, and at the upper part of the door inwards, showing how the currents of air pass; and as every one knows carbon to be heavier than air, the lower current is the one charged with carbon. The Grotto del Cane derives its name from the fact, that a dog passing the stream of carbon issuing from the fissure in the rock, dies; whilst a man walking erect, with his mouth above the stream of carbon, escapes. Our lime-kilns furnish a common example of the fact of the density of carbon compared with atmospheric air. Experiments in proof are constantly exhibited in chemical lectures.

The practical inference, experto crede, is that holes in the skirting-boards should be made so as to draw off the foul air, whilst the angelic visits of pure air should be sought from above. Bellows, such as are used in diving-bells, with hot or cold air, might be necessary in an extreme case—long debates in the Commons, for example,—which may require extraordinary ventilation.

T. J. Buckton.

Lichfield.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE.

History of Photographic Discovery.—Without entirely agreeing with the opinion expressed to us a few days since, by an eminent scholar and most original thinker, that photography was destined to change the face of the whole world; we have little doubt it is destined to produce some striking social effects. Its history is, therefore, an interesting one, and the following extract from a paper "On some early Experiments in Photography, being the substance of a Letter addressed to Robert Hunt, Esq., by the Rev. J. B. Reade, M.A., F.R.S.," from the Philosophical Magazine for May, 1854, seems, in that point of view, so important, that we have transferred it to "N. & Q."

"I may assume that you are already aware, from my letter to Mr. Brayley of March 9, 1839, and published in the British Review for August, 1847, that the principal agents I employed, before Mr. Talbot's processes were known, were infusion of galls as an accelerator, and hyposulphite of soda as a fixer.

"I have no doubt, though I have not a distinct recollection of the fact, that I was led to use the infusion of galls from my knowledge of the early experiments by Wedgwood. I was aware that he found leather more sensitive than paper; and it is highly probable that the tanning process, which might cause the silver solution to be more readily acted upon when applied to the leather, suggested my application of the tanning solution to paper.

"In your own history of the photographic process," says Mr. Reade, addressing Mr. Hunt, "you say, 'the discovery of the extraordinary property of the gallic acid in increasing the sensibility of the iodide of silver was the most valuable of the numerous contributions which Mr. Talbot has made to the photographic art.' It is nevertheless true, as stated by Sir David Brewster, that 'the first public use of the infusion of nut-galls, which is an essential element in Mr. Talbot's patented process, is due to Mr. Reade;' and in my letter to Mr. Brayley I attribute the sensitiveness of my process to the formation of a gallate or tannate of silver. I need scarcely say, that among various experiments I tried gallic and tannic acid in their pure state, both separately and mixed; but the colour of the pictures thus obtained with the solar microscope was at that time less pleasing to my eye, than the rich warm tone which the same acids produced when in their natural connexion with solutions of vegetable matter in the gall-nut. This organic combination, however, was more effective with the solar microscope than with the camera, though the lenses of my camera were five inches in diameter. It is probable enough that the richer tone was due to the greater energy of direct solar rays. In using the solar microscope, I employed a combination of lenses which produced a convergence of the luminous and photogenic rays, together with a dispersion of the calorific rays, and the consequent absence of all sensible heat enabled me to use Ross's cemented powers, and to make drawings of objects inclosed in Canada balsam, and of living animalcules in single drops of water. The method I employed was communicated to the Royal Society in December, 1836, and a notice of it is contained in the 'Abstracts.'

"You inform me that some persons doubt whether I really obtain gallate of silver when using an infusion of gall-nuts, and that one of Mr. Talbot's friends raises the question. It is sufficient to reply, that though gallic acid is largely formed by a long exposure of an infusion of gall-nuts to the atmosphere, as first proposed by Scheele, yet this acid does exist in the gall-nut in its natural state, and in a sufficient quantity to form gallate of silver as a photogenic agent; for M. Deyeux observes, that 'when heat is very slowly applied to powdered gall-nuts, gallic acid sublimes from them, a part of which, when the process is conducted with great care, appears in the form of small white crystals.' M. Fiedler also obtained gallic acid by mixing together a solution of gall-nuts and pure alumina, which latter combines with the tannin and leaves the gallic acid free in the solution; and this solution is found, on experiment, to produce very admirable pictures. But what is more to the point, Mr. Brayley, in explaining my process in his lectures, showed experimentally how gallate of silver was formed, and confirmed my view of the sensitiveness of the preparation. It is therefore certain that the use of gallate of silver as a photogenic agent had been made public in two lectures by Mr. Brayley at least two years before Mr. Talbot's patent was sealed.

"I employed hyposulphite of soda as a fixer. Mr. Hodgson, an able practical chemist at Apothecaries' Hall, assisted me in the preparation of this salt, which at that time was probably not be found, as an article of sale, in any chemist's shop in London. Sir John Herschel had previously announced the peculiar action of this preparation of soda on salts of silver, but I believe that I was the first to use it in the processes of photography. I also used iodide of potassium, as appears from my letter, as a fixer, and I employed it as well to form iodide of lead on glazed cards as an accelerator. Iodide of lead has of itself, as I form it, considerable photographic properties, and receives very fair impressions of plants, lace, and drawings when placed upon it, but with the addition of nitrate of silver and the infusion of galls the operation is perfect and instantaneous. Pictures thus taken were exhibited at the Royal Society before Mr. Talbot proposed his iodized paper. The microscopic photographs exhibited at Lord Northampton's in 1839 remained in his lordship's possession. I subsequently made drawings of sections of teeth; and one of them, a longitudinal section of a tooth of the Lamna, was copied on zinc by Mr. Lens Aldous for Owen's 'Odontography.' I may say this much as to my own approximation to an art, which has deservedly and by universal consent obtained the name of Talbotype."

Photographic Cautions.—Diffused light being one of the most common causes of photographic failures, I beg to call the attention of your readers to the construction of their cameras. Working with a friend, and taking the same localities, using the same paper and chemicals, his pictures have proved comparative failures, a general browning pervading the whole, evidently the effect of light. Every inspection failed to discover it, until the mode was adopted of putting one of the paper-holders in its position as for taking a picture, then removing the lens, and, with the aid of the focussing-bag, looking through the hole where the lens is applied, when light became visible in many spaces, entirely accounting for these failures. As many such cameras are now becoming made upon the same sliding construction, every one should test his apparatus before he commences, for such a one is entirely useless. Lately also the glass corners for collodion plate-holders in the dark slides, have been by some makers replaced by a sort of silver looking wire, but possessing little of that metal. The most minute portion of the copper in this wire coming in contact with the excited collodion, produces a decomposition sufficient to spoil any picture. These may appear trivial things to "make a note of," but as they have caused much vexation to one who has had some photographic experience, they may still more perplex a novice; and as you have done so much towards making the science plain, I hope you will give them space in your forthcoming Number.

Lux in Camera.

A Query respecting Collodion.—I have been making some collodion by Mr. Tery's process, and have iodized it with a very sensitive medium. The collodion is very clear and properly diluted. The ether I used had a very powerful smell of sulphur, and was likewise very strong and volatile. I diluted it with an equal volume of alcohol. The ether was then still very strong. The cotton dissolved freely. On mixing the iodizing medium, the colour of the collodion turns immediately to nearly a port-wine colour, but still remains very clear. I obtain a very good film of iodide of silver from the bath, but cannot produce a picture under five or seven minutes, whereas with the same lens, and the same iodizing medium, viz.

Alcohol 8 drms.

Iodide of potassium 8 grs.

Iodide of ammonium 4 grs.

Iodide of silver ½ gr.

I have obtained beautiful pictures in less than one second with collodion prepared by the same (Archer's) process. As I have made a quantity of it, and am unwilling it should be wasted, I have taken the liberty of asking your opinion on the subject. Do you think the collodion is too new, or the ether not good? On pouring the developing solution on the plate (protosulphate of iron), the plate has the appearance of having ink poured on it; but this appearance is removed on the application of the hyposulphite of soda, and the plate remains as clear as when it was taken from the nitrate of silver bath.

J. Cook.

The Céroléine Process.—Have any of your photographic correspondents made such experiments on the céroléine process as to enable them to communicate the results to "N. & Q."?

Is Mr. Crooke's process for preserving the sensitiveness of collodion applicable to all collodions? If not, what collodion is best suited for it?

Silex.

Mr. Fox Talbot's Patents.—-The injunction moved for by Mr. Fox Talbot, as reported in The Times of Saturday last, reminds us of a Query which we have been sometimes asked, and which may just now be brought forward with advantage, namely: If Mr. Talbot's patents extend to the collodion process, how comes it that the earliest practisers of the collodion art had to make their own researches? We know one skilful photographer whose experiments were so extensive before he made any tolerable pictures, that his spoiled glass and cuttings were more than a man could lift.