which Broughton replied, "Yes, please your Royal Highness, the whole corps, with a breakfast between every battle." Simplifying Laws an Act of Tyranny.Montesquieu says the multiplicity of our laws is the price we pay for our liberty; and remarks, from the examples of Cæsar and Oliver Cromwell, that simplifying the law is generally one of the first acts of a tyrant. In what a glorious ignorance of such tyranny do the people of England rejoice!

William the Conqueror's Laws.-The Conqueror gave England a code of laws consisting of seventy-one articles. They were written in German-French, and opened thus:-"Ce sont les leis et les custumes que li reis William grantut à tut le peuple de Engleterre, après le conquest de la terre; iceles meismes que li reis Edward, sun cosin tint devant lui. Co est à saveir: pais à saint yglise; de quel forfait que home ont fait en ces tens, et il pout venir à saint yglise, ont pais de vie et de membre."

The Courier de Londres et de Paris.'This new French journal has the advantage of being edited by one who knows England as well as France. It is admirably printed, and its utility to foreigners who are unacquainted with our language, promises to make it the' Galignani' of England.

The Evil Sight.-Upon new buildings or children the Turks imagine the looks of Christians bring ill luck; and so to attract what they call the evil sight, upon arches or houses they suspend a ball or some fantastic thing to fix the attention of those who pass, in order that the eyes may not be fixed too long on the building.

How to catch a Unicorn.-In the Speculum Naturale' of Vincent de Beauvais, the unicorn is placed in the list of the animal kingdom. Great value was attached to it and it was exceedingly difficult to take. To effect this it was absolutely necessary that a young virgin should be employed, because she was regarded as the emblem of purity.

Portrait of the Virgin.-Among the paintings of the Greek Church was one which represented the Holy Mary as exceedingly hard featured. It was presumed to be the portrait painted by St Luke, or at least such a one as he would have painted, and according to the tradition the Virgin was fifty years old when her likeness was taken by the Evangelist, who was a painter by profession, as well as a physician.

A New Freak of Despotism. - Letters from Egypt announce that the Pasha has suddenly fallen in love with antiques, and has given a positive order that no more shall be removed out of the country; and so strictly is this enforced that one of the

little blue images, so commonly met with, has been stopped. If this law be strictly enforced, it will increase the price of those already in the English market.

Wives bought.-In some of the German states wives were formerly bought and sold; by one law against adultery, he who seduced the wife of a freeman was bound to buy him another.

Mr Horr.-This well-known vocalist has commenced a series of lectures at the Polytechnic, on the music of all nations. He has given some curious specimens of old English melodies with animated illustrations, which prove his powers have suffered no diminution since he trod the boards of Drury. At the same Institution a most astonishing scientific novelty has been added to its varieties. The face of a living man, enormously magnified, is shown on the sheet which has heretofore presented insects and inanimate objects. The giant looks and smiles on the visitors, puts on spectacles, smokes a cigar, and exhibits a reality as strange and startling as any pantomimic monstrosity that ever delighted Christmas revelers.

Sagacity of a Cow.-The late Sir Her bert Taylor, at Fan Grove, near Chertsey, in Surrey, had a cow which was in the constant habit of turning the handle of a turnip slicer, when the hopper had any turnips in it. The cow would then feed on the turnips which had dropped out. When these were consumed, she would turn the handle again.

Don Augustin Arguelles. This incorruptible patriot lately died at Madrid. Multitudes accompanied his remains in solemn procession to the tomb. It was a tribute to the memory of a man whose name had never been sullied with intrigues for place, power, or wealth. As guardian to the royal children, during the regency of Espartero he was, entitled to above 14,000l. a year. Of this he would only accept the tenth part, and at his death just twenty-two dollars were found in his house, and old claims on the government for 7,000 dollars.

"Ministers without virtue," says M. Necker, "are more to be feared than sovereigns indifferent to public good: newly come out of the crowd, they know better than the monarch the selfish use that they can make of all the passions and vices; and, as they are connected with society, as they have a continual relation with the different orders of the state, their corruptions are propagated, and their dangerous influence spreads to a great distance."

LONDON: Published by JOHN MORTIMER, Adelaide Street, Trafalgar Square; and sold by all Booksellers and Newsmen.

Printed by REYNELL and WEIGHT, Little Pulteney street, and at the Royal Polytechnic Institution.

Original Communications.

ST MARY'S CONDUIT, LINCOLN. THE Conduit in the high street above represented was probably the gift of some pious donor, who knew from painful experience how valuable, how passionately coveted is that first necessary of life, water, which happily, in most English towns, from the abundant supply we now possess, is allowed in vast quantities to flow unre. garded away. Before pipes for its convey ance were in use public conduits were of no small importance. Ben Jonson has, in his Every Man in his Humour,' a character named Cob, a water-carrier, which was then a regular calling. A considerable number of poor men and women found occupation in those days in supplying the neighbouring houses from the conduits. They carried the water in tankards and pails, the former being more commonly used by the men, and the latter by women. The name of William Lambe was long honoured in London for the conduit which he erected in Holborn, about the middle of Queen Elizabeth's reign. Many such were No. 1213.]

S

erected in different parts of the country. Scott describes one at Flodden

"Behold her mark

A little fountain cell,

Where water clear as diamond spark
In a stone basin fell.

Ahove some half-worn letters say,
'Drink, weary pilgrim, drink and pray
For the kind soul of Sybil Grey,

Who built this cross and well.'" That which is the subject of our cut arrests the attention of most visitors of the ancient city of Lincoln, which, according to tradition, was once the most important town in the kingdom, as "London is now," says M. Jorevin, who wrote in the time of Charles the Second, "and as York is expected to be at some future period."

The aspect of the building is singular. In his 'Picturesque Antiquities' of Lincoln, Britton says-"This curious little edifice, adjoining the church of St Mary-le-Wickford, in the High street, serves as a reservoir for water." It is thus noticed by Leland:-"There lay in a chapel at the White Freeres, a rich marchaunt caulled Ranulphus de Kyme, whose image was thens taken and set up at the south ende of the new Castelle of the Conducte [VOL. XLIV.

of Water in Wickerford." Thus we find that the conduit was newly built when Leland saw it, about the year 1540; and from his description, and a close examination of the building, it seems probable that the whole materials were brought from the Carmelites, or White Friars, immediately after the destruction of that house, which stood on the opposite side of the street. The statute of Ranulph de Kyme continued to lay where Leland found it, until the churchyard was rebuilt about ten years ago (1826), when the conduit was repaired; it was then set up at the back of the conduit, together with another sepulchral effigy, which had also laid upon the wall. The appearance of this little structure is that of a chapel, and the ornamental tracery, niches, and other carved works on its sides look like the fragments of some richly decorated chantry, perhaps of one built by Ranulph de Kyme himself at the White Friars. The two stone balls, which so unsuitably terminate the points of the gables, were probably set up in 1672, when the conduit was repaired, as appears by the date inscribed on the south end. The situation of this curious piece of antiquity, in a public and spacious street, makes it much noticed by strangers. It is now in a substantial state of repair, and may stand for centuries, unless some notion of improvement should occasion its demolition.

IMMEDIATELY after the succession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne all the royal fortune-hunters in Europe were on the qui vive to gain her hand Among the aspirants was Eric, the eldest son of Gustavus I, King of Sweden. His brother John, Duke of Finland, came over to this country in 1559 to attempt to negotiate a marriage between Eric and the Queen. There is in the State Paper office a letter from Sir Henry Knolles, who was appointed to receive the prince. His account of what passed on the occasion is interesting. The following is a copy of the letter above-mentioned:

"Syr,

"1559.

"At 7 of the clocke yn the mornyng, thys day, y came unto Harwyche: and at 9 of the clocke, after y had taryed together with Sir Thomas Smythe yn the Duke's hall more than halff an howre, y was admytted unto the Duke's presens; who, syttyng yn a chayre withowt movyng hymself, offered me hys hande,- -as yt semed by the maner of the holdyng theroff, to kysse. But y that had bene otherwyse brought up then to kysse the hand of ony subject, other than of the

parentage of my naturall prynce, after y had with reverens kyssed myn owne hande y joyned my hande with hys, accordyng to the maner of thys owr natyve countre. "The Queen's messag he receaved very thankfully, but her mageste's lettres he loked not on at that present; only he sayd he wolde take a tyme to dely berat, and then make me furder answer. All that y spake yn declaryng how moche the Quene's hyghnes rejoysed on hys behalff that he had escaped the perylls of the seas, and was now saffly arryved wythin her Mageste's realme, he ynterrupted yt even as co[urtly] lovers doe; applyeng yt all together for a testymony of the Quene's good ynclynatyon towardes the lykyng of hys Embassade: wheryn he taryed so moche, that y was marveylously perplexyd, ferying lest that upon occasyon of my wordes, he wolde take holde towardes a promyse of some ynconvenyency. Wherfor, after he had ended hys tale, y said that yt was the maner, not only of the Quene's hyghnes that now ys, but allso of all her Magesty's progenytors, at what tyme ony noble prynice, suche as he was, came hether to see other the realme or theyr personne, allways to receive them most thankfully; and to omytt no maner of curteysy, or favor, wherby they myght ether doe them honor, or shew them ony pleasure. Whereunto when he replyed nothyng, I toke my leave of hym for that tyme.

"After dyner, my lorde of Oxforde had hym forthe on hawkyng, and shewed hym great sporte, kyllyng yn hys syght both faysant and partrych; wheryn he semed to take great pleasure. Towardes nyght, as he came homewardes, y was so bolde to enqwyre of him whether yt wolde please hym to use my servyce ony longer here; or otherwyse, yn case y sholde retorne, whether hys pleasure were y sholde say ony thyng on hys behelff unto the Quene's Magesty? He answered that he entended to wryte unto her hyghnes; and what tyme he delyvered me hys lettres y sholde knowe furder what to say. Afterwards, yn talke of hys removyng towardes London, y was very desyrous (by rayson of the dowtfulnes that he kept all men yn so longe tyme), to know when he entended to take hys jorny that way. Wheruntò he answered that, by rayson hys horse[s] were ympayred throughe the noysomnes of the seas, they were not yet able to serve hym; but after 4 or 5 days he thought he sholde be redy to goe. Thus moche y thought yt my duty to sygnyfye unto you by lettres, yn as moche as y am deteaned, myselff, longer then my tyme appoynted: wheryn allso y truste you wyll declare myn excuse unto the Quene's Magesty. Thus, after myn humble commendatyons, I pray God assiste you

allways with hys grace, to hys glory, and the honor of the Quene. From Harwyche, the 27th of Decembre.

"Your poor frende,

"H. KNOLLES."

ON METALLO-CHROMES AND ANION DEPOSITS GENERALLY.

No. V.

(Continued from page 242.)

WE mentioned in our last article that if arrangements are made for preventing the liberation of hydrogen at the negative plate of a voltaic pair, considerable increase is given to the electro-motive force. Mr Daniell accomplished this by providing for this plate a solution con taining an element for which nascent hydrogen has an affinity; or, to speak more correctly, by introducing a binary compound for one of the elements of which nascent hydrogen has a greater affinity than the other element has. The binary compound which he employs is oxide of copper, consisting of oxygen and copper: the hydrogen, under such influence, instead of being liberated, combines with the oxygen of this oxide, forming water, and the metal copper is set free and deposited on the negative plate. The oxide of copper, as employed for this purpose, is dissolved in sulphuric acid and water, constituting the salt popularly called sulphate of copper, and known in commerce under the name of blue vitriol.

The zinc plate of the pair must, on no account, be in this solution; because zinc having a greater affinity for the acid than copper has, the latter metal would be thrown down upon the zinc, and there set up an infinity of local actions, which would soon destroy the zinc plate, as well as interfere with the main action. Therefore, to complete the arrangement, the zinc plate is excited with dilute sulphuric acid, while the copper (for it is folly now to employ platinum, since it will immediately be covered with copper) is in the solution of sulphate of copper. The solutions are kept separate by a porous tube or diaphragm of plaster, clay, membrane, paper, &c.; and thus we have Daniell's constant battery. A few sulphate crystals are suspended in the copper solution, in order to maintain its strength unimpaired.

One step more, and we have the most powerful voltaic combination known, viz., "Grove's Nitric Acid Battery." In this arrangement the negative plate, which must be of platinum, is immersed in strong nitric acid, and the positive or zinc plate in diluted sulphuric acid as before. Nitric acid parts with its oxygen much more readily than does oxide of copper, and it is of itself a very excellent con⚫

ductor of electricity, approaching the metals in this respect. These two properties combined make it a valuable material for exciting voltaic action.

There are other voltaic arrangements besides the above, but these have been selected as the most important in themselves, and the best fitted to illustrate the principles by which the philosopher is guided in constructing voltaic elements of various degrees of energy. It is almost superfluous to add, that each of these forms is subject to the modification of being in good or in bad action, according as the exciting liquids are fresh or exhausted. It is equally obvious that the power of each is in proportion to its electro-motive force; and that one can do more work than the other. But there is another condition which is not so obvious; it is that one can do work which the other cannot do at all. It might at first sight seem possible that the weaker forces might do the work of the stronger, if they were allowed time; as is the case with mechanical forces. Not so: each has a limit, beyond which it cannot pass. And now, as we come to illustrate this point, we reach the main subject of the present notices.

For instance: a cell of the constant battery, with platinum wires dipping into acid water, in a second vessel, has no power to decompose this water; a cell of the nitric acid battery decomposes it slightly. A battery, excited with pure water, falls very far behind the weakest acid battery in its decomposing power. But there is no limit to the power of each form, when we increase the number of elements; that is, when we take several pairs and connect them in series one with the other, having the positive plate of one connected with the negative plate of the other. A series of three nitric acid pairs, or seven constant pairs, gives about the best number for decomposing water; if we wish to employ any multiple of these numbers, they are most advantageously placed in multiple series. One constant cell is sufficient to decompose the solution of oxide of copper. Perhaps there is no better means of acquiring a general idea of the principles which actuate the production of metallo-chromes, than to take a single cell of the constant battery, and exercise its action on compound solutions under various circumstances. We will take up this point in our next. (To be continued.)

Military Surgery. -The 'Berwick Warder' mentions that Professor Sir George Ballingall has this year awarded his prize in the class of military surgery, university of Edinburgh, to Mr Alexander Cahill, son of Dr Cahill.