Le Blanc, by means of sulphuric acid, converted salt into sulphate of soda. Eighty pounds are required for every hundred pounds of salt. Hence the creating a very large demand for sulphuric acid. This is made of sulphur and saltpetre, or nitrate of soda. Some houses in England pro

duce 1000 tons of sulphuric acid annually.

Kelp is now only manufactured for the sake of the iodine it contains; and as this element is most abundant in the seaweed that grows at such a depth as not to be accessible in situ, the kelp for iodine is made from the weed cast ashore after storms. Even in the most favourable places it hardly pays the cost of making it. Thirty tons of kelp produce one ton only of alkali, worth now only about 31. 10s., instead of 2007.

As a set-off to the above picture, we may add that a once comparatively worthless material from the same locality, blue lias limestone, - brings in quite a revenue in the present day; and some strata of the same formation, worthless, as was thought, even among the disregarded layers of that stone, now fetch a high price as a rapidly setting cement.*

Inability to read or write.

How striking the circumstance of our meeting with the epitaphs of men much lauded for their worth, and even ability, who could not read or write! Before learning was general many individuals were unlettered, ignorant in book learning, who were still, considering the age, cultivated men, clever by comparison with others. They proved what oral teaching could do. In Tudor reigns numbers could sign their name, who could do no more in the way of writing. They may have carried their philosophy about with them, and propagated it in the walking place, under the pentice, and in the market.

At a Court of Hustings at Lyme Regis, 2nd November, 1584, "It was agreed at a Court held in the Moot Hall, Quart. Rev. CLXXIX., p. 157.

*

HIEROGLYPHICS IN THE HUSTINGS' BOOK. 391

that as well the burgesses and freemen, as well inhabitant as not inhabitant, as all other inhabitants, shall be contributory to the payment of taxes and impositions to be levied towards the charge of the burgesses for the Parliament.' And it is added the burgesses chose two assessors on their parts, the mayor and his brethren two on their parts.

The town was not incorporated when this important decision was come to, after having been duly mooted in the Guild hall. After the entry in the Hustings' Book, and some few signatures, appear sundry hieroglyphics, marks, and initial letters, eleven in number, of those who could not write the legislators who had just determined so wisely on the floor of their little house of assembly.

The following hieroglyphics are placed in laughable juxtaposition with the pedantic Latin of the learned Town Clerk:

* William Bagster was the ancestor of the members of an honourable London firm, who have a motto expressive of the many tongues introduced into their Polyglot editions of the Scriptures. “ Πολλαι μεν θνητοίς Γλώτται, μια δ' Αθανατοισιν. "Multæ terricolis linguæ, cœlestibus una."

Of ninety inhabitants of Brighton who signed some orders as sanctioning them in 1580, only seven wrote their own autographs. After their names, written for them, the others added marks, such as the anchor, the axe, the wheel, the anvil, and the plough, with other professional instruments and utensils.

The marks remind one of the Paraph of the Spanish, and other merchants of the Continent. This is the name given to a tortuous specimen of caligraphy, in common phrase, a flourish or strike after and below the signature, to render a counterfeit difficult or impossible. The Paraphs of correspondents, kept by houses of business for reference, have an odd effect, and resemble so many reptiles of the Nile twisting and twining in all kinds of shapes.

Lest unfairness may be thought to be dealt to our provincial tradesmen, the writing faculty of an ambassador a century earlier is here given.

Shassek, secretary to the mission of Leo, Baron of Rosmital and Blatna, ambassador from Bohemia to the court of Edward IV., mentions what power in the way of writing the head of that mission displayed at Windsor in 1466. After dining with the Knights of the Garter, he was requested to write his autograph in their mess book or album, a feat which he accomplished with such dubious success that when he had departed an application was sent after him to return and read it. Perhaps this great man could have simply written his name; but the name with his titles added made the performance a difficult task. We here detect an early desire to collect autographs, which has long been an established mania.

The framework of society was, at the period under consideration, differently constructed. The far greater number could not read and write. If a man now-a-days addresses one who is in the latter predicament, he is apt at once to treat him as an inferior in every particular, as a matter of course. It was not so in Elizabeth's reign. In the present age schooling or book learning is necessarily indispensable. Still some who have missed this valuable acquirement are

ACCOUNT OF ABRAHAM PLAISTOW.

393

cultivated, and possess great powers of mind, or what is styled ability, as they did in the Tudor reigns. A living Impresario, who labours under these disadvantages, is supposed to be the best judge of music in Europe. I have accidentally had working for me one who could not read or write, and another who was highly accomplished in algebra. The master of these two was the untaught!

Learning was honoured in Elizabeth's and James the First's reigns: a want of ability to read and write was not always treated as a disgrace, though it disqualified for some situations.

Daniel Morfiun, or Murefin, of Leicester, in the next reign, "for that he cannot write, was by most voices discharged from being chamberlain hereafter," and another person was treated in like manner. There was no disgrace attending this exclusion; for this Mr. Morfiun was chosen alderman, and died after having served the office of mayor in 1660.*

It is becoming very rare to meet with a person in the situation of a master who can neither read nor write.

A

few years since the occurrence was more frequent, and the deficient party wrapped up the circumstance in this expression, "I'm no scholard."

Sir Fowell Buxton's account of Abraham Plaistow, the gamekeeper, who could neither read nor write, is illustrative of the merits of an unlettered man, and of the fact that mentally gifted individuals may be greatly pleased with one who is without school learning.

"My guide, philosopher, and friend, was Abraham Plaistow, the gamekeeper; a man for whom I have ever felt, and still feel, very great affection. He was a singular character: in the first place, this tutor of mine could neither read nor write, but his memory was stored with various rustic knowledge. He had more of natural good sense, and what is called mother-wit, than almost any person I have met with since: a knack which he had of putting everything into new and singular lights made him,

Nichol's Hist. of Leicester.

and still makes him, a most entertaining, and even intellectual companion. He was the most undaunted of men: I remember my youthful admiration of his exploits on horseback. For a time he hunted my uncle's hounds, and his fearlessness was proverbial. But what made him particularly valuable were his principles of integrity and honour. He never said or did a thing in the absence of my mother of which she would have disapproved. He always held up the highest standard of integrity, and filled our youthful minds with sentiments as pure and as generous as could be found in the writings of Seneca or Cicero. Such was my first instructor, and, I must add, my best; for I think I have profited more by the recollection of his remarks and admonition than by the more learned and elaborate discourses of all my other tators He was our playfellow and tutor; he rode with us, fished with us, shot with us, upon all occasions."

In a loyal petition from Bridgewater, in 1680, not one half of those who subscribed could write their names. The petition wore in consequence a very extraordinary The marks resembled hieroglyphics, or, as appearance. was satirically expressed, were like so many " reptiles of the Nile."

Persons who had the ability, or "gift," as it was called, to write, had rarely the accomplishment of being able to write well and clearly. Their caligraphy was at fault; hence a scrivener was applied to. This accounts for the excellent writing that is displayed in archives. A clever scrivener was also versed in the language suited to each station, could deal out the Suum cuique, and besides the "writing," often undertook or assisted in "making," — by which is meant inditing a letter. Such is the Ecrivain et redacteur of French towns.

The accounts of churchwardens in the fifteenth century were "made" in Latin, so the scrivener was educated in grammar learning. The church official had only to make some mark or nick till the scrivener came, who, learning that two bell ropes had been furnished for the bells, entered:

Item, pro duos ropys pro campanis, xiiijd.

Item, solvere pro faciende de cleper de campanis, xijd.