Читать книгу: «Notes and Queries, Number 208, October 22, 1853», страница 5
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
(Vol. viii., p. 220.)
I can answer Mr. Weld Taylor for at least one public school having no library, nor any books for other purposes than tasks, i.e. Christ's Hospital, London: whether any other metropolitan schools are provided with books I do not know. When I was at the above school, at all events, we had no books except for learning out of; whether reform has crept in since I was there, twenty-five years ago, I cannot say. I speak of then, not now.
I remember very well a dusty cupboard with "Read, Mark, Learn," painted in ostentatious letters on it. And these profound words were just like a park gate with high iron railings, where you may peep in and get no farther—no more could we: for we never saw the inside of it, and nobody could say where the key was, therefore what flowery pleasaunce of knowledge it contained nobody perhaps knows to this day. I also remember how greedily any entertaining book was borrowed, begged, and circulated; and thumbed and dog's-eared to admiration. Rasselas and Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, or Sandford and Merton, poor things! they became at last what might be supposed a public arsenal of umbrellas would at the last.
When I reflect on that time, and the dreary winter's evenings, trundled to bed almost by daylight, my very heart sinks. What a luxury if some Christian had been allowed to read aloud for an hour, instead of lying awake studying the ghastly lamp that swung from the ceiling in the dormitory; or if some one with a modicum of information had given half an hour's lecture on some entertaining branch of science. Perhaps these antique schools are reformed in some measure, or perhaps they are waiting till their betters are.
I observe, however, that certain parish work-house schools have, within these few days, taken the hint. Perhaps our public schools, for some are very wealthy, may be able to afford to follow their example.
E. H.
Wimborne Minster, Dorset.
Marlborough College possesses a library of about four thousand volumes, entirely the munificent contribution of Mr. McGeachy, one of the council. The boys of the fifth and sixth forms are allowed access daily at certain fixed hours, the librarian being present. In addition to this, libraries are now being formed in each house, which are maintained by small half-yearly subscriptions, and which will contain books of a more amusing character, and better suited for the younger boys.
B. J.
PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE
Albumenized Paper.—If this subject be not already exhausted, the following account of my method of preparing the material in question, which differs in some few important particulars from any I have seen published, may be of interest to some of my brother operators.
I have, after a very considerable number of experiments, succeeded in producing the very highly varnished appearance so conspicuous in some of the foreign proofs; and although I cannot say I admire it in general, more especially as regards landscapes, yet it is sometimes very effective for portraits, giving a depth of tone to the shadows, and a roundness to the flesh, which is very striking. Moreover, a photographer may just as well be acquainted with every kind of manipulation connected with the art.
Having but a very moderate amount of spare time, and that at uncertain intervals, to devote to this seductive pursuit, I am always a great stickler for economy of time in all the processes, as well as for economy of material, the former with me having, perhaps, a shade more influence than the latter.
As in all other processes, I find that the kind of paper made use of has a most important bearing upon the result. That which I find the best is of French manufacture, known as Canson Frères' (both the thin and the thick sorts), probably in consequence of their being sized with starch. The thin sort (the same as is generally used for waxed-paper negatives) takes the highest polish, but more readily embrowns after being rendered sensitive, and the lights are not ever quite so white as when the positive paper is used.
In order to save both time and labour, I prepare my papers in the largest sizes that circumstances will admit of, as it takes little or no more time to prepare and render sensitive a large sheet than a small one; and as I always apply the silver solution by means of the glass rod, I find that a half-sheet of Canson's paper (being seventeen inches by eleven inches the half-sheet) is the best size to operate on. If the whole sheet is used, it requires more than double the quantity of solution to ensure its being properly covered, which additional quantity is simply so much waste.
A most convenient holder for the paper whilst being operated upon, is one suggested by Mr. Horne of Newgate Street, and consists of a piece of half-inch Quebec yellow pine plank (a soft kind of deal), eleven inches by seventeen inches, screwed to a somewhat larger piece of the same kind, but with the grain of the wood at right angles to the upper piece, in order to preserve a perfectly flat surface. On to the upper piece is glued a covering of japanned-flannel, such as is used for covering tables, taking care to select for the purpose that which has no raised pattern, the imitation of rosewood or mahogany being unexceptionable on that account. The paper can be readily secured to the arrangement alluded to by means of a couple of pins, one at each of two opposite angles, the wood being sufficiently soft to admit of their ready penetration.
To prepare the Albumen.—Take the white of one egg; this dissolve in one ounce of distilled water, two grains of chloride of sodium (common salt), and two grains of grape sugar; mix with the egg, whip the whole to froth, and allow it to stand until it again liquefies. The object of this operation is to thoroughly incorporate the ingredients, and render the whole as homogeneous as possible.
A variety in the resulting tone is produced by using ten grains of sugar of milk instead of the grape sugar.
The albumen mixture is then laid on to the paper by means of a flat camel's-hair brush, about three inches broad, the mixture being first poured into a cheese plate, or other flat vessel, and all froth and bubbles carefully removed from the surface. Four longitudinal strokes with such a brush, if properly done, will cover the whole half-sheet of paper with an even thin film; but in case there are any lines formed, the brush may be passed very lightly over it again in a direction at right angles to the preceding. The papers should then be allowed to remain on a perfectly level surface until nearly dry, when they may be suspended for a few minutes before the fire, to complete the operation. In this condition the glass is but moderate, and as is generally used; but if, after the first drying before the fire, the papers are again subjected to precisely the same process, the negative paper will shine like polished glass. That is coated again with the albumenizing mixture, and dried as before.
One egg, with the ounce of water, &c., is enough to cover five half-sheets with two layers, or five whole sheets with one.
I rarely iron my papers, as I do not find any advantage therein, because the moment the silver solution is applied the albumen becomes coagulated, and I cannot discover the slightest difference in the final result, except that when the papers are ironed I sometimes find flaws and spots occur from some carelessness in the ironing process.
If the albumenized paper is intended to be kept for any long time before use, the ironing may be useful as a protection against moisture, provided the iron be sufficiently hot; but the temperature ought to be considerable.
To render the paper sensitive, I use a hundred-grain solution of nitrate of silver, of which forty-five minims will exactly cover the sheet of seventeen inches by eleven inches, if laid on with the glass rod. A weaker solution will do, but with the above splendid tints may be produced. As to the ammonio-nitrate of silver, I have totally abandoned its use, and, after many careful experiments, I am satisfied that its extra sensitiveness is a delusion, while the rapid tendency of paper prepared with it to spoil is increased tenfold.
The fixing, of course, modifies considerably the tone of the proof, but almost any desired shade may be attained by following the plan of Mr. F. M. Lyte, published in "N. & Q.," provided the negative is sufficiently intense to admit of a considerable degree of over-printing.
It is a fact which appears to be entirely overlooked by many operators, that the intensity of the negative is the chief agent in conducing to black tones in the positive proof; and it is almost impossible to produce them if the negative is poor and weak: and the same observation applies to a negative that has been over-exposed.
Geo. Shadbolt.
Cement for Glass Baths.—The best I have tried is Canada balsam. My baths I have had in use five years, and have used them for exciting, developing hypo. and cyanide, and are as good as when first used.
Noxid.
New Process for Positive Proofs.—I have tried a method of preparing my paper for positive proofs, which, as I have not seen it mentioned as employed by others, and the results appear to me very satisfactory, I am induced to communicate to you, and to accompany by some specimens, which will enable you to judge of the amount of success.
I use a glass cylinder, with air-pump attached, such as that described by Mr. Stewart as employed by him for iodizing his paper. I put in this the salt solution, and that I use is thus composed: 2 drachms of sugar of milk, dissolved in 20 ounces of water, adding—
Chloride of barium 15 grs.
Chloride of sodium 15 grs.
Chloride of ammonium 15 grs.
In this I plunge several sheets of paper rolled into a coil (taking care that they are covered by the solution), and exhaust the air. I leave them thus for a few minutes, then take them out and hang them up to dry; or as the sheets are rather difficult to pin, from the paper giving way, spread them on a frame, across which any common kind of coarse muslin or tarletan, such as that I inclose, is stretched.
I excite with ammonio-nitrate of silver, 30 grains to 1 ounce of water, applied with a flat brush.
I fix in a bath of plain hypo. of the strength of one-sixth. The bath in which the inclosed specimens were fixed has been in use for some little time, and therefore has acquired chloride of silver.
I previously prepared my paper by brushing it with the same salt solution, and the difference of effect produced may be seen by comparing a proof so obtained, which I inclose, with the others. This latter is of rather a reddish-brown, and not very agreeable tint. I have inclosed the proofs as printed on paper of Whatman, Turner, and Canson Frères, so as to show the effect in each case. The advantages which the mode I have detailed possesses are, I think, these:
Greater sensitiveness in the paper,
A good black tint, and
Greater freedom from spots and blemishes, all very material merits.
C. E. F.
[Our Correspondent has forwarded five specimens, four of which are certainly very satisfactory, the fifth is the one prepared by brushing.]
Replies to Minor Queries
The Groaning Elm-plank in Dublin (Vol. viii., p. 309.).—Dr. Rimbault has given an account of the groaning-board, one of the popular delusions of two centuries ago: the following notice of it, extracted from my memoir of Sir Thomas Molyneux, Bart., M.D., and published in the Dublin University for September, 1841, may interest your readers:
"In one of William Molyneux's communications he mentions the exhibition of 'the groaning elm-plank' in Dublin, a curiosity that attracted much attention and many learned speculations about the years 1682 and 1683. He was, however, too much of a philosopher to be gulled with the rest of the people who witnessed this so-called 'sensible elm-plank,' which is said to have groaned and trembled on the application of a hot iron to one end of it. After explaining the probable cause of the noise and tremulousness by its form and condition, and by the sap being made to pass up through the pores or tubuli of the plank which was in some particular condition, he says: 'But, Tom, the generality of mankind is lazy and unthoughtful, and will not trouble themselves to think of the reason of a thing: when they have a brief way of explaining anything that is strange by saying, "The devil's in it," what need they trouble their heads about pores, and matters, and motion, figure, and disposition, when the devil and a witch shall solve the phenomena of nature.'"
W. R. Wilde.
Passage in Whiston (Vol. viii., p. 244.).—J. T. complains of not being able to find a passage in Whiston, which he says is referred to in p. 94. of Taylor on Original Sin, Lond. 1746. I do not know what Taylor he refers to. Jeremy Taylor wrote a treatise on original sin; but he lived before Whiston. I have looked into two editions of the Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin, by John Taylor, one of Lond. 1741, and another of Lond. 1750; but in neither of these can I find any mention of Mr. Whiston.
Ἁλιεύς.
Dublin.
"When Orpheus went down" (Vol. viii., pp. 196. 281.).—In addition to the information given upon this old song by Mr. Oldenshaw, I beg to add the following. It was written for and sung by Mr. Beard, in a pantomimic entertainment entitled Orpheus and Euridice, acted at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1740. The author of the entertainment was Mr. Henry Sommer, but the song in question was "translated from the Spanish" by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Lisle, who died Rector of Burclere, Hants, 1767. It was long very popular, and is found in almost all the song-books of the latter half of the last century. Mr. Park, the editor of the last edition of Ritson's English Songs (vol. ii. p. 153.), has the following note upon this song:
"An answer to this has been written in the way of echo, and in defence of the fair sex, whom the Spanish author treated with such libellous sarcasm."
As this "echo song" is not given by Ritson or his editor, I have transcribed it from a broadside in my collection. It is said to have been written by a lady.
"When Orpheus went down to the regions below,
To bring back the wife that he lov'd,
Old Pluto, confounded, as histories show,
To find that his music so mov'd:
That a woman so good, so virtuous, and fair,
Should be by a man thus trepann'd,
To give up her freedom for sorrow and care,
He own'd she deserv'd to be damn'd.
"For punishment he never study'd a whit,
The torments of hell had not pain
Sufficient to curse her; so Pluto thought fit
Her husband should have her again.
But soon he compassion'd the woman's hard fate,
And, knowing of mankind so well,
He recall'd her again, before 'twas too late,
And said, she'd be happier in hell."
Edward F. Rimbault.
Foreign Medical Education (Vol. viii., p. 341.).—Your correspondent Medicus will find some information respecting some of the foreign universities in the Lancet for 1849, and the Medical Times and Gazette for 1852. For France he will find all he wants in Dr. Roubaud's Annuaire Médical et Pharmaceutique de la France, published by Baillière, 219. Regent Street.
M. D.
"Short red, good red" (Vol. viii., p. 182.).—Sir Walter has probably borrowed this saying from the story of Bishop Walchere, when he related the murder of Adam, Bishop of Caithness. This tragical event is told in the Chronicle of Mailros, under the year 1222; also in Forduni Scotichronicon, and in Wyntoun's Chronicle, book vii. c. ix.; but the words "short red, good red," do not appear in these accounts of the transaction.
J. Mn.
Collar of SS. (Vols. iv.-vii. passim).—At the risk of frightening you and your correspondents, I venture to resume this subject, in consequence of a circumstance to which my attention has just been directed.
In the parish church of Swarkestone in Derbyshire there is a monument to Richard Harpur, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in the reign of Elizabeth; on which he is represented in full judicial costume, with the collar of SS., which I am told by the minister of the parish is "distinctly delineated." It may be seen in Fairholt's Costumes of England, p. 278.
As far as I am aware, this is the only instance, either on monuments or in portraits, of a puisne judge being ornamented with this decoration. Can any of your correspondents produce another example? or can they account, from any other cause, for Richard Harpur receiving such a distinction? or may I not rather attribute it to the blunder of the sculptor?
Edward Foss.
Who first thought of Table-turning (Vol. viii., p. 57.).—It is impossible to say who discovered the table-turning experiment, but it undoubtedly had its origin in the United States. It was practised here three years ago, and, although sometimes associated with spirit-rappings, has more frequently served for amusement. On this connexion it may be proper to say that Professor Faraday's theory of unconscious muscular force meets with no concurrence among those who know anything about the subject in this country. It is notorious that large tables have been moved frequently by five or six persons, whose fingers merely touched them, although upon each was seated a stout man, weighing a hundred and fifty or sixty pounds: neither involuntary nor voluntary muscular force could have effected that physical movement, when there was no other purchase on the table than that which could be gained by a pressure of the tips of the fingers.
.
Philadelphia.
Passage of Thucydides on the Greek Factions (Vol. vii., p. 594.; Vol. viii., pp. 44. 137.).—My attempt to find the passage attributed by Sir A. Alison to Thucydides in the real Thucydides was unsuccessful for the best of reasons, viz. that it does not exist there. He has probably borrowed it from some modern author, who, as it appears to me, has given a loose paraphrase of the words which I cited from Thucyd. III. 82., and has expanded the thought in a manner not uncommon with some writers, by adding the expression about the "sword and poniard." Some other misquotations of Sir A. Alison from the classical writers may be seen in the Edinburgh Review for April last, No. CXCVIII. p. 275.
L.
Origin of "Clipper" as applied to Vessels (Vol. viii., p. 100.).—For many years the fleetest sailing vessels built in the United States were constructed at Baltimore. They were very sharp, long, low; and their masts were inclined at a much greater angle than usual with those in other vessels. Fast sailing pilot boats and schooners were thus rigged; and in the last war with England, privateers of the Baltimore build were universally famed for their swiftness and superior sailing qualities. "A Baltimore clipper" became the expression among shipbuilders for a vessel of peculiar make; in the construction of which, fleetness was considered of more importance than a carrying capacity. When the attention of naval architects was directed to the construction of swift sailing ships, they were compelled to adopt the clipper shape. Hence the title "Clipper Ship," which has now extended from America to England.
.
Philadelphia.
Passage in Tennyson (Vol. viii., p. 244.).—In the third edition of In Memoriam, LXXXIX., 1850, the last line mentioned by W. T. M. is "Flits by the sea-blue bird of March," instead of "blue sea-bird." This reading appears to be a better one. I would suggest that the bird meant by Tennyson was the Tom-tit, who, from his restlessness, may be said to flit among the bushes.
F. M. Middleton.
Huet's Navigations of Solomon (Vol. vii., p. 381.).—This work of the learned Bishop of Avranches was written in Latin, and translated into French by J. B. Desrockes de Parthenay. It forms part of the second volume of a collection of treatises edited by Bruzen de la Martinière, under the title of Traités Géographiques et Historiques pour faciliter l'intelligence de l'Ecriture Sainte, par divers auteurs célèbres, 1730, 2 vols. 12mo.
I am unable to reply to Edina's second Query, as to the result of Huet's assertions.
Henry H. Breen.
St. Lucia.
Sincere (Vol. viii., pp. 195. 328.).—The derivation of this word from sine cerâ appears very fanciful. If this were the correct derivation, we should expect to find sinecere, for the e would scarcely be dropped; just as we have the English word sinecure, which is the only compound of the preposition sine I know; and is itself not a Latin word, but of a later coinage. Some give as the derivation semel and κεράω—that is, once mixed, without adulteration; the ε being lengthened, as the Greek ἀκήρατος. The proper spelling would then be simcerus, and euphonically sincerus: thus we have sim-plex, which does not mean without a fold, but (semel plico, πλέκω) once folded. So also singulus, semel and termination. The proper meaning may be from tablets, ceratæ tabellæ, which were "once smeared with wax" and then written upon; they were then sinceræ, without forgery or deception. If they were in certain places covered with wax again, for the purpose of adding something secretly and deceptively, they cease to be sinceræ.
J. T. Jeffcock.
Π. Β. asks me for some authority for the alleged practice of Roman potters (or crock-vendors) to rub wax into the flaws of their unsound vessels. This was the very burden of my Query! I am no proficient in the Latin classics: yet I think I know enough to predicate that Π. Β. is wrong in his version of the line—
"Sincerum est nisi vas, quodcunque infundis acescit."
I understand this line as referring to the notorious fact, that some liquors turn sour if the air gets to them from without. "Sincerum vas" is a sound or air-tight vessel. In another place (Sat., lib. i. 3.), Horace employs the same figure, where he says that we "call evil good, and good evil," figuring the sentiment thus:
"At nos virtutes ipsas invertimus, atque
Sincerum cupimus vas incrustare"—
meaning, of course, that we bring the vessel into suspicion, by treating it as if it were flawed. Dryden, no doubt, knew the radical meaning of sincere when he wrote the lines cited by Johnson:
"He try'd a tough well-chosen spear;
Th' inviolable body stood sincere."
C. Mansfield Ingleby.
Birmingham.
The Saltpetre Man (Vol. viii., p. 225.).—In addition to the curious particulars of this office, I send you an extract from Abp. Laud's Diary:
"December 13, Monday. I received letters from Brecknock; that the saltpeter man was dead and buried the Sunday before the messenger came. This saltpeter man had digged in the Colledge Church for his work, bearing too bold upon his commission. The news of it came to me to London about November 26. I went to my Lord Keeper, and had a messenger sent to bring him up to answer that sacrilegious abuse. He prevented his punishment by death."
John S. Burn.
Major André (Vol. viii., p. 174.).—There is in the picture gallery of Yale College, New Haven, Conn., an original sketch of Major André, executed by himself with pen and ink, and without the aid of a glass. It was drawn in his guard-room on the morning of the day first fixed for his execution.
J. E.
Longevity (Vol. viii., p. 182.).—A Doubter is informed that the National Intelligencer (published at Washington, and edited by Messrs. Gales and Seaton) is the authority for my statement respecting Mrs. Singleton, and her advanced age. If A Doubter is desirous of satisfying himself more fully respecting its correctness, he has but to write to the above-named gentlemen, or to the English Consul at Charleston, S. C., and his wish will doubtless be gratified. I cannot but hope that your correspondent's "fifty cents worth of reasons" for doubting my statement is now, or shortly will be, removed.
If A Doubter intends to be in New York while the present Exhibition is open, he will have an opportunity of seeing a negro of the age of one hundred and twenty-four, who once belonged to General Washington, and from whom he could very possibly obtain some information respecting the aged "nurse" of the first President of the United States mentioned in his note.
