are: I. That aqueous vapor and carbon compounds are present in stellar or interplanetary space. again to the sun, in a manner somewhat | another very recent paper presented to analogous to the action of the heat re- the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Profescuperator in the regenerative engine and sor Piazzi Smyth furnishes important adgas furnace. The fundamental conditions ditional proof of the presence of oxygen in the outer solar atmosphere, and gives an explanation why this important element has escaped observation by the spectroscope. Additional proof of the existence of oxygen in the outer solar atmosphere has been given by Professor Stoney, the astronomer royal for Ireland, and by Mr. R. Meldola in an interesting paper communicated by him to the Philosophical Magazine in June, 1878. 2. That these gaseous compounds are capable of being dissociated by radiant solar energy while in a state of extreme attenuation. 3. That the vapors so dissociated are drawn towards the sun in consequence of solar rotation, are flashed into flame in the photosphere, and rendered back into space in the condition of products of com bustion. Three weeks have now elapsed since I ventured to submit these propositions to the Royal Society for scientific criticism, and it will probably interest my readers to know what has been the nature of that criticism and the weight of additional evidence for or against my theory. Criticism has been pronounced by mathematicians and physicists, but affect ing singularly enough the chemical and not the mathematical portion of my argument; whereas chemists have expressed doubts regarding my mathematics while accepting the chemistry involved in my reasoning. Doubts have been expressed as to the sufficiency of the proof that dissociation of attenuated aqueous vapor and carbonic acid is really effected by radiant solar energy, and, if so effected, whether the amount of heat so supplied to the sun could be at all adequate in amount to keep up the known rate of radiation. It was admitted in my paper that my own experiments on the dissociation of vapors within vacuous tubes amounted to inferential rather than absolute proof; but the amount of inferential evidence in favor of my views has been very much strengthened since by chemical evidence received from various sources; and I will here only refer to one of these. Professor Piazzi Smyth, the astronomer royal for Scotland, has, in connection with Professor Herschel of Newcastle, recently presented an elaborate paper or series of papers to the Royal Society of Edinburgh "On the Gaseous Spectra in Vacuum Tubes," of which he has kindly forwarded me a copy. It appears from these memoirs that when vacuum tubes, which contain attenuated vapors, have been laid aside for a length of time, they turn practically into hydrogen tubes. In As regards the sufficiency of an inflowing stream of dissociated vapors to maintain solar energy, the following simple calculation may be of service. Let it be assumed that the stream flowing in upon the polar surfaces of the sun flashes into flame when it has attained the density of our atmosphere, that its velocity at that time is one hundred feet per second (the velocity of a strong terrestrial wind) and that in its composition only one-twentieth part is hydrogen and marsh gas in equal proportions, the other nineteen-twentieths being made up of oxygen, nitrogen, and neutral compounds. It is well known that each pound of hydrogen develops in burning about sixty thousand heat units, and each pound of marsh gas about twentyfour thousand; the average of the two gases mixed in equal proportion would yield, roughly speaking, forty-two thousand units; but, considering that only one-twentieth part of the inflowing current is assumed to consist of such combustible matter, the amount of heat developed per pound of inflowing current would be only twenty-one hundred heat units. One hundred cubic feet, weighing eight pounds, would enter into combustion every second upon each square foot of the polar surface, and would yield 8X60X60X2100=60,480,000 heat units per hour. Assuming that one-third of the entire solar surface may be regarded as polar heat-receiving surface, this would give twenty million heat units per square foot of solar surface; whereas according to Herschel's and Pouillet's measurements only eighteen millions heat units per square foot of solar surface are radiated away. There would thus be no difficulty in accounting for the maintenance of solar energy from the supposed source of supply. On the other hand I wish to guard myself against the assumption that appears to have been made by some critics, that what I have advocated would amount to the counterpart of "perpetual motion," and therefore to an absurdity. The sun cannot of course get back any heat radiated by himself which has been turned to a purpose; thus the solar heat spent upon our earth in effecting vegetation must be absolutely lost to him. Shut, shut the door, good John; fatigued, I think of the preciousness of the editor's time. Not only the newspaper editor of to-day, but the studious of all ages, have thought with Lord Bacon that "friends are robbers of our time," and have attempted to act up to Shakespeare's advice, "Ever My paper presented to the Royal Soci- hold time too precious to be spent with ety was accompanied by a diagram of an babblers." Pope draws a vivid picture ideal corona, representing an accumula- of the annoyance to which he was subtion of igneous matter upon the solar sur-jected by poetasters requesting an opinion faces, surrounded by disturbed regions on their sorry productions. He cries to pierced by occasional vortices and out- his servant: bursts of metallic vapors, and culminating in two outward streams projecting from the equatorial surfaces into space through thousands of miles. The only supmany porting evidence in favor of this diagram were certain indications that may be found in the instructive volume on the sun by Mr. R. A. Proctor. It was therefore a matter of great satisfaction to me to be informed, as I have been by an excellent authority and eye-witness, that my imaginary diagram bore a very close resemblance to the corona observed in America on the occasion of the total eclipse of the sun on the 11th of January, 1880. Enough has been said, I think, to prove that the theory I have ventured to put forward is the result, at any rate, of considerable reflection; and I may add that, since its first announcement, have not seen reason to reject any of the links of my chain of argument: these I have here endeavored to strengthen only by additional facts and explanations. If these arguments can be proved to the entire satisfaction of those best able to form a judgment, they would serve to justify the poet Addison when he says: The unwearied sun from day to day From Chambers' Journal. IN his interesting work on the newspaper press, Mr. Grant, speaking of the hard work which the editor of an important paper has to encounter in the accomplishment of his daily task, says nothing is more trying to the patience and temper than the tiresome and unprofitable visits of certain political personages, who think themselves and their communications of the most vital importance, and who never said. Tie up the knocker; say I'm sick - I'm dead! While some have shown in their writings their dislike at being disturbed by inopportune callers, with nothing to say worth listening to, others have attempted to prevent the annoyance altogether by means of menacing inscriptions over their study doors. Zachary Ursinus, a professor in the University of Heidelberg in the sixteenth century, to prevent interruption during his studies, placed over his study door a Latin inscription, which translated runs: "Friend, whoever thou art that comest hither, either briefly despatch thy business, or begone." Justus Scaliger, professor of polite literature at Leyden, and the creator of chronological science, entered into many angry controversies with his contemporaries, yet he gave a gentle hint to intending visitors that they might retire at the last moment without crossing lances with him. The entrance to his study bore the following inscription: Tempus meum est ager meus," which translated means that my time is my es tate. Dr. Cotton Mather, of Boston, United States, the founder of a Society of Peacemakers similar to the Quakers-whose objects were to settle differences and prevent lawsuits, was a man of such great activity and despatch in his numerous affairs, that Dr. Johnson's words, "Panting Time toiled after him in vain," might appropriately have been applied to him. To impress on his numerous law-avoiding and peace-seeking clients the necessity of remembering the passage of "the inaudible and noiseless foot of Time," and to save himself the tedium of listening to interminable stories of all sorts of wrongs, real or imaginary, he had written over the door of his sanctum in prominent letters the pungent words: "Be short." 66 The wall of a gentleman's house near Edinburgh some years since exhibited a board on which was painted a threat quite as difficult for the trespasser to understand as the preceding: "Any person entering these inclosures will be shot and prosecuted." Probably the student of Harvard University was endeavoring to improve on Dr. Mather's inscription by specifying more exactly the brevity desired in his friends' visits, when he affixed this announcement to his door : "Notice- An eccentric old gentleman placed in a Hours for Visitors, 7 to 7.45." Whether field on his estate a board with the followthis period consisted only of forty-five ing generous offer painted thereon: "I minutes, in the morning or evening, can- will give this field to any man who is connot be discovered from the more than am-tented." It was not long before he had biguous inscription itself. And if the an applicant. "Well, my man, are you "hours" actually set apart for the enter a contented fellow? Yes, sir, very.' tainment of his fellow-students were from "Then why do you want my field?" The 7 A.M. to 7.45 P.M., or vice versa, then we applicant did not wait to reply. are afraid that young man would find himself "plucked" at the first "little go" that took place. We cannot help thinking this must have been the promising student of whom the story is told, that he bought a dozen towels, and writing his name on number one, put Ditto on each of the oth ers. Those who indulge in legends over You put above your door and in your bills, Who manufactures quills must be a Goose! The following lines are engraved on a stone tablet at the entrance to a certain summer-house, and surrounded by a border of spiders, beetles, earwigs, and centipedes, and other natives of these cool grots : Stranger, or Friend, whatever name accord cramp; Here rest thy back against this wall of brick; A fly shall headlong down your throat cscape; While some scholars are accustomed to bury themselves so deeply in their studies, that the entrance of a visitor causes annoying mental perturbation, and have in self-defence found it necessary to adopt the deterrent expedient we have been illustrating, every individual, we think, desires, thou to whom such summer joys are dear, And Nature's ways are pleasant-enter here ! immunity from such persistent callers as tramps and beggars. The brass plate of a teacher of the French language in Glasgow, in addition to the information such "brasses "" are meant to convey, forbids beggars and old-clothes dealers to ring the bell. The invitation which follows was likelier to have a freer response, than the rather lively one to enter the arbor. The Weekly Magazine of 1777 says the lines were inscribed over the door of a house at Bruntstock, remarkable for its hospi tality: Whoe'er thou art, young, old, or rich, or poor, Here Youth and Beauty, Age and Wisdom | Cum tak a mugg of mye trinker cum trink dwell; Each neighboring swain my happiness can tell. A bridge at Denver, Colorado, boasts. of a notice which might also claim the dignity of being ranked as a mathematical proposition. It is to the effect that no vehicle drawn by more than one animal is allowed to cross this bridge in opposite directions at the same time." An equally slipshod specimen of the queen's English may still be found exhibited as a "Public Notice" by the South-eastern Railway Company at the Canton Street Terminus: "Tickets once Thin a full kart of mye verry stron drink The native landlord of the hotel at La hore, in which the following notice to the guests is posted up, is apparently determined to charge for every possible item of expenditure, and to allow no fuss about the payment of what he anticipates his customers will look upon as overcharges: "Gentleman who come in hotel not say anything about their meals they will be charged for; and if they should say beforehand that they are going out to breakfast or dinner, etc.; and if they say that they have not anything to eat, they will be charged, and if not so they will be charged, or unless they bring it to the notice of the manager; and should they want to say anything, they must order the unless they not bring it to the notice of manager for and not any one else; and the barrier is "delivered up pany's "holder," who evidently has the the manager, they will be charged for the privilege of "retiring from the platform least things according to the hotel rate, with his prey and no fuss will be allowed afterwards "without travelling." Deabout it. tectives may be sent in pursuit of the Should any gentleman take "holder," we presume, by the missing wall-lamps or candle-light from the public passenger's friends, in spite of the state-rooms, they must pay for it without any nipped and defaced at the barriers, and the passengers admitted to the platform will be delivered up to the Company in the event of the holders subsequently retiring from the platform without travelling, and cannot be recognized for re-admission." Having been deluded into buying a ticket, the unsuspecting passenger on passing 29 to the com. ment that he "cannot be recognized." dispute its charges. Monthly gentlemans will have to pay my fixed rate made with them at the time, and should they absent day in the month, they will not be allowed to deduct anything out of it, because I take from them less rate than my usual rate of monthly charges." Seventy years ago, the Universal Magazine recorded the fact that the notice Reding and Wrighting taut hear," appeared over the door of a school in the neighborhood of Hoxton; and a few years since, the Leeds Express contained eviWe have before us a printed circular, dence that the schoolmaster was still abroad. According to that newspaper, headed "Invitation of Subscription," istwo curious documents were to be seen in sued by a Continental firm, and urging two different windows in the neighbor- upon postage-stamp collectors the imhood of Hunslet. The first, in a wretched mense advantages of a stamp-journal pubscribble, is as follows: "A Da Skool lished by the said firm. It is, says the nokept hat-plaise, terms 2 and 3 pens per tice," the only stamp-paper in all the world week for reeding and knitting and right that takes care to publish regularly the ing and sowing." The other, in the win-commercial accounts of principal centres dow of a shoemaker, is similar to one we have seen in a shop-window in Drury Lane: A man lives here who don't refuse of stamps trade; besides which with this year the direction intending to satisfy evermore its readers, has given earnest to same new correspondents at London and Paris." Over and above "autentic accounts " of certain society proceedings, the paper promises various new features. Among these there is to be "An apposite rudFifty years since, the following dog for we cannot guess. dle "though what "ruddle is meant "entitled corrigerel lines were to be seen written over the door of a little alehouse on the road spondences is. designed to the demands, between Sutton and Potton in Bedford-requests, delucidations, and whatever sim To mend old boots, likewise old shoes; shire : 1 Butt Beere Sold Hear by Timothy Dear ilar article inspecting stamps that subscribers are in right to insert." "The paper," it is further announced, "for the modicity of its insertions prices sustain the competition with whatever other pa- | those of others. This, of course, is much per." This assertion must be cheering to the postage-stamp collectors who understand it. From The Saturday Review. more the case in the country-where inany of the neighbors are either related to each other or have adjoining properties, and have similar or conflicting interests in the same matters than in large towns, where men do not know the names of the people who live next door to them, and where lawyers are frequently in utter ignorance of the family concerns of their THE Country lawyer of good standing clients. Idle people proverbially consider differs as much from the pettifogger as a themselves the busiest; and a country field-marshal differs from a private of ma- gentleman, when he has nothing else to rines. He is the secret-holder of the most do, always imagines that he has urgent important families in the county; his ad- business necessitating a visit to his solic vice is sought and followed by grandees, itor. A horse is therefore put into a dogsquires, and great ladies, and he is gener- cart, and he starts off with an air of great ally a wealthy man himself. One source importance for the county town, in order of his influence is that he often has much to confer with his legal adviser. After more knowledge of his clients than they passing through one or two ante-rooms, have of themselves. He knows exactly occupied by clerks penned up in things how much a year each of them has, which resembling old-fashioned family pews is more, in many cases, than they know with glass cases at the top, he is ushered themselves; he knows the acreage of into the presence of the great man. An their properties, the exact conditions un-open tin box is placed beside the lawyer, der which they hold them, and what their on which the name of the Duke of Camlands would probably be worth if thrown bria is printed in large capitals. Maps upon the market. He often has complete of large estates are hung over chairs or charge of their affairs, and remembers are lying on the ground; there is a proprecisely in what manner they have dis- fusion of parchments on the table, which posed of their properties in their wills may fairly be assumed to be the titlea thing that laymen are exceedingly apt deeds of immense landed properties; to forget. He has only to ring for his bundles of letters, doubtless representing clerk, and in two minutes he can have transactions of untold magnitude, lie about any of their deeds, settlements, wills, or in all directions; and there is a general estate accounts placed on his writing-desk atmosphere of "land and capital" about for immediate study; while the chances the chamber of the oracle. The client are that they are themselves unaware of has scarcely seated himself before a clerk the very existence of some of these in- brings in a telegram, which the solicitor struments, and know very little about the opens, glances at, and tosses carelessly others. Moreover, when he looks at a on his table, as if he were in the habit of poor fellow who is struggling hard to receiving telegraphic communications evkeep a wife and large family on three ery five minutes. We are far from saying hundred a year, he may know that in one that the matters which bring clients to of his tin boxes there is a will which will lawyers are not often of an important some day entitle that man, if he lives, to character; but it is certain that the amount two hundred thousand pounds; and when of absolute business transacted between he looks at another who imagines himself a country gentleman and his lawyer at a to be the sole heir to an immense prop- single consultation is not uncommonly erty, he may wonder what his feelings much as follows. After the usual greetwould be if he were aware that the said ings, remarks about the weather, unbutproperty is to be divided equally between toning of gloves, finding places for hats, himself and his nine cousins. Then those and taking off of greatcoats, the client who seek the advice of lawyers are obliged asks his legal adviser whether he has yet to be confidential, and lay open before heard from Mr. Brown. The lawyer then them the whole state of their affairs, with replies that he has not yet heard from everything that bears upon them either Mr. Brown; that he has been expecting directly or indirectly: The consequence to hear from him every day; that he canof this is that a shrewd lawyer has many not believe any great length of time can opportunities of acquiring information. elapse before he will hear from him; and What one client tells him of his own af- that, if he should not receive any comfairs has often an indirect bearing upon munication from him by a certain date, |