136 



AiiT. XII. A Lettei- to the Editor, from the Rev. Edw. 

 HiNCKs, respecting Secret Writing. 



Sir, — As a supplement to the paper on secret writing, 

 which you did me the honour to insert in your twenty-third 

 Number, I request you will now publish the following : 



I have received a very handsome letter from Mr. Chenevix, 

 enclosing a draft for \OQL "A particular motive," he says, 

 " induced me to submit the cipher you have unravelled to a 

 severe examination; and the result has shewn that the mode I 

 pursued was well adapted to the purpose. That cipher, how- 

 ever, is but a small part of a system infinitely more general, 

 but which I delayed mentioning, until the strength of this, 

 its weakest portion, had been tried." 



The following is the explanation of the sentences in Mr. Che- 

 venix's paper, numbered 17 and 18 : 



No. 17. — Although two keys are used here, the secrecy of 

 the method is such, that in another example but one key is 

 used ; and no apprehension is entertained that the meaning 

 can be detected. 



No. 18. — No cipher in existence, and employing such simple 

 means as the present, could bear so severe a trial as that lo 

 which this method is here put; and, should it come off tri- 

 umphantly, it must be confessed to have fulfilled every desi- 

 deratum except the least important: it is not quite void of 

 suspicion. 



1 have the honour to be, your most obedient servant, 



Edw. Hincks. 



Art. XIII. A Translation of Rey's Essays on the Calci- 

 nation of Metals, &c. 

 [Comniuuicated by John George Children, Esq., F.R.S., ^c] 

 Contiuued from Vol. XII., p. 299. 



ESSAY XVllI. 



It is not the consumption of the aerial parts that increases the 

 weight of lead. 

 ScALiGER is so United with Cardan that I cannot separate 

 them: he must follow him here as elsewhere. In his Exer- 



