114 



Jtmended Pastage of Shakspeare. 



[Feb. I 



at its summit. On this linen were 

 jllucd slips of hard viood (satin-wood) 

 the book-cases in front being of maho- 

 gany, these slips were one inch broad, 

 and f acli cut into two ribs semi-circular 

 and reaching across the linen. A 

 Meight of a flat bar of lead one inch 

 thidw half an inch broad, was hnng 

 to the end of the linen at some dis!auce 

 from it : f lie linen with the glued slips 

 «if wood, was passed over the rollers 

 aiul directed by grooves on each side 

 of the division of (he book-case, was 

 ])ulled down to the lloor, and closed 

 in the books, forming a flexible wooden 

 screen, the lowest of wood was three 

 inches broad, had a lock and locked 

 down to the surbase moulding of the 

 book-case. Now the books are secure 



against dust and depredation, and 

 when the family inhabits the room, tKe 

 screens are unlocked, the slightest push 

 raises them, and they roll down behind 

 the back linings of the book-case by 

 assistance of the leaden weight. Some 

 nicety is reciuired in adjusting the 

 Meight,aud hanging it so tiiat it readies 

 the ground behind the book-cases when- 

 ever the screen has passed half over the 

 rollers. This description may be cut 

 short by a reference to the "writing 

 desks that formerly had shifting (ops 

 on the very same plan, being ribs of 

 wood nailed on canvas. My book-cases 

 were completed only a few weeks ago, 

 and the plan has succeeded admirably, 

 a sketch may give more insight than 

 my tedious description. 



«, Book-case division with the screen 

 down and locked. 



6, A division with the screen up and 

 appealing at c, 



d, A book-case division with the back 

 lining out, to shew the front and back 

 rollers at (he top, both on a parallel line 

 one in front, the other directly back, 

 and having its outward line projecting 

 behind the lining, so as to alloM' the 

 screen to run down clear of the back 

 lining : e, the bar of lead, suspended 

 so as to reach the ground by the time 

 the screen has passed the half of the 

 heiiiht of the division. 



The back lining being taken out, 

 thediagonal strokes represent theliuen, 

 the wooden ribs being next the wall. 



Grooves in the buttresses r, .r, Sfc. 

 direct the screen and secure the ends 

 when raised or pulled down. 



The transverse section of a single 

 rib of wood on my screens is thus, 



j \j I but the ribs may be made 



flat or semicircular. 



I I li J I Transverse section 



of four ribs, the ribs are placed quite 

 close to one another, and care must 

 be taken to glue only the bottom, else, 

 if any glue rises between the ribs, the 

 screen will not be flexible. 



To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 

 SIR, 



IF you think the following attempt 

 to amend a passage in Sliakespear 

 worth preserving, your inserting it in 

 your excellent Miscellany, will oblige 

 an old Correspondent. : — 

 midsummer-night's dream, act 1, 



SCENE 2. 



Quince. At the Duke's Oak we meet. 



Bottom. Enough : Hold, or cut bow- 

 strings. 



The Phrase " Hold, or cut bow- 

 strings," as Warburton observes, "ori- 

 ginally came from the camp. When a 

 rendezvous was appointed, the militia 

 soldiers would frequently make ex- 

 cuse for not keejiing word, that their 

 bowstrings, ' 



