1825. 
ing them, a resolution which, notwithstand- 
ing the liberal price obtained by the auc- 
tioneer, was carried into effect the next day. 
The stationers of Edinburgh have pub- 
lished a statement, by which it appears 
that, under the proposed reduction of duties 
on foreign books, a volume of twenty-four 
sheets,—1,500 copies,—could be printed in 
Paris and delivered in Londen, for 
£49. 2s. ld. less than it could be printed 
for, here. 
Sir Walter Scott is reported to have 
written a letter of condolence to the widow 
of the late Rey. C. Maturin, offering, at 
the same time, his editorial services, in 
giving to the world the unpublished manu- 
scripts of .Mr..Maturin, in a form most 
likely to be advantageous to her. 
The yalue of the Steam Engine to the 
“country may be estimated from calcula- 
tions, which shew, that the steam engines 
in England represent the power of 320,000 
horses, equal to 1,920,000 men; which 
being, in fact, managed by 36,000 only, add 
actually to the power of our population 
1,884,000 men. 
St. Saviour’s Churct.—The workmen are 
proceeding, with great spirit, in the restora- 
tion of that fine specimen of Gothic archi« 
tecture, St. Saviour’s church, Southwark ; the 
flint walls have been admirably restored, and 
that part of the building which has been 
finished, is only equalled, in effect, by the 
front of Westminster Hall. In repairing 
the choir, the workmen have discovered 
the remains of a magnificent Gothic screen, 
which it is the intention of the parishion- 
ers to restore—the edifice is now well 
worthy the attention of the antiquary, and 
when it is completely restored, and space 
before it opened to form the approach of 
the New London Bridge, it will be one of 
the most splendid ornaments of the metro- 
polis. 
Rice Paper.—The substance called rice 
paper, which is brought from China, and 
much used for representing richly coloured 
insects and other objects of natural history, 
and for making artificial flowers, is ascer- 
tained to be a vegetable production; on 
being exposed to the action of boiling olive 
oil it was made transparent, and thus its 
structure was ascertained :—it is said to be 
the membrane of the bread-fruit tree. 
Horn-Bookxs.—Although, twenty or 
thirty years ago, fifty thousand horn-books 
were annually sold to schools, a hunter of 
curiosities has been trying, we are told, for 
several years, in vain, to procure a single 
specimen. Who knows but that, at no 
distant time, so precious a relique of 
antiquity, if one should have escaped the 
active operation of the childhood “ organ 
of destructiveness,” may, at some virtuoso 
sale, be sold for more than its weight in 
gold!—Query. Ought not an attempt to be 
made, by proclamation, to procure one, that 
may be treasured among the inestimable 
curiosities of the British Museum ? 
Literary and Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
373 
Dr. Parr.—The library of this eccentric 
and learned man is not to be dispersed ; 
his will does not contain any direction as 
to its fate, but it was his last and anxious 
desire that it should be kept together. The 
metaphysical portion of it is by far the most 
full and curious ; the estimated pecuniary 
valuation varies from £5,000 to £9,000 ; 
many of the volumes are filled with valu- 
able notes in the doctor’s Chinese character. 
Several hundred rings are bequeathed in 
his will to his numerous friends and ac- 
quaintance ; that for the Duke of Sussex, 
as of royal blood, is to be of the value of six 
guineas—the bulk of Dr. Parr’s fortune is 
left between his two surviving grandchil- 
dren, with a handsome provision for Mrs. 
Parr: his directions for his funeral were as 
eccentric as his living conduct: the din- 
ner ordered for the farmers who carried 
him to the grave, was, a cold shoulder of 
veal and mutton, a pint of ale before the 
funeral, and a pint on their return, with 
two shillings each. 
Among the literary phenomena of the 
day, which address themselves to the eyes 
and intellects of the secondary classes of 
the community, may be particularized a 
weekly publication, price 6d., called “ The 
Linguist,’’ which professes to teach, and 
which, from the three Numbers we have 
looked through, at least, may be very assis- 
tant in teaching, the French, Z*alian and 
German Languages, to those who cannot 
afford either the time or the expense, for 
the ordinary modes of scholastic attain- 
ment. 
A circular has been received at the 
different police-offices of the metropolis, 
from the Secretary of the Home Depart- 
ment, ordering a return of the number of 
persons committed as vagrants, for the last 
twelve months; and also the causes of 
their committal : these returns are said to 
have been ordered preparatory to some 
contemplated alterations in the vagrant act. 
The original prayer book, in black letter, 
belonging to King Charles the First, and 
used by that monarch on the scaffold, 
which was to have been sold by Mr, 
Thomas, on the 26th of March, was with- 
drawn, in consequence of the documents, 
establishing its authenticity, not having 
arrived. It was given by Dr. Hutton, the 
king’s physician, to the presbytery of Dum- 
fries, from whom it was purchased by a 
gentleman, since deceased, whose library 
was sold, and this book was bought by its 
present owner. 
The Society of Russian History and 
Antiquities, founded at St. Petersburgh in 
1802, has just published the second volume 
of the Memoirs of the Society. Among 
the most remarkable articles contained in 
this volume, are an interesting Memoir on 
the subject of the Ancient Russian Coin ; 
a scientific Notice on the Ensign of Prince 
Waldimir, on the Gate of Korsum, at No- 
vogorod, &e. 
Somnolency.— 
