Nov. 1. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



355 



ing volume (vol. i. of the series), which will con- 

 t.ain several small pieces. I have been aware of 

 the existence of it from the first, the volume in 

 question being in the Bodleian Catalogue. 



May I take the opportunity of adding, how 

 much I feel obliged by any communication respect- 

 ing Bishop Taylor's AVorks. C. Page Eden. 



Moonlight (Vol. iv., p. 273 ). — The effects of 

 the moonlight on animal matter is well known to 

 the inha'oitants of warm climates. I remember 

 that when I resided in Bermuda, if the meat 

 (which was usually hung out at night) was exposed 

 to the rays of the moon it putrified directly. I was 

 frequently cautioned by the inhabitants to beware 

 of the moon sliining upon me when asleep, as it 

 caused the most dangerous and virulent levers. 

 Another curious power of the moonlight was that 

 of developing a temporary blindness, ('aused by the 

 glare of the sun on bright objects. I have often 

 seen persons stumbling and walking as quite blind, 

 in a moculight so bright I could see to read by ; 

 these were principally soldiers who had been em- 

 ployed during the day working on the fort and on 

 the white stone. On hearing the surgeon of the 

 regiment mention that two-thirds of the men were 

 troubled with it, causing a greater amount of 

 night-work as sentries to the few who were able 

 to see at night, I suggested to him the following 

 plan mentioned in a story I had read many years 

 before in Blackwood : — 



" A pirate ship in those latitudes was several times 

 nearly captured, ou'iiig to all the men being moon-blind 

 at night; the captain ordered all his men to bind up one 

 eye during the day, and by this means they could see 

 with that eye to navigate the ship at night." 



Jly friend the surgeon tried the experiment, 

 and found bandaging the eyes at night, and giving 

 them complete rest, restored in time their sight at 

 moonlight. M. E. C. T. 



That the light of the moon accelerates putre- 

 faction is more than an unfounded popular opinion. 

 I have heard it repeatedly asserted by observant 

 and sober-minded naval officers as a fact, esta- 

 blished by experience in tropical climates. Their 

 constant testimony was, that when there is no 

 moon the fresh meat is luing over the stern of the 

 shi|) at night for coolness; but if this is done when 

 the moon shines, the meat becomes unfit to eat. 



The Query will probably elicit an answer from 

 some one able to speak more directly upon the 

 subject. It well deserves further inquiry. T. C. 



Durham, Oct. 15. 



Flatman and Pope (Vol. iv., pp. 209. 28.3.). — 

 "The Tiiougiit on Death," l)y Klatman, is referred 

 to by Warton, Bowles, and other editors of Pope. 

 Flatman's Poems were first ])riiited in 1G74; 

 2n(ily, 1670; ;irdly, 1682; and 4tlily and lastly, 

 lG8(j. The above occurs in the first edition. 



For an account of Flatman, see Walpole's 

 Anecdotes of Painters, vol. iii. p. 20., ed. 1765; 

 Granger's Biog. Hist. ; and Wood's Athena. 



Some verses by him on his son, who died 1682, 

 aged ten years, and inscribed on his monument in 

 St. Bride's Church, will be found in Stow by 

 Strype, vol. i. p. 740. ed. 1754. 



Flatman wrote a prefai'C to Shipman's Poems, 

 and verses to Sanderson's Graphice, fol. ; also to 

 Walton in Chalkliill's Thealma and Clearchus, and 

 Johnson's (AVm.) Narrative o/ Deliverance at Sea, 

 ISmo. 3d edit. 1672. tt. 



Berlin Time (Vol. iv., p. 256.). — Is your cor- 

 respondent very sure that the astronomers of 

 France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, begin the day 

 at midnight ? 1 turn to Herschel's Outlines of 

 A.ttronomy (p. 86.), and I find that astronomers 

 (without any limitation) commence their day at 

 noon. Sir John Herschel is inclined to think that 

 it would be better to commence at midnight with 

 the world at large. Surely if the foreign astrono- 

 mers alreadij did this, he would not have failed to 

 cite their example, and to remind the English 

 astronomers that they stood alone ; but of this he 

 does not give the smallest hint. A Leakner. 



Your correspondent Dx. is mistaken in suppos- 

 ing that " foreigners ordinarily commence the 

 astronomical day at midnight." 



Witli respect to France, in the Explication et 

 Usage des Articles de la Connaissance des Temps 

 it is expressly stated: " Le jour astronomique 

 commence a midi." 



And in the explanation appended to the Berlin 

 Jahrbuch, it is in like manner distinctly laid down: 



" The time which must be always understood, unless 

 it is otherwise particularly expressed, is the mean time 

 of the meridian of the New Berlin Observatory, which 

 is taken to be 44™ 14 0' eastward ol Paris, and 5:3"" 

 35'5' eastward of Greenwich. The heginniiig of the 

 day is at noon." 



The civil day always commences at the midnight 

 preceding this astronomical day. 



It follows that Sept. 17, 3" 40" 30' Greenwich 

 mean time, is simply Sept. 17, 4'' 34" 5"5' Berlin 

 mean time. T. C. 



Durham. 



Ruined Churches (Vol. iv., p. 261.). — The old 

 church of St. John in the Wilderness, near 

 E.xmouth, can hardly be said to be in ruins, in the 

 sense before implied with regard to marriages, &c. 

 It is dilapidated, and almost deserted ; but on visit- 

 ing it a few days since, I found it securely locked, 

 the nave weather tight, and sufficiently furnished 

 for baptisms, marriages, and burials, with sur[)lice, 

 two Prayer Books, Bible, table, font, bier, and bell. 

 They had certainly all seen their best days; but 

 on that account perhaps they are supposed to be 

 more in keeping with the general state of tiie 

 venei'able fabric. 



