286 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



for the purpose of reading reports and papers upon 

 various subjects. The Society had its president and 

 treasurer ; and abstracts of its proceedings were pub- 

 lished in a little monthly periodical issuing from the 

 school press. One of the most remarkable features 

 of these weekly meetings was, that after the general 

 business had been concluded, each member enjoyed the 

 right of asking questions on any subject on which he 

 desired information. The questions were either written 

 out previously in a book, or, if a question happened to 

 suggest itself during the meeting; it was written upon 

 a slip of paper and handed in to the Secretary, who 

 afterwards read all the questions aloud. A number of 

 teachers were usually present, and they and the boys 

 made a common stock of their wisdom in furnishing 

 replies. As might be expected from an assemblage of 

 eighty or ninety boys, varying from eighteen to eight 

 years old, many odd questions were proposed. To the 

 mind which loves to detect 'in the tendencies of the 

 young the instincts of humanity generally, such ques- 

 tions are not without a certain philosophic interest, 

 and I have therefore thought it not derogatory to the 

 present course of Lectures to copy a few of them, and 

 to introduce them here. They run as follows : 



What are the duties of the Astronomer Royal ? 



What is frost ? 



Why are thunder and lightning more frequent in 

 summer than in winter ? 



What occasions falling stars ? 



What is the cause of the sensation called * pins and 

 needles ' ? 



What is the cause of waterspouts ? 



What is the cause of hiccup ? 



If a towel be wetted with water, why does the wet 

 portion become darker than before ? 



