364 Miscellanies. 



the fingers. Having ascertained the true nature of the defects in 

 the old system, Carstairs recommended the following general plan for 

 obviating them. 



1 . To teach the pupil to form the letters of the alphabet by the 

 movement of the arm alone, vi^ithout a separate movement of the 

 fingers. 



2. To teach the movement of the fore arm, the arm resting on 

 the table near the elbow. 



3. To teach the movement of the fingers. 



4. The combination of the movements. 



The treatise of Mr. Foster is devoted to explaining the man- 

 ner in which these objects are effected. It also contains directions 

 for the choice of quills, pen making, position of the body, hand and 

 pen, — together with several well executed plates, illustrative of the 

 peculiarities of the system. 



The great advantages which this system possesses, and the suc- 

 cess which has uniformly attended its introduction, both in Europe 

 and America, are abundantly proved by numerous and highly res- 

 pectable testimonials. Mr. Foster's account of it is clear and con- 

 cise and is in many respects preferable to the original work of Car- 

 stairs. We hope ere long to see this work introduced and this sys- 

 tem taught, not only in all our elementary schools, but also in our 

 higher seminaries.* 



5. On a sesqui sulphate of mercury ; hy Lt. W. T. Hopkins, 

 acting Prof, of Chemistry in the U. S. Mil. Acad, at West Point. 



TO THE EDITOR. 



Sir — Not being aware that a sesqui per-sulphate of mercury has 

 ever been described, I take the liberty of communicating, briefly, 

 the following facts. Having had occasion, lately, to pour strong ni- 

 tric acid on the yellow neutral per-sulphate of mercury, known as 

 the " turpeth mineral," I observed that a portion of the salt disap- 

 peared, while the remainder was converted into a white powder. 

 This substance was readily reconverted by water into the yellow salt. 

 I succeeded, however, in edulcorating a portion of it without change ; 

 and upon boiling thirty grains of it with nitrate of baryta, digesting 



* The original work has passed through four Editions in England, and in France (if 

 we are not misinformed) through eight ; the last of whicii was got up, by Mr Julien 

 sub-librarian of the Institute 



