Retrospective Criticism. 89 



to the spaces has been altered so much as to make them illegible, unless when 

 seen nearly from the front, and the colours of the ground and letters liave 

 been inverted (the ground being now white). This last change has been par- 

 ticularly detrimental, as, when the sun shines obliquely on them, the shadows 

 of the raised letters fill the spaces between them, and turn the inscription into 

 an illegible black stripe ; it has, besides, had the effect of giving the tablets a 

 close resemblance to the tickets on houses to let. 



Among the models in the Paris collection was one which does not appear 

 to have had a fair trial anywhere, and which, if on enquiry it should be found 

 to be available in point of cost, appears to offer considerable advantages. 



These tablets were very similar in form to the Birmingham pattern, though 

 thicker in substance. The material was a sort of earthenware, analogous to 

 that of which we make greybeards and pickling jars in this country. If such 

 tablets were first fired with a hard lustreless blue enamel, and then the sur- 

 faces of the letters enamelled white, a very perfect tablet would be the result. 

 (Civis, in the Scotsman, Dec, 1842.) 



IRELAND. 



Agriculhiral Improvement. — The following is an extract of a letter received 

 by Messrs. Drummond, of the Agricultural Museum, from Mr. M'Leish, land- 

 steward on one of the estates of the Marquess of Waterford, in Ireland. 

 Mr. M'Leish, after alluding to the implements furnished by the Messrs. 

 Drummond for the estate, consisting of sixty full sets of draining tools, with 

 subsoil and furrow plough, and expressing himself highly pleased with their 

 superior excellence, proceeds to say : " The Marquess of Waterford has about 

 40,000 acres of land in the county of Derry, on which tliere are about 800 

 tenants, but until this season there had not been anything done by them in 

 the way of draining their land on any regular system. But, by advice and 

 encouragement held out to them by Mr. Beresford, agent to the marquess, 

 upwards of sixty of the tenants have been and are thorough draining on 

 Mr. Smith of Deanston's system, and have already completed upwards of 

 16,000 perches (5^ yards each) of drains, all filled with broken stones. Being 

 only a few months since the principle was fairly laid down to them, they seem 

 to embark in it with spirit ; and, from the satisfaction it is giving, not only to 

 those who have adopted it, but also to those who have been watching its 

 effects, I have no doubt that ere long every tenant on this estate will be 

 thorough draining. They have suffered so much from wet for the last five or 

 six years, and now from the lowness of the markets, that they seem quite 

 aware that, unless they try some method of improving their land, so as to be 

 able to raise an additional quantity of grain to compensate for the low prices, 

 they will not be able to pay their rents ; so they have determined on thorough 

 draining and subsoiling, which certainly is the first and best step, for nine 

 acres out of ten require it. The qualities of the soils on this estate are vari- 

 able, but well adapted for draining, and can be thoroughly drained with 

 broken stones for about 51. per imperial acre on the average. The tenants 

 here do the work at their own expense in the first instance, but, when finished 

 in a proper manner, Mr. Beresford pays them the full amount of what it cost 

 them, on their agreeing to pay interest for the same at the rate of five per cent 

 per annum during the term of their lease. — Camnish, near Dungiven, Sept. 29. 

 1842." (S/irling Advertiser, Oct. 14. 1842.) 



Art. IV. Retrospective Criticisin. 



EHRATA. — In our Vol. for 1842, p. 594., line 28. from the top, for "an 

 overshot water-wheel" read " four overshot water-wheels." In p. 593., lines 

 ]. and 33. from the top, for " Grampians" read " Ochils." 



