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ferior in the important quality of colourlessness to the window-glass 
now manufactured, a defect not explicable by a reference to the 
presence of potash, which has a less colouring influence on glass than 
soda. The green tint so manifest is sufficiently explained, however 
by the large amount of oxide of iron discovered on analysis. Of 
dark bottle-glass, specimens abundantly authentic were obtained 
from the relics of Dr Joseph Black’s apparatus. They were pro- 
bably made at Leith, where ordinary bottles have been manufac- 
tured for a long period from clay, sand, salt, and other cheap ma- 
terials of the neighbourhood. Newcastle, however, has long di- 
rected much of the bottle-making to herself, and still more recently 
Belgium is injuring the trade at Newcastle. In contrast with this 
I have obtained examples of Chance’s glass, made by simply melting 
ragstone or basalt, the revival of an old French mode of glass-mak- 
ing, extended by the English manufacturer to the production of 
glass tiles, vases, and large slabs. Could our native trap-rocks be 
at once melted into available glass, it would be an important addi- 
tion to the industrial manufactures of the country ; but the relin- 
quishment at Birmingham of the basalt process, as unremunerative 
and impracticable, is not encouraging. 
The window-glass from Dunfermline Abbey was given by Dr John 
A. Smith, a zealous member of the Society of Antiquaries. Dr 
Smith writes in reference to it — “ It was picked up by Bailie Mit- 
chell of Dunfermline, in November 1818, when various diggings 
were made above the ruins of the old Abbey, preparatory to the re- 
building of the church, and it was said to have been found closely 
adjoining the site of the great east window of the Abbey. 
“ Bailie Mitchell gave it to an antiquarian acquaintance of mine, 
from whom I received it.” 
The exact age of the glass is thus unknown, and the place of its 
manufacture quite uncertain. It is, however, certainly old and his- 
torically interesting. 
Regarding the Abbey, Mr John Stuart, Secretary of the Society 
of Antiquaries, furnishes the following information : — 
“ Queen Margaret founded a church at Dunfermline immediately 
after her marriage in 1070. It was probably of temporary de- 
scription ; and a church completed by David I. was dedicated in 
1150.” 
At the translation of Queen Margaret’s relics in 1250, a new 
