Bop] | 
of being dazzled or blinded by a ftrong 
glare of light, in one line only. 
No one imagines, that the light is za- 
créafed by this application; it can only 
be colleéied, as before aflerted. It, there- 
fore, (it i collegied, “that part from 
whence it is taken, muft be in a meafure 
deprived of light; which, experience 
fhows to be the cafe. For, by the inter- 
vention of the lens, the light, which 
would have been ufefully difperfed 
around, is withdrawn, and direéted ufe- 
lefsly, nay injurioufly, away. But this 
is not all the evil produced ; for the in- 
tenfe light from a diftant lamp, and the 
darknefs which furrounds a near one, al- 
ternately ftriking the eye of a paffenger, 
is to him equally unpleafant and danger- 
ous, as total darkneis ; the delicate tex- 
ture of the eye being fo painfully affect- 
ed by thus pafling from one extreme to 
the other. 
Thofe, therefore, who have attentive- 
ly confidered, and compared, the etteét 
of the lamps, as formerly. confiructed, 
and thole above-mentioned, wiil, Ll dare 
afhrm, give their opinion ,in favour of 
the old; provided they are kept clean, 
and well trimmed. 
It would, however, be an experiment 
worth making, to place, a few inches 
above the burner, and within the glats 
of the lamp, as formerly conftruéted, a 
sefle€tor, with an aperture in the centre, 
to admit the fmoke from the wick to pats. 
This, by-colleéting the rays, which 
afcend, and which would otherwife be 
ufelefs, and refle€iing them downwards, 
would, in all probability, be a confidere 
able advantage. 
March 7, 1797. N.D. 
SSS 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
| AM requefted by your correfpondent 
Fuven-Antiq. (an your Magazine for 
Feb. p. 120) to elucidate a halfpenny of 
Charles II, bearing Carolus a Carvlo. I 
hope he noticed, in my paper, which he 
does me the honour to commend, my re- 
commendation of the perufal of Mr. 
Pinkerton’s Effay to uninformed and ju- 
venile Medalifts; he would there tind 
a paflage, which I fhall ufe the liberty 
to tranicribe, from vol. 11. p. 84. 
Mo Or Charles I many pattern far 
things are known, ere 1672, when they 
and halfpence were firft made public 
-Money ; of which the moft remarkable 
is that with the king’s buft, Carolus a 
Carolu, and the reverte of Britannia, as 
in the pretent, with Quatwor Maria vin- 
@co, Thele were firft ftruck in 166s, 
Coin of Charles I. a is ry7 
and moft commonly occur in filver; 
whence the copper are efteemed the moft 
precious. None of them ever were in 
circulation ; though we meet witha few 
imprefiions, both in filver * and copper, 
dated 1676, thrown off, I fuppote, by 
the engraver, to oblige his friends,— 
‘The haltpence of this legend are more 
common m copper than in filver.”” 
Fuven- Antig. allo withes to know “ the 
value’ of his coin; im tlris, I alfo refer 
him to the fame author, vol. ii. p. 342, 
where it is declared to be R.R. (Mr. 
Pinkerton’s mark for the fecond degree 
of fcarcity in coins and medals) and va- 
lued at 10s. 
I cannot leave this fubjeét, without 
acknowledging, that the Meaning and 
original intention of the moneycr, ia 
adopting this expreflion, Quatuor Maria 
vindicv, 1s not altogether clear to me.—- 
Probably you, Mr. Editor, or ferne of 
your well-informed friends, could difpei 
this uncertainty. 
Since my laft communication to you, 
Ihave had an opportunity of peruting 
Mr. Colquhoun’s admirable Treatife on 
the Police of the Metropolis (3vo. Dilly, 
1796). Ehe importance of raifing the 
dignity of provincial coins has not ef~ 
caped the attention of that matterly 
writer. Permit me again to {weil your 
page, by an extract, the good fenie cf 
which, fufieiently precludes the necet- 
lity of any apology from me. 
f find this gentlernan has anticipated 
me, by lamenting, in ftrong terms (aote, 
p- 416) the evils which might diave been 
prevented, by the adoption of My, Bol- 
ton’s propofals for a better copper cur- 
rency ;, and oblerves, "p. 126, “a he 
laws, as they now fland, are filent re- 
garding provincial copper coin, or what 
are called iokens, veprefenting a hali- 
,penny. Ifa newcoinage of copper mo- 
ney is not foon refolved on by govein- 
ment, it might be ufeful to legalize to- 
Kens, or provincial coins, on thrce con- 
ditions, viz. 
‘itt. That the copper of which they 
are made, fhall be pure. 
“2d. That this coin fhall be at leat 
§0 per cent. heavier than the prefent mint 
coinage. 



* Befides all thefe varieties in copper and fil. 
ver, andof halfpence and farthings, as deicrib- 
ed in this paflage, [I find that 1 have in my caf- 
ket, a farthing of Charles II, bearing ** Bri- 
tannia”’ over the figure on the reverfe, the date 
1672, in the exergue, deftitute of the legend 
«¢ Quvatuor,”” &c. but having the obverie as the 
others, | 
3d. hat 
a 

