178 
to see, in your Miscellany, 2 short abstract of 
the Act. of Parliament above alluded to, as 
{owing to the extensive circulation of your 
publication} numters will thereby be in- 
formed of the circumstance, and rejoice init, 
who otherwise might remain ignorant of it. 
A list of the principal writers on capital pu- 
sishments is particularly requested from some 
ef your correspondents. 
Fuly 5, 1809. 2 Ge 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
SHALL be obliged, through the medium of 
your valuable Miscellany, if some one of 
your numerous chemical readers will favour 
me with the mode of bJeaching yellow wax, 
by means of the oxygenated muriatic acid, 
and likewise the manner of preparing the 
acid for use. 
A ConstanT READER. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
*PpHOUGH the right of a parish to appoint a 
sexton is generally recognized, and fre- 
quently exercised, and though it be in itself 
unimportant, yet, as itis a duty we owe to 
posterity, to guard every avenue against the 
encroachments of ecclesiastical predominance, 
an accurate definition of this right, unin- 
volved with the ambiguous phraseology of 
the canonical code, would be highly desirable, 
Ef any of your correspondents, wise parti- 
cular studies, or whose extensive libraries, 
would afford ample means for references toy 
and examples of the exercise of this privi- 
lege, with particular modes of i instruction for 
its regular application, they would certainly 
confer an important obligation un the inhabi- 
tants of the United Kingdom. 
A Constant Reaper. 
Queries rilolt ve to ie Election of Sextons, Ke. 
[Sept. T, 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
‘SIR, 
SHORT time since, by the will of a ded 
ceased relative, I became possessed of 
some very beautifui drawings, "executed en- 
tirely with black-iead pencil. As they had 
received the last touches but a few days be- 
fore his death, they retained their original 
delicacy and softness of expression, but al- 
though | caretully wrapped them im silver 
paper, and laid them in a drawer by them- 
selves, i soon perceived a lamentable change. 
The richness and strength of the shading was 
vanished, and many parts of the once exqui- 
site drawings appeared muddled and obscured. 
This was a severe mortification to me, as well 
on account of the uncommon beauty of the 
works, as that they are the only memorial 
left ot a highly esteemed friend. I remem- 
ber hearing, but where, or of whom, has 
escaped me, that a kind of wash has been 
applied, by some master, to prevent the lead 
from rubbing off.—If any of your numerous 
readers are acquainted with any recipe of this 
kind, or with any method of preparing the 
paper, so as to prevent the same misfortune 
which has befallen me, they will, by insert~ 
ing it in your valuable Miscellany, confer an 
essential favour on all amateurs of that de- 
lightiul art. he Me 
Sydenham He gmt 
Feb. 17, 1809. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazince 
| ST Ry 
CONSTANT Reader wishes to be in- 
formed, through the medium of your 
useful Miscellany, if there is any known way 
of extracting the stains of varnish or oil frou 
freestone, &c. 
M. K. A. 
Bristol, Aug. 2, 1809. 
MEMOIRS AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS. 
LIFE Of MADAME DE SFVIGNE, translated 
rom the great EDITION of her works, 
lately published af PARIS. 
ARIE Rabutih Chantal was born 
M the 5th of February, 1626. Her 
father was Cesse Benigne de Rabutin, 
Baron de Chanial, of the elder branch of 
the house of Rabutin, and his mother, 
Marie de Coulanges, of a family scarcely 
less illustrious. She was not more than 
a year and a half old, when the English 
made‘a descent on the Isle of Rhé, for 
the purpose of succouring Rochelle and 
the French protestants. M.-de Chantal 
opposed them at the head of a corps of 
gentlemen volunteer, s. The artillery of the 
enemy’s fleet, which cavered the landing, 
made dreadful havoc among the French. 
Theirleader was slain,witha ia number 
of his followers. 
Of the childhood and early youth of — 
Madame de Sevigné we have no particu- 
lars. We are perfectly acquainted with 
her principles relative to the education 
of young females, but we have no dee 
tails concerning her own. 
With respect to the person of the youth- 
ful Rabutin, she is represented as a wo~ 
man perfectly handsome; haying more’ 
poysiognomy than beauty, and features 
more expressive than imposing, a grace- 
ful hgure, a sata lata tall than short, 
“rich 
