Miscellang.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 262, 2 December 1876, Page 2

Miscellang.

Thk death ie announced at B&le, in his fifty-sixth year, of M. Nefftzer, the founder of the Temps. M. Nefftzer, who was a student at the Protestant faculty of Strasburg, commenced his career as a journalist on the Press©, at that time the property of M. Emile de Girardin. After being a contributor to that journal for sixteen years, he started the Temps in 18G1, but resigned the editorship a few years ago on account of failing health, and has since lived in retirement at BSle, only contributing occasionally to the paper, in which, liOAvever, he retained a pecuniary interest. M. Nefftzer's death was mentioned with regret by all the Paris papers without distinction of political creed. An interesting relic of old London, missing, according to Maitland's testimony, during more than 150 years, has (the Athenaeum says) just been discovered during the demolition, previous to rebuilding, of the premises, No. 23, formerly 25, Pudding-lane, near the Monument. This is an inscribed stone, found face downwards, in a pavement, formerly of a back yard of the house in question, which at a comparatively recent period has been floored over. The stone seems not to have been exposed to the Aveather, and was, probably, removed from its original place very shortly after it was set up. Messrs. King and Son, of Mitre-street, Aldgate, have duly preseived this stone, which their Avorkmen discovered. The inscription is as folloAvs : — " Here by ye permission of (H)eaven Hell broke loose upon this Protestant City from the Malicious hearts of barbarous Papists, by ye hand of their Agent Hubert, who confessed, and on ye Ruines of this place declare(d) the Fact, for which he was hanged, (yizt) th(a)t here began tliat dredfull Fire, Avhich is de(s)cribed and perpetuated on and by the (n)eighbouring Pillar. Erected Anno 168( ) (i)n the Mayorite of Sr Patie(n)ce Ward KL" , The Times correspondent at Rome states that an important discovery has just been made at Pompeii. It consists of a number of objects of gold and silver, and close to them the carbonised skeletons of tAvo men, who Avould seem to have been borne down in the storm of ashes while endeavouring to escape with their valuables or plunder. Among the things found are eight rings, six pieces of money, two pairs of earrings, one single earring, two large armlets, each ornamented with thirteen pairs of half -globes, with little shells upon them, held together by chainwork, and a necklace also of chainwork, all of gold ; a silver ring, 332 pieces of silver | money, a " casserole" of the same mate- ' rial, broken in pieces, and three large bronze coins. The ATHKNiEUM says the copy of " Beaumont and Fletcher," 1679, formerly belonging to Charles Lamb, antl which was sold the other day at the sale of Colonel Cunningham's books, has been secured for the British Museum. It is the identical copy Avhich Avas used by Lamb in making his selections for "Specimens of Early English Dramatic Poets," Avith markings of the extracts and MS. corrections in his handAvriting. Lamb mentions this volume in " Elia" (" Essay on Old China"). Immanuel Hermann 'von Fichte, the son of the celebrated philosopher, completed at Stuttgardt, on the 18th of last month, his eightieth year. He has recently published a book, consisting of five letters to Professor Zeller, entitled "Questions and Considerations Relative to the Progress of German Speculation." It is stated that Earl Spencer has promised to lend some of the principal paintings from his gallery at Althorp for exhibition at the South Kensington Museum. Dr. Schliemann, though poAverfully supported by the foreign ambassadors at Constantinople, and by many of tlie more enlightened Turkish Ministers, has not been able as yet to carry on his excavations at Troy. Tlie Porte granted him a firman, and, after engaging a large number of Avorkmen, Dr. Schliemann hoped that nothing would interfere with his further explorations of the ruins at Hissarlik. Unfortunately, the Governor of the Dardanelles and the Archipelago, Ibrahim Pasha, did not approve Dr. Schliemann's presence. It is asserted that the great event at the approaching Birmingham festival will be the production of Professor Macfarren's oratorio, composed expressly for that occasion, and entitled, "The Resurrection." Mr. Santley will sing the principal solo part. M. Dumas Avill contribute, it is said, a new piece to the Gymnase Theatre next Avinter. In the first six months of the present year no feAver than tAA-enty-eight Italian composers have produced neAV operas. The complete list of their names is given in one of the German papers, the only one at all knoAvn in England being that of Pom chielli. Hoav Niagara almost ran dry. — [From Scribner's Monthly for August.] On March 29th, 1848, a remarkable phenomenon occured. The preceding Avinter had been intensely cold, and the ice formed on Lake Erie Avas unusually thick. In the warm days of early spring, the mass of ice Avas loosened around the shores of the lake and detached from them. During the forenoon of day named, a stiff easterly Avind moved it up the lake. A little before sunset, the Avind chopped suddenly round and bIeAV a gale from the Avest. This brought the Aast ice back again with such tremendous force that it filled in the neck of the lake and its outlet so as to form a very effective dam, that caused a remarkable diminution in the outflow of the Avater. Of course it needed but little time for the Falls to drain off the Avater below this dam. The consequence Avas, that on the morning o f the f olloAving day the river Avas nearly half gone. The American Channel had dAvindled to a deep and narroAA* creek. The British Channel seemed to have been smitten Avith a quick consumption, and to be fast passing away. Far up from the head of Goat Island and out into the Canadian Rapids, and from tho foot of Goat Island out beyond the Old ToAverto the deep channel of the Horseshoe fall, the Avater Avasgone. The rocks were bare, black and forbidding. The roar of Niagara had subsided to a moan. This extraordinary syncope of the waters lasted all the day, and night closed over the strange scene. But during the night the dam gaA'e away, and the next morning the riA'er Avas restored in all its strength, beauty, and majesty. M. Bkukot, of the Paris Academy, has made known u simple method of taking impressions of plants, requiring only a large sheet of paper, some oliA r e (or other) oil, blacklead, ashes, and resin (oi* colophony), The paper is first lightly oiled on one side, then folded in four, so that the oil may filter through the pores, and the plant may not come into direct contact Avith the liquid. The plant is placed between the leaves of tlie second folding, and in this position pressed (through other

paper) all over \vit£vthe hand, so as to make a small quantity of oil adhere to ita surface. Then it is taket-jqut; and placed carefully oh' white paper ; another sheet is placed above (since two impressions can be taken), and the plant is pressed as before. On now removing it, an invisible image remains on the paper. You sprinkle over this a quantity of blacklead (or ashes &c), and distribute it in all directions, as in applying sand to writing ; the image then appears in all its parts. With an as; sortment of colours, the natural colours of plants may be reproduced. To obtain fixity, resin is added to the blacklead (previously) in equal quantity ; the impression is fixed Avhen it is exposed to a heat sufficient to melt the resin.