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A book (to please us at a tender age

'Tis called a book, though but a single page)

Presents the prayer the Saviour deigned to teach,

Which children use, and parsons-when they preach."
Tirocinium, or a Review of Schools, 1784.

We have some where read a story of a mother tempting her son along the cross-row by giving him an apple for each letter he learnt. This brings us to the gingerbread alphabet of our own time, which appears to have been common a century and a half since:

"To master John the English maid

A Hornbook gives of gingerbread;
And, that the child may learn the better,
As he can name, he eats the letter."

Prior.

In the original picture by Schidone, and formerly in the gallery of the Earl of Ashburnham, we see the Italian Hornbook of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, at which period the painter lived. In this fine composition, the girl in the foreground holds a Hornbook, which has beneath the crossrow the Lord's Prayer in Latin, &c. the whole within a border of pleasing design. The sandaled feet and flowing robe of the girl give the picture a classical character: a chubby boy is looking over her right shoulder; and in the distance, beneath the arcade of a temple, are two other learners, who, by their studious air, are interesting accessories to the main design. The picture is popularly known as the Hornbook ;" and was beautifully engraved in 1816 by Robert Cooper, the impressions being in the schedule of prizes in Tomkins's Picture Lottery.

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The Hornbook was not always mounted on a board; many were printed on the horn only, or pasted to its back, like one used five-and-forty years ago by a friend, when a boy at Bristol.

Such was the rudeness of the "dumb teacher" formerly employed at the dame-school and elsewhere. It was, in all probability, superseded by the "Battledoor" and "Reading-madeEasy," with which came the Alphabet illustration; though the Spelling-book is considerably older than either. The Battledoor, by the way, reminds us of a strategy of tuition mentioned by Locke: “By pasting the vowels and consonants on the sides of four dice, he has made this a play for his children, whereby his eldest son in coats has played himself into spelling."

drops.

Note to page 211.

The vast chandelier described as above contains 9,500 pieces of

GENERAL INDEX.

ACONITE, 101.

Acoustics, Ancient, 42.
Actinism, What is it? 33.
Admiral, Etymon of, 193
Africa and Europe, Former Union
of, 19.

Age of the Globe, 13.

Agricultural Question, Curious,
168.

Alchemists' Secret, 116.
Alkalis, the Fixed, 195.
Amber, Origin of, 20.

America not first discovered by
Columbus, 46.

American Eagle, the, 188.
Anastatic Printing, 231.

Animals, Fabulous, 114.
Animals, Number of, 69.
Antediluvian Animals, 21.
Arabs, Benefits from the, 48.
Aristotle's History of Animals,235.
Artesian Wells, 23.
Ash-Wednesday, 150.
Aspen-tree, the, 96.

Asteroids and Rupert's Drops, 10.
Astronomy, Great Truths of, 1.
Astronomy, Mechanics of, 1.
Atlantic Ocean, Basin of, 27.
Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, Levels

[blocks in formation]

Baobab Tree, Aged, 94.
Barber's Pole, the, 124.
Barber-Surgeons and Barbers, 125.
Barnacle, Economy of, 86, 104.
Barometer in Measuring Heights,
30.

Bartholomew Pigs, 156.
Bats, Errors respecting, 72.
Beaver, Architecture of the, 70.
Bed of Ware, the Great, 126.
Bee, Cell of the, 89.
Bee-hives, Mistakes in, 207.
Bells on Horses, 126.
Berlin Iron Castings, 213.
Billion, What is it? 221.
Birds, Flight of, 79.
Black Sea, the, 27.
Blanks in Existence, 54.
Blood, Circulation of the, -52.
Blood Rain, 109.

Blood of St. Januarius, 111.
Blue Mould, What is it? 108.
Bones, Mechanism of the, 66.
Book, the Great, 63.
Bookworms, What are they? 236.
Boundary-Line of the United States
and Canada, 50.

Bread-fruit Tree and Aloe, 100.
Breakwater, Plymouth, 232.
Breathe that We may Live, 56.
Bride Cake, the, 118.
Bride's Veil, 118.

British-Isles Climate, Variability
of, 33.

Broad Arrow, the, 176, 187.
"Brother Jonathan," 188.
Budda's Foot, 110.

Buns, Cross, on Good Friday,

1.1.

[blocks in formation]

R

CAMEOS, Ancient and Modern, 228.
Camphor-tree, Aged, 95.
Canada, Origin of the name, 47.
Candlemas, 149.

Cannon ball, Wind of, 210.
Cant, Origin of, 180.

Cape of Good Hope, who first
Doubled? 47.

Carp, Pike, Turkeys, and Hops,
129.

Cat, Characteristics of the, 75.
Cats, Dancing, 78.

Cat, Electricity of, 77.

Cats falling upon their Feet, 76.
Cat's Nine Lives, 76.

Cats fond of Sunshine, 78.
Cats, White, with Blue Eyes,
Deaf, 78.

Cat and Witch, 77.
Cat's-paw, the, 76.
Catchpolls and Bailiffs, 166.
Cell of the Bee, 89.
Cement, Animal, 88.
Cemetery-burial, 123.
Century, the, 148.

Chandelier, Cut-glass, vast, 211.
Charming away Warts and Wens,
139.

Chaucer's Diction, What is the
Character of? 234.

Chelsea "Lotts," and Lammas
Day, 154.

Chemistry, Economy of, 194.
Chestnut-trees, Aged, 95.
Child's Caul, the, 136.

Chiltern Hundreds, Acceptance
of, 187.

Church, High and Low, 177.
Christmas, Mistletoe at, 157-161.
Cigars, the finest, 204.
Clove, the, 100.

Coal-mines in England, 161.
Cocoa-nut, the, 99.
Coffee, a Disinfectant, 203.
Coffee, Nutriment in, 203.
Coffee, Origin of, 133.

Coins, Ancient, Dates rare on,
215.

Cold favourable to Long Life, 64.
Columbus not the first Discoverer
of America, 46.

Comets, Danger from, 10.
Coming of Age, 164.

Compass, Early Discoveries with
the, 50.
Congreve Rockets, 210.

Conservative, the, 187.
Coral and Bells for Children, 135.
Countries, Names of, 49.
Cotton-plant, Name of, 99.
Cousins, Marriage of, 119.
Cousin, What is a? 168.
Cow-tree of South America, 98.
Creation of Man, 51.
Creole and Mulatto, 48.
Cricket, Origin of, 142.
Critical Days, 145.
Croisserie, La, Game, 141.
Cross, Holy, Wood of the, 97.
Cross and Pile Game, 142.
Crucifixion, Torture of, 97.
Crusades, Influence of the, 50.
Cuckoo, Note of the, 80.
Curling, Game of, 141.
Cuttle-fish, Ink of the, 84.
Cypress-tree, Aged, 95.

DAHLIA, Blue, 105, 107.
Dancing Sun on Easter Day, 152.
Dead as a Door-nail, 146.
Dead Sea, the, 27.
Death by Cold, 64.
Death by Lightning, 64.
Death from Old Age, 58.
Deaths by War and Pestilence, 61.
Death-bed, Phenomena of the, 57.
Death-Warrants, 171.
Death-watch, the, 237.

Deluge, the, Dr. Chalmers on, 21.
Deodand, Law of, 172.

Diamond converted into Coke, 201.
Diamond, History of the, 199.
Diamond, how it cuts Glass, 201.
Diamonds, Parisian, 201.
Diamond Paste, 201.
Diamonds, Value of, 201.
"Dieu et mon Droit," 191.
Dissolving Views, 42.
Divining-Rod, the, 134.
Dodo, Paintings of, 83.
Dodo, Story of the, 82.
Dogs, Barking of, 75.

Dog, Characteristics of the, 73.
Dogs in China and Tartary, 74.
Dog-days, the, 74..
Dogs, Mad, 74.

Dogs, mentioned by Shakspeare,
75.

Domesday Prices, 215.
Doom of the World, 12.

Dover's and James's Powders, 146.
Dragon-tree, Aged, 95.

Dreams, Morning, 65.
Druids and the Mistletoe, 158.

EARTH Distant from the Fixed
Stars, 8.

Earth, Edible, 23.

Earth, Interior Temperature of,
18.

Earth, Magnitude of the, 15.
Earth, Nature of the, 14.
Earth, Rotundity of, 14.

Earth and Sun, Magnetic Rela-
tion of, 6.

Earth, Surface of, Illustrated, 16.
Earth, Three Motions of the, 15.
Earth travelling round the Sun, 5.
Earth, Weight of the, 16.
Earthquake Indicator, 19.
Echoes Explained, 42.
Eel, Generation of the, 84.
Electric Light, Costliness of, 198.
Electric Telegraph Simplified, 199.
Electrotyping a Cathedral, 199.
Elephant, the, 69.

Enamel, Ancient and Modern, 224.
England the Centre of the Ter-
restrial Hemisphere, 48.
England, Separation of, from the
Continent, 20.
English Language, Analysis of
the, 233.

Engraving, Copper-plate, Anti-
quity of, 231.

Essoign Days and Days of Grace,
164.

Etruscan Pottery, 224.
Evangelists, Symbols of, 180.
Evelyn's Kitchen Gardening, 105.
Evil, Touching for the, 138.
Eucalyptus, or Gum-tree, 95.
Europe, Ancient, High Tempera-
ture of, 33.
"Excelsior," 190.

Exchequer, Cursitor-Baron of, 162.

FABULOUS Animals, 115.
Facial Line, the, 53.
Fairy Rings, 109.

Family Likenesses, 53.
Farm, Origin of, 134.

Farthing of Queen Anne, 218.
Female Succession to the Throne
of England, 185.
Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, "Prince
of Liars," 237.
"Filibusters," 190.

Fire from the Agency of Two
Sticks, 196.

Fire-proof Feats of the Ancients,
111.

Fish, Sporting, 84.
Fish, Voice of, 83.
Fish, a Wonderful, 83.
Fishes building Nests, 83.
Flags and Signals, National, 190.
Flies, Keeping out of Houses, 90.
Flies walking up Glass, 89.
Flowers, to arrange in a Garden,
105.

Flowers of New Holland, 107.
Flute, Music of the, 43.
Forks, Antiquity of, 132.
Frangipani Powder and Tart, 205.
Frankincense, use of, 181.
Frogs, Eatable, 87.

Fruits, Artificial, Essence of, 204.
Funeral Feasts, 122.

Furs, Olden Fashions in, 70.

GALWAY Juries, 167.
Gaming-tables at Races, 175.
Gardening, Evelyn's Kitchen, 105.
Gardening, Curiosities of, 104.
Garrote, the, 172.

Gas-lighting, Progress of, 197.
Geographical Discoveries of a
Quarter of a Century, 49.
Geological Theories, 13-17.
Glass broken by Sounds, 43.
Glass, Coloured, in the Kew Palm-
house, 41.

Glass, Composition of, 210.
Glass cut with Coke, 211.
Glass-houses and Throwing Stones,
185.

Glass, Painted, Ancient and Mo-
dern, 227.

Glass, Painted, and Stained, 226.
Glass-painting, the "lost" Red
in, 226.

Glass Paper-weights, Venetian,
211.

Glass, Venetian, Varieties of, 211.
Gleaning, Antiquity of, 127.
Globe, Age of the, 13.
Glow-worm, Light of the, 91.
Goat-sucker, the, 80.

"God bless you" in Sneezing, 146.
Gold, All in the World, 22.
Gold in California and Australia,
23.

Good-Friday Cross Buns, 151.

[blocks in formation]

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around, 198.

HAIR, False, Wearing, 125.
Hand, Peculiarities of the, 67.
Hangman's Wages," 172.
Hard-drinking Customs, 130.
Harvest Customs, 155.
Harvest Moon, 7.
Hawks, Varieties of, 81.
Hay, New-mown, Smell of, 94.

"He who is his own Counsel has
a Fool for his Client," 171.
Heads of Englishmen, 67.
"Hear, Hear," Origin of, 186.
Henry VII. and VIII. in Star-
Chamber, 169, 170.
Herodotus, Style of, 233.
Hippopotamus-Behemoth, 70.
Hob-nob," 130.

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Hops, when first used in England,
130.

Hop Pillow, the, 102.
Hornbook, History of the, 237.
Horse, Ears of the, 71.
Horse-shoes, Luck of, 144.
Hotchpot, Derivation of, 133.
Hours most fatal to Life, 62
Hungary Water, 207.
Hyænas not untameable, 70.
Hydrostatic Wonders, 111.
Hypnology; or, How to Procure
Sleep, 64.

Hyssop of Scripture, 101.

IMPERIAL Standard Measure, the,
176.

Incense, Use of, 181.

"Innate Ideas," What are they?

54.

Insects, Plagues of, 92.

Insects, rate at which their Wings
move, 88.

Isinglass, Origin of, 85.
Isle-of-Man Arms, 192.

Ivory, Vegetable, 108.
Ivy, Varieties of, 103.

JACK Pudding, Origin of, 140.
James, Dr., and his Fever Pow-
der, 145.

Januarius, St, Blood of, 111.
Jebel Narkous, 113.

Jerusalem Artichoke, the, 103.
Judaism and Paganism, 179.
Judas's Tree, 98.

Judges' Circuits, Antiquity of, 162.
Justices in Eyre, or of Assize, 165.

KANGAROO, the, 92.

Kepler's "Prophesying Almanac,”
11.

Knives and Forks, History of, 131.
Kraken, the, 110.

LACQUER-WARE, 212.

Ladies in Parliament, 185.
Lammas Day, 154.
Laplace, Scepticism of, 12.
Latitudinarianism, 179.
Lawyer's Day, the, 165.
Leap-Year Customs, 149.
Leasing or Gleaning, 127.
Leaves of Trees and Books, 93.
Leek worn on St. David's Day,
150.

Lent, its Origin and Customs, 149.
Life-Assurance, 221

Life, Human, Average of, 62.
Lightning-Conductors, Antiquity
of, 36.

Lightning-Conductors, What are
they? 37.

Lightning, Force of, 37.

Lightning, Precautions against, 36.
Lightning, Watch Melted by, 38.
Livery and Livery Stables, 143.
London Fog, 31.

London, Port of, 48.
London Smoke, 32.

Longevity, Doubtful, 59.

Longevity of Soldiers and Sailors,
62.

Longevity in the United States, 60.
"Looking Back," Superstition of,
136.

Lords' Trumpeters, 165.
Lotus of the Ancients, 101.
Lovers' Presents, 117.

Loving Cup, the, 130.

Lynch Law, Origin of, 189.

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