127. Who was “the learned tailor”?
Henry Wild (1684–1764). He acquired some knowledge of Greek and Latin at the grammar school of his native town, Norwich, England, after which he worked fourteen years at his trade. Then, during a long sickness, he amused himself by reading some volumes of controversial theology abounding in quotations from the Bible in the original Hebrew. This led him to devote his spare time for several years to the study of Hebrew, and afterward of Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Persian, in all of which he became proficient.
128. Where is the “Water Volcano”?
The Volcan de Agua, or “Water Volcano,” is a huge mountain in Central America, noted for emitting torrents of boiling water which have twice destroyed the town of Guatemala. It is of a conical shape and rises fifteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. In close proximity are the volcanoes of Pacaya, on the southeast, and Fuego, on the west; and the three together present a scene of great magnificence.
129. Which is the brightest star visible?
Sirius, or the Dog-star, of the constellation Canus Major, or the “Great Dog.” Sir John Herschel estimates its light as exceeding more than twofold that of Canopus, the second star in brilliancy, and more than fourfold that of Alpha Centauri, the third, whose light the same astronomer takes as the standard for stars of the first magnitude. Sirius is about one hundred and twenty-three billions of miles distant from the earth. By photometric measurement it has been shown that, supposing the intensity of the sun’s light for unit of surface to equal that of Sirius, it would require four hundred suns at the distance of Sirius to send us the light that star does; and our sun at the distance of Sirius would appear less than a star of the sixth magnitude, and be invisible to the naked eye.
130. Who originated our decimal coinage?
Our decimal coinage was devised by Thomas Jefferson. Two years before Governeur Morris, a clerk in the office of his uncle, Robert Morris, had conceived the idea of applying the decimal system to the notation of money. The details of the system devised by Morris were so cumbrous and awkward as almost to neutralize the simplicity of the leading idea. Jefferson rescued the fine original conception by proposing our present system of dollars and cents, which was adopted by Congress in 1785.
131. Where is the sacred well from which Hagar is said to have drawn water for her son Ishmael?
According to Mohammedan tradition, the Zamzam, the sacred well in the Great Mosque, at Mecca, is the source from which Hagar drew water for her son Ishmael (Gen. xxi. 19). This is, of course, pure invention; and, indeed, the legend tells that the well was long covered up and rediscovered by Abd-el-Muttalib, the grandfather of the prophet. Sacred wells are peculiar to Semitic sanctuaries, and Islam, retaining the well, made a quasi Biblical story for it, and endowed its tepid waters with miraculous curative virtues. They are eagerly drunk by the pilgrims, and when poured over the body are held to give a miraculous refreshment after the fatigues of religious exercise. The manufacture of bottles or jars for carrying the water to distant countries is a considerable industry. Ibu Jubair mentions a curious superstition of the Meccans, who believed that the water rose in the shaft at the full moon of the month Sha’bán. On this occasion a great crowd, especially of young people, thronged round the well with shouts of religious enthusiasm, while the servants of the well dashed buckets of water over their heads.