C. W. G.
Skating Problem (Vol. vii., p. 284.).—The Query of your correspondent recalls the one said to have been put by King James to the members of the Royal Society: "How is it," said the British Solomon, "that if two buckets of water be equipoised in a balance, and a couple of live bream be put into one of them, the bucket containing the fish does not overweigh the other?" After some learned reasons had been adduced by certain of the philosophers, one of them said, "Please your Majesty, that bucket would be heavier by the exact weight of the fish." "Thou art right," said the sapient king; "I did not think there had been so much sense among you." Now, although I do not mean to say that A Skater propounds for elucidation what he knows to be a fallacy, yet I do assert that he is mistaken as to the fact alleged. He recommends any one who is "incredulous" to make the trial—in which case, the experimenter would undoubtedly find himself in the water! I advise an appeal to common sense and philosophy: the former will show that a person in skates is not lighter than another; the latter, that ice will not fracture less readily beneath the weight of an individual raised on a pair of steel edges, than one on a pair of flat soles—all other circumstances being the same; the reverse, indeed, would be the fact. The true explanation of the "problem" is to be found in the circumstance, that "a skater," rendered confident by the ease with which he glides over ice on which he could not stand, will often also "stand" securely on ice which would break under the restless feet of a person in his shoes only. This has always appeared to be the obvious reason for the apparent anomaly to one who is
No Skater.
Parochial Libraries (Vol. vi., p. 432.).—Let me add to the list of parochial libraries that at Wendlebury, Oxon, the gift of Robert Welborn, rector, cir. 1760. It consists of about fifty volumes in folio, chiefly works of the Fathers, and, if I remember rightly, Benedictine editions. It was originally placed in the north transept of the church, but afterwards removed to the rectory. I believe that the books were intended for the use of the rector, but were to be lent to the neighbouring clergy on a bond being given for their restoration. After many years of sad neglect, this library was put into thorough order a few years ago by the liberality of the Rev. Jacob Ley, student of Ch. Ch.
Cheverells.
Miscellaneous.
NOTES ON BOOKS, ETC.
Books Received.—Reynard the Fox, after the German Version of Goethe, with Illustrations, by J. Wolf. Part IV. carries us on to The Trial, which is very ably rendered.—Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, by various Writers, edited by W. Smith. This Sixth Part, extending from Cinabi to Cyrrhestica, contains numerous interesting articles, such as Constantinople, which gives us an outline of Byzantine History, and Corinth, Crete, Cyrene, &c.—Mr. Darling's Cyclopædia Bibliographica has now reached its Seventh Part, and which extends from Dr. Abernethy Drummond to Dr. John Fawcett.—The Journal of Sacred Literature, No. VII., containing articles on The Scythian Dominion in Asia; Modern Contributions to the Study of Prophecy; Heaven, Hell, Hades; Nature of Sin and its earliest Development; Life and Epistles of St. Paul; Slavery and the Old Testament; Biblical Criticism; Memphitic New Testament; and its usual variety of Correspondence, Minor Notices, &c.—Gentleman's Magazine for April, which commences with an article on Mr. Collier's Notes and Emendations to the Text of Shakspeare's Plays.—Mr. Akerman, although the number of subscribers is not sufficient to cover the expenses, continues his Remains of Pagan Saxondum. The Fourth Part just issued contains coloured plates, the full size of the respective objects, of a Fibula from a Cemetery at Fairford, Gloucester; and of Fibulæ, Tweezers, &c. from Great Driffield, Yorkshire.