The author professes to have at first been of opinion "that the story was purely contrived on purpose to render the republicans more odious than they deserv'd." Whether he was convinced to the contrary by ocular demonstration he does not tell us, but gives us information he received from a gentleman—
"Who, about eight years ago, went out of meer curiosity to see their Club, and has since furnish'd me with the following papers. I was inform'd that it was kept in no fix'd house, but that they remov'd as they saw convenient; that the place they met in when he was with 'em was in a blind ally, about Morefields; that the company wholly consisted of Independents and Anabaptists (I am glad for the honour of the Presbyterians to set down this remark); that the famous Jerry White, formerly Chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, who no doubt on't came to sanctify with his pious exhortations the Ribbaldry of the Day, said Grace; that after the table-cloth was removed, the anniversary anthem, as they impiously called it, was sung, and a calve's skull fill'd with wine, or other liquor, and then a brimmer went about to the pious memory of those worthy patriots that kill'd the tyrant, and deliver'd their country from arbitrary sway; and lastly, a collection made for the mercenary scribler, to which every man contributed according to his zeal for the cause, or the ability of his purse.
"I have taken care to set down what the gentleman told me as faithfully as my memory wou'd give me leave; and I am persuaded that some persons that frequent the Black Boy in Newgate Street, as they knew the author of the following lines so they knew this account of the Calves' Head Club to be true."
The anthems for the years 1693, 1694, 1695, 1696, and 1697, are given; but they are too long and too stupidly blasphemous and indecent to quote here. They seem rather the satires of malignant cavaliers than the serious productions of any Puritan, however politically or theologically heretical.
Edward Peacock.
Bottesford Moors.
PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE.
The Calotype Process.—I have made any first essay in the calotype process, following Dr. Diamond's directions given in "N. & Q.," and using Turner's paper, as recommended by him. My success has been quite as great as I could expect as a novice, and satisfies me that any defects are due to my own want of skill, and not to any fault in the directions given. I wish, however, to ask a question as to iodizing the paper. Dr. Diamond says, lay the paper on the solution; then immediately remove it, and lay on the dry side on blotting-paper, &c. Now I find, if I remove immediately, the whole sheet of paper curls up into a roll, and is quite unmanageable. I want to know, therefore, whether there is any objection to allowing the paper to remain on the iodizing solution until it lies flat on it, so that on removal it will not curl, and may be easily and conveniently laid on the dry side to pass the glass rod over it. As soon as the paper is floated on the solution (I speak of Turner's) it has a great tendency to curl, and takes some time before the expansion of both surfaces becoming equal allows it to lie quite flat on the liquid. May this operation be performed by the glass rod, without floating at all?
Photographers, like myself, at a distance from practical instruction, are so much obliged for plain and simple directions such as those given by Dr. Diamond, which are the result of experience, that I am sure he will not mind being troubled with a few inquiries relative to them.
C. E. F.