Handwriting.
—In my last communication (Vol. v., p. 235.), in consecutive lines, when was printed where, and second was printed record. This is not wholly the printer's fault: in the common current hands, n and re are much alike; and n and r, s and r, are like enough to cause mistake. I have more than once got as far as a second proof, containing what might, if it had been printed, have been interpreted as a reflection on the dimensions of the clergy, which was far from my intention; namely, allusion to the area of a circular rector, in which the first r should have been s. What I want to make a note on, is this: no current hand is taught at schools: the so-called small hand is nothing but the larger hand written smaller. If any one would publish some specimens of current hand, in which all the letters are perfectly distinguishable from each other, he would do good service. And the (?) might go the length of a woodcut (which imitates writing better than copper): for no persons write so badly as writers. The task should not be undertaken by a writing-master: for there are few who will go through thick and thin in their calligraphy. What is wanted is a good skewer-hand, in which there are none of those upstrokes and downstrokes which, in former days, used to subject boys to certain other upstrokes and downstrokes, of which it can only be said that the former were more bearable than the latter.
M.
Queries.
DUTCH MANUFACTORIES OF PORCELAIN.
What manufactories of porcelain were established in Holland?
When, by whom, and at what places were they established, and when did they cease to exist?
What marks were used to indicate the different manufactories, and had the manufactures any distinctive character?
The mark M. O. L. is frequently found on Dutch porcelain, and occasionally the word Amstel; what is the meaning of these marks, and when were they employed?
A stork is also found as a mark on Dutch porcelain, which is said to have been made at the Hague. Is this correct? and if so, what is the history of the manufactory?