LEVIATHAN-ÆOLIPILES. I have been a constant reader of your unique and excellent magazine from its beginning, and have been particularly interested in the "Notes on Bibles." I was quite favorably impressed with the interpretation suggested (Vol. III, p. 75) as possible, that Ezekiel xxvii and xxvIII might refer to "the lost continent " Atlantis. That application of those chapters relating to Tyrus was a new one to me. I have since made those chapters a study and confess that it seems plausible.

I venture to offer a new interpretation in reference to Job, chap. XLI, which relates some characteristics of "the Leviathan " heretofore un

derstood to be an immense water animal. It appears to me that Job here describes that ancient steam machine called the Eolipiles from Æolus the god of the wind, and their application to create artificial wind. These machines were no doubt in use in the days of Job. Thomas Ewbank, in his work, "Hydraulics and Mechanics," gives several accounts of these Æolipiles as described by early writers. Ewbank says that Vitruvius describes the Æolipiles in his "Architecture," chapter vi:

"These brass æolipiles are hollow and have a very narrow aperture, by which they are filled with water, and then placed on the fire: before they become hot they emit no effluvia, but as soon as the water begins to boil, they send forth a vehement blast."

Ewbank says it is probable from the antiquity of the æolpiles that allusions to them might be found in the Bible: in such expressions as "the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the walls" (Is. xxv, 4); "the blast of thy nostrils " (Ex. xv, 8). Carpini in an account of his travels A. D. 1286, describes a species of ælipiles of the human form, and apparently charged with an inflammable liquid, as having been used in a battle between the Mongols and the troops of Prester John. Bishop Wilkins in his "Mathematical Magick: or, the Wonders that may be performed by Mechanichal Geometry," published in 1680, speaks of æolipiles as then common.

QUINCY LOVELL.

"ETERNAL FITNESS OF THINGS." Where do we get the phrase, "the eternal fitness of things," and its primal meaning? BELGRade. The only writer we recall who made frequent use of this phrase, was Samuel Clarke, D. D., a celebrated English divine and metaphysician,

who was born Oct. 11, 1675, in Norwich.

He says in his discourses,

"Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion :'

"The foundation of morality consists in the immutable differences, relations, and eternal fitness of things."

This last expression being of frequent occurence in these discourses, acquired a fashionable usage in the ethical vocabularies of his day. Regardless of moral sentiment, so fully developed since by Shaftsbury, Hutchinson, Adam Smith, and some others, Clarke insists. solely upon the principle that "the criterion of moral rectitude is in the conformity to, or deviation from, the natural and eternal fitness of things;" in other words, that an immoral act is an irrational act— that is, an act in violation of the actual ratio of existent things. The endeavor to reduce moral philosophy to mathematical certainty was characteristic of that age, and led to the formation of theories remarkable more for their ingenuity than utility.

QUEEN OF SHEBA. (Vol. II, p. 381.) What was the name of the Queen of Sheba? I do not find her name given in the Bible.

READER. The most learned writers maintain that the Queen of Sheba came from Yemen, in Arabia Felix. She is called by Christ the " queen of the south," and is said to have "come from the uttermost parts of the earth" (Matt. XII, 42), as the southern part of Arabia was considered by the ancients. She is supposed to have been a descendant of Abraham by Keturah, whose grandson Sheba peopled the country.

She is called Balkis by the Arabians. The Ethiopians claim that she was of their country. She is called Candace by them. The testimony of various authors show that both before and after the Christian era, Æthiopia proper was under the rule of female sovereigns, who all bore the appellation of "Candace," which was not so much a proper name as a distinctive title, common to every successive queen, like "Pharaoh," and "Ptolemy," to the kings of Egypt, and "Cæsar," to the emperors of Rome. Pliny says that the centurions whom Nero sent to explore the country reported that "a woman reigned over Meroë (an Æthiopic name of Seba, or Sheba) called 'Candace,' a name which had descended to the queens for many years."

She was known by the name, Nicaule, for an account of which see Calmet's "Biblical Dictionary," under this name. She was

also known by the name, Marqueda, for an account of which see Dr. Johnson's "Discourse on Queen of Sheba," and Ludolph's "History of Ethiopia."

De Dieu asserts, on the authority of ecclesiastical tradition, that the proper name of the queen mentioned in the Acts (VIII, 27) was Lacasa, and that of her chamberlain Judich.

NOMS DE PLUME. I have observed some singular noms de plume in your magazine, and how singularly some of them are formed. For instance, "Djafar"; I do not find this name in the Webster "Pronouncing Biographical Dictionary," neither can I anagrammatize the word. Is "Enoch Chone " a nom de plume, or his real name? I note the spelling backward. GIMEL," I have studied on, but do not understand why he (or she) puts it so. Others are blind to me.

JOHN JOHNSON. used by our correWe generally com

We cannot explain all the pseudonymous words spondents, and some of them are enigmas to us. ply with the desires of our patrons and print their pseudonym. Any letter for any one of them, addressed to our care, will be forwarded

to the real person.

The name "Djafar" is one of the names of Mohammed, the Arabian prophet, but why selected as a pseudonym we know not.

66

The name Chone" is the name Enoch spelled backward. Chone, according to Antiochus the son of Xenophanes, as Hesychius says, was the most ancient name of Italy. It is from Chonia; and this is from Chion according to Aben Ezra. Mazzochi says Chronos is a corruption of Chion. Chronos was Saturn, and known, was a primitive name for a part of Italy.

Saturnia, as is well
Whether this cor-

respondent's pseudonym, "Chone," is a coincidence with Enoch reversed, or not, he can say.

"GIMEL" can speak for himself if he desires to explain his name. "Mark Swords" appears to be marks, words.

TUNING A SEVEN-OCTAVE INSTRUMENT. (Vol. II, p. 590.) It is stated that "we cannot tune a seven-octave instrnment in perfect harmony, without residue." Can the residue be expressed mathematically, either integrally or decimally, for a seven-octave instrument? FOREST K. GOLDSMITH.

Referring to this question I would say that neither a seven-octave piano or organ, nor such an instrument of three, four, or any number

of octaves can be tuned perfectly for playing in different keys. The reason can be explained mathematically, but would I fear take too much space. It results simply from the fact that the semitones of the musical scale do not represent equal intervals, therefore in changing the key these interval will not be perfectly correct.

E. T. QUIMBY, Hanover, N. H.

SMECTYMNUUS. (Vol. II, p. 533.) This singularly-formed word has beea referred to by several correspondents, some inquiring for the book, others for the authors and other particulars. We have not the work but will give some account of it as mentioned by others. The word Smectymnuus is formed from the initial letters of five Puritanical divines who were opposed to the Episcopal form of faith. Their

names were:

Stephen Marshall (Presbyterian), lecturer at St. Margaret's church, Westminster, died in 1655.

Edmund Calamy (Presbyterian), lecturer of St. Mary's, Aldermanbury, in London, born 1600, died 1666.

Thomas Young, Master at Jesus College, Cambridge, born about 1587, died 1655.

Matthew Newcomen (Noncomformist divine), member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, assisted in drawing up their Catechism, died in 1668, or 1669.

William Spurstowe (Nonconformist divine), member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, died in 1666.

The initials SM-EC-TY-MN-UUS gave the name of the work to which each contributed. The book was a reply to Bishop Hall's work entitled "Humble Remonstrance to the High Court of Parliament." This "reply " by Smectymnuus called forth a confutation by Bishop Usher in his work "The Original of Bishops and Metropolitans." Usher was answered by John Milton in his treatise "On Prelatical Episcopacy." Bishop Hall replied to Milton in "Defence of the Humble Remonstrance." This "defence" was followed by Milton's work, " Animadversons upon the Remonstrant's Defence against Smectymnuus.". Milton also wrote "The Reason of Church Government urged against Prelaty." Milton closed the controversy, so far as he was concerned, by writing his "Apology for Smectymnuus," it being a reply to a confutation of his "Animadversons" supposed to have been written by Bishop Hall or his son.

The conttroversy was upon these two heads:

I. Of the antiquity of liturgies, or form of prayer.

2. Of the apostolical institution of diocesan episcopacy.

Origin of the Roman Numerals-New Theory.

I will give you some observations on the Roman numerals. Hold up your open hands before you, palms outward, thumbs at an acute angle.

Begin on the left; little finger, I; little and ring finger, II; then two and next finger, III; three and forefinger, IIII; the hand and thumb at an acute angle, V; the fourth finger with the thumb at an acute angle, IV; (now pass to the right hand); the thumb and hand at an acute angle with the first finger is VI; the V thus formed, with the first and second fingers, VII; the V, thus formed, with the first second, and third fingers, VIII; join the two V's at their acute angle, inverting one, X; the X with the last or little finger before it, IX; the numeral combinations following X are obvious. The forefinger of the left hand with the thumb at right angle, L; the little finger of the left hand curved towards the thumb, C, the initial of Centum (a hundred), and so on with the hundreds. Join the two thumbs with the forefingers, or two V's inverted (^^) for the M, and the hieroglyphics are complete, they being all plain enough after you see how it was done. I little thought that the two hands were the foundation of the Roman numerals, and the discovery of the origin of the Arabic numerals led me to the secret of the Roman numerals. I will here give you some figures which I believe to have been the ancestors of our Arabic figures, which enabled me to break the seal and discover their origin I A h

I presume they can be read. They are our figures as used within a few centuries on old astrolabes, etc. You will be surprised to see

how accurate they are when you see from what they are made. They will form another chapter.

The alphabet is a perfect curiosity in its growth. The character&c-which has been such a puzzle, and referred to so many sources, is, when understood, really laughable. In old times, under the drawing of an animal, it used to be written "This is a cow," "This is a horse," etc., as the picture might represent. We, today, under the hieroglyphics of the Signs of the Zodiac, continue to print it out in full. The &c is the name of the Alphabet written below it to set forth what it is. We call it the A B C. The &c is a monogram, the A and B being joined together for the &, and the c affixed to it or, in other