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"Let no one ignorant of Geometry enter here."-PLATO.

VOL. III.

AUGUST, 1886.

THE

BIZAIRE.

No. 8.

THE BRIDAL VEIL. The bridal veil originated in the custom of performing the nuptial ceremony under a square piece of cloth, held over the bridegroom and the bride, to conceal the blushes of the latter. At the marriage of a widow it was dispensed with.

A PAIR NOT Two. It is quite a mistake to suppose that a pair, in old books, always means two. It usually means a set. Hence, a pair of beads, (Chaucer); a pair of cards, that is, a pack; a pair of stairs, that is a flight; whence, "two pair back."

SPECTACLES. Spectacles first became known about the beginning of the 14th century. An inscription on the tomb of a nobleman, Salvinus Armatus, of Florence, who died in 1217, states that he was the inventor. The person, however, who first made the invention public was Alexander Spina, a native of Pisa.

PAPER BAROMETERS. Paper barometers were first received from Paris, and can be made by soaking paper in a solution of chloride of cobalt. It then becomes hydroscopic. If it is now exposed to a current of air, it will change from blue to pink, according as the air becomes moist, retaining the blue as the moisture decreases.

Hops are first mentioned by Pliny, the young plant being eaten as a vegetable, like our asparagus. But until the 16th century they were not used as an ingredient in beer; and, when their cultivation was first introduced from Flanders, in 1525, an outcry was raised, and Parliament was petitioned against a "wicked weed that would spoil the taste of the people and endanger the people." The piquant bitter found favor with

the public, who relished this addition to the previously unmitgated sweetness; and so the hop was promoted from the hedge-row to the "garden," and ever since labor and money have been constantly expended upon it.

THE EARLY CANE.

The walking-stick, identical in all points with the cane, made its appearance some 400 years ago in the court of the King of France. In a very short time the slender polished stick, with a jewelled knob, became part of the possession of every gentleman of quality. Its descent is traceable from the shepherd's crook, the palmer's staff, the wand of office, and the royal sceptre.

TO COPY PRinted Matter. Printed matter may be copied on any paper of an absorbent nature, by dampening the surface with a weak solution of acetate of iron, and pressing it in an ordinary copying-press. Old writing may also be copied on unsized paper if wet with a weak solution of sulphate of iron mixed with a small solution of sugar syrup.

FIRST GREENBACK NOTE. A man in Allegan county, Mich., has in his possession the first legal-tender greenback note struck off and issued by the United States. It is dated August 1, 1862, and is marked “Series A, No. 1." Mr. Slocum, the possessor, was a soldier in the army, and the bill was paid to him by the Paymaster as a part of his wages as a boy in blue.

BILL OF FARE, 1752. The following was the bill of fare at an English gentleman's house, served more than a century and a quarter ago. It may be found in " Delaney's Correspondence."

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Broyled chickan, bacon and colly, flower, squad pigeons, stewed carp, epargne, raised peas, venison pie, mushrooms, side table with roast beef, hot; venison pastry, cold; chine of mutton and hash under it; turkey. Dessert, eight baskets of fruit."

WILD-CAT WELLS. Charles A. Ashburne, geologist, tells us that in 1847 when a party of men cut loose from civilization in northern Pennsylvania, they carried supplies with them, and then originated the phrase "wild-cat wells." While prospecting for oil, a wild-cat made havoc with their provision, and, though they killed the wild-cat, and struck oil, were forced to return to a community. Ever since that time all frontier wells, which are chiefly useful in breaking the markets, have been termed "wild-cat wells.' Mr. Ashburne thinks the meridian of the oil yield has been passed, and that the supply of nat ural gas is limited.

THE OLDEST BANK NOTE. The oldest bank note probably in existence, in Europe, is one preserved in the Asiatic Museum in St. Petersburg. It dates from the year 1399 B. C., and was issued by the Chinese government. It can be proved from Chinese chroniclers that,

as early as 2697 B. C., bank notes were current in China under the name of "flying money." The bank note preserved at St. Petersburg bears the name of the imperial bank, date and number of issue, signature of a mandarin, and contains even a list of punishments inflicted for forgery of notes. This relic of 4,000 years ago is probably written, for printing from wooden tablets is said to have been introduced into China only in the year 160 A. D.

THE NICK IN THE LAPPEL OF A MAN'S Coat. A subscriber sends the following clipping and desires to know if there is any foundation for the explanation given of the origin of the nick in the lappel of a man's coat. It is ingenious, but is it true?

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A queer thing about coats is the little V-shaped nick in the lappel by the shoulder. That nick dose not make the coat set" any better. It does not help the appearance of the coat in any way, yet there that nick is in every frock coat, worn the world over. That has puzzled me for a long time, and I have just found out the reason. When Napoleon I first gave way to his ambition, he tried to implicate General Moreau in Pichegru's conspiracy. Moreau had been Napoleon's superior and was very popular, but under the circumstances, as Napoleon was on top, it was not safe to express publicly any sympathy with Moreau; so his admirers quietly agreed to nick their coat lappels to show who they were. If you look at the outlines of your coat now, you will see that they form an M-like this Moreau, by the way, was exiled by Napoleon, and lived in Morrisville, Penn. Is it not rather queer that we should all be commorating Moreau, as we do, without knowing it?

FIRST LINE OF THOMAS PAINES' "CRISIS." (Vol. II. p. 630.) In answer to "JOHN " we will say the line is quoted different from some editions of his works. It should be: "These are the times that try men's souls."

O, GALILEAN, THOU HAST CONQUERED!" (Vol. III, p. 76.) Whose last words are these? ADELBERT.

These words were uttered, according to tradition, by Julian the Apostate, emperor of Rome, (361-563). He was nephew of Constantine the Great, the first Christian on the throne of the Cæsars. He made a vigorous but vain attempt to dethrone Christianity, and to restore the ancient Græco-Roman Paganism in the Roman Empire to its former power and glory. He was the most gifted, learned, and active, and yet the least successful, of all the Roman emperors. He failed to carry out his plans by force, and in the midst of a campaign against Persia he died characteristically exclaiming, "O, Galilean, thou has conquered." From his apostacy he was called Julian the Apostate.

PHARAOH-A TITLE OF KINGS. (Vol. III, p. 120.) In the answer to the "Queen of Sheba" question it says that Pharaoh is a title. If so, how many kings or Pharaohs are mentioned in the Bible?

STUDENT.

The word Pharaoh is said to mean "the king," from the Coptic article P and the word ouro (king), P-ouro. There are eleven persons by this title mentioned in the Bible, as follows:

I.

Pharaoh of Abraham (Gen. XII, 15). The first Pharaoh mentioned, on occasion of Abram's visit to Egypt. Wilkinson supposes him to have been Appapus; Africanus calls him Ramessemenes.

2. Pharaoh of Joseph (Gen. XLI, 1). This Pharaoh lived 200 years after the Pharaoh of Abraham. Wilkinson identifies him with Osirtesen I, of the 16th dynasty of Tanites; Bunsen prefers to identify him with Osirtesen III, of the 17th dynasty of the Memphites, who is, according to him, the Sesostris of classical writers. Osburn thinks him to have been Apopis, as Eusebius states. This Pharaoh gave a new name to Joseph, calling him "Zaphnath Paäneäh, which is interpreted by Josephus (Antiq. Bk. 11, 6, 1), to mean "the revealer of secrets ;" he followed the Septuagint form of the word, Psothom Phanech; this is rendered in the Vulgate, salvator mundi (savior of the world). Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife, Asenath (worshipper of Neith, or Athene) daughter of Poti-pherah (Josephus says Petephres), "belonging to the sun," priest of On, or Heliopolis (city of the sun).

3. Pharaoh of the First Persecution of the Israelites (Ex. vIII, 1). This Pharaoh is the king that "arose which knew not Joseph (Acts VII, 20). Wilkinson supposes him to have been Amosis, the first of the 18th of Theban or Diospolitan kings; Wilkinson is supported by Prudhoe, and also that he began a new dynasty known as Ramses I. In the fragments of Manetho, preserved by Theophilus, this "new king" is called Tethmosis.

4. Pharaoh of Moses's Exile (Ex. 11, 15). This Pharaoh is supposed by some to be the same with Pharaoh who ruled Egypt at the birth of Moses, the probabilities, however, according to McClintock and Strong are against their identity. This attempt on the life of Moses is the only event of his reign mentioned in the Bible. His name is given by Artabanus as Palmanothes. His daughter Merrhis, so called by Artabanus, is the person who found Moses in the ark of bulrushes (Ex. II, 10); Josephus calls her name Thurmuthis.

5. Pharaoh of the Exode (Ex. XIV, 28). This Pharaoh is the king thought to have been drowned in the Red Sea, although it is not explicitly so stated (Vol. II, p. 587). Wilkinson supposes him to have been Thothmes III, of the 18th dynasty of Theban or Diospolitan kings; Manetho, according to Africanus, makes him to have been

Amos; Prudhoe makes his name Pthahmen; the Journal of Sacred Science makes his name Sethos II.

The name

6. Pharaoh, the Father-in-Law of Mered (1 Chron. IV, 18). This Pharaoh was the father of Bithiah who married Mered. Bithiah means "daughter of Jehovah."

7. Pharaoh, the Protector of Hadad (1 Kings XI, 19). This Pharaoh was cotemporary with David, reigning about B. C. 1033 to B. C. 1013. Hadad was an enemy to David, and hence Pharaoh's friendliness to him was discourteous to David. Eusebius gives his name as Osochor. 8. Pharaoh, the Father-in-law of Solomon (1 Kings III, 1: VII, 8). This Pharaoh invaded Palestine, and took Gezer, and gave it as a present to Solomon's wife. His name is supposed to be Shishak (1 Kings XIV, 25).

9. Pharaoh, the Opponent of Sennacherib (2 Kings XVIII, 21). This Pharaoh is said to have been Sethos whom Herodotus mentions as the opponent of Sennacherib, and is supposed to correspond with Zet in Manetho's list, the last king of the 24th dynasty. After this king when a Pharaoh is mentioned in the Bible the named is joined to the title Pharaoh.

10. Pharaoh-Necho (2 Kings XXIII, 29). This Pharaoh was of the 26th dynasty of Saïtic kings. Herodotus calls him Nekôs, and says

he was the son of Psammetichus I.

11. Pharaoh-Hophra (Jer. XLIV, 30). This Pharaoh is the last mentioned in the Bible, and is generally considered to have been Apries or Vaphres, of whom an account is given by Herodotus and Diodorus. He was, according to Herodotus, son of Psammis, and grandson of Pharaoh-Necho, and reigned 25 years.

DI DO DUM. FI FO FUM. (Vol. I, p. 304.) Where do we get the expressions, di do dum, and fi fo fum?

A SEEKER.

The first expression, was the point of an epigram which will be found in Porson's "Facetiæ Cantabrigienses." The professer was

asked to rhyme and pun on the endings of the Latin gerunds, and he immediately produced the following:

When Dido found Eneas would not come,
She mourned in silence and was Di do dum (b).

The second expression is found at the close of Scene Iv, Act III of Shakespeare's King Lear:

Fie, foh, and fum,

I smell the blood of a British man.

MCCCCXL. This chronogrammatic pasquinade appead in 1440, to mark the date of the election of Pope Leo X :

Multi Caci Cardinales Craeverunt Cæcum Decimum (X) Leonem.

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