Thirty years ago, the coronation stone in Westminster Abbey stood under a
very old chair; and was a bluish irregular block of stone, similar both in
colour and shape to stepping-stones in the shallow rivers of the north of
England. It is _now_ a very nice hewn block, nicely fitted into the frame
under the seat of a renovated chair. It does not look at all like the old
stone of former days. Is the geological formation of the present block very
difficult to ascertain?

H. R. NEE F.

* * * * *

POLYGAMY.

(Vol. ix., p. 246.)

In answer to the various Queries of _Stylites_ I have to observe:

1. That the Jews do not at present, in any country, practise polygamy, it
being contrary, not to the letter, but to the spirit of the law of Moses,
which nevertheless provides for cases where a man has two wives at the same
time; the inconvenience of which practice is several times pointed out, and
which was also inconsistent with the Levirate law. (See Jahn, s. 151.; and
the Mishna, [Hebrew: SDR NSHYM], which designates more wives than one
[Hebrew: TSRWT], _trouble, adversaries_.)

2. The practice was, however, allowed expressly to the Jewish kings only,
perhaps to the extent of _four_ wives, which is the Rabbinic exposition,
and coincides with the Koran.

3. Marriage being a civil contract in most heathen countries, as also
amongst the Jews and early Christians, polygamy is not forbidden or allowed
on religious grounds. Marriage was included under the general head of
covenants, [Hebrew: KTWBWT], in the Mishna. Barbarous nations generally
practised polygamy, according to Tacitus (_Germ._ 18.); excepting the
Germans, who, like the Greeks and Romans, "were content with a single
wife," although some exceptions were found in this respect, _non libidine,
sed ob nobilitatem_.

4. Polygamy was not practised amongst the early Christians, who followed
the Jews in this matter.

5. Clement of Alexandria (_Stromata_, lib. iii. p. 461., edit. 1629) says:

"[Greek: All' ho autos aner kai Kurios, palaia kainizon, ou polugamian
eti sunchorei; tote gar apetei ho Theos, hote auxanesthai kai
plethunein echren; monogamian de eisagei, dia paidopoiian, kai ten tou
oikou kedemonian, eis en boethos edothe he gune]."

Whence it appears that to have progeny and a helpmate at home were the
objects proposed in matrimony, for which polygamy was unfavorable. He then
remarks on the privilege conceded to