new favourite was also
freed from its ugly time-worn jacket of dirty paint, discovering underneath
a beautifully carved and darkly coloured oaken surface.

After being perfectly dried and saturated with linseed oil, it was
frequently well rubbed, and the {59} chair stands to this day, like some of
the valuable discoveries made by the alchemists when in search of the
Elixir Vitae, or the Philosopher's Stone, an example of a fortunate and
unexpected disclosure made when not directly in search of it. I have since
learnt that a fluid possessing the above-named detergent qualities, is to
be purchased at some of the oil and colour shops, the formula for its
preparation being kept a secret.

HENRY HERBERT HELE.

Ashburton, Devonshire.

P. S.--In making the solution on a caustic alkali, perhaps I should have
said that the common carbonate of potass of commerce will do as well as the
common carbonate of soda, if not better, from the probability of its making
a stronger solution.

The following recipe for taking paint off old oak is from No. 151. of _The
Builder_:

"Make a strong solution of American potash (which can be bought at any
colour-shop, and resembles burnt brick in appearance); mix this with
sawdust into a kind of paste, and spread it all over the paint, which
will become softened in a few hours, and is then easily removed by
washing with cold water. If, after the wood has dried, it becomes
cracked, apply a solution of hot size with a brush, which will bind it
well together and make it better for varnishing, as well as destroy the
beetle which is often met with in old oak, and is erroneously called
the worm."

The following is also from the same Number:

"To make dark oak pale in colour, which is sometimes a desideratum,
apply with a brush a little dilute nitric acid judiciously; and to
stain light oak dark, use the dregs of black ink and burnt amber mixed.
It is better to try these plans on oak of little value at first, as, to
make a good job, requires care, practice, and attention."

H. C. K.

F. M. MIDDLETON will find that American potash, soft soap, and warm water,
will remove paint from oak. The mixture should be applied with a
paint-brush, and allowed to remain on until the paint and it can be removed
by washing with warm water and a hard brush.

GETSRN.

* * * * *

BURIAL IN AN ERECT POSTURE.

(Vol. viii., p