black pepper, by steeping them for a
while in water, and then gently rubbing them, so as to remove the dark
outer coat. It is milder than the other, and much prized by the Chinese,
but very little is imported into England. _Genuine_ white pepper is
merely the blighted or imperfect grains picked from among the heaps of
black pepper. It is, of course, very inferior.

From the Singapore Chronicle we learn, that the average annual quantity
of pepper obtained from different countries is 46,066,666 lbs,
avoirdupois.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

* * * * *

_How to acquire Knowledge._--Edmund Stone, the celebrated
mathematician, was a native of Scotland, and the son of the Duke of
Argyle's gardener. Before he attained the age of eighteen years, he
had acquired a knowledge of geometry, &c., without a master. When he
was asked by the Duke of Argyle how he had gained this knowledge, he
replied, "I first learned to read; and the masons being at work on your
house, I saw that the architect used a rule and compasses, and that he
made calculations. Upon inquiring into the uses of these things, I was
informed there was a science named arithmetic. I purchased a book of
arithmetic, and I learned it. I was told there was another science
called geometry, and I learned that also. Finding that there were good
books on these two sciences in Latin, I bought a dictionary, and learned
Latin. I also understood there were good books of the same kind in
French, and I learned French. This, my lord, is what I have done; and
it seems to me that we may learn anything when we know the twenty-four
letters of the alphabet." The Duke, pleased with this simple answer,
drew Stone out of obscurity, and provided for him an employment which
allowed of his favourite pursuit.

P.T.W.

* * * * *

_Duelling._--The students of the Berlin University lately
introduced a new mode of duelling. In order that chances might be equal
on both sides, the combatants went to the bed of a man attacked with
cholera, and kissed him. Neither of the parties having experienced the
least symptom of the epidemic during the next twenty-four hours, the
seconds declared that the two adversaries had satisfied the laws of
honour, and the affair was consequently settled.--SWAINE. (We take this
piece of irony to be well applied.)

* * * * *

_Popes.