ician and
that of the mathematician is as good, though not so perceptible to the
world at large, as that made by Mr. Briggs's friend in _Punch's_ picture,
which I cut out to paste into my Logic. Mr. Briggs wrote for a couple of
_bruisers_, meaning to prepare oats for his horses: his friend sent him the
Whitechapel Chicken and the Bayswater Slasher, with the gloves, all ready.

{158}

On matter and ether, and the secret laws of physical change. By T. R.
Birks, M.A.[278] Cambridge, 1862, 8vo.

Bold efforts are made at molecular theories, and the one before me is ably
aimed. When the Newton of this subject shall be seated in his place, books
like the present will be sharply looked into, to see what amount of
anticipation they have made.

DR. THORN AND MR. BIDEN.

The history of the 'thorn tree and bush' from the earliest to the
present time: in which is clearly and plainly shown the descent of her
most gracious Majesty and her Anglo-Saxon people from the half tribe of
Ephraim, and possibly from the half tribe of Manasseh; and consequently
her right and title to possess, at the present moment, for herself and
for them, a share or shares of the desolate cities and places in the
land of their forefathers! By Theta, M.D.[279] (Private circulation.)
London, 1862, 8vo.

This is much about _Thorn_, and its connected words, Thor, Thoth, Theta,
etc. It is a very mysterious vagary. The author of it is the person whom I
have described elsewhere as having for his device the round man in the
three-cornered hole, the writer of the little heap of satirical anonymous
letters about the Beast and 666. By accident I discovered the writer: so
that if there be any more thorns to crackle under the pot, they need not be
anonymous.

Nor will they be anonymous. Since I wrote the above, I have received
_onymous_ letters, as _ominous_ as the rest. The writer, William Thorn,
M.D., is obliged to reveal {159} himself, since it is his object to prove
that he himself is one 666. By using W for double Vau (or 12) he cooks the
number out of his own name. But he says it is the number not of a beast but
of a man, and adds, "Thereby hangs a tale!" which sounds like
contradiction. He informs me that he will talk the matter over with me: but
I shall certainly have nothing to say to a gentleman of his number; it is
best to keep on the safe side.

In one letter I am informed that not a line should I have ha