s restoration of
the standard is not so easy a task as would be commonly supposed, for
apart from the determination of the yard with mathematical accuracy,
alternations of heat and cold have to be taken into account; for, as
is well known, a strip of metal which measures thirty-six inches long
in a temperature of 70 degrees, will not measure the same in 50
degrees. Connected with this subject, it was stated at one of the
meetings of the society, that the ancient Saxon yard was nearly
identical with the modern French _metre_; whence a suggestion of 'the
possibility of the Saxon yard being actually derived from a former
measure of the earth, made at a period beyond the range of history,
the results of which have been preserved during many centuries of
barbarism.' Be this as it may, we are now given to understand that the
Egyptian Pyramids, whether originally erected for purposes of
sepulture or not, are, at the same time, definite portions of a degree
of the earth's surface in the meridian of Egypt; and it has been
proposed, as these mighty structures are far more durable even now
than anything which we could build in England, that when our standard
shall be re-established, the length shall be cut on the side of one of
the pyramids, together with such explanatory particulars as may he
necessary, so as to preserve the record for all coming time. Modern
science thus availing itself of the labours of the past, would be a
remarkable incident in the history of philosophy.

The appearance of extraordinary spots on the sun has attracted a more
than ordinary degree of attention to that luminary, and to Mr J.
Nasmyth's 'views respecting the source of light,' which, though
published a few months since, are now again talked about. Mr Nasmyth,
after several years' observation, comes to the conclusion, 'that
whatever be the source of light, its production appears to result from
an action induced on the _exterior surface_ of the solar sphere;' and
he believes it reasonable to 'consider the true source of the latent
element of light to reside, _not in the solar orb_, but in space
itself; and that the grand function and duty of the sun is to act as
an agent for the bringing forth into vivid existence its due portion
of the illuminating or luciferous element; which element he supposes
to be diffused throughout the boundless regions of space, and which in
that case must be perfectly exhaustless. Further, assuming this
luciferous element t