r better than a minute in the position he was, when the tall
African first struck his eye, spell-bound as it were, with one foot on
the edge of the boat, and the other on the edge of the quay; but
recovering himself, he drew up his hinder leg, and then crossing himself
like a good catholic, and _salaaming_ his acquaintance, like a polite
Turk, he stepped along the quay, touching the necromancer as he passed
him, and thus completely assuring himself, it was no deception of
vision. Mr. ---- thinking more about this wonderful occurrence than the
business of the ---- nation he was going upon went his way, and having
discharged his duty, hurried back to Pera, where he told this story,
where it was universally believed from the veracity and character and
dignity of the narrator, and where the narrator himself is still living.
Very possibly, while I am writing he is telling his rencounter with the
wizard, for he tells it to every stranger--_Metropolitan_.

* * * * *

NOTES OF A READER.

* * * * *

PRECIOUS STONES.

(_From Part 15, of Knowledge for the People--Mineralogy and Geology_.)

_Why was crystal so named?_

Because it was probably the first substance ever noticed as occurring in
a regular form, and the ancients believing it to be water permanently
congealed by extreme cold, from its transparency, called it
_Krustallos_, signifying ice; but in time the word became used without
attention being paid to its original meaning, and was applied to all the
regular figures observed in minerals.

_Why are the fine crystals of quartz used as a substitute for glass in
spectacles?_

Because, from their superior hardness, they do not so readily become
scratched as glass: they are then termed pebbles.

_Why is the stone Cairn Gorm so called?_

Because it is found in great beauty in the mountain of Cairn Gorm, in
Scotland. It consists of brown and yellow crystals of quartz, and is
much admired for seal stones, &c.; it is sometimes improperly termed
topaz.

_Why is quartz the constituent of so many gems?_

Because the tinges it receives from metals are sufficient to produce
these varieties. Thus, _amethyst_, or purple quartz, is tinged with a
little iron and manganese. _Rose quartz_, or false ruby, derives its
colour from manganese. _Avanturine_ is a beautiful variety of quartz, of
a rich brown colour, which, from a peculiarity of texture, appears
fi