QUESTIONS REQUIRING ANSWERS. 626. Who was the author of the saying, "Property has its duties as well as its rights"?-STUDENT.

627. Wanted, a few directions as to how to become a good extempore speaker.-CUPIO SCIRE.

628. Wanted, a good work on the principles of Nonconformity, containing the chief objections to a state church. -CUPIO SCIRE.

629. Wanted, a good elementary work on moral philosophy.-CUPIO SCIRE.

630. Can any of your readers give me any particulars of the life of Beethoven; or can they inform me where his life is published, and the price of it?-C. BALSAMO.

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631. Are there any works written on the theory and art of power-loom weaving? I have read Watson's work on the Theory and Art of Weaving by Hand;" and also Murphy's work on the same subject; but I cannot find one on the theory and art of power-loom weaving. If any of your readers will be kind enough to inform me of any works written on the above-named subject, they will oblige me very much. Please state the price and publisher.-W. S.

632. Please state the different editions of "Thucydides," and also the best work which gives an account of his life and works.

(2.) The same of Tacitus.

(3.) A full account of Prof. Kingsley, mentioning his peculiar views in religion, politics, and social scence.

633. Would you, or any reader, kindly furnish me with the names and prices of any books containing the life of John Wesley and his brother, the joint author of Wesley's Hymns; of the Rules of the followers of Wesley; and, in short, the general works connected with

the Wesleyan body, so that full information may be obtained.-R. D. ROBJENT.

634. Could you inform me of any work relating to the revival of the diaconate in the Church of England, or of any article in a past number of the Magazine which will in any way bear on the subject? An early reply will much oblige.-J. G.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

595. The principal books of reference on English synonymes are Graham's, Crabb's, Whateley's, Carpenter's, of Taylor's, and Roget's "Thesaurus or English Words and Phrases." We used Crabb's rather large work, and in this manner. We sat down one evening and read a set of synonymes, and then carefully copied out all that was illustrative of the use of each word, but leaving a void wherever the word itself occurred. Take as an example the words "flexible, pliable, pliant, supple." The illustration of their use begins in Crabb's work in this way "() is used in a natural or moral sense; () in the familiar sense only," and so on throughout the whole that is said on these words, occasionally copying out irregularly, because the words are often illustrated in order, and then the exercise would become a matter of rote. The next evening would be partly occupied in endeavouring to fill up the gaps purposely left, and then in a comparison with the original. This plan of course can be followed with any work wherein the words are copiously illustrated, and the benefit accruing from such an exercise is immense, both as regards exactness and taste. The memory also might be well exercised in endeavouring to write out the substance of the distinctions on any set of words.-CAP. SEC.

AFFIRMATIVE.

THE Malt Tax is one not only on pleasure, but on agriculture, and agriculture sacrificed much for the repeal of the corn laws. It is right that some relief should be granted to the trade in malting grain, that the prosperity of agriculture may have some chance of proceeding pari passu with modern commerce.-D. J.

Capital has been for a long time passing from commerce to agriculture. It is of the highest importance that every impediment to the real culture of land should be removed. The Malt Tax acts often as a prohibition to land culture, and ought to be repealed as a step towards the enfranchisement of farming.-W. M. S.

The Anti-Malt Tax repeal argument, grounded on the undesirableness of cheapening beer, is quite a fallacy. It is admittted that beer is regarded as a necessary of life by many of our countrymen. It has been the policy of the present time to reduce taxation on all the necessaries of life, and following the same analogy the Malt Tax should be repealed. The repeal of this tax, by making beer cheap, would make it less worth as a treat, and therefore not so likely to be employed as an agent in securing companionship; while if it were cheapened, many additional comforts would be open to the labouring classes, giving them a choice of joys, while a grievance would be lifted from the poor man's lot.THOMAS LOCKE.

The repeal of the Malt Tax would increase the power of consumption among the common people of other taxable articles; it would free farming from an invidious and injurious restric

tion; it would increase the acreage placed under tillage for the production of malting grain; it would quicken the interest taken in the culture of moderately fertile lands; and it would introduce activity into agricultural pursuits. Hence it would add largely to the revenue in other ways, and so really help, not only in producing present prosperity, but in paying off the National Debt.-GRAPHITE.

The labourer's wage is low, the Malt Tax keeps his beer high, while free trade has made the gentleman's wine low, and a sense of inequitable legislation is felt among the labouring classes. To repeal the Malt Tax would go some way to equalize the laws, and to take the grudge out of the heart of the people.-B. N. G.

The agriculturist assented to the repeal of the corn laws, and great remissions of taxes pressing heavily upon commerce have been made with their concurrence. It is only fair that the pressure on the agricultural interests felt in the Malt Tax should be removed too. JONATHAN OLDHAM.

The Malt Tax comes in its ultimate to be a capitalist's boon; it necessitates the laying out of money for a considerable period of the manufacturer. Ia consequence of this he either requires to borrow at interest, which he must take out of the selling price, or he must charge interest on capital locked up. This heightens the price to the consumer, indeed, but far worse, it renders capital untransferable, and so interferes with the free play of money in the commercial circles. The capitalist gets his interest on the Malt Tax loan, and from the scarcity of moveable capital gets an enhanced rate for that which is re

quired by commerce; while the poor beer-drinker must pay not the Malt Tax only, but the capitalist's interest, and the publican's profit on the article' and on the money involved in it.G. B. C.

The development of land is as important as the growth of commerce. Anything that impedes the employment of capital on the land to increase its productiveness ought to be avoided. Therefore repeal the Malt Tax.-M. R. L.

To lower the rich man's income tax and his wine duties, while we keep up the price of beer by taxation most disproportionate and extortionate, is unjust, and so far as regards the reduction of the National Debt, let us be just before we are generous.-R. N. B.

NEGATIVE.

Alcohol is a luxury, and is taxed. The Malt Tax is the method of obtaining the duty on alcohol in beer, which at present pays a tax in a smaller ratio than alcohol in spirits; consequently, were the Malt Tax repealed, it would lead to increased consumption of beer, decreased consumption of tea, spirits, and other articles on which indirect taxes are levied, decreased revenue from these articles, and thereby destroy the equilibrium of the whole indirect taxation of the country. The tax on malt is cheaply and efficiently collected, and does not unduly press on any one class of the community. The increased commerce of this country is draining the natural resources of it in a corresponding ratio, consequently decreasing the assets of our posterity, and their ability to pay the interest of, or reduce the debt bequeathed to them. For these reasons the Malt Tax should not be repealed, but applied to the reduction of the National Debt.-G. H.

The Malt Tax presses most heavily on consumers of drinks, which may fairly be denominated as luxuries, and it is also raised on the present generation; whereas the National Debt is a burden not only affecting the whole of

the community, but which must also be handed down to our posterity. If, then, it be possible to lighten the load before placing it on the backs of our children, and that without unduly affecting the interests of England now, is it not our bounden duty and honourable office so to act?-CHABONAN.

The Malt Tax ought to be continued in order to prevent the further extension of the malt trade for the purpose of brewing, because its extension would be injurious to the nation, by converting a larger quanity of nutritive grain into a substance which possesses very little nutrition, and the little it does contain is mixed with poison which makes it injurious instead of beneficial. It should also be continued, if not increased, to prevent the waste of the principal part of the nutritive matter contained in the six million quarters of grain which are annually made into malt in Great Britain; because if this quantity of grain were put to its proper use, it would feed five million people, instead of making paupers and criminals as it now does. The National Debt ought to be reduced, because its reduction would lessen the general taxation of the country, which could not but be beneficial.-T. W.

The Malt Tax should not be repealed, because it is one of the main sources of national revenue, and one of the least burdensome. It also, to some extent, a means of keeping down the more extended, and therefore injurious use of alcoholic liquors. If repealed, no other tax could be substituted which would not be more irksome to taxpayers at large, and more crippling to the commerce of the nation. The National Debt should rather be reduced, because the country's resources are-failing extraordinary discoveries or inventions-fully developed; it is therefore wrong to hand down to posterity a burden which they may be altogether unable to get rid of, or even to bear, as was clearly shown by J. S. Mill very recently.-W. R. YORK.

Independently of the fact so elo

Wick and Pulteneytown Young Men's Improvement Association.-This association was instituted in 1847, and has existed since then with more or less success. A great many changes take place in a session. Some members leave the society to pursue their fortunes in different places. There is continual change; but it is hoped that impres sions received in societies do not lose their influence. The society wisely limited the number of members last session, and the greatest number at one time did not exceed twenty-one, because they thought there were enough on the roll compatible with the self-improving ends of the society. A few applications for membership were accordingly dismissed. But this refusal prompted the members to be more assiduous in anything undertaken by them, and acted as a stronger bond of union. On the whole, the session was one of the very greatest satisfaction to members that they have had for a number of years. The discussions were ably and enthusiastically conducted. Three essays were delivered, by Mr. John Ross, on "Home" by Mr. G. M. Sutherland, on "The Enunciation of Physical Laws;" and by Mr. A. Daull, on Richard Cameron.' A course of lectures was also

delivere under the auspices of the society on the following diversity of subjects: The Freedom of Thought," by James Watt, Esq., F.R S.A.; "The Laws of Epidemic Cholera," by Dr. Banks; "The Reign of Elizabeth, and her Times," by W. Reid Tait, Esq., C.E.; "The Formation of Character," by the Rev. Wm. Lillie, A.M., D.D.; Astronomy," by the Rev. John Mackay, M.A.; "Select Readings," by the Rev. John Piell; "The Heart," by M. M'Lennan, Esq., solicitor; " Wycliffe, Tyndale, and the Bible," by the Rev. John Currie; "Winds and Storms - their Causes, Laws, and Uses." by the Rev. David Berry; "Curiosities of the Caithness Census," by John Mackie, Esq., editor; and The Invisible World, or Life in Littles,' by Joseph Anderson, Esq, editor. These lectures were very well attended. A grand entertainment was held at the close of the session in the Temperance Hall, Provost Louttit presiding. Speeches were delivered by the Rev. Dr. Lillie, Rev. Messrs. Berry, Currie, and Piell, Messrs. Anderson, George M. Sutherland, Alexander Daull, and John Robertson. The finances of the society are in a flourishing condition, and it is altogether in a prosperous state.