and instantly ordered his request to be granted.

The following is the sum total of the number of grains of corn, and also
the number of times they would reach round the world, which is 360
degrees, each degree being 69-1/2 miles:--

18446743573783086315 grains.

3883401821 times round the world.

I perfectly agree with your correspondent that China has the preference
of invention.

G.H.C.

* * * * *



QUEEN ELIZABETH'S VIRGINAL.

(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)


On reading No. 336 of the MIRROR, I saw an account of an ancient musical
instrument, _the virginal_, stating it to have been an instrument much
in use in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. That such was the case there can
be no doubt, for the musical world can still furnish many compositions,
written expressly for Queen Elizabeth, her majesty being considered a
very good performer on the virginal. But it is not generally known that