years there had been only four instances of great cold approaching
comparison with the intense frost then ended; the first was in January,
1795; the next in December and January, 1813-14; then followed that of
January, 1820. The fourth was in December and January, 1860-61; and,
lastly, January, 1881. In 1795 the mean temperature of the twenty-one
days ending January 31st was 24.27 degrees; in 1813-14, December 29th to
January 18th, exclusively, 24.9 degrees; in 1820, January 1st to 21st,
inclusively, 23.7 degrees; in 1860-61, December 20th to January 9th,
inclusively, 24.5 degrees; and in 1881, January 7th to 27th,
inclusively, 23.2 degrees. Thus the very coldest three weeks on record
in this district, in 88 years, is January, 1881. With the exception of
the long frost of 1813-4, which commenced on the 24th December and
lasted three months, although so intense in their character, none of the
above seasons were remarkable for protracted duration. The longest
frosts recorded in the present century were as follows:--1813-14,
December to March. 13 weeks; 1829-30, December, January, February, 10
weeks; 1838, January, February, 8 weeks; 1855, January, February, 7
weeks; 1878-79, December, January, February, 10 weeks.

~Funny Notions.~--The earliest existing statutes governing our Free
Grammar of King Edward VI. bear the date of 1676. One of these rules
forbids the assistant masters to marry.--In 1663 (_temp_. Charles II.)
Sir Robert Holte, of Aston, received a commission from Lord Northampton,
"Master of His Majesty's leash," to take and seize greyhounds, and
certain other dogs, for the use of His Majesty!--The "Dancing Assembly,"
which was to meet on the 30th January, 1783, loyally postponed their
light fantastic toeing, "in consequence of that being the anniversary of
the martyrdom of Charles I."--In 1829, when the Act was passed
appointing Commissioners for Duddeston and Nechells, power was given for
erecting gasworks, provided they did not extend over more than one acre,