Sunday Dispatch

Notes and Queries.

Peter.—The line in question will be
found in scene two, act two—banquet scene—of Nathaniel
Lee's play of the "Rival Queens; or, The Death of Alexander the Great;"

Aler.—Oh, you flatter!

Clytus—They do indeed, and yet you love them for't,
But hate old Clytus for his hardy virtue;
Come, shall I speak a man with equal bravery—
A better general and experter soldier?

Aler.—I should be glad to learn—instruct me, sir

Clyt—Your father, Philip—I have seen him march.
And fought beneath his dreadful banner, where
The boldest at this table would have trembled.
Nay, frown not, sir; you cannot look me dead.
When Greeks join'd Greeks then was the tug of war!
The labor'd battle sweat, and conquest bled.
Why should I fear to speak a bolder truth
Than e'er lying priests of Ammon told you?
Philip fought men—but Alexander, women.

Nathaniel Lee, who was looked on as the 'insane' poet of
his age, wrote eleven tragedies, besides assisting his friend
Dryden, in two compositions. The most notable of Lee's
works are: "The Rival Queens;" "Mithridates;" "Theodosius," and "Lucius Junius Brutus." Lee attempted the
stage, but failed. He died in London, on the 6th of April
1692.

To Constant Reader.—In answer to
the question, in our last, as to "What amount of gold $319
in notes would purchase, the gold being held at a premium
of fifty-nine and one-half per cent.," grave errors were
made in the answers. In the hurry of the moment, we
requested a friend to solve the problem for us, and, without
stopping to question or prove his work, replied that
the sum named would buy $275 40 in gold, the loss being
$43 60. Since the publication of these answers, we have
received corrections from the following correspondents:
"Constant Reader," "W. C. K.," "A Dispatch Reader,"
and "M. F. A." The problem is easily solved, thus: If
159½ in paper money will purchase one dollar in gold,
what amount of gold will $319 in paper buy? The answer
is, $426.33 73-319. The loss or discount, therefore, to the
purchaser is $253.66 27-319. We would here add, that
simple as this question is, it has, out of mere curiosity,
been submitted, during the past week, to several accountants—brokers, bookkeepers and bankers, and, while a few
have given correct solutions, the great majority arrived
at answers that were wide of the mark.

Yorkville.—"A bet to the following
effect has been made between A. and B. A. said to B. if
gold rated at $167, that paper money was worth only
thirty three cents on the dollar. B. bet it was worth more
but did not say how much. Let me know its worth?" A
paper dollar, the gold being at 67 per cent. premium, is
worth 59 147-167 in gold. To make this question plain, we
will suppose gold to be worth one hundred per cent. premium. Now, what is the paper dollar worth? It cannot
be said that it is valueless, inasmuch as two dollars in paper will purchase one dollar in gold. One dollar, then, by
this rule, is worth the half of one gold dollar, or fifty
cents in gold. If, again, gold advanced two hundred per
cent. premium, then three dollars in paper would be required for the purchase of one dollar in gold; or, in other
words, a paper dollar would be worth 33 cents in gold.

Want to Know.—The Cæsarian operation (section) is a surgical manipulation by which the
fetus is removed from the womb of its mother, when
death or physical obstruction prevents egress by the natural path. There are chiefly three different cases in which
this operation is practicable: the first is when the mother
is dead either in the birth or by some accident, while the
fetus is reasonably supposed to be yet surviving in the
womb; the second is, when the mother is living and the
fetus is dead, but incapable of being expelled or extracted by the natural passages; the third and last is, when
the mother and fetus are both living, but the latter is
incapable of being brought forth through the natural
passage.

Franco American.—"The Monroe
Doctrine " as it is commonly called, will be found in the
language following, in the Message of President Monroe to
Congress in December, 1823: "The American continents,
by the free and independent condition which they have
assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European
power; and, while existing rights should be respected,
the safety and interest of the United States require them
to announce that no future colony or dominion shall,
with their consent, be planted or established on any part
of the North American continent." There is nothing in
the words quoted that any peaceably disposed European
government can be offended at. It is too late in the day
to quarrel with the "doctrine."

Coal Dealer.—"Inform me if the city
and country banks are going to stop circulating their
notes, and why they are calling them in?" It is believed
the banks of this State are withdrawing their "promises
to pay" under the impression that the Legislature may,
under the Constitution of '46, compel them either to resume specie payments or go into insolvency. Under the
Constitution of this State, the banks (with the exception
of three in this city, which have never suspended specie
payments) have forfeited their legal standing, and could
be compelled, as institutions authorized to float paper
'promises to pay,' to close their doors—if the Comptroller
would but remember the solemn obligations to enforce the
laws that were imposed on him on taking office.

Reader.—We refer "Reader" to the
ad of James A. C. O'Connor under "Special
Notices," entitled Public Writing.

[A young man of much talent. Of him a contemporary—the New York Weekly—some time since remarked: "J. A. C. O'Connor.—You are always welcome to our columns, and right grateful are we for the
interest you take in our paper. Your style improves with
almost everything you write, and you will one day reach
the top round of the ladder." Give him your writing to
do. His address is No. 29 Columbia street, Brooklyn.]

There is a letter at this office addressed to Mr. J. A. C.
O'Connor.

A Naturalized Citizen. Citizens of
the United States, residents of this State for a specified
term, whether native or foreign born, are eligible to the
office of Governor of this State. The present constitution
says: "No person except a citizen of the United States,
shall be eligible to the office of Governor; nor shall any
person be eligible to that office, who shall not have attained the age of thirty years, and who shall not have been
five years next preceding his election, a resident within
this State."......A naturalized citizen is, if a resident and
voter, eligible to the office of Mayor of the city of New
York.

An Applicant.—Policemen,
when sworn into office, are furnished with warrants; but they
are not required on making arrest to show them, their
badges being deemed sufficient authority..... It is a misdemeanor for any person not regularly appointed to make
arrests, or wear the buttons, badge, etc., of a policeman
......It does not always follow that the policeman who
loses his badge shall be dismissed from office. He may
honestly lose it in the performance of his duty......Complaints against policemen must be made in writing and
handed to the Superintendent of Police.

Legal.—"Inform me to what amount
is each of the American coins a legal tender?" All gold
coins for debts of any amount at their legal value; for
debts of amounts under five dollars, the half dollar, quarter dollar, dime and half dime, at their respective values;
three cent pieces for debts of amounts under one dollar;
and one cent pieces for debts of amounts not exceeding
three cents. As however, silver and nickel are at a premium just now, we presume creditors will not object to
receiving even more of either than the law calls legal
tender in the payment of debts.

Puzzled.—"Is a person who came to
the United States when six months old (his father dying
without having declared his intentions,) a citizen?" He is
not.
Edward B——n. Neptune, or Uranus, is the remotest planet in the solar system. Its diameter is stated at 35,000 miles, and its sidereal revolution is
performed in about eighty-four Julian years. From
analogy, it is inferred that this planet revolves on its axis,
but of this there is no direct proof, its great distance precluding our astronomers from obtaining any certain
knowledge of its physical state......Uranus was discovered by Sir William Herschel, at Bath, England, on the
night of March 12, 1781.

Nightmare.—Those who indulge in
hot suppers before going to bed are very apt to experience a sensation, when asleep (vulgarly called the nightmare), resembling the pressure of a weight on the breast.
Seeming to be that of some hideous monster
or phantom, interrupting the sleep, with violent struggle
and tremor." It is advisable, if this correspondent desires to sleep without being troubled with imaginary nocturnal visitors, to leave off "taking hot suppers."

Armin.—The buffalo of Europe, first
brought into Lombardy from India in the reign of King
Agilulf, (A. D. 591 to 616) is domesticated, as is the bison in Asia. The celebrated cheese case di carallo is made from
the milk of the female buffalo. The bos bison of North
America is capable of being tamed, and will breed with
the common kind. The buffaloes which were exhibited
some years since at Hoboken, were tame.

Relic.—It is not lawful for the
brother of a widow's late husband to administer on his
estate against her wishes, unless the will of the deceased
has been probated, and the brother appointed administrator by the Surrogate. The widow should apply to this
officer for relief.

Gymnast.—Hiram Franklin
some years since,—at what was then called the Bowery Amphitheatre, now known as the "Volks' Garten,"—threw a
double and, subsequently, a treble somersault. We believe this is regarded as the most wonderful gymnastic
feat on record.

Old Stager.—Mrs. Charles Kean,
(once Miss Ellen Tree,) made her debut in this country, at
the "old Park Theatre," on the 12th of December, 1836.
Her first appearance was in the character of Rosalind, in
the comedy of "As You Like It."......She is now, with her
husband playing in the English Provinces.

J. B.—Charles S. Stratton commonly
called General Tom Thumb), was born in the latter part
of the year 1839, and is now in his twenty-fourth year.
This was the statement of his age made by Mr. Barnum,
at the time of Stratton's marriage. Mrs. Stratton, nee Miss
Lavina Bump, is said to be in her twenty-first year.

A. P. R.—"The apparently senseless
word, present, at the end of a superscription," is ceremonial. It simply means that the writer or bearer shall
put the letter into the hands of the person addressed with
ceremony.

Smoker.—We cannot say who first
"discovered" tobacco. To Sir Francis Drake and Sir
Walter Raleigh has been ascribed the honor (if honor it
can be called) of having introduced it to the civilized
world.

Decide.—The first number of the
New York Tribune was published on the 10th day of April,
1841—it contained the death of President Harrison. The
first number of the New York Herald was issued on Wednesday, May 6, 1835.

A. A. R.—Mrs. John Wood did not
appear in "Our American Cousin," during the performance of that piece at Laura Keene's Theatre. Our impression is, she was fulfilling an engagement at the time
at the Winter Garden.

Alabama.—There is no impropriety
in the course you have chosen to pursue. But, before proceeding further, if the lady does not already know it, you
should explain to her your present position and future
prospects.

Premium.—It is impossible to give
the exact number of millions of gold coin (in dollars) there
is in the world. Writers on finance have made rough approximations as to the amount of current gold; but their
guesses are not to be relied on.

M. C. M.—James Wallack, Jr., has
been connected with the stage since 1822—forty-one years
ago. In that year he made his first appearance as Cora's
Child, at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia.

Enquirer.—The British navy, according to the official return of the Lords of the Admiralty,
published on the 1st of last January, number 1,014 ships of
all classes, not including gunboats of iron and wood.