The first person mentioned as practising the modern art of stereotype, was a Dutchman, Van der Mey, who resided at Leyden about the end of the sixteenth century. He printed four books from solid plates; but at his death the art of preparing solid blocks was lost, or wholly neglected. In 1725, however, Mr. Ged, a jeweller of Edinburgh, apparently without knowledge of Van der Mey's performances, devised the plan of printing from plates; and in 1729 he entered into partnership with three other persons, for the purpose of prosecuting the art. A privilege was obtained by the company, from the University of Cambridge, to print Bibles and Prayer-books; but one of Ged's partners was so averse to the success of the plan, that he engaged such people for the work as he thought most likely to spoil it. The compositors wilfully made errors in correcting, and the pressmen battered the plates when the masters were absent. In consequence, the books were suppressed by authority, and the plates melted. Mr. Ged, with the help of his son, whom he had apprenticed to the printing trade, actually produced, in 1736, an 18mo edition of Sallust; and in 1742 another book was printed in Newcastle. But after the death of Ged and his son, the art again fell into disuse, till in 1780 it was revived by Mr. Tulloch of Glasgow, who practised it in partnership with Mr. Foulis, the University printer. ------------------ "RAINING TREES." During Sir John Herschel's residence at the Cape of Good Hope, he often observed that on the windward side of the Table Mountain the clouds were spread out and descended very low, but frequently without any rain falling; while, on the lee-side they poured over the precipitous face of the mountain, producing as they rolled out, the well-known phenomenon of the table-cloth. Sir John, however, found that as he walked under fir-trees in the neighbourhood, while the clouds were closely overhead, he was subjected to a copious shower; but on coming from beneath the trees it was fair. On inquiring into the cause of this, he ascertained that the cloud was condensed on the trees, and thus the umbrella-shaped tops of the firs acted a part quite the reverse of our umbrellas in this country, for they wetted the person beneath them, instead of keeping him dry. ------------------ THE INVISIBLE DISPATCH. The plan of writing with rice-water, to be rendered visible by the application of iodine, was practised with great success in the correspondence during the war in Affghanistan. The first letter of this kind was received from Jellalabad, concealed in a quill. On opening it, a small paper was unfolded, on which appeared only a single word, "iodine." The magic liquid was applied, and an important dispatch from Sir Robert Sale stood forth. ------------------ TAME HYÆNA.