REPLIES:-- Curfew 530 The "Salt-Peter-Man," by C. H. Cooper 530 Forms of Judicial Oaths, by John Thrupp, &c. 532 PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE:--Washing Collodion Pictures--Test for Lenses--Improvement in Positives--Cheap Portable Tent--Rev. Mr. Sisson's New Developing Fluid 533 REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES:--Vanes--Loselerius Villerius--Westminster Parishes--Hevristic--Creole --General Monk and the University of Cambridge-- Ecclesia Anglicana--Gibbon's Library--Golden Bees --Passage in Orosius--Names first given to Parishes --Grafts and the Parent Tree--Lord Cliff and Howell's Letters--The Bouillon Bible--Rhymes on Places-- Serpents' Tongues--Consecrated Roses, &c. 534 MISCELLANEOUS:-- Notes on Books, &c. 537 Books and Odd Volumes wanted 538 Notices to Correspondents 538 Advertisements 538 * * * * * Notes. ON CHAUCER'S KNOWLEDGE OF ITALIAN. In the Memoir prefixed to the Aldine edition of the _Poetical Works of Chaucer_, London, 1845, Sir Harris Nicolas expresses an opinion that Dan Geoffrey was not acquainted with the Italian language, and therefore not versed in Italian literature. "Though Chaucer undoubtedly knew Latin and French, it is by no means certain, notwithstanding his supposed obligations to the Decameron, that he was as well acquainted with Italian. There may have been a common Latin original of the main incidents of many, if not of all the tales, for which Chaucer is supposed to have been wholly indebted to Boccaccio, and from which originals Boccaccio himself may have taken them. That Chaucer was not acquainted with Italian may be inferred from his not having introduced any Italian quotation into his works, redundant as they are with Latin and French words and phrases."--_Life of Chaucer_, pp. 24, 25. To which the following note is subjoined: "Though Chaucer's writings have not been examined for the purpose, the remark in the text is not made altogether from recollection, for at the end of Speght's edition of Chaucer's _Works_, translations are given of the Latin and French words in the poems, but not a single Italian word is mentioned."