_The Great Exhibition._--It is well known that the vineyards of Switzerland have been long protected from hail by means of upright poles having copper wire attached to them, termed "paragreles," distant from each other from 60 to 100 feet. The formation of hail is an effect of which electricity is the cause, and the cloud being deprived of this agent by the conductors, descends in the shape of rain. Mr. John Murray, F.S.A., F.L.S., &c., in his work on Switzerland, speaks very decidedly of their utility. Has then this ingenious contrivance been considered with reference to the protection of the Great Exhibition and its valuable, or rather invaluable, contents? or why is it deemed inapplicable to the purpose? C. T. * * * * * Queries. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Everybody can see that the first commandment is directed against polytheism, and the second against idolatry; and most people know that the Church of Rome differs from the Church of England in joining these two into one commandment, and dividing the tenth into two commandments, so as to make up the full number, ten. This point of difference betwixt the two churches must necessarily have been the subject of much dispute. There must be plausible reasons on both sides for every commandment in the Anglican ritual being different from its correspondent on the Roman tables: and the settlement of this question must properly belong to the theologian, since holy scripture only mentions how many divine commandments there are (Exodus, xxxiv. 28.; Deuteronomy, iv. 13., x. 4.), without authoritatively separating them. Will any one kindly inform me where this question may be found fully discussed; and where mention is made of the earliest known divisions of the law? Also, I should be glad to know how the Jews at the present day divide the commandments; and whether there is any record or tradition of there ever having been discussions in their church upon this very interesting and no less important matter? ALFRED GATTY. Ecclesfield. * * * * * Minor Queries. _Was Hugh Peters ever on the Stage?_--In a pamphlet entitled _Arbitrary Government displayed to the Life, in the illegal Transactions of the late Times under the tyrannick Usurpation of Oliver Cromwell_, ed. 1690, p. 98., we are informed that Hugh Peters, after he had been expelled the University of Cambridge, went to London, and enrolled himself as player in Shakspeare's company, "in which he usually performed the part of Clown." Is there any other authority for this statement? EDWARD F. RIMBAULT. _English Synonymes._--What are the books of best authority for the _synonymes_ of the English language? A FOREIGNER. {167} _Christmas Day._--Which of the popes fixed dogmatically the 25th of December as the birthday of our Saviour? Was it not either Julius I. or II.? and what grounds had he for his decision? J. C.