Meridian lines, though not, properly speaking, coming under the order of sun-dials, may be reckoned so far cognate; fine specimens of these may be seen in the cathedrals of Milan, Bologna, &c. Public clocks occasionally become objects of considerable interest, as at Berne, &c., not to mention the _monster_ of Strasbourg, which all the world has heard of. Quaint allegorising on such subjects as the foregoing, as presenting different stages in the life of man and the fleeting nature of times and things, were not unusual among our old Scotch divines, as in the subsequent quotation from _The Last Battell of the Soule in Death_, by Mr. Zachary Boyd, Glasgow, 1629:-- "Men's dayes are distributed vnto them like _houres_ upon the _Horologe_: some must liue but till _one_; another vnto _two_; another vnto _three_. The _Palme_ turneth about, and with its finger pointeth at the _houre_. So soone as man's appointed _houre_ is come, whether it bee the _first_, _second_, or _third_, there is no more biding (abiding) for him. _Nec prece nec precio_, neither by _pryce_ nor _prayer_ can Death be moued to spare him but an _houre_; no, not, As the sound of the _clocke bell_ ringing, his last _houre_ passeth away with all speede, and turneth not againe, so must the poor man at death packe him out of sight, and no more be seene upon the _land of the living_." NIGEL. Glasgow. CAN BISHOPS VACATE THEIR SEES? (Vol. iv., p. 293.) In answer to your correspondent K. S.'s Query, "Can bishops vacate their sees?" I have little hesitation in saying that they can; though I know of no instance (in modern times) of such an occurrence (except colonial bishops); nor have I ever heard of any one but Dr. Pearce who wished so to do. Lord Dover is, however, mistaken in supposing that "his resignation could not be received, on the ground that a bishopric, as being a peerage, is inalienable." The bishop's own account of the matter (see his Life, prefixed to his _Commentary on the Gospels and Acts_) is as follows:--Feeling himself unable, from his age and other infirmities, to perform any longer his duties as Bishop of Rochester, and wishing like Charles V. to retire from the world, he requested his friend Lord Bath to apply to the king for permission to resign. He was soon after sent for by the king, who told him that he had consulted _Lord Mansfield and Lord Northington, and that neither of them saw any objection_. In the mean time, however, Lord Bath asked the king to appoint, as his successor in the see of Rochester, Dr. Newton, then Bishop of Bristol. On this the ministry, not wishing any ecclesiastical dignities to be granted except through their hands, interfered so as to prevent the resignation from being effected; Dr. Pearce being told by the king that his resignation could not be accepted, but that he should have all the credit of it.