108) of his _History of Mathematics_, gives statements on these points from a private source, to the effect that the notes of the original edition of the _Comm. Epist._ were Newton's, and that the informant had seen the matter which was substituted for the Scholium, in Newton's handwriting, among the proof-sheets preserved by Pemberton. If Wilson were the informant, which may have been, for Montucla's first edition was published in 1758, Montucla must have confounded the two editions of the _Comm. Epist._ If not, it must have been some one who did not draw his account from the dissertation, in which there is nothing about the proof-sheets. Montucla, however, has lowered the credit of his informant by making him assert that the second edition of the _Principia_ was managed by Cotes and Bentley, without communication with Newton. This, which all the world knows to be untrue of the book, is true of the prefatory parts; and Wilson gives an account of Newton's dissatisfaction with those parts. If Wilson were the informant, Montucla has again misunderstood him. A. DE MORGAN. OLIVER CROMWELL.--THE "WHALE" AND THE "STORM" IN 1658. (Vol. iii., p. 207.) B. B. may see, in the British Museum library, a tract of four leaves only, the title of which I will transcribe: "London's Wonder. Being a most true and positive relation of the taking and killing of a great Whale neer to Greenwich; the said Whale being fifty-eight foot in length, twelve foot high, fourteen foot broad, and two foot between the eyes. At whose death was used Harping-irons, Spits, Swords, Guns, Bills, Axes, and Hatchets, and all kind of sharp Instruments to kill her: and at last two Anchors being struck fast into her body, she could not remoove them, but the blood gush'd out of her body, as the water does out of a pump. The report of which Whale hath caused many hundred of people both by land and water to go and see her: the said Whale being slaine hard by _Greenwich_ upon the third day of June this present yere 1658, which is largely exprest in this following discourse. _London, printed for Francis Grove, neere the Sarazen's head on Snowhill, 1658._" Surely after reading the above, your sceptical correspondent can no longer hesitate to accept as a matter of veritable fact this story so _very_ like a whale. Evelyn, who lived near Greenwich, and was most probably one of the wonder-struck spectators of the huge monster of the deep which had been so rash as to visit our shores, notes in his _Diary_ under the above-mentioned date--