the edges of books. For many years this invention was confined to the Dutch workmen, and the patterns produced by them are still called the “old Dutch patterns;” but an Englishman discovered the means by which this pattern was obtained, and by his ingenuity very much improved the application, and this improvement, although still suffering from the same secrecy in England with which it was encumbered in Holland, bids fair to develop many improvements, of which the public spirit of Mr. Woolnoth has rendered it susceptible. Based upon these circumstances, Messrs. De La Rue, the famous card-makers, set their ingenuity to work, and have produced such wonderful advantages, that the papers now introduced by them are perfect gems of art—the “iridescent film,” as it is by them technically called, giving on the surface of highly-glazed paper all the beautiful colours of the rainbow. It is singular, that if an exceedingly thin film of a gummy varnish be floated on the surface of the water, a sheet of paper placed thereon may be taken off, having all the splendid colours referred to. But to perfectly understand the process it should be seen, and this is easily done by a visit to that delightful place of recreation, the Royal Polytechnic Institution. So many are the attractions of this Temple of Science, that we intend to pay it another visit; and no doubt, from the constant additions which are daily made to the Museum, we shall find matter with which to entertain and instruct our readers; bearing in mind that while the brain is engrossed with useful things, there is no room for vicious and useless thoughts. [Illustration] Passage of the Desert.