On the retirement of Mr. William Lucy, in 1850, from the Mayoralty, the usual vote of thanks was passed, but with _one_ dissentient. Mr. Henry Hawkes was chosen coroner July 6, 1875, by forty votes to _one_. The great improvement scheme was adopted by the Town Council (November 10, 1875), with but _one_ dissentient. A certificate, dated March 23, 1683, and signed by the minister and church-wardens, was granted to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ann Dickens, "in order to obtain his majesty's touch for the Evil." The "royal touch" was administered to 200 persons from this neighbourhood, March 17, 1714; Samuel Johnson (the Dr.) being one of those whose ailments, it was believed, could be thus easily removed. Professor Holloway did not live in those days. Sir Thomas Holte (the first baronet) is traditionally reported to have slain his cook. He brought an action for libel against one William Ascrick, for saying "that he did strike his cook with a cleaver, so that one moiety of the head fell on one shoulder, and the other on the other shoulder." The defendant was ordered to pay £30 damages, but appealed, and successfully; the worthy lawyers of that day deciding that though Sir Thomas might have clove the cook's head, the defendant did not say he had _killed_ the man, and hence had not libelled the baronet. * * * * * ~Interpreters.~--In commercial circles it sometimes happens that the foreign corresponding clerk may be out of the way when an important business letter arrives, and we, therefore, give the addresses of a few gentlemen linguists, viz.:--Mr. H.R. Forrest, 46, Peel Buildings, Lower Temple Street; Mr. L. Hewson, 30, Paradise Street; Mr. F. Julien, 189, Monument Road; Mr. Wm. Krisch, 3, Newhall Street; Mr. L. Notelle, 42, George Road, Edgbaston; and Mr. A. Vincent, 49, Islington Row. ~Invasion.~--They said the French were coming in February, 1758, so the patriotic Brums put their hands into their pockets and contributed to a fund "to repel invasion."