The love of the marvellous, and the insane thirst for novelties, are strikingly displayed in many inquirers for spectacles. The honest, straight-forward, and disinterested counsel of the established tradesman, is looked upon with scowling suspicion; but the preposterous and shallow pretensions of the empiric, decked with all the paraphernalia of fudge and falsehood, are listened to with eager curiosity. If the writer looked to self-interest as his guiding star, his course would be to preserve silence on these subjects; since it needs not to be demonstrated, that the practice and the profit of the regular practitioner are increased by the patched-up and mangled cases, which are, as it were, provided for him, over and above the number who _legitimately require_ the exercise of his skill. But he despises such mercenary calculations, and contends that “The happiness of mankind at large is a principle that ought to be followed out by all individuals at every personal cost, and against every kind of opposition.”—_Medical Examiner._ FOOTNOTES: [4] In Russia the person having short sight is seated in a chair for several hours daily, with the head placed in a natural position for reading, but prevented from pressing forward. The page is at first placed at the short distance at which the eyes have been accustomed to observe; but this distance is gradually extended, until the humours of the eyes, constantly exercised in endeavouring to accommodate their powers to the gently increased demand upon them, at length acquire the capability of observing at the usual distance. It is undoubtedly the fact that this character of sight may be acquired; many instances could be adduced of watchmakers and others, whose employments are of a sedentary or studious character, becoming short-sighted. [5] It will be perceived that it is the workmanship and nice finish of the best town-made spectacle-frames which necessarily increases the price. Thus, a single pound of pig iron, which costs one penny, can be manufactured into watch-springs of the value of £240. CHAPTER IV. “Allured by hope of plunder, and intent By force to rob, by fraud to circumvent,”—ÆNEIS. I shall give a few instances of the manner in which advertising adventurers rack their ingenuity to dress up their announcements in the most catching and attractive style; and, failing to find language sufficiently striking and pointed to arrest attention, scruple not to manufacture terms and apply similies, which, however preposterous and absurd they are seen to be when examined, yet answer their purpose of mystifying the public, and inducing a purchase of the vaunted articles.