[Take white of an egg, break it with a fork, and, having first cleaned
the leather with dry flannel, apply the egg with a soft sponge. Where
the leather is rubbed or decayed, rub a little paste with the finger
into the parts affected, to fill up the broken grain, otherwise the
glair would sink in and turn it black. To produce a polished surface, a
hot iron must be rubbed over the leather. The following is, however, an
easier, if not a better, method. Purchase some "bookbinders' varnish,"
which may be had at any colour shop; clean the leather well, as before;
if necessary, use a little water in doing so, but rub quite dry with a
flannel before varnishing; apply your varnish with wool, lint, or a
very soft sponge, and place to dry.]
_Vessel of Paper._--When I was at school in the north of Ireland, not very
many years ago, a piece of paper, about the octavo size, used for writing
"exercises," was commonly known amongst us as a vessel of paper. Can any of
your correspondents tell me the origin of the phrase; and whether it is in
use in other localities?