HENRY H. BREEN.

St. Lucia.

_The Letter X._--The letter X on brewers' casks is probably thus derived:

_Simplex_ = single x, or X.

_Duplex_ = double x, or XX.

_Triplex_ = treble x, or XXX.

This was suggested by Owen's _Epigram_, lib. xii. 34.:

"Laudatur vinum _simplex_, cervisia _duplex_,

Est bona duplicitas, optima simplicitas."