[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIB, –As an old subscriber
I venture to submit the following experience. On April 27th last I was one of the very few London visitors to Huntingdon on the occasion of the great Protector's tercentenary (kept in his native town on the 27th, two days after his birthday). The choicest relic Huntingdon possesses of her greatest son is the church register containing the entry of his birth. On my visit to the church, I found the register loosely open on a board stretched between the backs of two pews. The man in charge seemed to have no appreciation whatever of the seriousness of his position. In ao careful way he swished the pages backwards and forwards 5S though it had been only some worthless periodical. While I. stood, waiting my turn, I saw one old man rub his dirty .forefinger over the entry. After him came an old woman, with dirty faded black gloves, and she, too, carefully traced out on the page each, separate word. Now, Sir, what I desire to know is, can nol,hing be done to preserve this record from such treatment 4 '/Future generations will not be able to decipher any part of it if this goes on. Can it not be placed in safety in the British Museum, or cannot the authorities in charge be obliged to exhibit the relic of such extraordinary historical interest, in a glass case, never again to be touched German Athens urn., 93 Mortimer Street, May 4th.
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