and prisons, and dispensed large boun 66 "He This saint, anciently of good repute in Cornwall, is not mentioned by Butler. According to Porter he was born in Ireland, and became a hermit there. He afterwards came to England, and settling at Cornwall, had a grave made for him, entered into it, and dying on the 6th of March, "in the glorie of a great light and splendour that appeared at the same instant," was buried at Padstow. is reported," says Porter, "to have wrought manie wonderfull miracles in his lifetime, which bicause they tend rather to breed an incredulous amazement in the readers, then move to anie workes of vertues or pietie, we have willingly omitted." We have had a specimen of such miracles as father Porter deemed worthy of belief; those of St. Piran which would have caused "incredulous amazement" in Porter's readers must have been "passing wonderfull." St. Piran's day is said to be a favourite with the tinners; having a tradition that " It some secrets regarding the manufacI ture of tin was communicated to their ancestors by that saint, they leave the manufacture to shift for itself for that day and keep it as a holiday. FLORAL DIRECTORY. March 6. that now seek to pick out your eyes; but St. Chrodegang, Bishop, A. D. 766. B. so long as I shall live bishop of Durham, -be secure: no man shall injure you." Thus the fearless integrity of Gilpin, by St. Colette. St. Fridolin, A. D. 538. Buldrede. Sts. Kyneburge, Kyneswid, and Tibba. St. Cadroe, A. d. 975. The "New-come" of the year is born to-day, Throws flowers on her; pulls hard buds about, In re-creation of themselves; each loves, And blesses each; and man's intelligence, In musings grateful, thanks All Wise Beneficence. SPRING Commences on the 6th of March, and lasts ninety-three days. According to Mr. Howard, whose practical information concerning the seasons is highly valuable, the medium temperature during spring is elevated, in round numbers, from 40 to 58 degrees. "The mean of the season is 48.94°-the sun effecting by his approach an advance of 11.18° upon the mean temperature of the winter. This increase is retarded in the forepart of the spring by the winds from north to east, then prevalent; and which form two-thirds of the complement of the season; but proportionately accelerated afterwards by the southerly winds, with which it terminates. A strong evaporation, in the first instance followed by showers, often with thunder and hail in the latter, characterise this period. The temperature commonly rises, not by a steady increase from day to day, but by sudden starts, from the breaking in of sunshine upon previous cold, cloudy weather. At such times, the vapour appears to be now and then thrown up, in too great plenty, into the cold region above; where being suddenly decomposed, the temperature falls back for awhile, amidst wind, showers, and hail, attended, in some instances, with frost at night." Our ancestors varied their clothing according to the season. Strutt has given the spring dress of a man in the four teenth century, from an illumination in a manuscript of that age: this is a copy of it. In "Sylvan Sketches," a new and charming volume by the lady who wrote the "Flora Domestica," it is delightfully observed, that, "the young and joyous spirit of spring sheds its sweet influence upon every thing: the streams sparkle and ripple in the noon-day sun, and the birds carol tipseyly their merriest ditties. It is surely the loveliest season of the year." One of our living minstrels sings of a spring day, that it Looks beautiful, as when an infant wakes From its soft slumbers; and the same bard poetically reminds us, See life and bliss around us flowing, Another, whose numbers are choralled by worshipping crowds, observes with equal truth, and under the influence of high feelings, for seasonable abundance, that Sweet is thy coming, Spring!-and as I pass Thy hedge-rows, where from the half-naked spray My spirits light and pure confess thy pow'r That whispers to the warm noon-breeze; nor flow'r While sun, and fields, and air, the sense have wrought In spring the ancient Romans celebrated the Ludi Florales. These were annual games in honour to Flora, accompanied by supplications for beneficent influences on the grass, trees, flowers, and other products of the earth, during the year. The Greeks, likewise invoked 'Athenæum. fertility on the coming of spring with many ceremonies. The remains of the Roman festivals, in countries which the Roman arms subdued, have been frequently noticed already; and it is not purposed to advert to them further, than by observing that there is considerable difficulty in so apportioning every usage in a modern ceremony, as to assign each to its proper origin. Some may have been common to a people before they were conquered; others may have been the growth of later times. Spring, as the commencement of the natural year, must have been hailed by all nations with satisfaction; and was, undoubtedly, commemorated, in most, by public rejoicing and popular sports. CHRONOLOGY, Heigho! heigho! heigho! Summer is at hand! Summer maintain'd its fame; Dr. Samuel Parr died on the 6th of distich in the ballad before quoted: March, 1825. A SPRING FESTIVAL. The Germans retain many of the annual customs peculiar to themselves before the Roman conquest. Whether a ceremony described in the "Athenæum," as having been observed in Germany of late years, is derived from the victors, or from the ancient nations, is not worth discussing. The approach of spring was there commemorated with an abundance of display, its allegorical character was its most remarkable feature. It was called Der Sommers-gewinn, Now we've vanquish'd Death, And Summer's return ensured: Were Death still unsubdued, How much had we endured! But of late years the spirit of this festival couthly shaped of wood, and being covered has disappeared. Lately, winter was unwith straw, was nailed against a large wheel, and the straw being set on fire, the apparatus was rolled down a steep hill! Agreeably to the intention of its inventors, the blazing wheel was by degrees knocked to pieces, against the precipices below, and then-winter's effigy, to the admiration of the multitude, split into a too, merely from the danger attending it, thousand fiery fragments. This custom quickly fell into disuse; but still a shadow of the original festivity, which it was meant to commemorate, is preserved though" says the writer of these particuamongst the people of Eisenach. “Allars, "we find winter no longer sent into banishment, as in former times, yet an attempt is made to represent and conciliate spring by offerings of nosegays and sprays of evergreen, adorned with birds Probably the latter usages may not or eggs, emblematical of the season." have been consequent upon the decline of the former, but were coeval in their origin, and are the only remains of ancient customs peculiar to the season. the acquisition of summer; and about thirty years ago was celebrated at the begining of spring by the inhabitants of Eisenach, in Saxony, who, for that purpose, divided themselves into two parties. One party carried winter under the shape of a man covered with straw, out of the town, and then, as it were, sent him into public exile; whilst the other party, at a distance from the town, decked spring, or, as it was vulgarly called, summer, in the form of youth, with bougas of cypress and May, and marched in solemn array to meet their comrades, the jocund executioners of winter. In the meanwhile national ballads, celebrating the delights of spring and summer, filled the skies; processions paraded the meadows and fields, loudly imploring the blessings of a prolific summer; and the jovial merry-makers then brought the victor-god home in triumph. In the course of time, however, this ceremonial Lent Lily. underwent various alterations. The parts, before personified, were now performed by real dramatis persona; one arrayed as spring, and another as winter, entertained the spectators with a combat, wherein winter was ultimately vanquished and stripped of his emblematical attire; spring, on the contrary, being hailed as victor, was led in triumph, amidst the loud acclamations of the mul titude, into the town. From this festival originated a popular ballad, composed of stanzas each of which conclude thus: FLORAL DIRECTORY. Narcissus Pseudonarcissus multiplex. Dedicated to St. Colette. March 7. St. Thomas Aquinas, A. D. 1274.. Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas, A. D. 203. St. Paul, Anchoret. St. Perpetua. This saint is in the church of England calendar. She was martyred under the emperor Severus in 205. St. Paul the Anchoret. This saint was 66 a man of profound ignorance." Butler says he was named the simple." He journeyed eight days into the desert on a visit, and to become a disciple of St. Antony, who told him he was too old, and bade him return home mind his business, and say his prayers; he shut the door upon him. Paul fasted and prayed before the door till Antony opened it, and out of compassion made a monk of him. One day after he had diligently worked at making mats and hurdles, and prayed without intermission, St. Antony bid him undo his work and do it all over again, which he did, without asking for a morsel of bread though he had been seven days without eating; this was to try Paul's obedience. Another day when some monks came to Antony for advice, he bid Paul spill a vessel of honey and gather it up without any dust this was another trial of his obedience. At other times he ordered him to draw water a whole day and pour it out again; to make baskets and pull them to pieces; to sew and unsew garments and the like: these were other trials of his obedience. When Antony had thus exercised him he placed him in a cell three miles from his own, proposed him as a model of obedience to his disciples, sent sick persons to him, and others possessed with the devil, whom he could not cure himself, and "under Paul," Butler says, "they never failed of a cure." He died about 330. FLORAL DIRECTORY. Early Daffodil. Narcissus Pseudonarcissus simplex. Dedicated to St. Perpetua. March 8. St. John of God, A. D. 1550. St. Felix, A.D. 646. Sts. Apollonius, Philemon, &c. A.D. 311, St. Julian, Abp. of Toledo, A.D. 690. St. Duthak, Bp. of Ross, A.D. 1253. St. Rosa, of Viterbo, A.D. 1261. St. Senan, 5th Cent. St. Psalmod, or Saumuy, about 589. Romish saints are like earthquakes, wherein shocks crowd so fast they cannot be noted. An Earthquake in London. awoke people from their sleep, and frightened them out of their houses. A servant maid in Charterhouse-square, was thrown from her bed, and had her arm broken; bells in several steeples were struck by the chime hammers; great stones were thrown from the new spire of Westminster Abbey; dogs howled in uncommon tones; and fish jumped half a yard above the water, London had experienced a shock only a month before, namely, on the 8th of February 1750, between 12 and 1 o'clock in the day. At Westminster, the barristers were so alarmed that they imagined the hall was falling. FLORAL DIRECTORY. Everblowing Rose. Rosa Semperflorens. Dedicated to St. Rosa of Viterbo, Great Jonquil. Narcissus lætus. Dedicated to St. Felix. March 9. St. Frances, Widow, a. D. 1440. St. Gregory, of Nyssa, Bp. 4th Cent. St. Pacian, Bp. A. p. 373. St. Catherine, of Bologna, A. D. 1463. MISTS AND FALLS. Scots' mists, like Scots' men, are proverbial for their penetration; Plymouth showers for their persevering frequency. The father of Mr. Haydon the artist, relates that in the latter portion of 1807, and the first three or four months of 1808, there had been more than 160 successive days in which rain, in more or less quantities, had fallen in that neighbourhood. He adds, indeed, by way of consolation, that în winter it only rained there, while it snowed elsewhere. It has been remarked that in this opinion he might be correct; at least if he compared the climate of Plymouth with that of the western highlands. A party of English tourists are said to have stopped for several days at an uncomfortable inn, near Inverary, by the unremitting rains that fall in that country about Lammas, when one of them pettishly asked the waiter, “Does plied Donald, it rain here ALWAYS?" "Na! na!" re"it snaws whiles," i. e. sometimes. FLORAL DIRECTORY. On the 8th of March, 1750, an earth- Petticoat Daffodil. Narcissus Bulboco quake shook all London. The shock was at half past five in the morning, It dium. Dedicated to St. Catherine. |