The faithful wife without debate, Such sleep as may beguile the night, Contented with thine own estate, Nor wish for death nor fear his might.-Martial. Acts. THE MONTHS. The Julian Martius agrees nearly with the first moon Phamenoth, in the ancient, and the seventh in the modern Egyptian year; with the seventh secular, and the first sacred moon Nisan (called before the exodos, Abib, signifying an ear of barley, referring to the barley harvest about this time, as well in Egypt as in Judæa; but the name Nisan is derived from the Chaldeans, nes and nus, the month of war and storms), of the Jews with the seventh moon, Mehar, of the Persians; with the seventh moons Xanthicus, Autocratoricus, and Bendidæus, of the SyroMacedonians, Paphians, and Bithynians; with the seventh moons, Magabit, Barmehat, and Michieki of the Ethiopian, Coptic, and Armenian calendars; with the sixth solar moon, Adar, of the Syrians; with the tenth moon (usually commencing, with the other Attic months, about the close of the corresponding Latin months) Munychion, of the Athenians; the seventh, Artemisius, of the Macedonians, and the third, Dystrus, of their solar year; and with the ninth moons, Ramadhan, and Ramazan, of the Arabs and the Turks; by the Saxons it was termed Rhede-month, and at a later period Lenet-month, which is its name among the Dutch and Germans. The intercalary month of the Jews Ve-Adar, i. e. second Adar is inserted in this place for instance their year 5589, agreeing with A. D. 1829, was an embolismic year, and consequently the ensuing nominal months were thrown backward one moon, the fourth of April corresponding with the first of Nisan, i. e. their New Year's Day, and so progressively through the year. This day is a fast in memory of the death of the children of Aaron, for burning unhallowed fire in the sanctuary.-See Lev. 10. The festival of the Salii was celebrated at Rome on this day in honour of Mars. The Salii were the priests of that god, who carried in procession the sacred ancilia or shields, dancing and singing rude verses, not unallied to the Dionysian mirth of the Athenians. It continued for three Flowers of rhetoric, in grave discourses, are like the blue and red flowers in corn, pleasing to mere spectators, but prejudicial to the reapers.-Swift. The pleasant seat, the ruin'd tower, As pearls upon an Ethiop's arm.-Dyer. Acts. or four days. The Matronalia was another feast of this day, instituted by Romulus and Tatius, in memory of the peace and union of the two states concluded by the mediation of the Sabine women, who offered sacrifices to the god Quiris (Mars), and to Juno Lucina. It was customary for husbands to make presents to their wives on this anniversary. Valerius Publicola pronounces a funeral oration over the remains of Junius Brutus, his colleague, B. C. 509, which was the first institution of that generous tribute to the memory of the virtuous dead-it was not introduced at Athens until about sixteen years after this period, on the occasion of the battle of Marathon. The consul entered the city with the body in a chariot and quadriga, which was also the first triumph in Roman annals. Constantius Chlorus and Galerius are created Cæsars by Diocletian, A. D. 292. To the former was intrusted the defence of Britain"in a great pool, a swan's nest," and the country of the Gauls. The Eternal City is besieged by Alaric the Goth, in the reign of Honorius, A. D. 409. See an admirable chapter, by the imperial historian, on the famine within the walls. The Duke of Northumberland procures the passing of an act for the suppression of the Bishopric of Durham, 1553. The Spectator commences upon this day, Tuesday, 1711, one of the most useful and delightful papers in any language. ST. DAVID'S DAY. In the household expenses of the Princess Mary, 1544, is a gift of fifteen shillings among the yeomen of the King's guard for bringing a leek to her grace on St. David's Day. This is the Anniversary of the society of" Ancient Britons," under the protection of His Majesty, as Prince of Wales. Though it appear a little out of fashion, there is much care and valour in this Welshman. King Henry V. Day. Within what fountain's craggy cell Delights the goddess Health to dwell?-Warton. Births. Deaths. VI. Non. 2. D. Junius Juvenal, A. D. 42, Pelagius I. (Pope), 560. Aquinum. Sir Thos. Bodley, 1544, Exeter. Lothaire (of France), 986. poi soned, Compiegne. Andrew Hartcla, Earl of Carlisle, 1322. executed, Carlisle. Anthony de Blanc, 1730, Mar- Bp. (Robert) Abbot, 1618. Martyrs, under the Lombards, John Wesley, 1791. d. London. 6th Century. St. Joavan (or Joevin), Bishop in Armorica, 6th Century. St. Ceada, or Chad, Bishop of Horace Walpole, (Earl of Or ford), 1797. d. Berkeley Sq. Francis, Duke of Bedford, 1802. Chenies. See where the new-born day Lichfield, d. 673. (See Eng-first wakes the eagle; where, on lish Church Calendar.) the glittering summits of the St. Charles the Good, Earl of rocks, the exhalations ascend Flanders, martyr [assassi- and mix with the pure air of the nated at Bruges], 1124. morning, as the incense from the altar.-Gesner. That blind suspicion, which confounds the emanations of providence, I compare to the poor Athenian traveller who in attempting to cross Parnassus fell on the other side. Tract. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? Merchant of Venice. Acts. FERDINAND V. banishes the Jews from Spain, 800,000 souls, 1492. Johnson and Garrick start on the morning of this day from Lichfield, 1738. They" rode and tied" to London; the great lexicographer with two-pence halfpenny in his pocket, and Davy with something less. The latter, then in his twenty-third year, entered as a scholastic pupil of Colson, at Rochester, and Johnson sought employment in translation and the drama. his friends having great expectation that he would "turn out a fine tragedy-writer." The spectator of their schemes of life on the way, their reciprocities of encouragement, and of vanity, dismounting on a hillside to spout or listen to some rotund soliloquy from the "Irene," or to debate with half-sword parley on grace and accent, alexandrines and trochees, a lenten fast, or the last penny; would surely have seen a rich picture of the exuberance of youth—the distant prospect sun-gilt. Lord Chesterfield writes to his son: "Whereabouts are you in Ariosto? or have you gone through that most ingenious contexture of truth and lies, of serious and extravagant, of knights-errant, magicians, and all that various matter, which he announces in the beginning of his poem? I am by no means sure that Homer had superior invention to Ariosto. What can be more seducing and voluptuous than the description of Alcina's person and palace? What more ingeniously extravagant than the search made in the moon for Orlando's lost wits, and the account of other people's that were found there? The whole is worth your attention, not only as an ingenious poem, but as the source of all modern tales, novels, fables, and romances." The extensive copper-mine in the Isle of Anglesey is discovered, 1768, a day that has been kept as a festival. The Savoy Palace in the Strand is burned to its foundations, 1776. It was constructed for the use of Peter of Savoy, an uncle of Henry III. The world has few greater pleasures than that which two friends enjoy, in tracing back, at some distant time, those transactions and events through which they have passed together. Johnson. Sir W. Davenant, 1606, bap-John Frederick (of Saxony), John Sturmius, 1589. cester, 1628. Windsor Castle. George Herbert, 1633. buried Bemerton. He that builds a fair house Robert Hooke, 1703. St. Helen's. markets, and if you will consult | Camillo, Duke de Tallard, 1728. with Momus, ill neighbours. Dr. Wm. Stukeley, 1765. East Ham. Bacon. Obits of the Latin Church. Joseph Highmore, 1780. Canterbury. Robert Adam, 1792. Abbey. The propriety of goods is the St. Winwaloe (or Winwaloc), mother of courage, and the nurse Abbot in Armorica, d. c. 529. of industry, makes us valiant in St.Lamalisse, of Scotland, 7th C. war and good husbands in peace. St.Cunegundes, Empress,d.1040. I believe because it is impossible.---Tertullian's Creed. Waller. |