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The custom of sitting and watching in the church porch on St. Mark's Eve still exists in some parts of the north of England. The "witching time of night" is from eleven till one; and the third year the watcher supposes that he sees the ghosts of those who are to die the next year pass by into the church. This superstitious observance naturally leads us to the consideration of the belief in Apparitions. The eloquent Addison, in some reflections on this subject, observes, "If we believe, as many wise and good men have done, that there are such Phantoms and Apparitions as those I have been speaking of, let us endeavour to establish to ourselves an interest in Him who holds the reins of the whole creation in his hand, and moderates them after such a manner, that it is impossible for one being to break loose upon another without His knowledge and permission. For my own part," continues he, "I am apt to join in opinion with those who believe that all the regions of nature swarm with Spirits; and that we have multitudes of spectators on all our actions, when we think ourselves most alone; but, instead of terrifying myself with such a notion, I am wonderfully pleased to think that I am always engaged with such an innumerable society, in searching out the wonders of the creation, and joining in the same concert of praise and adoration." He goes on to say, "Milton has finely described this mixed communion of Men and Spirits in Paradise, and had doubtless his eye upon a verse in old Hesiod, which is almost word for word the same with his third line in the following passage:-"

Nor think, though Men were none,

That Heaven would want spectators, God want praise:
Millions of Spiritual Creatures walk the Earth
Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep;
All these with ceaseless praise his works behold
Both day and night. How often, from the steep
Of echoing hill and thicket, have we heard
Celestial voices to the midnight air,
(Sole, or responsive each to other's note,)
Singing their Great Creator! Oft in bands,
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds,
In full harmonic numbers joined, their songs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.

February 18, pp. 65, 66, we have described the cause of certain spectral allusions, to which we refer the reader.

April 26. SS. Cletus and Marcellinus. St. Richarius. St. Paschasius.

FLORA.-The Cowslip Primula Veris is now common in the meadows and cowfields, and mixes with the Bulbous Crowfoot, which, as yet, is seen but sparingly.

Lines on the Cowslip.

Cowslip, of all beloved, of all admired!

Thee let me sing, the homely Shepherd's pride;
Fit emblem of the maid I love, a form
Gladdening the sight of Man; a sweet perfume,
Sending its balmy fragrance to the soul.
Daughter of Spring and messenger of May,
Which shall I first declare, which most extol,
Thy sovereign beauties, or thy sovereign use?
With thee the rural dame a draught prepares,
A nectarous draught, more luscious to my taste
Than all thy boasted wine, besotted Bacchus !
Maidens with thee their auburn tresses braid;
Or, with the Daisy and the Primrose pale,
Thy flowers entwining, weave a chaplet fair,
To grace that pole round which the village train
Lead on their dance to greet the jocund May;
Jocund I'll call it, for it lends a smile
To thee, who never smil'st but once a year.
I name thee not, thou poor unpitied wretch!
Of all despised, save him whose liberal heart
Taught him to feel your wrongs, and plead your cause,
Departed Hanway! Peace be to his soul!
Great is that Man who quits the path of fame,
Who, wealth forsaking, stoops his towering mind
From Learning's heights, and stretches out his arm
To raise from dust the meanest of his kind.
Now that the Muse to thee her debt has paid,
Friend of the poor and guardian of the wronged,
Back let her pleased return, to view those sports,
Whose rude simplicity has charms for me
Beyond the ball or midnight masquerade.
Oft on that merry morn I've joined their throng,
A glad spectator; oft their uncouth dance
Eyed most attentive; when, with trawdry shew,
Illsorted ribbons decked each Maiden's cap,
And Cowslip Garlands every rustic hat.
Who, that has eyes to see or heart to feel,

Would change this simple wreath which Shepherds wear,
Even for that golden circle which surrounds

The waist of a Princess-her bridal zone?

This plant is called in Norfolk the Pagel, which word evidently signifies Pratingale, from prata meadows, where it most delighteth to grow. Shakespeare thus accurately notices this favourite plant:

The Cowslips tall her pensioners be,

In their gold coats spots you see.

Those be rubies fairy favours,

In those freckles live their savours,
I must go seek some dew drops here,
And hang a Pearl in every Cowslip's ear.

Milton contrasts

The yellow Cowslip with the pale Primrose.

"When I awoke in the morning, I went up to the window: the first thing I saw was the church: I remembered that my mother's body had been lying out all night, and ran as fast as I could to the churchyard. The dark pit was not to be seen, nor could I find where it had been for some time. On the spot was a sort of mound raised up, like many others in the churchyard, covered with fresh turf, and bound together with Ŏsiers. One little Cowslip was growing up among the grass: the soft pale green stem of this flower was no longer than a long blade of grass, but I was quite glad to see it; and every morning I went to look if the little buds were blown, and when the weather was very dry, I always watered it. After it had left off blowing, I never forgot it, but loved its little crimped half hidden leaves better than all the brightest Summer flowers. Now there are more than thirty Cowslips on my mother's grave. A Cowslip was her favourite flower."-May you Like It, 12mo. 1822.

April 27. St. Anthimus, Bp. and other Martyrs at Nicomedia. St. Nicomedia. St. Zita, Virgin. St. Anastatius, Pope.

CHRONOLOGY.-Sir William Jones died in 1794.

CERES. A brief but tolerably good account of the Husbandry of this month may be taken from Tusser's Points of Good Husbandry, which we subjoin :

April's Husbandry, from Tusser.

If April be dripping, then do I not hate,
For him that hath little his fallowing late;
Else otherwise, fallowing timely is best,
For saving of cattle, of plough, and the rest.

Be suer of plough to be ready at hand,

Ere compas ye spread, that on hillocks did stand;
Lest drying, so lying, do make it decay,
Ere ever much water do wash it away.

Look now, to provide ye of meadow for hay,
If fens be undrowned, there cheapest ye may;
In fen for the Bullock, for horse not so well,
Count best, the best cheap, wheresoever ye dwell.

Provide ye of cowmeat, for cattle at night,
And chiefly where commons lie far out of sight;
Where cattle lie tied, without any meat,
That profit by dairy can never be great.
Get into thy hopyard with plenty of poles,
Among those same hillocks divide them by doles.
Three poles to a hillock, I pass not how long,
Shall yield thee more profit, set deeply and strong.
Leave growing for stadles, the likest and best,
Though seller and buyer dispatched the rest.
In bushes, in hedgerows, in grove, and in wood,
This lesson observed is both needful and good.

Save Elm, Ash, and Crab Tree, for cart and for plough;
Save step for a stile, of the crotch of the bough;

Save Hazel for forks, save Sallow for rake;
Save Hulver and Thorn, thereof flail to make.
Allowance of fodder some countries do yield,
As good for the cattle as hay in the field.

Some mow up their headlands and plots among corn,
And driven to leave nothing unmown or unshorn.

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FLORA. The leafing and budding of trees proceeds rapidly about this time, and the blossoms on the Apple,; Peach, Apricot, Nectarine, Cherry, and other fruit trees, make a splendid appearance. The Almond Tree also is very beautiful. The leaves of the Horsechesnut Aeschylus, Hippocastanum also begin to open, whose blossoms make such a splendid figure throughout next month. The Laurel is also in flower; and many trees have a glowing light green attire from their newly opening leaves, as the Beech,. the early Elms, the Larch, and some others; and when fine weather occurs, as is often the case at this time, the perception of advancing Spring, and the melody of the vernal songsters, is truly delightful.

FAUNA.-The Blackcap Motacilla Atricapilla begins now to sing, and adds its pleasing note to that of the Willow Wren, the Redbreast, the Throstle, the Stormcock, the Blackbird, and, above all, to the Nightingale, who now sings night and day, but in this climate is particularly musical of an evening. We subjoin, from Time's Telescope for 1822, the ensuing account of this bird:

"The arrival of the Swallow, already noticed, about the middle of the month, foretels the approach of Summer. The next bird that appears is the Motacilla Luscinia, or Nightingale.

The Nightingale, as soon as April bringeth

Unto her rested sense a perfect waking,

While late base Earth, proud of new clothing, springeth,

Sings out her woes, a thorn her songbook making;

And mournfully bewailing,

Her throat in tunes expresseth

What grief her breast oppresseth.'

"The lovelaboured song of the Nightingale is occasionally heard in the day time in England, and all day in the East, and in some parts of Europe. An English traveller of the seventeenth century, writing from Shiraz, and inspired by the climate, says, The Nightingale, sweet harbinger of light, is a constant cheerer of these groves; charming, with its warbling strains, the heaviest soul into a pleasing ecstasy.' The Persian poet, Hafez, a native of Shiraz, repeatedly alludes to the Nightingale in his beautiful and truly Anacreontic Odes :

In shrubs which skirt the scented mead,
Or garden's walk embroidered gay,
Can the sweet voice of joy be found,
Unless to harmonize the shade,
The Nightingale's soft warbled lay
Pour melting melody around.'

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"The Persian writers frequently compare their poets to Nightingales; and, indeed, Hafez has acquired the constant appellation of the Persian Nightingale;' to this the bard alludes in his sixth ode, as translated by Nott. The beautiful fiction of the Asiatic poets, that the Nightingale is enamoured of the Rose, has been noticed in the Introduction to our last volume, p. 44. Hafez, speaking of our eagerness to enjoy the pleasures of the Spring, beautifully observes, 'We drop, like Nightingales, into the nest of the Rose.' Again, in his seventh ode, he says, 'O Hafez, thou desirest, like the Nightingales, the presence of the Rose: let thy very soul be a ransom for the Earth, where the Keeper of the Rose garden walks!' In the eighth ode also we have the following:

'The youthful season's wonted bloom
Renews the beauty of each bower,
And to the sweetsonged bird is come

Glad welcome from its darling flower.'

"In the sixth stanza of the ninth ode, the bard again alludes to this favourite fiction, which, literally translated, would stand thus:- When the Rose rides in the air, like Solomon, the Bird of Morn comes forth with the melody of David. In ode xiii. on the return of Spring, we are presented with the following beautiful stanza on the same subject:

'The lovestruck Nightingale's delightful strain,
The Lark's resounding note, are heard again;
Again the Rose, to hail Spring's festive day,
From the cold house of sorrow hastes away.'

The comparison of the beauty of a flower to the richness of King Solomon's attire, was, perhaps, a favourite figure among the Eastern writers, and may be found in holy writ.-Vide Luke, xii. 27.

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