FOR

1831:

OR, A

COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ALMANACK:

CONTAINING AN EXPLANATION OF

Saints' Days and Holidays;

WITE

EXISTING AND OBSOLETE RITES AND CUSTOMS,
SKETCHES OF CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY,

ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES

IN EVERY MONTH;

COMPRISING REMARKS ON THE PHENOMENA OF THE CELESTIAL
BODIES; AND

THE NATURALIST'S CALENDAR ;

EXPLAINING VARIOUS

APPEARANCES IN THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS.

The whole interspersed with numerous Poems by eminent
Living writers.

LONDON:

STOR LIBR

NEW-YORK

SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCXXXI.

MEA AOBK

PREFACE.

In presenting the Eighteenth Volume of Time's Telescope to our friends; we flatter ourselves that it will be found to have increased in attractions as it has increased in years, and to be deserving a continuance of those favours which it has enjoyed through so long a period.

As the "Parent of Annuals" it has been thought advisable to assume a somewhat gayer appearance than heretofore, in accordance with the prevailing modes of the younger branches of the family, and though certainly far from rivalling in splendour the Messrs. Keepsake, Souvenir, Forget-me-not, and Co., yet, like many other elderly persons, adhering sufficiently to the fashion of the day, to render ourselves agreeable; and whatever we may be deficient in the splendour of art, we hope

will be found fully compensated in utility and

amusement.

We have endeavoured to render our volume acceptable to all classes, by combining much of the agreeable with the useful; and, in the richness of the poetical department, we need only refer to the names of those whose gems grace our pages.

In the Astronomical Occurrences of the present volume, some alterations and additions will be observed: the particulars of the Sun's rising and setting, and Equation of Time, are combined with a Table of the Transits and Meridional Altitudes of the Planets; by this arrangement, additional space has been afforded, for observations on the current phenomena, and other miscellaneous information, at once both amusing and instructive. This Table will be found particularly useful to the young astronomer.

The Conjunctions of the Moon with the Planets, have been extended to all, excepting the Asteroids and Uranus; the conjunctions with the Fixed Stars are selected from those which are