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All, all is delight through the field and the grove,
For this is the season the season of love!

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The sportsman has laid by his engine of death, 1
The huntsman no longer awakens his horn,
The courser has ceased to stray over the heath,
And quiet and peace keep the woodland and lawn;
And all is delight through the field and the grove
In this blessed season-the season of love!

APRIL.

APRIL is derived from Aprilis, of aperio, I open; because the earth, in this month, begins to open her bosom for the production of vegetables.

Remarkable Days

In APRIL 1823.

1.—EASTER TUESDAY.-See p. 74.
1.—ALL or AULD FOOLS' DAY.

On this day every body strives to make as many fools as he can: the wit chiefly consists in sending persons on what are called sleeveless errands, for the history of Eve's mother, for pigeon's milk, stirrup oil, and similar ridiculous absurdities.-See our last volume, p. 90.-In some parts of Somersetshire the name of April fool is not known, the 1st of May being the day on which fools are made.

3. RICHARD, Bishop..

› Richard, surnamed de Wiche, from a place in Worcestershire where he was born, was educated at the Universities of Oxford and Paris. He was as remarkable for his learning and diligence in preaching, as he was for integrity.

4.-SAINT AMBROSE.

Our saint was born about the year 340, and was educated in his father's palace, who was Prætorian Præfect of Gaul. He converted the celebrated St. Augustine to the faith, and, at his baptism, composed that divine hymn, so well known in the church by the name of Te Deum. He died, aged fifty-seven..

6.-LOW SUNDAY.

It was a custom among the primitive Christians, on the first Sunday after Easter-day, to repeat some part of the solemnity of that grand festival; whence this Sunday took the name of Low Sunday, being celebrated as a feast, though in a lower degree.

*11. 1822.-R. DODD DIED, Æt. 66,

Long known as an engineer and architect, and projector of several bridges and other important works; among which are, Account of the principal Canals in the known World, with Reflections on the Utility of Canals, 8vo, 1795-Reports, with Plans and Sections, of the proposed dry Tunnel from Gravesend to Tilbury; also a Canal from Gravesend to Stroud, 4to, 1798-Letters on the Improvement of the Port of London, demonstrating its practicability without Wet Docks, 1799-Observations on Water, 8vo, 1805.

19.-SAINT ALPHEGE.

A native of England, Alphege was first Abbot of Bath, then Bishop of Winchester, in the year 984, and, twelve years afterwards, Archbishop of Canterbury. After seven months' miserable imprisonment by the Danes, the good archbishop was stoned to death at Greenwich.

23.-SAINT GEORGE.

Saint George is the patron Saint of England; for which the following reason is assigned: When Robert Duke of Normandy, the son of William the Conqueror, was fighting against the Turks, and laying siege to the famous city of Antioch, which was expected to be relieved by the Saracens, St. George

appeared with an innumerable army coming down from the hills clad all in white, with a red cross on his banner, to reinforce the Christians; which so terrified the infidels, that they fled, and left the Christians in possession of the town.-See T.T. for 1821, p. 107. The King's birth-day is kept on this day, being his name-day, in imitation of the custom in catholic countries.

25.-SAINT MARK.

St. Mark's Gospel was written in the year 63. The order of knights of St. Mark at Venice, under the protection of this evangelist, was instituted in the year 737, the reigning doge being always grand master: their motto was, Pax tibi, Marce, Evangelista Meus.'

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The custom of sitting and watching in the church porch of 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 pious and eloquent Addison, in some reflections on this subject, beautifully 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, 1 am apt to join in opinion with those who be lieve 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,

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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 heav'nly touch of instrumental sounds,
In full harmonic numbers joined, their songs

Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heav'n.

In another paper, speaking of popular superstitions, he says, I know but one way of fortifying my soul against these gloomy presages and terrors of mine, and that is by securing to myself the friendship and protection of that Being who disposes of events, and governs futurity. He sees, at one view, the whole thread of my existence, not only that part of it which I have already passed through, but that which runs forward into all the depths of eternity. When I lay me down to sleep, I recommend myself to His care; when I awake, I give myself up to His direction. Amidst all the evils that threaten me, I will look up to Him for help, and question not but He will either avert them, or turn them to my advantage. Though I know neither the time, nor the manner of the death I am to die, I am not at all solicitous about it; because I am sure that He knows them

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both, and that He will not fail to support me under them'.'

Nothing can be more reprehensible than the too common practice in nurses and servants, of alarming the tender minds of children with the idle tales of hobgoblins, haunted houses, &c. the effects of which are to impress them with that timidity, which is afterwards removed with the greatest difficulty, even when advanced in life, and with minds naturally superior to such little things. Sporting with the passions is always a dangerous project, for by such imprudence the mind may be so deranged as to be incapable of ever acting again with regularity and composure. Children also should never be permitted to frighten one another; many have been involved in the most awful situations from this apparently trivial cause, and have fallen into a state of idiotism, or absolute lunacy. Many from the sudden impulse of terror, have, from such wanton frolics, lost their lives; while others again have had their intellects so much impaired, as to be rendered miserable, and altogether disqualified for the occupations of life. *29.1822.-SIR ISAAC HEARD, KNT., GARTER PRINCIPAL KING OF ARMS, DIED, ÆT. 91!

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
Alike await th' inevitable hour!-

He was indefatigable in the execution of his office, and always acted with acute discrimination and strict conscientiousness. He was a good Latin scholar; and his knowledge of modern languages, some of which he spoke with great readiness, particularly qualified him for those missions to foreign courts which constituted an important part of his official duty. Few men have been more distinguished for urbanity of manners, habitual cheerfulness, and benevolence of heart. The elegant turn of his mind,

■ An admirable antidote to every species of spectral delusion will be found in Rev. Mr. Plumptre's Sermon on Apparitions (Rivingtons).

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