high as the top of the roof. A number of small wood fires, according to the size of the place, are now kindled upon the floor, and by the smoke ascending from them, the herrings are cured. After the fish have hung in this manner about seven days, the fires are extinguished for two days, that the oil and fat may drip from them. The fires are then rekindled, and after two more such drippings, they are kept continually burning until the fish are completely cured. This operation requires a longer or a shorter time, according as they are designed for exportation, or for home consumption. The herrings having hung a proper time, are packed in barrels containing 800 or 1000 each, and shipped for market. The number of beats annually employed at Lowestoft in this fishery for many years, previously to 1781, was about 33, and the quantity of herrings caught averaged 21 lasts (each last containing 10,000 herrings) to a boat. After that time, owing to the war with the Dutch and other powers, the number of boats engaged in the herring fishery rather diminished; but the bounties granted by an act passed in 1786, for the encouragement of the fisheries, gave new vigour to this valuable branch of industry, so that only three years afterwards, the boats fitted out by the town amounted to forty-four. Each of these boats, which are built here, carries about 40 tons, and requires eleven men. In 1802 something more than 30 boats gained £30,000, the price of the fish cured, a larger sum than had ever before been made in one season; and in the following year, they earned in six months 10,000 by mackarel, exclusively of the other fish caught during that period." Field-spiders, commonly called gossamers, are now seen covering the grass with their shining threads and floating in the air. Vipers, snakes, and other reptiles, retire to their winter quarters, where they remain in a state of torpor until the spring breezes recall them to animation. We shall let the poet close our month with a few AUTUMNAL REFLECTIONS. These are the days, when sadness reigns, The withered leaves are on the ground: The flowers that blush'd at summer's birth, Like budding hopes of youth, they grew-and died; These are the days, when nature's voice To brighter, kindlier skies have flown; In melting softness, on the ear: They come, like music o'er the peaceful deep, These are the days, these are the days, And in the heart emotions raise, That cling to scenes remembered well; The "sear and yellow leaf" recalls These are the days, when joys long dead The friends once prized, we clasp again; The one adored, cleaves to our breast; Ah! 'tis a thought of bliss, and pain Awhile is lulled, and sinks to rest: Brief-brief-the fond illusion, as the beam That lights from winter skies the cold, dark stream. These are the days, these are the days As beams of hope from worldly power: While fortune's sunny smiles are bright; These are the days when fancy takes Whose slumbers deep no dreams can bring: Cheerless and dark, life's winter sinks in gloomFaith points to spring, where flowers immortal bloom! NOVEMBER. This month is derived from Novem (nine) and Imber. The Emperor Commodus attempted, but unsuccesfully, to change the name of this month. The Senate had once proposed to give it the name of the Emperor Tiberius, who was born in it. But he declined this servility, observing with a jest, "What might be their embarrassment should there be thirteen Cæsars?" The Saxons termed November the Wint, (wind) Monath, or Blot (blood,) from the custom of slaughtering the winter's provision at this season. Kemarkable Days. 1. ALL SAINTS. A festival designed to celebrate the commemoration of all those saints who have no particular days allotted to them separately in the calendar. 2.-ALL SOULS. A festival instituted in the year 998, by the western churches, to pray for the deceased souls suffering the expiatory flames of purgatory. A new church dedicated to All Souls, was completed in 1824, in Langham Place, Regent Street, London. 5.-KING WILLIAM LANDED. This day is observed in commemoration of the glorious revolution of 1688, when King William first landed in this country. In the almanacks it stands for the 4th day, but this is an error: the king wished to land then, but adverse winds prevented his effecting it till the fifth day. 5.-POWDER PLOT. This day is celebrated in the church of England in commemoration of the discovery of the plot of Guy Fawkes to blow up the Parliament house. 6.-ST. LEONARD. A French nobleman of the court of Clovis I., whose piety and goodness raised him to the bishopric of Limosin. He died about the year 559. 8.-1828.-THOMAS BEWICK died, ætat. 76. A justly celebrated wood engraver, born at Ovingham, in Northumberland, on the 12th of April, 1753. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Mr. Beilby, a copper plate engraver, at Newcastle, who was employed by Dr. Hutton to engrave the diagrams for his work on Mensuration; these he advised the Doctor to have engraved on wood and gave the task to his apprentice, which he executed in so satisfactory a manner, that it obtained him several other works of a similar nature. sedulously pursued his art till he carried it to a greater height of excellence than it had hitherto arrived at in this country. In 1793, he published his History of Quadrupeds, which soon extended his fame throughout the kingdom. In 1797, appeared his British Birds; and at the time of his death he was He |