URANIA.-As soon as it becomes dark we shall observe Capella about midheaven; Aldebaran and the Hyades are nearly West. Syrius is SW. and a line drawn from the zenith S. through her, would pass through Procyon; and to the West of this line, and rather above Procyon, will be seen the Two Stars of Gemini. Orion is nearly set.

In the eastern part of the heavens we shall observe near the meridian, and little more than half way between the horizon and the zenith, the first star of Leo; and turning more to the east, in the southeast by east, and lower down, we shall perceive the brilliant star called the Ear of Corn, or the first of the Virgin; in Latin, Spica Virginis. We cannot fail of recognizing these objects, if we draw a line with our hands from the first star of Leo to the point, as this line will nearly pass by the first star of Virgo.

April 15. St. Peter Gonzales, C. St. Basilissa, &c. M.
St. Patemus. St. Munde, A.

Orises at v. 7'. and sets at vi. 53'.
Fordicidia.- Rom. Cal.

The festival of the Fordicidia, or sacrifice of a Cow to Tellus, is omitted in Lemprière's and other Dictionaries, but is thus described by Ovid:

Tertia post Veneris cùm lux surrexerit Idus:

Pontifices forda sacra litate bove.

Forda ferens bos est fecundaque dicta ferendo;
Hinc etiam foetus nomen habere putant.

Nunc gravidum pecus est, gravidae quoque semine terrae,
Telluri plenae victima plena datur.

FAUNA. The SWALLOW Hirundo rustica begins to arrive, and is hailed as the harbinger of Spring. These birds appear but few in numbers at first, and become more numerous about the beginning of May.

The prophet Jeremiah takes notice of the coming of the Swallow, in common with that of several other known birds of passage: Yea, the Stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed time; and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow, observe the time of their coming.

Anacreon not only notices the migration of this bird, but supposes Egypt to be the place of its brumal retreat:

Σὺ μὲν φιλη χελιδών,

Ετησίη μολοῦσα,

Θέρει πλέκεις καλιὴν

Χειμῶνι, δ ̓ εἰς ἄφαντος

Η ΝΕΙΛΟΝ ή πί ΜΕΜΦΙΝ.

Oppian calls the Swallow,

Μητηρ ειαρινη ζεφυρου προταγγελος ὄρνις.

And Horace solicits the return of his friend,
Cum zephyris, si concedes, et hirundine prima.

The following is recorded in the Calendar of Nature:-
The Swallow, for a moment seen,

Skims in haste the village green.

But, in a few weeks, their number is much increased, and they sport with seeming pleasure in the warm sunshine.

Refer to Observations on the Brumal Retreat of the Swallow by Philochelidon, 1808; and to the Natural History of Swallows by T. Forster, F. L. S. &c. Underwood, London, 1817, where abundant information respecting the migrations of this bird will be found.-See also Gent. Mag. for 1823; and the copious Index before quoted in this work, p. 159.

Swallows and Martins have of late years been much less numerous than they used to be formerly. There are three islands over against Mount Taurus, called by the ancients χελιδόνιαι, and a promontory called χελιδόνιον ; because Swallows were supposed to hide themselves there in the Winter. The West Wind likewise, from blowing in the Spring, about the time of the Swallow's arrival, was denominated Chelidonian.

April 16. St. Fructuosus. St. Druon, Recluse. St. Joachim. St. Magnus.

Augustus Imp. salutatus. Hyades occidunt.-Rom. Cal. CHRONOLOGY.-Battle of Culloden in 1746. Buffon, the Naturalist, died in France in 1788, aged 80.

Buffon's attachment to this science was excessive, and he had also a very strong attachment for animals in particular. Verses on a favourite Dog named Busy. In mortem canis, April, 1809. Vos o Camoenae carmina eburneo Sonate plectro, dulcia quae novos Luctus levent, moestos benigno

Doctae animos recreare cantu.
Canem maligno funere mortuum
Ploremus omnes, jam citharâ decet
Cantare dulci quem sepulchro

Perpetuus sopor urget imo.

Namque hic solebat saepius ad focum
Jacere, linguâ cum domini fovet

Ipse manum, saepe et magistri
Tum lateri sonuêre plausus.

Fidelis omni tempore vixerit
Atque OCCUPATUS si nihil egerit,
Latransque nocturno sonore,
Non timuit domus alta fures.

Fortuna saevis pectora calcibus
Tam cara fregit! Quid mihi sit dolor?
Terram relinquens jam beatus
Elysiis potietur hortis.

Inscription on a Dog, 1779.

Not indolently tame, or fiercely wild,
His mien was gentle and his temper mild.
Untaught to growl defiance at the poor,
He drove no humble beggar from the door.
From youth, ev'n to his life's remotest end,
His greatest pleasure to caress a friend.
Deem not amiss, if where his relics lay,
A sudden tear should fall on gentle TRAY:

April 17. St. Anicetus. St. Stephen, Abbot. St. Simeon, Bishop of Ctesiphon, &c. MM.

CHRONOLOGY.-Benjamin Franklin, the American Philosopher and Statesman, died at Philadelphia in 1790, aged 84.

FLORA. At this time Violets, Heartease, and other early flowers, being still in full profusion, mix agreeably the primaveral with the incipient

vernal Floras.

We shall take the liberty, as a specimen of Goëthe's style, to introduce the following verses on a Violet :

Das Veilchen-Lied.

Ein Veilchen auf der Wiese stand,
Gebruckt in sich und unbekannt,
Es war ein herzig's Veilchen.

Da kam ein' junge Schäferinn

Mit leichtem Schritt und frohem Sinn,

Daher, daher, die Wiese, her und sang.

Ach, dacht das Veilchen; wär ich nur
Die schönste Blume auf der Flur,
Ach nur ein kleines Weilchen!

Bis mich das Leibchen abgepflückt,
Und an den Busen matt gedrückt

Ach nur! ach nur! ein Viertelstündchen nur.

Ach! aber ach-das Mädchen kam
Und nicht in Acht das Veilchen nahm,
Zertrat das arme Veilchen:

Es sank, und starb, und freut sich noch,

Und sterb' ich denn so sterb ich doch

Durch sie durch sie-zu ihren Füssen doch.

We may, perhaps, have to apologize to the general reader for the introduction of the above German poem; but.

N

we wish, in the course of this Calendar, to introduce a short specimen of poetry from each of the living languages.

April 18. St. Apollonius. St. Galdin. St. Laserian. Equiria in Circo Maximo. Vulpium Combustio.-Rom. Cal.

Ovid thus relates the strange custom of tying lighted bushes to the tails of Foxes, &c. which prevailed among the early Romans :—

Whylome Fox was catched within his hole,
A Fox that often had their poultry stole,
On Renard's back, and fast to either side,
Of hay and straw they little bundles tyed;
Then did thereon some lighted matches lay,
And let the burning creature scour away.
Through the cornfields swift flew the wafted flame,
Which bore destruction wheresoe'er it came.
This ancient fact we ev'ry year revive,

And custom's law forbids the Fox to live.

This feast demands we should that law fulfil,
And as one perished, so they perish still.

COELUM. The weather at this time of year is often very showery, when Chaucer writes:

When that Aprilis with her showerie soote

The drought of March had pierced to the root.

Sometimes, however, dry northerly and easterly winds prevail, with a clear atmosphere; and then the latest sowings of seeds are finished by the gardener, who is usually desirous of a dry time for this purpose. Windy weather, or rather fresh gales, at this time, when not too wet, are likewise esteemed; hence the proverbial verses :

When that Aprilis blows her horn,

It is both good for hay and corn.
A dry time is for sowing best,
Before the garden's richly drest
In all the pomp of vernal flowers;
Then come the hasty April showers,
Which freshen each enamelled way,
The painted carpet of the lovely May.

April 19. ST. ALPHEGE, A. B. St. Elphige the Bald. St. Leo IX. St. Ursmar.

FLORA.-The Spring Snowflake Leucopium Vernum flowers about this time, and is an elegant successor of the early Snowdrop, now no longer seen.

COELUM.-The weather generally continues changeable at this time, and is either showery or else clear and dry, or

both by turns. The following old French song to a beauty in the Spring may amuse the reader :—

Le Printemps.

L'Hiver est au tombeau,
Le Printemps nous rappelle;
Et d'un éclat nouveau
Tout le ciel étincelle.

Ah! que le temps est beau!
Mais vous êtes plus belle.

Ah, la rigueur des ans
La vôtre vous expose!
Comme ils sont inconstants,
Ils changent toute chose;
La Beauté n'a qu'un temps,
De même que la Rose.

TEMPUS.-On the Alteration and Correction of the Style, the Epact, &c.-While composing our Calendar, we received, from a very able correspondent, the following remarks and calculations respecting the Old and New Style, which we insert just as we received it :

To MM. the Editors, &c.-Understanding that you are about to publish a new Almanack or Monthly Calendar, I beg to state, that a correction of the Epact may be of the first consideration, as the metonic period of nineteen years is found not to be true for a length of time. By a new Epact of 11 days, instead of 11, now in effect, intercalating one day in 21 years, instead of 19, a period of 315 years will arise, making 3896 lunar months, including 116 intercalary, in that time, for ever, according with the Old Style, reckoning 365 d. 6m. a solar year, and 354 d. 9m. a lunar year; and by a deduction of seven days in nine hundred years, instead of three days in four hundred, (by the Gregorian method,) it will accord with the New Style every 315 years for many thousand years to come. In order to make it clear for your reflection and that of others, I offer a calculation for four periods of 315 years, which may be extended to any term, and be useful for time past in Old and New Style. 315 × 11 = 348030116 complete intercalary months. 315 x 12 = 3780 + 116 = 3896 m.