June 5. St. Boniface B. M. SS. Dorothei. rises at III. 50'. and sets at virr. 10. NONAE. Sponsoris Jovis. Fidei templum.-Rom. Cal. An tibi Semo pater: tunc mihi Sanctus ait: To this notation in the Roman Calendar is sometimes added, that it is unlucky to marry at this time. Malum est nubere ante Idus. We find today dedicated to Jupiter Sponsor; other days are ascribed to Jupiter Invictus, and so on of other epithets, which speak for themselves. Jupiter is, in fact, an imaginary being, founded by human reflection on the combined power of the elements; we shall, however, subjoin a succinct account of his mythological transmogrifications. According to Varro, there were no less than 300 persons of that name; Diodorus mentions two, and Cicero three; two of Arcadia, and one of Crete. To that of Crete, who passed for the son of Saturn and Ops, the actions of the rest have been attributed. According to the opinion of the mythologists, Jupiter was saved from destruction by his mother, and entrusted to the care of the Corybantes. Saturn, who had received the kingdom of the world from his brother Titan, on condition of not raising male children, devoured all his sons as soon as born; but Öps, offended at her husband's cruelty, secreted Jupiter, and gave a stone to Saturn, which he devoured on the supposition that it was a male child. Jupiter was educated in a cave on Mount Ida, in Crete, and fed upon the milk of the goat Amalthea, or upon honey, according to others. He received the name of Jupiter, quasi juvans pater. His cries were drowned by the noise of cymbals and drums, which the Corybantes beat at the express command of Ops. As soon as he was a year old, Jupiter found himself sufficiently strong to make war against the Titans, who had imprisoned his father because he had brought up male children. The Titans were conquered, and Saturn set at liberty by the hands of his son. Saturn, however, soon after, apprehensive of the power of Jupiter, conspired against his life, and was, for this treachery, driven from his kingdom, and obliged to fly for safety into Latium. Jupiter, now become the sole master of the empire of the world, divided it with his brothers. He reserved for himself the kingdom of heaven, and gave the empire of the sea to Neptune, and that of the infernal regions to Pluto. The peaceful beginning of his reign was soon interrupted by the rebellion of the giants, who were sons of the earth, and who wished to revenge the death of their relations the Titans. They were so powerful, that they hurled rocks, and heaped up mountains upon mountains, to scale heaven, so that all the gods, to avoid their fury, fled to Egypt, where they escaped from the danger, by assuming the form of different animals. Jupiter, however, animated them, and by the assistance of Hercules, he totally overpowered the gigantic race, which had proved such tremendous enemies. Jupiter, now freed from every apprehension, gave himself up to the pursuit of pleasures. He married Metis, Themis, Euronyme, Ceres, Mnemosyne, Latona, and Juno. He became a Proteus to gratify his passions. He introduced himself to Danae in a shower of gold, he corrupted Antiope in the form of a satyr, and Leda in the form of a Swan; he became a Bull to seduce Europa, and he enjoyed the company of Aegina in the form of a flame of fire. He assumed the habit of Diana to corrupt Callisto, and became Amphitryon to gain the affections of Alcmena. His children were also numerous, as well as his mistresses. According to Apollodorus 1, c. 3, he was father of the Seasons, Irene, Eunomia, the Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, by Themis; of Venus, by Dione; of the Graces, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, by Eurynome, the daughter of Oceanus; of Proserpine, by Styx; of the nine Muses, by Mnemosyne, &c. The worship of Jupiter was universal; he was the Ammon of the Africans, the Belus of Babylon, the Osiris of Egypt. His surnames were numerous, many of which he received from the place or function over which he presided. He was severally called Jupiter Feretrius, Inventor, Elicius, Capitolinus, Latialis, Pistor, Sponsor, Herceus, Anxuris, Victor, Maximus, Optimus, Olympius, Fluvialis. The worship of Jupiter surpassed that of the other gods in solemnity. His altars were not, like those of Saturn and Diana, stained with the blood of human victims; still he was delighted with the sacrifice of Goats, Sheep, and white Bulls. The Oak was sacred to him, because he first taught mankind to live upon Acorns. He is generally represented as sitting upon a golden or ivory throne, holding, in one hand, thunderbolts just ready to be hurled, and in the other a sceptre of Cypress. His looks express majesty, his beard flows long and neglected, and the Eagle stands with expanded wings at his side. He is sometimes represented with the upper parts of his body naked, and those below the waist carefully covered, as if to show that he is visible to the gods above, but that he is concealed from the sight of the inhabitants of the earth. Jupiter had several oracles, the most celebrated of which were at Dodona, and Ammon in Libya. As Jupiter was the king and father of gods and men, his power was extended over the deities, and every thing was subservient to his will, except the Fates. From him mankind received their blessings and their miseries, and they looked upon him as acquainted with every thing past, present, and future. He was represented at Olympia with a crown like olive branches; his mantle was variegated with different flowers, particularly by the Lily, and the Eagle perched on the top of the sceptre which he held in his hand. The Cretans represented Jupiter without ears, to signify that the sovereign master of the world ought not to give a partial ear to any particular person, but be equally candid and propitious to all. At Lacedaemon he appeared with four heads, that he might seem to hear with greater readiness the different prayers and solicitations which were daily poured out to him from every part of the earth. It is said that Minerva came all armed from his brains, when he ordered Vulcan to open his head. Paus. 1, 2, &c. Liv. 1, 4, 5, &c. Diod. 1 et 3. Homer, Il. 1, 5, &c. Od. 1, 4, &c. Hymn. ad Jov. Orpheus. Callimac. Jov. Pindar. Olymp. 1, 3, 5. Apollon. 1, &c. Hesiod. Theog. in Scut. Herc. Oper. et Dies. Lycophron. in Cass. Virg. Aen. 1, 2, &c. G. 3. Ovid. Met. 1, fab. 1, &c. Horat. 3, Od. 1, &c. Fides the goddess of faith, vows, and oaths, was first worshipped by the Romans under Numa. Her temple was dedicated today. Among modern Christians, Faith, Hope, and Charity, are among the cardinal virtues, and Sir Joshua Reynolds has beautifully painted them. Milton finely addresses Faith and her sister virtues. Indeed, the language in which he depicts the power of Faith over the spells of Superstition is so beautiful, that we shall finish by quoting the whole passage: A thousand fantasies Begin to throng into my memory, Of calling shapes, and beckoning shadows dire, By a strong siding champion Conscience. O, welcome pure eyed Faith, white handed Hope I see ye visibly, and now believe That he, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill Would send a glistering guardian, if need were, June 6. St. Nobert. St. Philip the Deacon. St. Gudwall. St. Claude Bp. and Confessor. Vestae templum.—Rom. Cal. URANIA. We have already given an account of the fabulous Vesta or personified Spirit of Fire, p. 95. The same name has been applied to one of the newly discovered planets; an account of which may amuse the general reader. The planet is of the fifth apparent magnitude, and of an intense pure white colour, and surrounded by no visible atmosphere. The period of its revolution is one year and sixtysix days. It may be seen in clear nights with the naked eye. The history of its discovery is worthy of. notice. It was a century and half ago conjectured, that there must be a planet between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, on account of the distance subsisting between those two planets. The discovery of Ceres ? confirmed this happy conjecture; but the opinion which it seemed to establish respecting the harmony of the solar system, appeared to be completely overturned by the discovery of Pallas and Juno. Dr. Olbers, willing to find a theory that should account for the facts newly ascertained, imagined that these small celestial bodies were merely the fragment of a larger planet, which had been burst asunder by some internal convulsion, and that several more might be yet discovered between the orbits of Mars & and Jupiter 4. He therefore concluded, that though the orbits of all these fragments might be differently inclined to the ecliptic, yet, as they must have all diverged from the same point, they ought to have two common points of reunion, or two nodes in opposite regions of the heavens, through which all the planetary fragments must sooner or later pass. One of these nodes Dr. Olbers found to be in Virgo m, and the other in the Whale; and it was actually in the latter of these regions, that Mr. Harding discovered the planet Juno. With the intention, therefore, of detecting other fragments of the supposed planet, Dr. Olbers examined, thrice every year, all the little stars in the opposite constellations of Virgo and the Whale, till his labours were crowned with success on the 29th of March, 1807, by the discovery of a new planet in the constellation of Virgo, to which he gave the name of Vesta. See July 24 of this work. As soon as this discovery was made known in England, the planet was observed at Blackheath on the 26th of April, 1807, by Mr. Groombridge. Refer to Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. also Trans. Astronomical Soc. of London, and other works on astronomy. POMONA. Gooseberries for Puddings, Tarts, and Gorseille foulée, vulgarly called Gooseberry fool, are now plentiful. In early years, and on warm South walls in some places, the Madock Cherry commonly called May Duke begins to ripen. Cauliflowers, and various sorts of garden vegetables, now begin to abound. St. June 7. St. Paul Bp. and Martyr. St. Robert A. St. Colman B. C. St. Godeschale &c. M. Mariadec Bp. and Confessor. Ludi Piscatorii in Campo Martio. Mentis Templum. Arctophylax occidit.-Rom. Cal. Ovid thus illustrates the Calendar today; we substitute a translation for the original Latin :— The third night from the Nones the northern Bear When that the Carthaginians threatened war, A consul and his valiant forces killed, Their sinking minds with dreadful terror filled; Fear drove out Hope; their vows the senate made CHRONOLOGY. On this day, in 1566, was laid the Foundation of the Royal Exchange of London by Sir Thomas Gresham. The model was taken from the Exchange at Antwerp. An ancient prophecy predicted bad times whenever the Grasshopper on the top of the Exchange should meet the Dragon on Bowchurch Steeple. Now it happened by accident, that in 1821 the old tower on the Exchange being taken down just while Bowchurch was repairing, these two vanes actually came down, and may be said to have met |