campestre), parsley water dropwort (oenanthe pimpinelloides), smooth sea-heath (frankenia lævis), and the golden dock (rumex maritimus); all of which are to be found in salt marshes. On sandy shores may be seen the sea mat-weed (arundo arenaria), upright sea-lime grass (elymus arenarius), the sea lungwort (pulmonaria maritima), the sea bind-weed (convolvulus soldanella), saltwort (salsola), sea-holly (eryngium maritimum); prickly samphire (echinophora spinosa), and the sea-lavender (statice limonium), are found on maritime rocks; and the sea pea (pisum maritimum) on rocky shores. About the middle or latter end of July, pilchards (clupea pilchardus) appear in vast shoals, off the Cornish coast; and prawns and lobsters are taken in this month. 2 Grouse-shooting usually commences towards the latter end of July. The angler is busily engaged in his favourite pursuit. On trout fishing some pretty descriptive lines will be found in our last volume, pp. 180, 181. The storms of wind and rain in this month are frequently accompanied by thunder and lightning'. The GoD of Thunder. O th' immense, th' amazing height, At the blue lightning's horrid glare! When flame and noise torment the air. 1 See T. T. for 1817, p. 217; for 1818, p. 185, and our last volume, p. 182. Let noise and flame confound the skies, Celestial King, thy blazing pow'r Kindles our hearts to flaming joys; Thus shall the God our Saviour come, WATTS. AUGUST. SEXTILIS was the antient Roman name of this month, being the sixth from March. The Emperor Augustus changed this name, and gave it his own, because in this month Cæsar Augustus took possession of his first consulship, celebrated three triumphs, reduced Egypt under the power of the Roman people, and put an end to all civil wars. This day, in the Romish church, is generally called St. Peter in the Fetters, in commemoration of this apostle's imprisonment. It is probably derived from an old Saxon term, signifying Loaf-Mass; as it was customary for the Saxons to offer an oblation of loaves, made of new wheat, on this day, as the first-fruits of their new corn. 6.-TRANSFIGURATION. Though this day was observed in remembrance of our Lord's Transfiguration on the Mount, by the primitive Christians, yet it is but of recent date in the church of Rome; as it was not instituted by Pope Calixtus until the year 1455. 7.-NAME OF JESUS. Before the Reformation, this day was dedicated to Afra, a woman who had been converted to Christianity by Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, and who afterwards suffered martyrdom; and the breviary was recognized by Paul V. Afterwards Donatus, who became a martyr in the time of Julian for refusing to sacrifice, was substituted in her place. Our reformers devoted it to the NAME OF OUR BLESSED LORD. 10. SAINT LAWRENCE. St. Lawrence was, by birth, a Spaniard, and treasurer of the church of Rome, being deacon to Pope Sextus, about the year 259. Soon afterwards, his bishop was killed by the soldiers of Valerian the emperor, with whom our saint would willingly have died. Lawrence refusing to deliver up the church treasure, which they imagined to be in his custody, he was laid upon a gridiron, and broiled over a fire. The celebrated palace of the Escurial is dedicated to this saint. See this described in T. T. for 1814, p. 199. 12. 1762.-PRINCE REGENT BORN. 15.-ASSUMPTION. This is a festival in the Greek and Romish churches, in honour of the supposed miraculous ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven. *19. 1782.-ROYAL GEORGE SUNK Off Spithead, when its whole crew, consisting of 800 souls, with the unfortunate Admiral Kempenfeldt, perished! 24. SAINT BARTHOLOMEW. The word Bartholomew means the son of Tolmai, or Tolomæus, the name of a family among the Jews, mentioned by Josephus. He preached the Gospel in Armenia, converted the Lycaonians, and afterwards visited India. Some authors assert that he was crucified, like St. Peter, with his head downwards; others, however, with more probability, say, that he was flayed alive, by order of Astyages, King of Armenia. *24. 1812.-LINES BY HON. ST. GEORGE TUCKER. The following sweet and touching lines appeared in the Canadian Courant of the above date, and were written on being solicited to know why the author had ceased to court the inspiration of the poetic muse: Days of my youth! ye have glided away; Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and grey; Augustine was born at Thagaste, a town in Numidia, in the year 354. He early applied himself to the study of polite literature, and became a professor of philosophy and rhetoric, first at Rome, and afterwards at Milan. He next diligently studied theology, in which he was instructed by St. Ambrose, with whom he contracted an intimate acquaintance. In the year 388, he returned to his native country, and, three years afterwards, was chosen Bishop of Hippo. Augustine was a judicious divine, and the most voluminous writer of all the Fathers. He died in 430, at the age of 77. 29.-JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADED. This day was formerly denominated Festum Col lectionis Sancti Johannis Baptista; or the feast of gathering up St. John the Baptist's relics; but afterwards, by corruption, Festum Decollationis, the festival in remembrance of his being beheaded. His na tivity is celebrated on the 24th of June, which see. *31. 1688. JOHN BUNYAN DIED, The well known author of The Pilgrim's Progress, a work, which, perhaps, next to the Bible and Prayer-book, has gone through more editions than any other. From the age in which it was written, and from the station in life in which the author was bred, that of a tinker, it contains much quaintness, and much that is obsolete, as well as some coarseness. The Rev. Joshua Gilpin has, therefore, we think, rendered the public an acceptable service in revising it, and curtailing its redundancies, and softening the style of it. *AUGUST 1819. MEETINGS OF RÉFORMERS. No occupation; all men idle, all, And women too, but innocent and pure: All things in common Nature should produce, I would with such perfection govern, Sir, SHAKSPEARE. Astronomical Occurrences In AUGUST 1820. THE Sun enters Virgo at 7 m. after 7 in the morning of the 23d of this month; and he rises and sets at the following times during the same period, viz. |