;r^^; \u\ a LIBRARY. ^ w mi \V. IMNNOCK. EN \ l-ilii Pia iX L'ii 5 5 n C 'I'UlllA YOUNG LADY'S LIBRARY W. PINNOCK. YOUNG LADY'S LIBRARY OF USEFUL & ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE; INTENDED AS A HOLIDAY OR BIRTH-DAY PRESENT. Embellished with THIRTY-FOtm BEAUTIFUL ENGRAVINOS BV M. V. SEARS. By W. PINNOCK, Author of Pi nnock.'s Catechisms; Histories of England, Greece, and Rome; Grammar of Modern Geography, &c. &i' " We ought to teach Cliildren that which will be most useful t(i them when they become Adults." AgesiLACS, C King of Sparta. J LONDON : LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN, PATERNOSTER ROV'. W. Sears, Printer, 11, hudge Row, W.lbr.wk, London. StacK Annex PREFACE. 55'S " Get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding." One of the most honourable characteristics of the present age, is the incessant and anxious exer- tion which is making towards the fulfilment of this injunction of the sacred writer. Those who have been happy enough to experience the uses and the delights of knowledge, far from wishing to monopolize it, are among the most forward in the glorious work of extending its influence, and facilitating its acquirement. No rank is too mean to be of consequence in the estimation of those philosophical and benevolent persons, who are at once conferring happiness upon indivi- duals, and increased power upon their country. They are well aware of the truth of Bacon's maxim, that ''knowledge is power;" and they are also aware, that a nation can only be permanently great in proportion to the intelli- gence of its population. Impressed with this truth, they have largely provided, and extensively distributed, the means of improvement. Me- chanics' Societies, Literary Institutions, Public Libraries, and Periodical and General Publi- cations of every tlenomination, are working their most bencticial cH'ects on our population. While we yield all due praise to these meri- torious and useful exertions, we must not lose sight of the fact, that the good which is pro- ducible by them must always he partial, because they contemplate the instruction of adults onlij. We are far, very far from under-rating this partial good, — we are only anxious that it shall not be mistaken for a universal one. The full object and intent of the philanthropists and patriots above mentioned, cannot be effected with the present generation. Ignorance produces vice, and the latter, by a re-action, becomes the cause of a still greater ignorance, which, in its turn, generates increased and more incurable vice. Miu'ls which have weltered from infancy to youth, and from youth to maturity, in ignorance, are too deeply sunk in its corroding slough, and too PREFACE. iii firmly wedded to its base enjoyments, to accept, and much more to profit by, the instruction which the wise would afford them. Whether the child be trained up in the way in which he should go, or in which he should not go, it is certain that, " When he is old he will not depart there- from.'* Habit is second nature, and it must be obvious to all, who properly reason upon the subject, that when vice and prejudice have long held possession, the words of wisdom will have little chance of being heard. The most efficient mode, therefore, of producing a universal diffu- sion of wisdom, is to sow its seeds in the pure young bosom of the rising generation. They must become the depositories of that wisdom which would be distasteful as well as useless to their fathers, and on them must hereafter devolve the important duty of still more widely diffusing it. It is upon these grounds, and in the humble desire to render some little assistance in preparing the minds of youth for the reception of lighter knowledge in their more mature years, that the author has composed the following pages. De- voted to no particular science, and having for its sole object the blending of instruction with amuse- ment, this little work consists of a series of articles as varied as excellent, a kind of Literary and Sci- entific melange, eminently calculated, by its pleas- ing variety, to captivate the ever-active minds of youth, and of su( li a form as to admit of being carefully perused either for hours or for a few brief minutes. The subjects of this work have been selected, and the articles have been written, with the greatest possible care ; the author having sedulously excluded every thing which, in senti- ment or expression, might, in the slightest degree, be improper for the perusal of youth. It is well observed by a certain talented author, tliat " The pleasures of science or knowledge go hand in hand with the solid benefits derived from it," and that '* they tend, unlike other gratifica- lions, not only to make our lives more agreeable, but better.'' Surely, then, no persuasion is neces- sary, to induce rational parents to furnish their children with the means of procuring that ines- timable union of pleasure and gain, without alloy, which wisdom affords, and which, instead of being at the ex pence of virtue, goes hand in hand with it, graces, strengthens, and supports it. Being well assured that all judicioiis parents will up- PREFACE. prove of the intention of the present little work, the author confidently hopes for public patronage. Should he meet with the encouragement he an- ticipates, these volumes will, at no distant period, be followed by others on a somewhat similar plan, containing a larger store of still more important and interesting knowledge. .lust Published, The YOUNG GENTLEMAN'S LIBRARY of Useful and Entertainiho Knowledge, intended as a Holiday or Birth-day Present. Embellished with Thirty- five Engra\ings. By the same Author. Price 7s. 6d. ALSO, GEOGRAPHY MADE EASY, intended for the use of Young Children, with Thirty-five Maps, and Sixty-eight Costumes of various Nations. By the same Author. Price Is. 3d. CONTENTS. Page I 5 11 18 19 27 Jandaby - - ■ " January 1. -New Year's Day Juliet's Tomb Useful Maxims Newstead Abbey Useful Maxims - ' ' .^ The Mount of Olives, from Jerusalem - " ^^ Twelfth Day - - - ' '39 The Porcelain Tower of China Church of St. Germain's - • "44 February - - ' " ^g Valentine's Day - - ' 58 Laconics - - ' " ^ Brighton Cnain Pier - - ■ 63 Wigan Well - - - " 65 Laconics - - " ' March - - " " '70 Clocks and Watches - - " ' ,^ - 74 Spring - - ■ g^ Howard, the Philanthropist - - '90 The Rath, or Burmese State Carriage The Bridge of Sighs at Venice - - - ^1'"' " ' " " ' 107 ApriU.-All Fool's Day - - " ' m Automata and Androides - - - " „a _ - lis Mausoleum at Atrra \lil C OUT! JIT*. Pace Til* Proridesc* of (k««l la M«y \u ToUr ExpcdiUoM IJH Ymtj l-TT The Vo|unUT7 \xmgrr - l» IxM-usta u*. Sutnmrr 149 Virtue IM T\\e KmplortDcot of Tttoe 157 Ortlrr IM H/-»il.n(r IW r..htr.,.« I'i I)rn» IM l(^> IVltr»ry l'>H Ir».4i.i.l.ty lt« JlltK' in (»rieoUl ApoplithrgTiii 170 S..,nrt irr Mu».r 1""' Ih-aaing iHi Ailronoitory ApoptithrfVM IBS I>»ncii»c 186 July im Air lUll.wM iro Thr PortUnd Vmt i« Tl»e Alirtioda or llnoda . •;in The Alp* •.>.v, Cntwrirnre .M^ Aiit:iieti, or North American Klk l.xeeution of a Crimiiul wi the San.lw.rh Isliud* Thr Royal Humane Society Tlie Curfew - Vegetablet (ilaM Novrmlx'r /.*KiloKy . or the Natural Hi-'ti.ry «>f AmiiuU II*«tmK» CajrtU. Stiiwx - Winter liKtory <>rtn»eut I»,ity toward* Friends iKjx.rtiuent towards Inferiors Dreanw and Aiiparitiou* December The (\)nver«ion of St Paul Shrove Tuesday Pmlra Sunday MauncUy Thursday IX P«ge 231 238 242 243 247 r>i ^'»3 2t3l 260 2tW 274 279 281 2K3 284 289 202 2f>4 :u>3 MiS 307 310 312 31.'> 317 320 325 331 336 336 YOUNG LADY'S LIBRARY; JANUARY Is the first month in the year, aeeording to the Christian method of computation, and it is also the coldest of the twelve. It derives its name from the Heathen god Jauus, to whom the Romans dedicated this portion of the year, B and who was by them rcproscnted with two faces ; the onf, thul of nn old man, Ixini; typical • of his n.'lros|H.'ct of Ur \rAsi ; and tlic other, a youthful countenance, denoting hi.> pruspcit of the future. The Pagan mytholosry describes Janus' as the god of gatrs and avt-nues, and iCl new undertakings ; and he wa<» di-1ineatc-d with a key in one hand, and a stafl'in the other, the symbols of his opening and governing the year. Some- times he bore also in one hand the number 300, and in tlu- otlier <>•>, being the number of days in a year. On other oceasions, his image was made withybiir heads, an«l erected in a square temple, having a door and three win dows in each of it^ four sides, as emblematical of the four seasons anti their twelve months. The zodiacal sign of Jiinuar)- is Atjuarius (the Water bearer). The Saxi>ns called this month Wolf mono t, or Woff- mimthy because tlie Wolves, which anciently infested Uie I'ritish forests, constrained bj hunger at this desolate M-as.m, were wont to attack even man himself, which they never did till the inclemency of the wuatlier bod de»tn)ye«l, <>r put to flight, the inferior animals on which they gene rally fed. The Saxons also called January /F/teryula (q/icr tfuh), or, after Christmas. Our aneeston* depicte«l January as a woodman, carrying faggoLs or an axe, and shivering and blowing his fingers. The inimitable poet Spensvr, thus describes him. in his " Faerie Uueine:" — * Knililcnutical, ^^\Intl*.■ JANIARY. •' r\\itn came old January, wrapped well In inauy weeds, to keep the cold a\fay ; Yet he quake and (inivcr like to quell, And blow his nayl.s t- warm them if he may ; For they were nurahd with holding all the day A hatrhrtt keene, with which he ftlh-d wood, And from the trees did lop the needle.*.- spray." In January, the increasing influence of the sun issearooly fell in our climate. Upon an average, St. Hilary's day (the 1 1th) has usually been found the coldest of the year. The ordinary appearances of the month arc peculiarly inte- resting. The small rivers and ponds arc frozen over, and the gliding streams become, as it were, blocks and slabs of p,dished marble ;- the snow clothes the ground with its beau- tiful robe of whiteness; and the hoar frost dresses the trees with crystals, which sparkle like the most brilliant jewel- lery. In w-inter, the feathered race become more imme- .liately dependant on man. Who feels not then the warm glow of pity for the little red-breast that comes to our doors and windows for his crumbs, and whose note is doubly har- monious, from the contrast of its cheerfulnees to the dreariness around ? When the earth is intensely hardened by the frost, and the snow conceals the ordinaiy food of birds, the larks take shelter in the warm stubble ; the bUvckbirdsand thrushes nestle in the hedges ; the fieldfares, that come to our climate from colder countries, seek the neiv^hbourhood of towns; the little wrens find some snug hole in a thatch or hayrick: and the sparrows and chaf- finches fly to the farm yards, to watch for the scanty pittance of the barn door. Many animals lie in a t«»rpid state durinjr the winter. The frog ami the snake become benumbed, and to appear- ance dead, till the return of warmth. Some sleep uninter ruptedly during the inclement season : of this species is the dormouse, which derives its name from its dormant habits : others, having laid up a store of provision for the period of cold, keep close within their retreats ; the squirrel and field-mouse are specimens of this prudent class. Winter is the season of repose to the vegetable worlds and therefore during its continuance the plough and the spade are but little used. The farmer mends his hedges, and spreads manure, and the gardener trains his trees. Towards the end of the month, however, the days imper eeptibly lengthen, and the temperature increases. Then the thrush and the blackbird utter their firm and cheering notes J and the wren, the hedge-sparrow, and the grateful robin, arc heard chirping in the leafless trees. The linnet» congregate ; and lambs, lovely lambs are brought forth, reijuiring from the hands of man in this dreary time all the tenderness which is proverbially attributed to a good shepherd. In January, beware of sudden exposure to htat after having remained long in the cold air. Nothing is more dangerous, for cold renders the body more susceptible of impression, and the consequence of coming then suddenly into a warm room is a quickenetl action of the blootl, which fre«iuently causes inflammation. Hence also catarrhs, rheumatisms, and other inflamuiat4^>ry diseases. Running very quickly after ha\ing stood shivering in the cold, often pro'luces the same effects. Chilblains may be prevented by frequent rubbing of the hands or feet, which promotes the circulation of the blood. In this inclement portion of the year, when all nature seems to be shrunk into herself, fearful of exertion till the revivifying beams of the spring-time sun shall rouse her to her accustomed duties — when eveiy part of the animal creati(m claims from man more than ordinary care and j)ity; the tender grateful roiiw hovers timidly about your windows and doors, watching for the proceeds of your bounty, and chirping sweetly in return for the crumbs which you bestow. Then let your heart overflow with gratitude for the numberless blessings yon possess; let compassion for the less fortunate, but equally deserving, incite you to benevolence, and while you supply the neces- sities of the little birds, determine also to alleviate the privations and distresses of the poor and needy. January 1.— NEW YEAR'S DAY. " Again the smoothly circulating year, Beneath fair skies serene and clear, Completes its gentle round ; Sweet bells in tuneful sounds express Gay thanks for rural happiness, And months with plenty crown'd." C Anon. J The birth of a new year, as Elia says, is of an interest 6 NEW year's dav. too wide to be pretermitted by king or cobler. No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left, — it is the nativity of our common father---Adam. No day is more worthy of being kept as a holiday, for no day is of more general interest--it is the birth-day of the year-the anniversary of the Creation. On it, another year sinks into the lapse of ages, never to return-on it, a new succession of hours, days, weeks, and months, begins to glide away into the same irrecover- able abyss. Among the Romans, the first day of January was ap- pointed for the entering of the magistrates on their office * and on this day it was customary for them to wish each (jther '* (iood fortune," and to send presents to their friends. We have various authorities to prove that congratu lations, presents, and visits, were made by the Romans on this day. The origin of the custom is ascribed to Romulus* and Tatiusf, and the usual presents were figs and dates, covered with leaf gold. These were sent by * The generally supposed founder of RoMF, but whirb opinion appears to r<^ on n<> l)ettiT foundation tlian mere fabulous tradition. The uncertainty which prevailed on tliis subject, even in anrient time*, is clearly evinced by the numorous and *-arying accounts'of the origrin i>flhat city, which are mentioneil by Plutarch in the introduction to hi-t life of Romulus, in which, prolMblv, is the best account of the origin of this city ever printed. + King of CuTe» (a town and people^ among the Sabines of Italy. He shared the royal authority with Romulus, with whom be lived in the grcati'st union. He was murdered B C. 742. MEW YEAR'S DAY. 7 clients to patrons, accompanied by a piece of money, which was expended to purchase the statues of deities. Many relics of this Roman custom are preserved in the cabinets of the curious. Among them, an amphora, or jar, still exists, having an inscription on it, denoting that it was a new year's present from the potters to their patroness. Also a piece of Roman pottery, with an inscription wishing " a happy new year to you;" another, where a person wishes it to himself and his son ; and three medallions, on which are represented the laurel leaf, fig, and date; one being of the emperor Commodus ; another of Victory ; and the third of Janus, standing in a temple, with an inscription, wishing a new year to the emperor.* New year's gifts were continued under the Roman emperors, until Claudius prohibited the custom. Yet in the early ages of the church, the Christian emperors received them ; nor did they wholly cease, although con- demned by ecclesiastical councils on account of the pagan ceremonies at their presentation. Our own ancestors were always accustomed to observe New Year's eve and morn with peculiar honour. Debarred by the state of the weather from most of their amusements and exercises out of doors, they determined to make amends for that privation by giving full vent to their animated and cheerful spirits before their blazing hearths ; and from Christmas eve till after Twelfth-day, was one continued scene of revelry and entertainment. At the pei'iod of the * These articles are mentioned by Dr Fosbroke, in his Encyclo- pedia of Antiquities. H NEW year's dav. decease of the old and the birth of the new year, they drank a farewell to the spirit of " the departetl ;" and h> greet the appearance of the new era, the wassail bowl* was broug:ht in, well filled with wine or ale, in which floated roasted apples, sutrared, and stuck with spices. This en- livening composition was called Lamb\ means the li()uor »> made, as me ntiunrd above, <>r a drinking bout. i Thost who drink iiard, ^ol^ drunkards. NEW VEAIl's DAV. 9 tion of the elegant and beautiful " Souvenirs,"--" Forget- me-nots,"---" Amulets," &c. and the still more useful " Young Ladifs Library of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge,*^ which now issue from the press, gives a chance and a hope of renval of those tioily agreeable offerings at the shrine of friendship and of love. The lively French contrive to make something more of New Year's Day than our English gravity will allow us to do. They think, that as it is the^r^f, it should also be the happiest day of the year. They occupy it, therefore, in visitings, embracings, congratulations, good wishes, and the presenting of sweetmeats called bonbons. Of the latter, Mrs. Plumtre, in her " Residence iu France," very pleas- ingly tells us, that " the shops of the confectioners are dressed up the day before with looking-glasses, intermixed with festoons of silk or muslin, and bunches of ribbands or flowers. The counters are covered over with a nice table- cloth, and set out with cakes, sweetmeats, dried fruits, and bonbons, made up into pyramids, castles, columns, or any forms which the taste of the decorator may suggest; and in the evening they are illuminated for the reception of company, who come to buy their bonbons for the next day. Endless are the de\ices for things in which they are to be enclosed : there are little boxes or baskets made of satin, ornamented with gold, silver, or foil : balloons,— -books,— fruit, such as apples, pears, oranges ;---or vegetables, such as a cauliflower, a root of celery, an onion :---any thing, in short, which can be made with a hollow within to hold the bonhons. In these things, the prices of which vary from 1(1 NKW YCAR's day. one franc to fifty, the bonbons are presented by those who choose to be at the oxpcnce of them : and by those who do not, they are wrapped in a piece of paper ; but bonbons in some way or other must be presented." Among the Scotch, the vigil (or preceding night) of this day is celebrated with the utmost festivity, accompanied by the mosl intense anxiety among the juniors to hear tlie stroke of tmli^. Careful is every swain to post himself at the door of his sweetheart long l>cf«)re the last stroke " o'/ira/," lest a rival should anticipate him, for at that hour ilie first foot, or favoureil youth of each expecting damsel, is privilcgetl to enter, and prove all the strength of his love by the ardour of the salute with which he greets his blushing fair one. Then all delight tbemselvcs in happy converse, and tlie *' (fude not yvar^'' is haileing preparetl the lu't-pint, they sallied out as the clock struck twelve, to be the first at the house of a sweetheart or friend. The streets of Auld Reekie were then crowded ; lights flashed from numerous lanteiTis, and the tumultuous joys of the raerrj- wanderers were uproarious : but of late years, this innocent and good-humoured mirth has been interrupted by riots, and e%en, sometimes, by murder, and such disastrous JULIET'S TOMB. 1 1 consequences have caused a great decline in this mode of celebrating the New Year in the Northern Metropolis. In London, New Year's Day is scarcely thought of as a day to be celebrated. Some few circles of friends, perhaps, meet at each other's tables, and spend the day in hilarity, wishing " A happy New Year" to those around them J but this is the extent of the day's festivities. It is, however, a day fit for serious reflection, and whilst we congratulate ourselves on enjoying another year, wc should think with deep commiseration on those poor creatures who are starving and shivering through all the rigours of this inclement season, and, as a token of gratitude to the Almighty for the many comforts he has bestowed on us, we ought to open our hearts and purses to the relief of the poor and destitute. JULIET'S TOMB. The pathetic and affecting tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, one of the master-pieces of Shakespeare's genius, has its foundation in fact, and the principal incidents which he has so skilfully introduced, and which have so magic an effect, both in the reading and representation, have their origin in nature. Near the church of San Francesco de Citadella, at Verona,* is a small garden, in which is an old sarco- * The capital city of the Veronese, in Italy. It is situated on tht^ river Adigr, in the territ'^ry of Venice. 12 pliaijus,* much oorroil«il l»y time, ami mutilat<*il i»y the vt-noration of those who wished to possess a fra'^mont oi what is, on (rood nutiiority, considered " the Tomh <>i JlLIET." This interesting relic lay in the church of St. Pernio Magiriore, and subseijuently was rcmovetl to its present station. To prevent its total demolition, a heavy penalty is inflicted on those who do farther damacrc to this vene- rated monument. It is just six feet lonif, and wide enoui^h to contain two bodies. The Btory, as told by C;irolamo della Corte, is briofly as follows: Durin'j: the mayoralty of Signer Bartolomeo at Veronat in the year 1303, occurred the death of two unfortunate lovers, who fell victims to the long and bloo his britle : but an unhappy occurrence interrupted! his felicity, for in a furious encounter between the young men of the rival houses, to which Romeo exerted himself to put a stop, he was furiously assaulted by one Tehaldo, whom he was oblit^cd to slay in self-defence. To avoid the danirerous consequences of this unfortunate occurrence, Romeo fled to Mantua, and Juliet was com- manded to wid a person ehoson by her parents. In this extremity she consulted Father Lonardo, who advised the following: stratagem. He prepared, by his skill in ehemistrj', a pition for Juliet, which would cast her into a sleep resembling death. This Juliet reatlily swallowed, and its eilects being exactly as the Father had foretold, Juliet was supposed U> Iht dead, and was laid in the vault of h.r ancestors. In the mean time Lonardo sent a messenger to Mantua, to acijuaint Romeo with their stratagem, and that his wife would soon join him. I'nhappily the news of her death arriveil before the friar's courier, and Romeo, overcome with grief, had set out with all speetl to visit the tomb of his beloved. Without losing a moment, he hastened to the spot, which was without the church, opened the sarco- phagus, and, after shedding a flood of tears over what he supposed her lifeless remains, swallowed poison, laid himself down by her side, and expired just as the friar arrived to remove Juliet from her dismal habitation. Here, to his horror and amazement, he found Romeo JU'^.IET'S TOMl^. 1,5 (load within the tomb, and heard from the weeping attend- ant, that had aecompanicd his master from Mantua, the particulars of this melancholy event. At this crisis the unhappy Juliet awoke from her trance, and hearina: the dreadful occurrence, overpowered by the shock, fell dead on the body of her faithful Romeo. So deeply affected were the heads of the two rival fami- lies of Montecchi and Capuletti, on hearing of the fate of these tender lovers, that they forgot their mutual animo- suies, so far as to unite in bestowing on them the most splendid obsequies. Their bodies reposed together in the same tomb, which, says the narrator, I have often seen, close to the well of the poor disciples of St. Francis. Shakespeare, in dramatising this affecting ston,-, has deviated very little from the incidents here related, and, in general, merely changed the names of the characters ; but he has attached to the narrative a high degree of inte- rest by the natural manner in which all are made to per- form their part. The fiery Tybalt, the facetious Mercutio, the presuming Paris, the gentle yet valiant Romeo, the tender and affectionate Juliet, are pourtraycd with a truth and beauty worthy the pen of the poet of natuie. Although it is interesting to know the true history of those tragic occurrences in private life which, from their peculiar nature and consequences, have become notorious in the world, and afforded a foundation for legendary tales and poetical compositions ; yet, in general, the penisal of such events should engender a spirit of caution rather than of admiration in the youthful and impassioned mind. ir» jii.iet's tomh. ^\ ith l\\\> feci i ML' we present to our juvenile roa»K'rs tin- ril)ove account of the striking incidents which throw a Qiournful .thade of regret over the history of two most unfortunate lovers; whose names have U'en celebrated as patterns of faithful love, and as martyrs to an unhappy piLssion : and, in doing this, we feel it our duty to remark, that oiiKDiEN(E TO PARENTS IS one of the primar) an«l Mjitfct positive injunctions of the Supreme Being. It is seldom that we find happiness or peace of mind to be the portion <o said, that the youthful lovers were justified in the course they pursued. It is difljrult to determine what extremity of circum stances can justify filial disolnrdience : but in reference to our unfortunate hero and heroine, we can readily concede tliat, if in any ease such justification may be allowed, they were peculiarly cntitletl to plead it Yet, as such extreme cnsos sclilom now occur, we must ix*rsist in applying gene- rally the obsi-rvalions we have already made ; and in JILIET'S TOMIJ. 17 allowing a jinjtiflcation only when circumstances arc especially extraordinary, ami arise from an unnatuial and improper opposition in the parents. The history of Romeo and Juliet indeed presents us with a most lamentable illustration of the misery which results from the unbridled indulgence of bad passions. Had not the parents of those youthful sufferers allowed themselves to be carried away by an execrable spirit of hatred to each other, and to their families, the melancholy events which wc have recorded would never have occurred. The spirit of family or party feud was in those days carried to a most lamentable extent, in every nation, and that too among people who professed themselves Christians. It is a subject of great congratulation to modem Englishmen, that the wholesome restraint of their laws prevents the open conse- quences of enmity ; but no human regulations could pre- vent the occurrence of circumstances so private and so fatal in their nature as those we have related. We can only therefore deprecate most uncciuivocally the indulgence of such horrible passions, which are at all times so likely to be the cause of similar tragical events ; and exhort every one who professes himself to be a Christian, to follow practically those peaceable, mild, and philanthropic pre- cepts which Christianity especially inculcates. One other remark may conclude our reflections on this mournful record. Whatever may have been the trials and suti'erings of the unfortunate hero, and however much he might have been justified in his preceding actions, nothing whatever could extenuate the crime of self-murder. Sui- 18 HATRED. cide is at all trmes revolting and criniinal. " Thou shalt do NO murder," is the express injuuetion of the Almijrhty, and whosoever impiously terminates his own existence, i» both a etmtemncr of God's eommandnicnts, and the most palti^' of cowanb- He weakly hopes to fly fnim the pressure and sorrow of earthly calamities, without bestow ing a thouijht on the still more horrible and enduring torments which await the mirdkmer in another world ! tSEFL'L MAXIMS. The greatest flood has the soonest ebb; the sorest tempest the most sudden calm ; the hottest love the coldest end; and from the dtrpest desire oftentimes ensues the deadliest hate. A wise man haii rather be envied for providence, than pitied for pro«Uerality. Rcvenjfe barketh only at the stars, and spite spurns at that she cannot reach. An envious man waxeth lean with the fatness of his ncii^hbours. En\'y is the daug:hter of pride, the author of murder ii.itl revenge, the beginner of secret sedition, and the perpetual tormentor of virtue. Envy is the filthy slime of the soul ; a venom, a poison, or quicksilver which con- sumeth the flesh, and drieth up the marrow of the b<.»ncs. — iyocratcs. NEWSTLAD AUIILV, 19 NEWSTEAD ABBEY. Newstead Ahhey has a twofold claim to the attention of the public — for its history, and for its connection with that of one of our most celebrated poets, whose eccentrici- ties have contributed something to the notice which his poems have received. Newstead Abbey is of venerable antiquity, having been a monasteiy of black canons of the order of St Augustine, founded by Henry II. about the year 1170. It was richly endowed with the church and town of Papelwick, and large tracts of land in the forest of Shei-wood. At the dissolution of monasteries, in the reign of Henry VIII. Newstead was granted to sir John Byron, lieutenant 20 \EMf STEAD AUUEV. ol SIk rwooil Forcbl, who fltlcxi up part of the ctlifiec for his «>wn rtsi«lcncc, and inrorp<>ratc«l the south aiitlc of tin.- church with the mansion, but suffered the rest to go to decay. Durin;; its days of splendour, it is described as situated in a vale, in the midst of an extensive plain, finely planted. On one side of the house a spacious lake was commenced, ;uul on the other, one already eomplet«xl, flowed almost up to the mansion. On the banks of this lake were two castles, with cannon mounle«l on the walls, which formed piclurestjuc objects, and a twentytnm ship, with several yachts and boats lying at anchor, threw an air of pleaging cheerfulness over the whole scene. The front of the .Abbey Church has a most noble and majestic apj)earance, Ininp built in the form of the wi-st end of a cathedral, oilorocd with rich canintni and lofty pinnacles. In the court yard was an antique cross of red >lone, but it has been removed by the present proprietor. Some differences having arisen between William, the fifth l.iid r>yron, and the father of the poit, tliat nobleman sold every thing l>elonging to the mansion, and suffered both the house and grounds to go to decay. On the acces- sion of the late lord to the title, be refurnished many of the apartments in a splendid manner, but, with a mo«t un- accountable negligence, suffered the roof to become w» ruinous, as tei admit the water in rainy weather. " The paper had rotted on the walls," says an intelligent writir on this subject, " and fell in toinfortlcjib sheets upon glow iiig caiiKts and cunopicj, npon beiLs of crimson and gold. NEWSTEAl) ABBEV. 21 clogging the wings of glittt-iing eagles, and destroying gorgeous coronets." The Abbey is now the property of major Wildman, who is restoring it in a style of classical and appropriat..- mag- nificence. Having thus bricHy noticed Newstead as a memento of times long past, and as a relic of those magnificent religious edifices which we owe to the piety and superstition of our ancestors, we proceed to a more modern cause of its cele- brity, — its connection with the history of the great poet of our day, George CJordon IJyron, lord lUron. The fiimily of liyron is of great anti(|uity, they are mentioned in J)oomsday Hook* as considerable landholders in Lancashire, and sir Kichard Byron, who died in 1398, acquired possessions in Nottinghamshire, by marrj'ing the heiress of Colewick. Sir John Byron, one of his descendants, obtained a grant of the Abbey of Newstead, at the dissolution of monasteries, as has already been observed, and the family continued eminent for their loyalty, during the troublesome times that followexl. The first peer was created October 24, 1643, by the title o( Lord Bijron, for his eminent services on the side of the king,t during the civil wars. Although the fortunes of the family were much injured by their adherence to the royal cause, and several members • A book compiled by order of ^^'illiam the Conqueror, in which was enrolled an account of all the lands of England, their value, and their proprietors. The original still exista, and i? preserved in the Tower of liondon + Charles 1, -2 NEWSTEAD ABBKV. of it fell victims to their loyalty on the field of battle, vit till- j>ruilenco and economy of Richard lonl Byron en- Mixl him to i-e-purcha&e part of his ancient patrimony, iionjr which was Newstead Abbey. l^y the extravagances of some of his descendants, the property was very much injured, and the family seat jht milted to go to decay : this «as particularly the case while > I was in the possession of the uncle of the poet, as has ilrcaily been obser\ed. Lord Byron was «lesccnded from royalty-, his mother be- ing Miss Gordon, of Bight, who reckoned among her an- cestors James II. of Scotland. Her marriage proving unhappy, she, soon after the birth of her son, which took place in London, .lanuarj- 22, 1788, retired with him to Al)erdeen, where she had to struggle witli the inconveniences • >f a narrow income. From infancy IJyron was of a delicate constitution, l)ut of a bold and determined spirit. At the age of sc^en he was sent to the ;;rammar school, where he was among the boldest of his fellow students, though eompelUtl, by ill health, to occasional absence from his studiejj. During his residence in Scotland, he is supposed to have imbibed that spirit of freedom which has always character- iseil him, and that attachment to Scotland of which he ■>lK^aks in his Don Juan : " I rail'd at Scot*, to slu-w my wntli and wit. Which must \ye own'd mu< wnntive and nirly, V«'t *tis ill vain surh faUica to |M-nnit, 'Ilicy cauDOt «|iu-iich young fi-ebnf^ fn->li and rarly : I " frotch'd not kill'd" the Scotchman iu my blood, And love the laiid of mountain md of flitod." NKWSTEVD ABBE v. 2'^ By the death of his father ami uncle, he succeeded to the titles and estates of the family, at the early ac:c of ten years. He was now removed to Harrow School, and from thence to Trinity Colle-e, Camhrid-e. In his ninteenth year he quitted the university, and took up his residence at Newstead. Here he composed his poem denominated " Hours of Idleness," which was roughly handled by the Edinhurirh Reviewers: by their strictures, however, they drew on themselves the lash of his lordship's satire in another poem, called " Knj^lish Bards ami Scotch Reviewers." At the proper age he took his seat in the House of Lords, and distinguished himself, during his short par liamentaiy career, as a warm and zealous advocate in the cause of freedom. On setting out on his travels, in company with his friend Hobhouse, he wrote a farewell to Newstead, which, as deserip tive of its then state, and as a specimen of his juvenile productions, may be thought deserving of insertion : — " Tliro" thy battlements Newstead, tlie hollow winds whistle, Thou, the hall of my fathers, art gone to decay ; In thy once smiling garden, the hemlock and thistle Have chok'd up the rose which late bloom'd in the way. Of the mail-cover'd barons, who proudly to battle Led their vaasals from Europe to Palestine's plain. The escutcheon and shield, which with ev'ry blast rattle, Are the only sad vertices now that remain. 24 NEWSTEAD ABBEY. No more ^\ol\\ old Ilolxrt, with liarp-strlnging numben, liaise a lUme in the breast, for Uia war-burell'd wreath; Near ,\skelon's towen*, John of lloriston iilunibera, I'linerv'd is the hand of his Miustrel, by death. Paul and Hubert, too, »leep in the ^illey of Cresy, For th-- afety of Edward and England they fell ; My fathers ! the tears of your country redres you. How you fought ! how you died! still her aanals can tell. On Marston, with Rupert, 'gainst traitor* contending, Four brothers eniich'd, with their blood, the bleak field, For the rights of a monarch, their country defending, Till death their atUchment to royalty aeal'd. Shades of heroes, farewell ! your descendant departing Frr)m the scats of your ancestors, bids yrtu adieu ! Abroad or at home, your remembranee imparting New courage, he'll think upon glory and you. Though a tear dim his eyes at this sad separation, 'Tis nature, not fear, that excites his regret; Far distant he gr>es, with the sime emulaiion, The fame of his fathers he ne'er can forget That fame, and tliat memory, still will he cberiA, He vows, Uut he ne'er will disgrace your renown; Like you will he U\e, or like you will be peri»h; When decay'd, may he mingle his dust with your own." He visited Spain, Portugal, and Greece, and, soon after his return to England, in 1811, published several of those pieces which rank him among the first pocUi of the age. NEWSTEAD ABBEV. 2o In 1815, he married the only daughter of Sir Ralph Noel Milbanke, but the union was by no means a happy one. Unfitted for domestic scenes, his irregularities occa- sioned a separation, soon after the birth of his daughter, and his lordship left England for ever. He first took up his residence on the borders of the lake of Geneva,* and afterwards lived some time at Venice and Pisa.f From these places he transmitted the productions of his muse to London, where they were published, and read with avidity. Having realized large sums by his works, he now deter- mined to advocate the cause of the Cireeks, who were nobly struggling for freedom, and to devote to it his fortune, his pen, and his sword. Accordingly he embarked at Leg- liorn,:}: and arrived at Cephalonia || in August 1823, where he remained some time, endeavouring to discover where his exertions could most successfully be made. At length he sailed for Missolonghi, § and narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the I'urks, who had a squadron of fifty ships in those seas. On his arrival, his ardour was in some measure damped, on perceiving the dissention and selfishness of the leaders, the disorganisation of the forces, and the inhumanity with which the contest was carried on. These evils he exerted himself to remedy, but with little success, and it is supposed that disappointment, and the • In Switzerland. + Cities of Italy, t An Italian Port. II One of the Ionian Islandi^, in the Mediterranean Sea. I A city of Greece. D StC) NEWSTEAD ABHEV. effects of the climato, preyoil on his bodily and mental powers, nnd reduced him to a state of exhaustion, which threatened serious consc'arry to co-opcraU with him in ren dering seruce to the (Greeks, .^ve him preat pleasure, and proved exhilarating to his spiriL«. Private letters likewise, containing favourable accounts of his sister and daughter, added to his cheerfulness, and hopes were entertained that his health would be restoretl. But these hopes sonn vanished. Being exposed to a hcav} rain in one of his rides, he was sei?^, soon after his return, with a shuddering, succeeded by fever and rheumatic pains. It is supposed that, had copious blcetling been early resorted to, the fever might have l>een subdued. Be this as it may, his lordship grew rapidly worse, anil delirium with inflammation of the brain succeeded. This was followed by a state of insensibility which continued twenty-four hours, when he expired without a struggle, April 10, 1821. Lord Byron has left behind him a mixed character, l>y no means fit to be recommended as a model for youth. He possessed the fine qualities of generosity and benevolence, but these were more than counterbalanced by his liber tinism and sensuality. His writiugs show that he enter- tained but a mean opinion of mankind, and supposed that female chastity existed only in name; yet his own inte grity of purpose, though warjicd by circumstances, was unquestionable. It is probal)le that many of his erroneous opinions, and deviations from the path of virtu«', were owing to his being wholly deprived of the salutary restraints of paternal authority. Lord Byron was naturally of a weak constitution, and had a slight mai-formation in one of his feet. But his countenance was noble, and expressive of that genius which his writings so eminently display. His features were pecu- liarly pleasing to the ladies, and his successful amours inspired hiin with that light opinion of female reputation for which he has been so justly censured. USEFUL xMAXlMS. Virtue is the queen of labourers: Opinion the mistress of fools : Vanity the pride of Nature ; and Contention the overthrow of families. Virtue is not obtained in seeking strange countries, but l)y mending old errors. Pythagoras compares Virtue to the letter Y, which is small at the foot, and broad at the head ; meaning, that to attain Virtue is very painful, but its possession very pleasant. Real Virtue may always continue unharmed : it is its own sufficient guard j for, if it be real, it hath such an in- domitable awe and reverence in its appearance, as will always eflcctually daunt the dastard front of Vice. 28 THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. TlIK MOUNT or OLIVKS, FROM JERUSALEM. One of the most astonishing changes that have taken place on the surface of this globe, is found in the country ofJudoa, once so fertile, flowing with milk and honey,— producing grapes, the clusters of which required to l>e borne on a statV, betwixt two persons — a country of olive- yards and vine-yards---of flocks and hcrds---of pome- granates, citrons, dates, and figs. In consequence of the sins of the inhabitants, which were of no common atrocity, this once fniitful land is become a desert. The country is uncivilised, overrun with barbarous hordes of Arabs, and under the dominion of tyrants, who contribute to its desolation by every species of exaction and oppression. THE MGLNT OF OLIVES. 29 Yet tliis once happy land possesses great attractions both for the Jew and the Christian ; and though the former is almost prohibited from setting foot in it, he still lives in liope that one day he shall be restored to the land of his fathers, ---that his nation will again become the favoured of God ; that the Messiah will appear, and reign in Jeru- salem over all the kingdoms of the earth. The interest that the Christian feels in this hallowed land is entirely connected with the past. He reverences it as having been the birth-place of prophets, and the seat of ti-ue religion,--the scene of our Saviour's miracles, suffer- ings, death, resurrection and ascension, — of the preaching of the apostles, and of the fulfilment of prophecies. Jerusalem ha\-ing been partially destroyed by Titus,* and its destruction completed by succeeding princes, little dependence can be placed on the accounts of those who pretend to point out the precise spots rendered memorable by extraordinary events. Even the exact site of ancient Jerusalem is not positively known. But the case is ditferent in the country : a few gardens still remain on the sloping base of mount Zion, watered from the pool of Siloam : the gardens of Gethsemene show marks of a slovenly cultivation j the olive is ttill found growing spontaneously, in patches, at the foot of the mount to which it has given its name. From the convent of St. Salvador, the mount of Olives appears as in the engraving, and to a pious mind must awaken reminiscenees of a most interesting nature. Who A D. 70. n '2 30 THK MOINT OF OMVES. can look on it, and recal to mind that its summit had been often visited by the Son of God,- -that on the road to Bethany, which still winds round its base, the Saviour of the world had often travelled, ---but must feel a degree of sacred enthusiasm, calculated to raise his mind above sublunary things, and fix it upon heaven, whither that exalted personage is gone before, to prepare a place for his people ? Whilst from Jerusalem a fine view of the mount of Olives can be obtaine«l, so from the summit of that hill Jerusalem can be contemplated to the best advantage. It ommands the whole circumference of the town, and many of its most striking objects, as the church of the Holy Sepulchre, the castle of the Pisans, the Armenian convent, the mosque of Omar in the centre of a beautiful garden, the mosque K.l Aksa, St Stephen's CJate, near which is the Turkish burial ground, the Christian bunal -ground, and the tomb of David — tlie last two are in the unincloseil part of mount Zion. Jerusalem, in its most flourishing state, was divided into four parts, each inclosed by its own walls : first, the city of Jebus, on mount Zion, afterwards called the city of David; second, the lower citj-, where were many magni- ficent edifices, built by Solomon, the Maccabees, Herod, and othei-s ; third, the new city, inhabited chiefly by tnides- men, artificers, and merchant*?; and fourth, mount Moriah, on which stood the Temple. Sad indeed is the change that has taken place. Although the empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. 31 formed the design of restoring it to its pristine lustre, and for this purpose caused all those places, supposed to have been the scenes of our Savour's sufferings and death, to be cleared of the rubbish in which they had long been buried, and built a magnificent church on the spot, Jci-usalem is now little better than a mean village, standing on a barren rock, and inhabited by a sordid and ignorant race, a disgrace to the sacred spot now trodden by their unhallowed feet. The church erected by the empress Helena is still stand- ing, and is kept in repair by tlie ollcrings of pilgrims and the contributions of some Christian princes. It is supposed to inclose ]\Iount Calvary, on which is said to be the very hole in the rock in which the cross was fixed, the s^-pulchrc of Christ hewn out of the rock, and many other places where the most remarkable circumstances of our Saviour's passion were transacted. The most interesting antiquities in the neighbourhood af Jerusalem are, the pools of Uethcsda and Siloam, the former now dry; the tombs of Jehoshaphat, Zcchariah, and the Virgin Mary; and the royal sepulchres hewn out of tlic rock. TWELFTH DAY. 'J'iip:re is a diircrenco of opinion as to the origin oi Tniflfth-day. Brand says, " that though its customs vary II) different countries, yet they concur in the same end, (hat is, to do honour to the Eastern Magi."* Twelfth-day, however, is in fact the feast of the Epi- phany, as it is called in the church ritual.f The word Epiphany signifies appearance or manifestation ; and this festival is so styled, because it is kept to commemorate the manifestation of the Saviour of mankind to the Gentiles.;*: This festival appears to have been first observetl as a sepa- rate feast in llic year 813. The primitive Christians celebrated the feast of the Nativity, or Chriiimax, for twelve days, obsening the first and last days with the greatest solemnity. From the circumstance of this festival being twelve days after Christmas, it is vulgarly called « Ttrvlfth-dayV This day is now only commemorated as an annual day of pleasure for the juvenile branches of families, of whom large parties are usually congregated together at their friends' houses on Twelfth-day evening, to eat "Twelfth cake," and " draw characters," as they are called. The Twelfth cake is a very rich and superior sort of cake, mad<- only at this time, and covered with sugar frost, and deco ' Philosophers, or wise men of tlie ILa^t t Thf bo«.>k crtitaiuin^ the ritw or ceremonie.s oi" Dniin worehip 1^ The persons who worship i-ident from an occurrence related in Mr. Ellis's journal of the embassy to China. That gentleman, in company with three others, and attended by some Chinese soldiers, set out to visit this celebrated building. They were suffered to proceed through the uninhabited part of Nankin, but when they attempted to pass through the street*, the sol- diers made so many objections, that they were comjHilled to desist, and to content themselves with viewing it from a temple on a neighbouring hill, from whence it appeared a very magnificent object. The policy of the Chinese, in thus preventing the visits of strangers, and in avoiding intercourse with other coun- tries, may well be questioned. It is supposed to originate in their fears, lest, on getting a footing in their empire, foreigners should by degrees become masters of it, as has been the case in Hindostan. But their \-igilance would probably l>e ineffectual, should any European power seri- ously meilitate the conquest of China; and it effectually prevents the Chinese from keeping pace with the western nations in arts and arms, by which alone they might suc- cessfully resist invasion. CHURCH OF ST. GERMAIX'S. 41 CHURCH OF ST. GERMAIN'S. Cornwall is remarkable for the number and incon- siderable size of its borough towns. Among them is St. Ci'ermain's, containing not more than about live hundred inhabitants ; yet it sends two members to parliament. But, while thus insignifieant in itself, it contains an object of great interest to the antiquary : its Priory Church, once a cathedral, and even now venerable in decay. It is dedicated to St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, who came over to Britain in the year 429, and to whose memory king Athelstan founded a priory, of which the church is the only remain. At the dissolution of monasteries, this priory was surren- dered by Robert Seymour, its last superior, into the hands e2 4'2 cniRCH OF ST. Germain's. of the persons appointed to receive possession, and its siii- was granted to one John C'hampernounc, who is .said to liave <)l)iaincd it by the following stratagem. At the time when the abbeys with their lands were bestowed in profusion on the king's scnant? and colrticrs, two or three, on a partieular occasion, waited at tlie door of his majesty's apartment to prefer a p<>tition. John Champernoune, a facetious gentleman, who followed thr court, and for his entertaining qualities was in some favour with the king,* inquired their business, but received no satisfactory reply ; he therifore waited the result On the coming forth of the king, the suitors kneeled down, and presented their petition: Champernoune kneeletl also : the suit was granted, and the petitioners returned their humble thanks. Champernounedid the same. When the king was departed, Champernoune asked for his share t»r the grant, but they denied that he was entitled to any : he appealed to the king, and his majesty atfirmed thai he meant to each an equal share of his bounty. On this the disappointed courtiers allotted to him the priorj-. The church was, originally, much more extensive than it is at present, consisting of two aisles, a nave, and a chan eel, t l)ut in l.j«>2 the chancel, from long neglect, fell to the ground, soon after the celebration of divine service. • Henry VIII. + The aitirt are tlie side wa'iks or passagCB running pafKllel to titc greater, in the centre, cnlled the nare, in which rc5i>crt they <»»mr. wliat resemble the wintrs of .i hiiiMin^, erected on each side of the centre. The n/Jtr inchules also the chancel. « CHURCH OF ST. GERMAIN'S. 43 Th« west front is an interesting specimen of Saxon architecture, having two lofty embattled towers, one of which is octagonal,* the upper part of the other square, though they were originally alike. The north tower is nearly covered with ivy. Between these towers is the principal entrance, which is a fine receding circular arch, twenty feet wide, supported by four pillars on each side, which arc contained in semi- circular arches. The entrance door for the parishioners is on the south side of the building. The site of the ancient priory is now occupied by a modern mansion, the seat of lord Eliot, and a branch of the river Tidi is expanded into a fine lake before the north front of the house. In the apartments are many fine pictures. * Having eight sides. 44 FElSRlARy. FEBRUARY Is the second month in the year, and one of the most unpleasant ; as in this month the frozen waters and marshes become thawed or melted, and a mixture of cold and mois- ture prevails, which is by far the most unpleasant of wintry sensations. In this month the sun enters tlie zodiacal si;;n of Piscfs (or the fishes), which is typical of the clammy dampness of the season. February derives its name from the Roman title of the month Februariiui, which was itself taken from the I^tin -word fibriw, to purify ; because at this time it was a custom of the Romans (who copied the u.sage from the Greeks) to celebrate certain rites of j>«n/ica/i(/;i, which, they imagined, cleansed them fmni all sin. FEBRUARY. 45 Numa, the second king of Rome, placed Febniary as the second month in the calendar, and dedicated it to Neptune, the fabulous god of the seas and waters. The Romans were accustomed to celebrate several festivals in this month. The 3rd of the Ides* (or the 11th day) of February, was dedicated to the Feralia, or feast in honour of the ghosts. On this occasion it was usual for the people to carry offerings to the graves of their deceased friends. The day after this festival was called Charistia, or the festival of love, when all the relations in each family met together and feasted. On the 15th of February the feast of the Lupercalia was held, in honour of Pan, the god of hunters, shepherds, and country people. He was also called Lupercus, from the Latin word Lupus, a wolf ; because he guarded the sheep- folds from wolves, and for this reason the festival to his honour was called Lupercalia, as were the priests who celebrated it, Luperci. It was at this feast that the purifications before mentioned were performed ; and then water, and any other thing by which such purification was supposed to be effected, was called Fehrua. The people not only purged themselves, but also the tombs of such as had been inurned without having had a dirge or funeral hymn chanted over their ashes, falsely supposing that such purgations cleansed themselves or the dead from all guilt. • Frotu the Latin idvs, u term in the Roman Kaleiular. 46 FEBRUARY. The ceremony of the Lupcrcalia was verj' strantro. First, goats and a doic were sacrificed by the Lupvrci^ some of whom then stained tlie foreheads of two children, noblemen's sons, with the bloody knife, and otliers wiped it off with locks of wool dipped in milk. The goats and the dog were sacrificed to Pan, because they were the na- tural property of shepherds, over whom he presided. The stiiining with blood, and then cleansing of the children's foreheads, signified the sin which tlie people before possessed, and the purging of it by this eeremony. The children were always instructed to laugh afUr their foreheads were wiped. This represented the joy of the guilty on being purified. After tliis ceremony was concluded, the Lupcrci cut the skins of the goats into thongs, and ran about the streets naked to the waist, and lashed all they met in their way. On the 22nd or 23rd of February, the Tenninalia, or feast in honour of Tenmnvis, the guardian of boundaries or land -marks, were eelel>ratcd. On this occasion the Romans offered to him cakes and fruits, and sometimes sheep and wine. Tiie KuLndx o{ March, (or the last days of February), were kept by the Roman matrons, in honour of Mars. This festiviU was called Matnnialia. Our Saxon ancestors called Februarj' sprout-kele, because in this mouth the kele-trurt, or cvletrurt, sprouted. This krle intrt was greatly used by them as a pot herb, and from it they made broth called ktle. Indeed kele, in the Saxon language, sii^nifies /yro//t or j>o/d and virtuous with grateful ftx'lings ; consoles and re-assures tlie humble peasant, who has endured the hardships of the winter; and re-animates the pleasing exertions of the in- dustrious farmer. But the generally damp state of the atmosphere in this month renders careful preservation of the health very important. This dampness very often checks the perspira- tion which exertion has caused. It is therefore necessar}- to wear flannel next the skin, in order to assist the regular temperature of the body, and to prevent the pores of the skin * A kinil of priiiiro-"*. f The li\tr-wurt. valentine's day. 49 from being suddenly closed after active exertion. The bowels should also be well regulated, and all sudden changes of heat and cold particularly avoided. Croup is very prevalent in children in this month ; but parents should be careful to administer no remedies without proper advice. Indeed, in all cases during the continuance of this season of the year, every one should refrain from taking medicines without first consulting medical skill, which, in these times, is very abundant, and easy of attainment. VALENTINE'S DAY. The present custom on this day of fun and merriment, is doubtless pretty well known to most of our readers; yet so important an epoch in their annual round of plea- sures and occupations must not be passed over without an attempt to describe some of the past as well as the modern usages on St. Valentine's Day. And first, the origin of the custom, so long established, may be properly inves- tigated. St Valentine was an ancient presbyter, or teacher, in the Christian church, and was persecuted, with others of his religion, by the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Being condemned to die, he was consigned to the custody of a man named Asterius, who had a daughter afflicted with blindness. Valentine restored her sight ; and on witnessing this miracle, the whole fatmily became conrerts to Christi- 50 valentine's dav. anity, for which they afterwards suffered martyrdom. After an imprisonment in Rome of one year, Valentine was beaten with ••lubs, and then beheaded. This event took plaec in the year 270, in the street of Rome called the Via Flaminia, or FLaininian Uoy. The Catholic Synod* ordered the 14th of February to be dedicated to his memory. This is the principal record we have of St. Valentine: the manner in which the present custom of sending love letters to acquaintances became established ou his day will presently be perceived. We have already men- tioned the Roman games called Lupercalia, which were celebrated on the 15th of February. Among the various ceremonies during those games, it was the custom to put the names of several young females into a box, from which the young men drew them at random, and, during the remainder of the festival, the youths thus paired associated in couples accordingly. When the Christian religion became that of the Roman emperors, who ordained that it should be also that of the people, it was found that the latter were so addicted by long custom to their heathenish rites and ceremonies, that it would have been highly imprudent and dangerous to attempt their total abolition. In order, therefore, to accommodate matters as conscien- tiously as . possible, the names and intentions of many Pagan festivals were changed, while the ceremonies ob- served on them remained nearly the same ; and they were then dedicated to Christian purposes, and to Christian saints instead of Heathen gods. The feast of the Luper- • Au assembly for consultation : especially of ec» lesiastioi. valentine's day. 51 calia, among others, was retained in substance, and as it happened so closely to St. Valentine's Day, it was changed from the loth to the 14th of February, and thenceforward observed in commemoration of that Saint Among other ceremonies, that of choosing partners particularly remain- ed, and from the day the parties took the name of Valen- tines ,• which usage, although its origin had for ages been forgotten, still descended through successive centuries, and now forms a general but very ridiculous custom amongst young people of both sexes. Some authors suppose that the origin of Valentines is to be attributed to Madame Royale, the daughter of Henry IV. king of France, of whom it is related that, having built a palace near Turin,* she called it TTie Valentine, in honour of the Saint ; and that, at the first entertainment which she gave in it, she was pleased to order that the ladies should receive their lovers for the year by lots, reserving to herself the privilege of being independent of chance, and of choosing her own partner. It is further recorded, that at the various balls which this princess gave during the year, it was directed that each lady should receive a nosegay from her lover, and that, at every tournamentf the knight's trappings for his horse should be furnished by his allotted mistress, with this • The capital city of Piedmont, in Italy. It is an archbishop's see ; has a strong citadel, and a university. + A martial sport or exercise, formerly performed on horseback by knights and cavaliers, to show their bravery and address. The word Tournament is derived from the French verb Tourner, to tnrn ronnd ; because in these exercises much expertness and agility in the movements of both man and horse were requisite. 52 valentine's day. proviso, that the prize obtained shoukl ix; her's. This custom, says M. Menacre, a French author, occasioacil the parties to be called " Valentines.'^ But it is very evident that both the usa.ee and the name of " Valentines'' had existed for centuries before the time of Madame Royale, tmd that the whole custom was ori^nally derived from the remnants of the Lupcrcalia, observed on St Valentine's Day by the early Roman Christians. But cnou.i;h of the origin of the day. We know, and our young readers know, that it is one of the happiest, ftinniest, most mischievous, paper-wasting days in the whole year. More nonsense, and more folly, arc dedicated in one day to St Valentine, and we may without much hazard aver, more cash, than to any saint, sinner, or sovereign in Europe or its calendars ; for, as Mr. Hune very wittily remarks (in his amusing Table Book), " Now each fond youth who e'er esmy'd An effort in tlie tinklinp: trade, Resumes to-day j and writes and blots About true-love, and truclove's knots; Aiid opens veins in ladies' hearts; (Or tIerU 'em) with two cris-cron darts, — (There must be two) Stuck through (and through) His own : and then to g'cure 'em better, lie doubles up his single letter — Type of his state, (Perchance a hoeitage To double fate) For single postage : Emblem of his and my cvpidity ; Witli p'rliape like happy end— stupidity." valentine's day. 63 It is now that in London exti-a twopenny postmen are engaged for the important duty of delivering the immense number of Vahiitints which on that day is added to the general average of letters. In the year 1821, t>co hundred thousand extra letters passed the two- penny post-office on St. Valentine's Day : this number, at ttvojtence each, would produee to the government a sum of £1666. 13s, 4d. ; but as at least one fourth of the number were charged three- pence each, the product wonld be £1875 sterling. This large sum is the contribution of the Cocknies only to the expences of the state, on this day of folly. But when we consider the prevalence of the custom through the whole united king- dom, we cannot, at the most moderate calculation, com- pute less than the sum of £33,640. 12s. 6d. ! ! as the free subscription of Folly and her votaries in one day to the public revenues. This is an astonishing fact, but fact it is ; and it is a convincing proof of the universality of the usage of sending love letters to each other on the 14th of February, amongst the youths and maidens of Great Britain. It is, however, an innocent folly. Most of the contents of these ephemeral epistles consist of little Cupids, fat and frowsy, enveloped in roses as large and as red as pickling cab- bages ; flaming hearts, skewered with barbed arrows ; bla- zing torches of a size unnatural and unearthly; true- lovers' knots, utterly inexplicable to the uninitiated; jingling rhymes, full of the proper sacrifice to the real goddess or patron of the day, Nonsensia; wath sighs and protesta- tions, and beseechings and asseverations, as varied as simple, and well calculated to produce lots of fun and 64 valentine's day. merriment to the delighted receivers. There is little mischief and much mirth in this almost harmless practice, and we do not therefore care to sec the fun abated. It wouhl seem that the love-making custom on St. Valentine's Day was not confined to human breasts ; since it has long been recorded as a rural tradition, that on this day the very birds choose their mates, and warble their love lays to their downy companions. St ViUentinc indeed is a bishop of mighty power and attributes. Although dead and gone from his former see, he now holds undis- puted sway over all Britain and its inhabitants ; nay, as an old poet, little known, but well worthy to be studied, sweetly remarks, — " All tlie air is his diocese, And all the chirjnng choristem, And other birds, arc his parishiooers; He marrii-s every year The lyriquf lark, and the grave whispering dove , The sparrow, that negkctt hi$ life for love; The household bird with the red ttomacker ; He makes the blackbird speed as iiooa As doth Uie goldfinch or the halcyon." Some curious customs were formerly in use on this important day. Damsels gathered five bay-leaves, of which they pinned four to the four corners of the pillow, and one in the middle, when they went to bed. If, after so doing, they dreamt of their sweetheart, they confidently expected to be married before the end of the year. An- other usaire was, to boil an egg very hard, take out the valentine's day. 65 yolk, and fill up the shell with salt : tlie person, on reti- ring to bed, eat the shell and salt, and was careful not to speak a word or drink after so doing ; and the effect of this ceremony was expected to be the same as that of the bay- leaves. It was the common practice also, for youth of both sexes to write their lovers' names on small pieces of paper, then roll them up in clay, and put them in water : the person whose name first rose to the surface, was to be the Valentine of the party making the experiment. So also, when the country damsels went forth on St. Valentine's morn to milk their kine, the first young man they met was to become their Valentine. A celebrated traveller, who visited England rather more than a century ago, thus describes the custom then in vogue : — " On the eve of the 14th of February, St. Valen- tine's Day, the young folks in England and Scotland, by a very ancient custom, celebrate a little festival. An equal number of maids and bachelors get together, each writes their true or some feigned name upon separate billets^ which they roll up, and draw by way of lots, the maids taking the men's billets, and the men the maids' ; so that each of the young men lights upon a girl that he calls his Valentine, and each of the girls upon a young man whom she calls her's. By this means each has two Valentines ; but the man sticks faster to the Valentine that is fallen to him, than to the Valentine to whom he is fallen. Fortune having thus divided the company into so many couples, the Valentines give balls and treats to their mistresses? .^ valentine's dav. woar llnir hillcts several days upon thoir bosoms or sleeves, and this little sport often ends in love. This eeremony is practised differently in different counties, and aecordin^r to the free