Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

rosy prattlers from the yet untasted Peach or blooming Nectarine."

The slightest flap a Fly can chase,

But who can drive the numerous breed?
Chase one, another will succeed.

Unlike Gay's Wasp in the fable, they are not even polite, and do not inflict their sting in a genteel way; but advance, retire, grow bolder by repulse, and at last commit the deed" they know not why, and care not wherefore." Doris truly says, that of all the buzzing insects that annoy us, a Wasp, like a fop, is most impertinent. But hear his reply: Am I then slighted, scorned, disdained? Can such offence your anger wake? 'Twas beauty caused the bold mistake. Those cherry lips that breathe perfume, That cheek so ripe with youthful bloom, Made me with strong desire pursue The fairest Peach that ever grew. Strike him not, Jenny, Doris cries, Nor murder Wasps like vulgar Flies! For though he 's free, to do him right, The creature's civil and polite.

Another troublesome insect which abounds at present, is the Tabanus pluvialis, which by sticking on the hands and legs, and by piercing the skin with its proboscis, causes a painful inflammation. Cattle are severely exposed to its attacks, though the Dragon Fly Libellula, the beautiful insect that frequents the shaded ponds, bears the blame of the other's mischief, under the name of Horsestinger, but is perfectly harmless.

The Glowworm, the Solitary Bee Apis manicata, and the White Moth Phalaena pacta, are observed in this month; the Ptinus pectinicornis also makes its appearance, the larvae of which are very destructive to wooden furniture, boring holes in tables, chairs, and bedposts.

The Southern counties of England, particularly Surrey and Kent, now yield their valuable produce of Hops. The common Hop Humulus lupulus is propagated either by nursery plants, or by cuttings.

August 12. St. Clara Virgin and Abbess. St. Euplius. St. Muredach.

St. Clara was the daughter of Phavorino Sciffo, a Knight of Assisium, and his wife Hortulana. They had three daughters, Agnes, and Beatrice, and Clara; the latter was

born in 1193. The habit was given her by St. Francis when she was only fourteen years old. She died in the year 1253.

CHRONOLOGY.-His present Majesty King George IV. born in 1762.

COELUM. In fine dry Summers the sky is often strikingly beautiful at this time, particularly with light easterly breezes. The clouds then exhibit every conceivable variety of whimsical figures, and are richly coloured with the most natural tints by the setting Sun. By moonlight too the appearance of the Summer clouds at this time of year is excessively elegant.

Extensive beds of Cirrocumuli or Sunderclouds floating gently along in different altitudes, must have attracted almost every body's notice. The beautiful appearance of these clouds, with a moonlight evening, has been aptly described by Bloomfield :

For yet above these wafted clouds are seen
In a remoter sky still more serene,

Others detached in ranges through the air,
Spotless as snow, and countless as they 're fair,
Scattered immensely wide, from east to west,
The beauteous semblance of a flock at rest.

The figure of the Cirrostratus or Wanecloud, like that of the Cirrus or Curlcloud, is very various; sometimes it consists in dense longitudinal streaks; at others it looks like shoals of fish: sometimes the whole sky is so mottled with it as to give the idea of the back of the Mackerel; this has been called the Mackerelback Sky. Frequently it appears like the grains of polished wood, or is composed of fine fibres disposed after the manner of the fibres of muscles, which often intersect each other. We have seen the Cirrostratus assume the reticular form, like the Cirrus, from which it can then only be distinguished by its greater degree of density. This cloud is sometimes spread out into a plane horizontal sheet, more or less dense; this is the form in which the halo generally appears.

Behold yon duskie spreading Wanecloud there,
Enveloping the westering Sun in mist,
Like the swart mantle of ascending Night,
Now mounting in her car; eftsoons it spreads
O'er all, as on she drives in gloomy majesty,
And shows a moonring for her starre of order.

August 13. St. Hippolytus Priest and Martyr. St. St. Radigundes Queen of France. St.

Cassian.

Wigbert.

CHRONOLOGY.-The Stella Mira or Wonderful Star discovered in the Neck of the Whale by David Fabricius in 1596. This Star is observed to appear and disappear periodically seven times in six years, and is never quite extinct.

Dianae, Vertumno, Augusti Natalis, Porph.-Rom. Cal.

The dedication of today to the two above deities seems natural enough. To Diana, because the first of the Autumnal Sports, hunting the Wild Boar, began now, as it does still in France, and as our Grouse shooting does in Britain; but there may be another reason why the Romans dedicated today to Diana, viz. because about this time the Moon begins to be useful, as the nights naturally grow dark from the deeper dipping of the Sun below the horizon: for Diana was usually considered to be the Moon, in the Augustan age, when the real belief in the personified deities of the mythology had ceased among the better informed people, though retained by the vulgar. From the festivals of Diana and of Apollo, that is, of the Moon and Sun, there arose many curious customs, of which we still retain the traces today. The carrying about of their images on their feast days, gave rise to the Sun and the Moon being painted as human faces on signposts, as is done at the present day. But we shall enlarge on this subject on some future occasion, and endeavour to explain the origin of these and many other signs. To Vertumnus because the later Summer fruits are in perfection. in perfection. Delicious Pears, besides the Peaches, Pavies, Nectarines, Apricots, and Melons, now regale the palates of those who love to court Pomona for her dower. We envy those who can keep this feast as it should be, and can empty the delicious Cornucopia of the Goddess of Fruits into a healthy and uncorrupted stomach.

This is the Birthday of Augustus Caesar according to Porphyry.

POMONA. This is the proper time to consider of the Aestival Pomona, as there is no time of year more rich in delicious Summer fruits.

Apricots.-These are now in perfection in Britain, the Northern parts of France, and the Low Countries; in the South of France they are already over. Mr. Forsyth proposes the following selection for a small garden- the Masculine, the Roman, the Orange, the Breda, and the Moor Park Apricots.

Peaches now begin to be ripe, at least the early and

melting sorts. The following are recommended for a small garden: - the Early Avant, the Small Mignonne, the Royal George, Royal Kensington, the Noblesse, the Early Newington, the Gallande, the Early Purple, the Chancellor, the Nivette, the Catherine, and the late Newington Peaches. There are numerous other sorts for large Gardens and Nurseries, which will be found described in Forsyth's Book on Trees, 8vo. London, 1806. Those Peaches whose flesh adheres to the stone are called Pavies, and are very different in flavour from the Melters or those whose flesh easily breaks away. The Royal Kensington is a Pavie.

Nectarines. Early Nectarines now begin to be ripe. The following are selected for common use in a small garden: - Fairchild's Early, the Elruge, the Scarlet, the Newington, the Red Romand, and the Murry Nectarines.

Plumbs.-Early Green Gages and early Orleans Plumbs are now ripening. There are innumerable sorts of Plumbs. We may select the following as best :-the Jaunhative, the Early Damask, the Orleans, the Cloth of Gold, the Green Gage, La Royale, the Drap d'Or, the Saint Catherine, the Imperatrice, the large yellow eggshaped Magnum Bonum for baking, and the Winesour for preserving.

Mr. Forsyth recommends having trees, of all sorts of wall fruit, on walls with East, West, and South aspects, as blights coming with the wind often affect only one aspect, when others remain unhurt by them. In 1800 the West Wind, for example, brought the Red Spider; but most commonly Blights come from the East.

A few early Pears begin to ripen, and in the South of France most of the Summer Pears are ready for eating.

Currants begin now to fail, except those preserved on walls or railings, or those which are matted up for keeping. Strawberries also and Gooseberries are nearly over.

The loss of Solstitial Fruits however is amply repaired by the presence of the Aestival, for now, as Mr. Bidlake poetically observes:

The mealy Plum

Hangs purpling, or displays an amber hue;
The luscious Fig, the tempting Pear, the Vine,
Perchance, that in the noontide eye of light
Basks glad in rich festoons. The downy Peach
Blushing like youthful cheeks; the Nectarine full
Of lavish juice.

De fructu edendo.

Fructibus aestivis qui pascitur ille valescit
Nec minus ex animis ingenioque valet.

August 14. St. Eusebius Pr. and Martyr. St. Eusebius Pr. and Confessor.

CHRONOLOGY.-Oliver Cromwell took Drogheda in Louth by storm

in 1649.

The first book ever printed was the Book of Psalms, published this day in 1457, by Faust and Schöffer.

Died in 1787 the celebrated Bishop Law of Carlisle, at the age of 84. He maintained and ably defended the strange and sophistical doctrine called the "Sleep of the Soul ;" and wrote a noted work entitled A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. He was a man of universal evenness and placidity of temper.

COELUM.-The gentle refreshing breezes by day and the delicious calms by night at this time of year draw a vast concourse of persons of leisure to the shores of Great Britain and France in the months of August and September. There is perhaps no period of the year when the seaside is more agreeable. Bathing, sailing, and other marine recreations, are at no time better suited to beguile the hours of the warm Summer day than at present; and the peculiar stillness of a seaside evening scene by moonlight is now to be enjoyed in perfection, as Cynthia begins to ascend higher in her car after the termination of the nightless Summer solstice, and when the unremitted heat of the Dogdays at length gives place to the more refreshing dews of a longer period of nocturnal coolness. The peculiar beauties of a sea scene by night are thus described by a cotemporary poet :

The sky was clear and the breeze was still,
The air was soft and the night was fine,

And all was hush save the tinkling rill,

While the moonbeams played on the sparkling brine;

Scylla had pulled off her glacous vest,

No longer responsive to whirlwinds' roar,

But in white flowing silvery mantle drest,

With silken shoons danced along the shore.

But the imagery of a calm sea is more poetically described by Milton, perhaps, than by any other author, when he tells us:-

That not a blast was from his dungeon strayed,

The air was calm, and on the level brine

Sleek Panope with all her sisters played.

August 15. ASSUMPTIO B. VIRGINIS MARIAE. St. Alipius. St. Arnoul. St. Aed.

Orises at Iv. 41'. and sets at VII. 19'.

It is a traditionary belief that the body of the Blessed Virgin Mary was raised by God soon after her death, and

« AnteriorContinuar »