well known to be tamiliarly acquainted. Indeed, without some idea of the manner of Pulci, Berni, Ariosto, and Wieland, the peculiar beauties of Anster Fair cannot be fully appreciated. This same observation applies to the Thane of Fife, a poem of much loftier aim, and in which the learned author has formed what we think a work of peculiar difficulty, and which only true genius could form-an alliance between comic humour and the dignity of epic poetry As a specimen of the latter, we subjoin the following animated' Battle Scene,' from the poem just mentioned.

Anon, with shock and tumult like the sound
Of twice ten thousand billows rolling proud,
And sweeping up the shore's rock-ribbed mound,
Mixed the crushed armies in encounter loud;
Whilst mad Contention, hov'ring o'er the ground,
Walked o'er the heads of each infuriate crowd,
And, waving 'tween the heavens and earth her arm,
Whipt them to conflict on, and scathe and bloody harm.
Then Wrath, and Fury, and Debate, and Strife,
Madness and Murder, ever-coupled pair,

And scythe-armed Death, that sweeps the crop of life,
And Exultation proud, and fell Despair,

And Horror shudd'ring at red Slaughter's knife,
And hellish Hate, whose breath empoisons air,
Stalked glorying o'er each host that toils and bleeds,
Confounding all the field with foul and wicked deeds.
A thousand spears thrust forth, all pure and bright,
Tarnished with Death's red dew returned back;
A thousand swords that waved aloft in light,

Falling, were dimmed with life's unseemly wrack

And arrows, shot aloft with hissing flight,

In gore alighted from their gleamy track;

And cries arose of triumph and of pain,

And shouts and shrilling skrieks of slaying and of slain.
Canto iv, stanza 69-71.

From the enumeration we have given of Mr. T.'s works, it will be seen that he has only occasionally relaxed from his severer stydies, to make excursions into the regions of fancy; continuing to discharge all the duties of his situation with much zeal and propriety,—while, in private life, he ensures the esteem and adiniration of all who know him, We regret, however, that his extreme modesty has prevented him from giving us any information respecting either his early life or after years.' Yet, in addition to what we have already narrated, we have ascertained that he began to write verses in his boyhood, and that many of his early effusions, known to possess much excellence, were destroyed by himself. He has never since been in the practice,

and has now entirely discontinued writing short pieces: the only poems of this description we have seen, are 'Harim, a Pastoral,' and an 'Ode to Peace,' annexed to Anster Fair.

17, 19, 20.—EMBER DAYS.

19. SAINT DUNSTAN.

St. Dunstan was born at Glastonbury in 924. He was successively Bishop of Worcester and London, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He died in 988. Many and ridiculous are the miracles imputed to him.

21.-TRINITY SUNDAY.

The observation of this festival was first appointed by the council of Arles in 1260. Some say that it was not enjoined until the 14th century, under the pontificate of John XXII

25.-CORPUS CHRISTI.

This festival, the body of Christ,' was appointed in honour of the Eucharist, and always falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. It is called the Fête Dieu, or Corpus Christi, and is one of the most remarkable festivals of the Romish church, beginning on Trinity Sunday, and ending on the Sunday following. The ceremonies of the Fête Dieu at Bogotá, in Colombia, in 1824, are thus described by CAPTAIN COCHRANE, in his journal before quoted.

The procession is commenced by preposteroussized figures of the animals of the country, made of pasteboard, and moved by men withinside. The alligator and gallinazo make conspicuous figures, and contribute much to the entertainment of the mob,-the former opening its enormous jaws, and pretending to bite any persons near; and the latter (whose neck is made twelve feet long), by means of springs, moves from side to side, making the bystanders scamper about for safety from the attacks of its sharp bill, which sometimes descends with violence on the head of a gaping spectator. Then follow children, strewing flowers before cars drawn by men, in one of which is David, with Goliath's

head in his hand; in another Queen Esther; Joseph follows on a superbly caparisoned horse, attended by guards in Roman dresses. The performers in this pageant are all of the best families, and no expense is spared to deck them magnificently with jewels, silk, &c. and much interest and exertion are made to secure a part in the procession.

"The clergy next advance, bearing the elevated Host, at the sight of which all fall on their knees, and remain there till it has passed. Music follows, composed principally of violins and clarionets, playing church music. The prettiest girls of the city walk between two rows of the priests, some bearing vessels, others offerings; some incense, others flowerbaskets. Young Indians follow, dancing to the flute and tambour, and the whole is closed by soldiers, with their arms and colours reversed.'

For the celebration of Corpus Christi in PERU, sumptuous altars and triumphal arches are erected, and the streets through which the host passes are covered with fine carpets, and strewed with flowers. The altars are very high, and built in a conical form, the upper part being covered with splendid. looking-glasses from Germany, artificial flowers made of paper and silk, and beautiful feathers. The lower part is surrounded with steps leading to the table of the sacrament, and which are filled with saints and angels dressed in the richest silks and laces, and profusely decorated with jewels; the whole disposed with great symmetry and taste by. artists brought up to the business. Every thing rich and rare is employed to beautify these altars and triumphal arches, which display the most gorgeous spectacle to the eye, and at the same time exhibit the immense riches of the country.

On the eve of this festivity, the altars and tri umphal arches are hung with blazing chandeliers of great beauty and value, and the streets are crowded with people to gaze upon them. The cities

P

where these exhibitions are most pompous are Cuzco, La Paz, and Potosi. In Cuzco, the weather is so fine, that the lights are always suspended in the open air. The altars are estimated at 700,000 dollars each, and are erected by the annual contributions of the people, the ladies lending their richest jewels to decorate them. The king also has his altar, but it is the poorest. Before the procession, the tutelar saints of every church are carried, which are from twelve to twenty-five in number in every city. These saints are all of the ordinary size of the human figure, except Saint Christopher, who, as the legends tell us, was a giant, and is generally made about twelve feet high. They are all richly dressed, and covered with gold and silver; they are placed on pedestals of massy silver, each weighing 1600 ounces at least; and these are borne on the shoulders of from forty to sixty Indians. In the midst of the saints are carried the virgins of Carmen, Mercede, and Rosario, which attract much public devotion. The first is under the care of the Carmelite nuns; the two others of the Dominican and Mercedenian friars, of whom there are legions in Peru.-See Pazos' Letters on the United Provinces of South America, translated by P. H. Crosby, New York and London, 1819. This work contains an excellent account of the commerce and natural productions (particularly of the mines) of Upper Peru and the Rio de la Plata; as well as an interesting sketch of the manners and customs of the diversified inhabitants of these fertile regions.

26. AUGUSTIN, or AUSTIN,

First Archbishop of Canterbury.-This eminent individual was sent over by Gregory the Great, A.D. 596. Austin found paganism covering the greater part of the island; but a considerable number of Christians and seven bishops among the Britons or Welch. He laboured actively and successfully, but not altogether.

in the spirit recommended by Gregory, and died May 26, A.D. 607.

27.-VENERABLE BEDE.

This great ornament of his age and country was born at Jarrow, in the bishopric of Durham, A.D. 672, and died in 735. He was a man of incessant occupation, and wrote on all the branches of knowledge then cultivated in Europe; he obtained the title of Venerable, for his profound learning and unaffected piety. He aimed at the reformation of the calendar, and, after he became a priest, at the conversion of the surrounding people. He translated St. John's Gospel into English, and it is said that a copy of some of St. Paul's Epistles, in Bede's hand-writing, is still preserved in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, He also composed a valuable ecclesiastical history of the Saxons. His works were published at Basle, in eight vols. folio. For an interesting account of his death, see Townley's Illustrations, vol. i, p. 244.

*27. 1600.-THE MATINS OF MOSCOW,

Denote the assassination of Prince Demetrius, and all the Poles his adherents, at Moscow, at six o'clock in the morning, the hour of matins, or morning service. The massacre of St. Bartholomew is called the French Matins.

*28. 1667.-MAY-DEW AND VAUXHALL.

'My wife away down with Jane and W. Hewer to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to lie there tonight, and so to gather May-dew to-morrow morning, which Mrs. Turner hath taught her is the only thing in the world to wash her face with; and I am contented with it. I by water to Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring-garden. A great deal of company, and the weather and garden pleasant: and it is very pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he will, or nothing,—all as one. But to hear the nightingale and other birds, and here fiddles and there a harp, and here a Jew's trump, and here laughing, and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising.'-Pepys's Memoirs.