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Paul's preaching at Athens (Acts xvii, 34). He fell a martyr under the persecution of Domitian, A. D. 96. 11.-OLD MICHAELMAS DAY,

Still observed, in many places, as the end of one year, and beginning of another, in hiring servants. 13. TRANSLATION OF KING EDWARD THE

CONFESSOR.

This monarch, called Confessor on account of his piety, was the son of Etheldred, and succeeded Hardicanute in 1041. He rebuilt Westminster Abbey, and was the first that was buried in the new building in 1066. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III. He was the first English king who attempted to cure the scrophula, or king's evil, by stroking. The great seal was first used by him; and the crown, chair, spurs, staff, &c. employed at his coronation, are still preserved, and used in the recurrence of that august ceremony.

*16. 1555.-BISHOPS LATIMER AND RIDLEY BURNT

AT OXFORD.

See mitred Ridley bold in death:

See Latimer augment the glorious band.

Ridley was one of the ablest champions of the reformation: his piety, learning, and solidity of judgment, were admired by his friends and dreaded by his enemies. The night before his execution, he invited the Mayor of Oxford and his wife to see him die ; and when he saw them melted into tears, he appeared himself quite unmoved, heaven being his secret supporter and comforter in the hour of agony. When he came to the stake where he was to be burnt, he found his old friend Latimer there before him, and began to comfort him in his sufferings, while Latimer was as ready to return the kind office. A furious bigot ascended to preach to them, before the execution of their sentence. Ridley gave a serious attention to the sermon, and offered to answer it, but this he was not allowed to do. At length, the fire was set to the pile: Latimer was soon out of pain, but Ridley continued much longer, his legs being consumed before the fire reached his vitals.

17. SAINT ETHELDREDA.

Etheldreda was daughter of Annas, King of the East Angles, and lived under a vow of perpetual

chastity. She erected an abbey at Ely, and died there in 679.

18.--SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST.

The period and manner of the death of St. Luke are alike unknown. His festival was first instituted A.D. 1130.

The following curious custom is related by Mr. Aubrey:- At Stoke Verdon, in Wiltshire, was a chapell (in the chapell close by the Farme-house) dedicated to St. Luke, who is the Patron or Tutelar Saint of ye Horne-beastes, and those that have to doe with them. Wherefore the Keepers and Forresters of ye New Forest came hither every year at St. Luke'styde, to make their offerings to St. Luke, that they might be fortunate in their Game, their Deer, and their Cattle. In like manner, the Foresters of Kingswood in Com. Gloc. did come to make their Offerings at Turvills-Acton in Glocestershire: the Chapell, which is but little, but well built, stands in the middle of ye street: but was dedicated, they say, to Saint Margaret.-Aubrey MS. A.D. 1686.

*23. 1641.-MASSACRE OF PROTESTANTS IN

IRELAND.

The

On this day a proclamation was issued by the lords justices of Ireland, declaring that a discovery had been made of a most disloyal and detestable conspiracy, by some evil-affected Irish papists, universally throughout the kingdom.' The papists of Ireland, indeed, fancied they had now found a convenient opportunity of throwing off the English yoke. Religion and liberty oftën inspire the most atrocious actions; and they did so now. papists of Ireland took a resolution, of which we find many horrid examples in history. They attempted to cut off all the protestants in that kingdom at one blow:-they were hunted in all directions, and murdered in cold blood; not less than one hundred and fifty thousand protestants falling a sacrifice upon this occasion. In such a number of murders, cruelty put on a thousand shapes: burnings and tortures were practised in every part of that miserable island; and all the protestants perished who had not the good fortune to make early provision for their safety. Sir W. Temple supposes thirty thousand British to have fallen beneath the coldblooded vengeance of these worse than brutal monsters.

25.-SAINT CRISPIN.

Crispin, and his brother, Crispianus, were both born at Rome, and travelled to Soissons in France, in the year 303, to make converts to Christianity. There they maintained themselves by exercising the trade of shoe-makers; a circumstance which, naturally enough, led to their being regarded as the patrons of the gentle craft.' These brothers were both beheaded.-There is a curious anecdote relative to this day in T. T. for 1816, p. 291. See also T.T. for 1824, p. 259.

6

28.-SAINT SIMON AND SAINT JUDE, Apostles.

The Simon here meant is Simon the Canaanite, or Simon Zelotes. He and Jude both suffered martyrdom together in Persia, about the year 74. The influence of these saints upon the weather is thought akin to that of St. Swithin; and hence the following passage in the old play: Now a continued Simon and Jude's rain beat all your feathers as flat down as pancakes.'

*31. 1620.-JOHN EVELYN BORN.

We have already given a Memoir of this justly celebrated individual, in our volume for 1820, pp. 52-54; and we here introduce the date of his birth, for the purpose of guiding the reader to a valuable quarto volume, just published, containing The Miscellaneous Writings of John Evelyn, now first collected, and edited with Notes, by Wm. Upcott, of the London Institution.' It is an indispensable companion to the Sylva, by Dr. Hunter,' and the Memoirs,' and completes the Series of 'Evelyniana,' which deserve a place in every library. We need not add, that the 'Memoirs of Samuel Pepys,' the intimate friend of Evelyn, form an agreeable supplement to the volumes we have enumerated.

*OCT. 1250.-FIFTEEN THOUSAND SCHOLARS AT

OXFORD,

In the time of King Henry III; this is about five

times the present number. But we must not suppose, says Mr. Pointer (Oxon. Acad.), that these scholars were conversant in logic, rhetoric, ethics, physics and metaphysics, astronomy and geography. No, he that could read and write well, was then accounted a good scholar. In later years, in our Courts of Judicature, a criminal convicted of larceny, or some small offence, had this question put to him, Legit vel non legit? and, if it was found that he could read, then he was acquitted; a favour granted to delinquents, for the purpose of promoting learning.

*OCT. 1825.-M. PULO DIED, Æt. 140!

He was a surgeon at Vendemont in Lorraine, and never left his native place. On the evening before his decease, he performed with great address, and a firm hand, an operation for the cancer on an old woman. He was never married,-bled, blistered, or physicked, because he never felt himself unwell; though he passed no day of his long life without being intoxicated at supper, a meal which he never failed to take, till the day of his death.―Journal de Paris.

Astronomical Occurrences

In OCTOBER 1826.

SUNSET.

It is the dying hour of day, which grows
Sweeter in setting-all is shadow round,
But where afar the tall trees part in rows;
The West burns like a ruby, and the ground
Is tinctured with its brightness to the bound
Of the soon purpling East.

SOLAR PHENOMENA.

WIFFEN.

THE Sun enters Scorpio at 48 m. after 10 in the morning of the 23d of this month; and he will be eclipsed early in the morning of the 31st, but the

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eclipse will be invisible in this country, as the ecliptic conjunction will take place at 21 m. 36 s. after 1, in longitude 7 7° 6', Moon's latitude 1° 30' south. He also rises and sets during the same period as follows:-the time on the intermediate days may readily be found by the directions already given.

TABLE

Of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every fifth Day.

October 1st, Sun rises 12 m. after 6 Sets at 58 m. after 4

6th,

11th,

16th,

21st,

26th,

31st,

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To regulate a clock by means of a good sun-dial, and which is, in many cases, the easiest and most practicable method of doing it, the equation of time must be employed as in the following

TABLE

Of the Equation of Time for every fifth Day.

m. S.

Sunday,....October 1st, from the time by the dial subtract 10 14

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Passage of the Moon over the Meridian.

Such of our youthful readers as wish to observe

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