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Another day is added to the máss

Of buried ages. Lo! the beauteous moon,
Like a fair shepherdess, soon comes abroad,
With her full flock of stars, that roam around

The azure meads of heaven. And, oh! how charmed,
Beneath her loveliness, creation looks:

Far-gleaming hills, and light-endearing streams,
And sleeping boughs, with dewy lustre clothed,
And green-haired valleys, all in glory dressed,
Wake up the pageantries of night. One glance
Upon old Ocean, where the moonbeams

Have braided her dark waves. Their roar is hushed!
Her billowy wings are folded up to rest;

Till once again the wizard winds shall yell,
And tear them into strife.

A lone owl's hoot

The waterfall's faint drip,-or insect stir
Among the emerald leaves,-or infant wind
Rifling the pearly lips of sleeping flowers,-
Alone disturb the stillness of the scene.

Spirit of All! as up yon star-hung deep
Of air, the eye and heart together mount,
Man's immortality within him stirs,

And Thou art all around! Thy beauty walks
In airy music o'er the midnight heavens;
Thy glory's shadowed on the slumb'ring world.

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JUNE.

JUNE has for its zodiacal sign Cancer. The name of June gave rise to various etymologies; but the most probable one derives it from Juno, in honour of whom a festival was celebrated at the beginning of the month.

Remarkable Days

In JUNE 1829.

1.-NICOMEDE.

NICOMEDE was a Christian of some distinction at Rome. He was a man of most active benevolence; but was scourged to death in the second persecution under Domitian.

5.-SAINT BONIFACE

Was a Saxon presbyter, born in England, and at first called Wilfrid. He was murdered near Utrecht, in the year 755.

*5. 1828.-H. STOE VAN DYK DIED.

He translated, in conjunction with Mr. Bowring, specimens of the Dutch poets, in one volume, entitled 'Batavian Anthology,' for which each obtained a handsome medal from his Majesty the King of Holland. His other publications are, The Gondola,' 'Songs set to Music,' and miscellaneous contributions to several periodical works.

7.-WHIT-SUNDAY.

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Whit-Sunday takes place of the Pentecostal feast among the Jews, and is in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, &c. on the day of Pentecost (Acts ii). It is held seven weeks after Easter, and has, probably, been continued regularly from the apostolical age (Acts xvi). Over the high altar in the principal church of Orvieto

there is a little door, by which the Santo Spirito, or Holy Ghost, enters on Whit-Sunday; a dove, surrounded by fire-works, to represent the Holy Spirit, being made to enter at that door, and so contrived, that it takes a circle round the church, lighting, ás it passed, on the heads of each of the white marble statues of the apostles, and resting on the high altar, where it kindles, or seems to kindle, a flame; the fire-works making a noise as it flies, to imitate the 'rushing mighty wind,' mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.-Three Years' Residence in Italy.

8.-WHIT-MONDAY.

This day and Whit-Tuesday are observed as festivals, for the same reason as Monday and Tuesday in Easter. For an account of John of Gaunt's Benefaction, see T.T. for 1827.

Among the sports formerly practised on these and other holidays, was the quintain. In the parish of Offham, to the west of Town Malling, in Kent, stands a quintain, a thing now very rarely to be met with, being a machine used in ancient times by youth, as well to try their own activity with the sword as their skill in horsemanship. It consists of an upright post, about nine feet high, with a cross piece, like the vane of a weathercock, broad at one end and indented with many holes; at the other end was suspended either a wooden sword or a bag of sand. This swings round with great ease on being moved by a slight blow. The quintain was formerly a man erect with a sword (of wood) in his hand, and a shield in the other, or sometimes a bag, or anything else, was substituted by the less active youths for a sword. The pastime was for youth upon horseback, with swords in their hands, or canes, to run at it as fast as possible, and hit the quintain with much force on the shield. He that by chance did not hit it, was treated with loud peals of derision from the others; but he who did hit it, was obliged to put spurs to his horse, and make the best use of activity, lest the quintain should give him a return blow on his neck with the sword he held in his hand, which immediately swung round upon the quintain's being touched. This sport (which was first introduced to the British by the Romans) has been practised recently by the more refined; and in the Times newspaper of 1827, is an account' of a party of noblemen and ladies going out to amuse themselves with the sport.

Whitsuntide.

[From Howitt's Forest Minstrel.]

'Tis merry Whitsuntide, and merrily

Holiday goes in hamlet and green field; Nature and men seem joined, for once, to try

The strength of care, and force the carle to yield: Summer abroad holds flowery revelry;

For revelry the village bells are pealed;

The season's self seems made for rural pleasure,
And rural joy flows with o'erflowing measure.

Go where you will through England's happy valleys,

Deep grows the grass, flowers bask, and wild bees hum; And, ever and anon, with joyous sallies,

Shouting, and music, and the busy drum,
Tell you afar where mirth her rustics rallies
In dusty sports, or midst the songs and hum
Of the royal oak, or bowling-green's inclosure,
With bower and bench, for smoking and composure.
May's jolly dance is past, and, hanging high,
Her garlands swing and wither in the sun;

And now abroad gay posied banners fly,

Followed by peaceful troops, and boys that run

To see their sires go marching solemnly,

Shouldering their wands; and youths, with ribbons won From fond fair hands, that yielded them with pride,

And proudly worn this merry Whitsuntide.

And then succeeds a lovelier sight,-the dames,
Wives, mothers, and arch sigh-awakening lasses,

Filling each gazing wight with wounds and flames,
Yet looking each demurely as she passes,

With flower-tipped wand, and bloom that flowers outshames;
And, in the van of these sweet happy faces

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Marches the priest, whose sermon says, be merry!'
The frank good squire, and sage apothecary.

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*8. 1828.-REV. W. COXE DIED, ÆT. 81.

He was the author of Travels in Swisserland; Memoirs of the Earl of Orford; Historical Tour in Monmouthshire; History of the House of Austria; Memoirs of the Kings of Spain; Memoirs of John, Duke of Marlborough; Correspondence of the Duke of Shrewsbury, and many other valuable and interesting works.

9.-WHIT-TUESDAY.

Every third year on this day, the Eton Montem is celebrated; see T.T. for 1815, p. 168.-The following is the portrait of an eccentric character, who was accustomed to attend this triennial festival.

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10, 12, 13.-EMBER DAYS. See p. 88.

11.SAINT BARNABAS

Was descended of the tribe of Levi, and born at Cyprus. He was stoned to death by the Jews.

*11. 1828.-PROFESSOR DUGALD STEWART DIED, ÆT. 75.

His name remains an honour to the philosophy and literature of Scotland. He was the son of Dr. Matthew Stewart, professor

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