He preached the Gospel in Armenia^ converted
the Lycaonians^ and afterwards visited India. He
was flayed alive^ by order of Astyages, King of Ar-
menia.— On the massacre of St. Bartholomew, see
T. T. for 1821, p. 217.
28. — SAINT AUGUSTINE.
Augustine was born at Thagaste, a town in Numi^
dia, in the year 354. He was a judicious divine, atid
the most voluminous writer of all the Fathers. He
died in 430, at the age of seventy-seven.
29. — ^JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADED.
This day was formerly denominated Festum Col-
tectionis Sancti Johannis BaptistcB; or the feast of
gathering up St. John the Baptist's relics ; but after-
wards, by corruption, Festum Decollationis, the fes-
tival in remembrance of his being beheaded. His
nativity is celebrated on the 24th of June, whicksee.
Consult also T.T. for 1823, p. 234.
*AUGUST 1516.— THE POMP AND STATE OP
CARDINAL WOLSEY,
When Chancellor, were even greater than those of
Royalty itself. The Cardinal rose early; and as
soon^as he came out of his bed-chamber, he gene-
rally lieard two masses, either in his ante*chamber
or chapel. Returning to his private apartments, he
made various necessary arrangements for the day;
and about eight o'clock, left his privy chamber ready
dressed, in the red robes of a cardinal/ his upper
garment beipg of scarlet, or else of fine crimson
taffeta, or crimson satin, with a black velvet tippet
of sables about his neck, and holding in his hand an
orange, deprived of its internal substance and filled
with a piece of sponge, wetted with vinegar ^ and
other confections against pestilent airs, the which hee
most commonly held to his nose, when he came to
Digitized by Google
214 RSMARCABLE 0AYS.
the presses, or when he was pestered vrith- many
suitors/ This may account for so many of the old
portraits being painted with an orange in the hand.
The Great Seal of England and the Cardinal's hat
were both borne before him 'by some lord, or some
gentleman of worship right solemnly ;' and as soon
as he entered the presence-chamber, the two tall
priests, with the two tall crosses, were ready to at-
tend upon him, with geiitlemen ushers going before
him bare-headed, and crying 'on masters before,
and make room for my lord/ The crowd thus called
on consisted not only of common suitors, or the in-
dividuals of his own family, but often of peers of
the realm, who diose, or were perhaps obliged, thus
to crouch to an upstart — a> character not in very
great repute in those days. In this state the proud
Cardinal proceeded down his hall, with a sergeant
at arms before him, carrying a large silver mace,
and two gentlemen, each bearing a large plate of
silver. On his arrival at the gate, or halWoor, he
found his mule ready, covered with crimson velvet,
trappings.
When mounted, his attendants consisted of his two
cross-bearers, and his two pillar-bearers, dressed in
fine scarlet, and mounted on great hordes capa-
risoned in like colour, of four men on foot, with each
a pole-axe in his hand, and a long train of gentry
who came to swell his triumph as he proceeded to
the Coujrt of Chancery, where he generally sat until
eleven o'clock to hear suits and to determine causes.
With all thi^ state, he seems to have affected some
degree of familiarity; tor, previous to taking bis
seat in the court, he generally stopped at a bar made
for him below the chancery, conversing with the
other judges, and sometimes with individuals of less
apparent consequence.
As soon as his chancery business was over, he
commonly proceeded to the Star-chamber; where,
as has been, we hope truly, reported of him, 'hee
peitber spared high nor low, but did judge every one
i
Digitized by VnOOQ iC
ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES. 215
according to right.' Indeed, amidst all contending
accouDts, there still appears to have been much vir-
tue in this extraordinary man, who might even claim
merit as being one of the chief causes of the rapid
extension of the Reformation in England, from his
sedulous eadeavours to detect the disorders amongst
the clergy at home; disorders, the knowledge of
which was now producing such memorable events in
Germany, and leading to the Reformation there
also. — See *Wolsey ike Cardinal y and his Times;
Courtljf, Political, and Ecclesiastical/ an interesting
volume lately published, by G. Howard, Esq., author
of *Lady Jane Grey and her Times/
*31. 1824,^W1LLIAM JBPTON DIED, JET. 108!
He was for many years employed as a gardener,
and had, throughout life^ enjoyed an uninterrupted
state of good health and spirits.
^Qtxotmmui #cctttrmce0
In AUGUST 1835.
The refulgence of the Summer's Sun now sheds
his golden tints over the orchard^ tbe garden, and
the field ; and leads us to exclaim, with the poet.
Could a mind, imbued
With frufii from heaven, treated things tidoi^,
We might with rev'rence kneel and worship Thee !
Solar Phenomena. .
The Sun enters Virgo at 4 m. after nudnight of
the 22d of this month; and he rises and sets during
the same interval as in the following
TABLE
Of the Suns Rising and Setting for everjf fifth Day,
August 1st,* Suu rises 19 m. after 4. Sets 41 m. after 7
6th,
11th,
16th,
21st,
26th,
3l8t,
Equation of Time,
To find mean tixoe from apparent^ the numbers in
27
..• 4
35 ...
... 4
44 ,....
... 4
53
... 4
2 ....
•.. 5
12
.. 5
33 ....
.... 7
25 ....
.... 7
16....
.... 7
7 ....
.... 7
58....
.... 6
48 ....
6
216 ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES
the following Table must be used as there directed,
and those for any intermediate periods must be found
by proportion.
TABLE
Of the Equation of Time for every fifth Day.
Monday, Aug. Ist, to the time by the dial aid 6 58
Saturday,.... 6th, ^....;. 5 53
Thursday,... 11th, « 4 54
Tuesday, 16th, 4 t
Sunday, Slst, 2 55
Friday, 26th, 1 38
Wednesday,. 31st, > 1
Lunar Phenomena.
O Moon ! old boug^hs lisp forth a holier din
The while they feel thine airy fellowship :
Thou dost bless every where, with silver lip
Kissing dead things to life. The sleeping kine,
Couched in thy brightness, dream of fields diVine ;
Innumerable mountains rise, and rise.
Ambitious for the hallowing of thine eyes ;
And yet thy benediction passeth not
One obscure hiding-place, one little spot
Where pleasure maybe sent: the nestled wren
Has thy fair face within its tranquil ken,
And, from beneath a sheltering ivy leaf,
Takes glimpses of thee. j. keats.
Phases of the Moon.
Last Quarter,. .7th day^ at 14 m. after in the mormng
New Moon,... i4th 58 6
First Quarter, 20th 33 9 in the evening
Full Moon,.. 28th midnight
Moon's Passage over the Meridian.
The Moon will pass the meridian at the following
times this months which will afford opportunities of
observation^ viz.
August 6th, at 1 m. after 5 in the piorning
"'* '"" .... 5
7th,
.. 47
8th,
.. 37
9th,
.. 29
10th,
.. 24
2lst,
.. 28
22d«
.. 25
23d,
.. 19
24th,
.. U
25th,
..
2601,
.. 47
.... 6
.... 7
.... 8
28 '. . . 6 in the evening
.... 7
.... 8
.... 9
.... 10
.... 10
y Google
IN AUGUST 1825. 217
TABLE
Ofihe Time of High Water at London for every fifth
Day.
Morning. 4ftemoon.
August 1 St, at 39 m. after 3 42 m. after 3
eth, .. 12 6 ........ 37 6
11th, .. 31 11
' 16th, .. 26 3 44 3
2l8t, .. 16 7 48 7
26th, .. 20 45
31st, .. 35 3 47 3
Should the time of high water be reqjiired for any
intermediate day, it may be found nearly by pro-
portion. For other places, see the observations in
the Occurrences for January. On the 16th of the
month the tide will rise to more than the usual height,
and, if favoured by the wind, may do considerable
damage on some parts of the coast.
Phenomena Planetarum.
Phases of Vefius.
As this planet is now receding from the earth, her
illuminated phase increases, but her brilliancy is on
the decrease. The proportions of her phases are,
. . , . f Illuminated part = 6*21288
August Ist, iD^kp^t .... =5-78712
Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites.
Jupiter being now so near the Sun, the eclipses
of his satellites are not visible this month.
Conjunction of the Moon with the Planets and Stars.
August 7th, with f in Aries, at 9 in the morning
9th, Saturn, • . 8 in the evening
10th, ....... Venns, .. 8
2l8t, Scorpio, • . 2 in the morning
25th, . . . . /3 Capricorn • • 7 in the evening
Jupiter will be in conjunction at 45 m. after 5 in
the evening of the 17th of this month ; and Mercury
will attain his greatest elongation on tlie 19th.
The following lines are too beautiful to be omitted
in this place : —
t
/
Digitized by VnOOQ iC
218 THE naturalist's diary
The -Morning Star.
Pale star! that lookest o'er the waters blae,
When earth and ocean wear a twilight hue,
From slumber waking, oft I turn to thee.
And marvel what the day shall bring to me \
dh! happy years of innocence and joy,
When pleasure smiled upon the careless boy, •
How have ye swiftly fled, to leave behind
Sorrows, dark clouds, and misery's hollow wind !
Tlien like the morning lark I woke and sung,
Mirth in my heart, and music on my tongue ;
Now fearful I awake to Morning's light,
And ask seclusion and the face of night.
Through mazy crowds my heartless path I trace.
Nor greet a sniile up(m one friendly face ;
Mid courts and camps I murmur and repine.
And sigh that peace and privacy were mine.
Oh, world, at distance smiling so serene !
Oh, world, thou motleyed and tempestuous scene !
Oh, world, where purity receives her blot, '
And virtue is eschewed — I love thee not!
Then fare thee well, bright star, that ushered in,
Alike the morning calm, the evening din ;
More welcome shall thy next appearance be.
When, gemming Twilight's robe, I gaze on thee !
D. M. MOIR.
CJe Jtaturalifiit' Biatp
For AUGUST 1825.
When Summer's universal blush
Spreads o*er the scene ; when the broad woods expand
In screen umbrageous, and bank and bush
Are hung with roseate wreaths, by zephyr fanned ;
When panting heat lists to the cooling gush
Of gelid springs, or marks the sportive band
Of skimming swallows o'er the gray lake rush ;
When sunny fruitage woos each gathering hand.
And all mature the year ; O let the flush
Of raptured joy be mine, nor aught its transports hush.
ANNA MARIA PORTER.
The 'mother of the months' has many times waned^
and now again refills her honi^ and Summsr, with its
treasure of blue skies^ painted flowers, merry insects^
y Google
FOR AUGUST 1825. 219
chirping birds, and luscious fruits, again bids the
world be happy. And all this may, generally speak-
ing, be said of an English August, which Yorms the
' brief Summer' of these porthem regions, notwith-
standing the Almanack-makers have fixed Midsum-
mer Day on the 24th of June. In some years, how-
ever, we have not more than a fortnight of continued
fine, hot, weather, and which may happen in any
month between April and September. In 1823, the
first 14 days of the latter month constituted the Sum-
mer for that year; and in 1824, the warm, sunny sea-
son occurred in the beginning of June, and towards
the end of July. August was changeable, with gleams
of heat ; occasionally, however, this month is cold
and wet: this has occurred a few years since, as
well as in the year 1766 : Gray in one of his letters,
dated August 26 of that year, says, ' the rain con-
tinued, with very short intervals, till the beginning of
this month ; and quite effaced the Summen from the
year : but it was owing to the bad weather that the
whole scene was dressed in that tender emerald
green, which one usually sees only for a fortnight in
the opening of the Spring.' The poet also observes,
that it was so cold in the June of this year, that they
had fires in the day-time as well as in ihe evening.
If, however, 'all change be sweet,' this variety
of season and temperature must greatly enhance the
pleasures we derive from those bursts of sunshine, —
those ' visits few and far between,' of solstitial
splendour, that light up, as it were, the grand scene
of Nature, and give an adventitious glory to the
picture, truly delightful when contrasted with the
dark and murky gloom in which it is usually en-
veloped. Summer clouds are doubly beautiful from
their evanescence, and, from the terrific phenomena
in their train, possess an interest which no other cir-
cumstance could give : of this, the great poet, so
lately numbered with the dead, has most felicitously
availed himself in the following beautiful simile : —
y Google
220 THB natuaalist's diary
Her daughter, tempered with a milder ray,
Like Summer clouds, all silvery, smooth and fair.
Till slowly chained with thunder they display
Terror to earth, and tempest to the air.
Had held till now her soft and milky way ;
But, overwrought with passion and despair.
The fire burst forth from her Numidian veins,
Even as the Simoom sweeps the blasted plains.
About the 11th of August^ the puffin migrates ; and
soon afterwards the swift disappears^ probably wing-
ing its way to more southern regions. Young broods
of goldfinches are now seen ; lapwings and linnets
congregate, and the nuthatch chatters.
The mountain ash, or rowan tree, now displays
its bunches of red berries amid its elegant and light
foliage, rivalling the flaming honours of the pyra-
canthus at a later period. The jessamine shows its
pretty genttls, little flowers^ and difluses its fragrant
scent.
The Jessamine.
T^om the Spanish qf Gongora,
From my Summer alcove, which the stars this mora
With lucid pearls o'erspread,
I have gathered these jessamines, thus to adorn
With a wreath thy graceful head.
« • »
Th6ir blossoms a host of bees, alarmed.
Watched over on jealous wing ;
Hoarse trumpeters seemed they all, and armed
Each bee with a diamond sting :
I tore them away, but each flower I tore
Has cost me a wound which smarteth sore.
Now as I these jessamine flowers entwine,
A gift for thy vagrant hair,
I must have, from those honey-sweet lips of thine,
A kiss for each sting I bear :
It is just that the blooms 1 bring thee home
Be repaid by sweets from the golden comb.
J. H.WIFFEN.
The geranium tribe now add to the beauty of the
garden^ and many pretty species also decorate our
y Google
FOR AUODfT 1825. 221
smmy banks; diemalvaceoiisarder, and the sparges,
bearing the seed always elevated on the flower, are
seen in great variety. The genista or broom flowera
in this month; and the common flax, with its pretty
pate bine flowers. The sun-flower now adds its^stately
beauties to the garden: —
Real faith is like the fun's fair flower,
Wbieb ttiidftt the cloiids that shroud it, and the winds
That wave it to and fro, and all the change
Of air and earth and sky, doth rear its head,
And looketh up still stedfast to its God.
From the Spanish,
The sweet scabious is in flower^ and the common '
bine passion flower^ which flowers from June to Oc-
tober, may^ in the general dearth of flowers, be intro-
duced to our notice in August. Still we may say with
the poet, that although
Summer's woodland wreath
is faded, yet the garden's gay parterre
Is rich with gorgeous hues ; and glorious things
Haunt the cool stream, and flutter in the air
Resplettdentfoittts, —
Insects now abound, and afford a never-failing
source of amusement and instruction to the inquiring
entomologist. In Oiis month, the truant school-boy
Plucks the wings from painted butterflies,
and carries home the papilio argus land phUBOs as
a prize, — ^to him, worth all the diamonds of GroV
conda, or the gold and silver of Pem^.— See a beautiful
poem to a * Butterfly resting on a skull,' in our last
* See some beavtifiil lines on the Passion-flower in our last vo-
lujne, p. 233.
* We have much pleasure in reconunendiiig to our readers a
pretty little book, printed and sold by Mr. Raw, at Iptwich^ this
year (18^), entitled, the < Butterfy CoUector'$ Vade-M^cnms' it
contains some useful introductory remarks, and explanations of
terms ; a list of butterflies and their families, and a synoptical
table of English butterflies, with the timet of their appem'aneef and
a, dqteription of the different species. .-« H may be had of Messrs.
tonpaajoBp in Paternoster Row.
T 2.
y Google
222 THB naturalist's diary
Yolttme, p. 233^ and some fine stanzas on this pro-
lific fiubject in * Barton's Poetic Vigils/
. The heavesthug (acanisricinusX in this and the
following month, proves a yery troublesome and dis-
agreeable insect, particularly in some of the southern
counties of England. The best cure for the bite is
hartshorn. Flies now abound, and torment both
men and animals with their perpetual buzzing. — •
Wasps also become very troublesome. — See T.T. for
1822, p. 240.
For these temporary annoyances, however, we are
in some measure compensated by the presence of
the lady^bird, and the glow-worm; the first for its
utility (see T.T. for 1823, p. 248), and the second
for the beautiful effect it produces.
To the Glow-worm.
Thou fairy flame of wildly beaming light !
When Nature's tints in one unvaried hue
Of misty shadow fade, I love to view
Thine emerald blaze that gems the robe of Night.
What means the tiny beacon ? Say they right.
Who deem it kindled for some winged mate,
Like tiiat fond light (to liken small with g^at)
Which o'er the Hellespont did erst invite
Th' heroic lover to his perilous visit ?
Or, like a watch-fire, is it for defence — '
To keep aloof each insect foe ? Or is it
Of any other purpose to the wearer,
That mail of flame? Or does it warmth dispense ?
* • Or are there fays^ and thou their Untern-bearer?
J. CONnBR*.
Much amusement may be derived, in £his month,
from searching for insects among the weeds thrown
up in clearing ponds. Among &ese will be found
the larvae of the phrygdnea, or caddis-fly. (See our'
last volume, p. 234.)
The solitary bee and the white moth are observed
in this month: the ptinus pectinicomis also makes
its appearance, the larvse of which are very destruc-
tive to wooden furniture, boring holes in tables,
â– star in the East, and other Poems, ISmo, 1824.
Digitized by VnOOQ iC
FOR AUGUST 1825. 228
chairs, bed-posts, &c. The vapoarer-moth (bambyx
anti^a) may be found in this month. The caterr
pillar is stadded with brush-like bunches of long, hairs,
and the curious will be repaid their trouble ,o( col*
lecting and feeding it, by the opportunity they will
have of observing the singular circumstance of the
females being without wings, when the change from
the chrysalis state takes place.
T^e various kinds of grain are generally ripened
in this month, by the powerful influence of the solar
ray; and as et;erj( month has its peculiar beauties, so
August has its fields of waving com, its groups of
nut-brown reapers, and its cheerful harvbst-home.
The heat is sometimes intense in this month; and
while the more favoured (but not happier) patri-
cian throws his listless length upon the luxurious
sopha, and listens to the soft but melancholy mur-^
murs of the harp of JSolus', the laborious peasant is
exposed to the full glare of a noontide sun : but let
> I am not disposed, says Robert Bloemfield (Remaina, vol. i,
p. 62), to court ^e powers of this poet-made god — except on a
sultry summer's day, when not a breath of air is in motion^ at such
a moment one might exclaim,—
Oh, breeze, where sleep'st thou ? Come, oh, come.
This languor of my frame dispel ;
Arise, — thy own loved harp is dumb ;
Arise, and bid thy chorus swell.
Stop not, but breathe with freshening power
O'er full-blown roses in your way ;
Wave the laburnum's pendent flower ;—
Yet stop not 'midst their sweets to play.
Sweep o*er the hay-field and the grove ;
Thy own harp waits thee, come along ;
Whose soft vibrations whisper love.
And fancied choirs of heavenly song.
Thanks, charming zephyr. —Hark! That tone!
Be true, sweet harp y liush all but thee ;
Perform thy task untouched, ailone.
And pour thy tide of harmony.
In the same volume whence we have taken Uiese beautiful lines,
there is a reprint of a very agreeable tract, called Nature^s Music ;
consisting of extracts from several authors, with practical observa-
tions and poetical testimonies in honour of the < Harp of SxAva ;' it
contains some choice poetic gems, and is full of pleasant reading.
y Google
224 CULINARY V£6fiTABlBS.
» r ii I I ....I .11. ..I.. . . .Ill— ..■■I I I. ■■■III I . I I. ■< I ...
M t«are to mtt jasmine and clematis-covered alcove^
and read the poet's beautiful description of a ^ noon
I'ff harvbst/ in which, while he 'points the moral/
be ' adorns the tale/
Tbe scorching splendours of tbe orb of day
On CTcry hill and verdant valley lay ;
The shepherds df ove their flocks to eooling streams,
Overhung with willows and wild scented flowenn
Then fled to hide them from the mid«day beams,
Seeking a shelter in sequestered bowers.
The reapers left their fields; and every hind
Beneath some kindly shadowing hedge reclined ;
The trembling gleaners took their children's haAds,
Exelainikig, ' €k>me, my sweet ones ; for no more
' We'll wander up and down these fertile lands,
' Until the parching noon-tide heat is o'er/
.But wberesa'er they fledf*r*if 'twas within
Some shaded spot, where light ne'er yet shone i%-^
Sortie abbey walls, — or antient ruined tower, —
Or where perhaps, ^th many a device rare,
Man's skiU bad reared a thick and close-wove bower,
The piercing beam they fled pursued them there.
Thtfs mm from human sight may torn and fly,
But on him stiU rests God's all-seeing eye»
Whfch views the fugitive where'er he roam.
And gazes on him 'mid the noon>tide's light,*^
Is rodnd him in each changing clime and home,
And still beholds him in the starless night.
Oh r then each night, and at retnming day.
May we before His throne in meekness pray,
That this one thought may dwell within each breast,
That heav'n*s eye is on us ; — and where'er
We dwell, that eye on us must ever rest;
And may,— oh! may it rest approving there* !
DESCRIPTION VCULINARY VEGETABLES.
[CoiUiiiued from pftg« £07*]
Obach.— iSee Spinach.
Parsley (apium petroselinum) is a very useful
garnish to most cold meats. It should be sown in
■; '■" «*> ' ■' •" ■■■■! ■. ■■.1. ■, , ."
* Ryan's Saored and Miscellaaeoue Poemst 8ro, 18d4.
Digitized by VnOOQ iC
CULINARY V£6£TABLBS. 225
the spring, and will appear above ground in about
six weeks time. It is in great request for preserv-
ing sheep from the rot, and for purifying the breath
from the smell of onions and garlic. In some sauces
it is an agreeable ingredient, and it has been ex-
tolled as a remedy for almost all disorders. It was
in great repute in the time of Homer, since he adonis
witii it and the violet the precincts of Calypso's ar-
bonr in his beautiful description, Qdyss. Book V,
v. 73 :—
In verdant meads, and tbriyin^ all around,
Sweet violets and parsley deck the ground.
The elegantly indented leaves of this vegetable
adorned, in antient architecture, the Corinthian ca-
pital as well as those of the Acanthus; and. we are
told that the Carthaginians, having found it in the
delightful vales of Sardinia, brought it to the Pho-
cean gardens of the Marseillois. If, after having
bruised some sprigs of parsley in your hands, you
attempt to rinse your glasses, they will generally
snap and suddenly break.
The poisonous herb fooVs parsley {(Bthusa cyna-
pium) has been sometimes mistaken for common
parsley ; but they are easily distinguished, the leaves
of the former being of a darker green and of a differ-
ent shape, and emitting a disagreeable odour when
bruised. The timid should cultivate only the curled
variety of this useful pot-herb; it also makfes the
prettiest garnish. — London.
The Hamburgh parsley root is little attended to
in Britain, but is a great favourite in Holland, where
it is seen plentifully on the green stalls, being con-
stantly eaten along with perch and carp, in the na-
ticmal dish of waterzootje. — Horticultural Tour.
Parsnip (pastinaca saliva). — ^The wild parsnip is
a native of most parts of Europe; and from it the
garden or common parsnip is produced by cultiva-
tion. This root is sweeter than the carrot, and
forms an agreeable accompaniment to salt fish and
y Google
226 CULINARY VBGETABLES.
various boiled meats. They are highly nutritious,