may be yet seen the large white-flowered lady's-bedstraw, and also another species bearing yellow flowers. Herb-robert continues to blow under hedges, and the bind-weed also, as it climbs on the thickets.

BRIEF ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES,

FOR OCTOBER, 1847.

BY MR. WILLIAM ROGERSON, of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

one

THE SUN rises at Greenwich or London on the 1st at minute after six, and sets at thirty-nine minutes past five: he rises on the 15th at twenty-five minutes past six, and sets at six minutes after five. The Sun enters the sign Libra on the 23d, when the autumnal quarter begins; and on the 30th rises at fifty-one minutes past six, and sets, or descends below the western horizon, at thirty-six minutes after four.

"Those evening clouds, that setting ray,
And beauteous tints, serve to display

Their great Creator's praise;

Then let the short-lived thing call'd man,
Whose life's comprised within a span,
To Him his homage raise.

"We often praise the evening cloud,
And tints so gay and bold,
Bur seldom think upon our God,

Who tinged those clouds with gold."

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

The MOON rises on the 1st at three minutes before eleven at night, and on the 2d at midnight: she presents her crescent in the eastern horizon on the 4th at one o'clock, and on the 6th at five minutes past three, in the morning. The Moon changes on the 9th, at seven minutes after nine in the morning; and sets on the 12th a few minutes before seven in the evening: she is half-full on the 17th, and sets at eight minutes after eleven: she sets on the 20th at half-past one, and on the 22d at a quarter past four, in the morning. The Moon is full on the 23d, at thirty-six minutes after eleven at night; and rises on the 24th at half-past five in the evening. This beautiful nocturnal luminary rises on the 26th at seven o'clock, and on the 28th at a quarter before nine at night. The Moon enters on her last quarter on the 30th, and rises on the 31st at midnight.

MERCURY is invisible.

VENUS is in conjunction with the Sun on the 3d, after which she becomes a morning star: she appears remarkably splendid at the end of the month, in the eastern sky, at or before day-break : she rises on the 30th at a quarter before four, and through a good telescope has the appearance of the Moon, when a crescent a few days before the change.

MARS appears very large throughout this month; this, with his ruddy aspect, renders him a conspicuous object every clear evening and night. He is in the neighbourhood of the Moon on the 24th, and at the end of the month is due south at midnight.

JUPITER is a splendid object during the nights and mornings: he rises on the 6th at a quarter past ten, and on the 27th at about nine, at night. This beautiful planet is in the vicinity of the Moon on the 1st and 29th days.

SATURN is favourably situated for observation during this month: he appears like a star of the first magnitude, and is due south on the 1st at ten o'clock at night: he souths on the 13th at ten minutes past nine, and on the 26th at a quarter after eight: on the 20th he is in conjunction with the Moon.

URANUS is favourably situated for telescopic observation every clear night his right ascension about the middle of the month is one hour one minute, and his declination five degrees forty-one minutes north.

NEPTUNE is also in a good position for observations through optic tubes during this month; his right ascension being about twenty-two hours two minutes, and his declination about twelve degrees and a half south.

THE NOTABLE VISIBLE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, IN THE MORNING OF SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 1847.

This eclipse is visible throughout Great Britain and Ireland; and for the southern parts of England exceeds in magnitude any solar eclipse since the 1st of April, 1764.

The eclipse begins at Greenwich and London at sunrise, or fourteen minutes after six: greatest obscuration at twenty-seven minutes after seven, when the Sun is just annularly eclipsed, or appears like a ring, broad towards the upper part, and narrow as a hair towards the under side. The eclipse ends at forty-eight minutes past eight.

The above five representations of this eclipse are adapted for Dover and Folkestone, in Kent, being the most eligible places in England for surveying this interesting phenomenon, as the Sun, from the bold and magnificent cliffs of the former, and the romantic hills of the latter, may be seen to quit the horizon for some minutes before the eclipse begins; for I find, from correct astronomical tables, that the Sun rises at these places at fourteen minutes past six: the eclipse begins at nineteen minutes after six; at half-past six the Sun appears at Dover and Folkestone like figure 1; at five minutes before seven, like figure 2. Figure 3 represents the Sun at the time of the greatest obscuration, which happens at thirty-two minutes after seven, when the Sun, like a splendid ring, broadest on the upper side towards the left, will appear a magnificent object in the south-eastern sky. This viewed from the heights of Dover, the town far beneath the feet of the spectator, while old ocean, rolling his majestic waves along, reflecting the oblique and moon-dimmed rays of the orb of day, will awaken, in the sensitive and intelligent mind, peculiar sensations. Figure 4 represents the Sun as he will appear at a quarter past eight; and figure 5, at forty minutes after eight. The eclipse ends at fifty-four minutes past eight.

Figure 6 exhibits the appearance of the Sun in all places where

the eclipse is central, and answers very well for Launceston, Tavistock, Ashburton, Torbay, Exeter, &c., at about ten minutes past seven. Figure 7 represents the Sun at the time of greatest obscuration where it is not annular. This will answer for Durham, Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland, at twenty-three minutes past seven; at Hull, Scarborough, and Whitby, at twenty-eight minutes after seven; at Liverpool and Chester at sixteen minutes after seven; at Stockton and York at twenty-four minutes past seven; and at Yarmouth and Norwich at thirty-six minutes after seven. Figure 8 represents the Sun as he appears at all places about fifty minutes before the time of greatest obscuration. Figure 9, in all places about a quarter of an hour after the greatest obscuration. Figure 10 shows the appearance of the Sun in all places about one hour after the middle of the eclipse.

*This is the greatest eclipse we shall have in England until the 15th of March, 1858.

POETRY.

ACROSTIC.

"A Song of Rejoicing for the prosperous Reign of our most gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth."

We give the following both as a specimen of our sturdy Saxon song, and as an ingenious Acrostic (which might very well be sung now to any "short metre " tune) on the phrase, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN. It is formed by the initial letters of the first and third lines of each verse.

"Give laud unto the Lord, ·

And praise his holy name:
O let us all with one accord
Now magnify the same.
Due thanks unto him yield,
Who evermore hath been

So strong defence, buckler, and shield,

To our most gracious Queen.

And as for her this day,

Each were about us round,
Vp to the sky right solemnly
The bells do make a sound:

E ven so let us rejoice

Before the Lord our King;

To him let us now frame our voice
With cheerful hearts to sing.

Her Majesty's intent,

By thy good grace and will,

E ver, O Lord, hath been most bent
Thy law for to fulfil.

Quite them that loving mind
With love to her again:
Unto her as thou hast been kind,
O Lord, so still remain.

Extend thy mighty hand

Against her mortal foes:

Express and show that thou wilt stand
With her against all those.
Nigh unto her abide,

Uphold her sceptre strong:

E ke grant with us, a joyful guide,
She may continue long.

-Printed A.D. 1578. Copied from "Liturgical Services, &c.," published by the "Parker Society."

A WITHERED LEAF.

(From a Sheffield Paper.)

A WITHER'D leaf, its life how brief!
Now its last gambols playing,
Amidst the trees, floats on the breeze,
Still downward and decaying.

Now here, now there, high in the air
Again behold it flying:

But down at last, on earth 'tis cast,
With all its fellows dying!

A moment pass'd, the northern blast,
Yields to a short cessation;

'Tis up again, 'midst wind and rain,
Resuming its gyration.

This leaf is man! care-worn and wan,
Long harass'd by vexation;
Snapp'd every tie, hope's sources dry,
He courts the grave's low station.

Now quick as air, on wings of prayer,
His soul mounts up to heaven;

Then down it sinks, while nature shrinks,
By thoughts of dying driven.

A moment o'er, faith bears once more
The soul o'er scenes of weeping,
Come wind, come rain, joy, grief, or pain,
Safe in the Saviour's keeping.

* Quite, that is, requite.

H. T. & J. Roche, Printers, 25, Hoxton-square, London.