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of the first priests of his day, and was also a great friend and admirer of the Venerable Bede. He was murdered in a barbarous manner by the populace near Utrecht, while preaching the Christian religion. Jupe in 6-CORPUS CHRISTI. This festival, the body of Christ,' was appointed. 1821. in honour of the Eucharist, and always falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. It is called the Fête This ge Dieu, or Corpus Christi, and is one of the most re-s in di markable festivals of the Romish church, beginning hospital on Trinity Sunday, and ending on the Sunday fol- thod su lowing. The common mode of celebrating this fes-tric Fun tival is by grand masses, and processions of the holy sacrament only; but at Aix, in Provence, a most extraordinary procession was first introduced by King Renè, which continued till the year 1788 or 1789, and was renewed again in the year 1803. See lady

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St. Alban, the first Christian martyr in this island, suffered in 303. He was converted to Christianity by Amphialus, a priest of Caerleon in Monmouthshire, who, flying from persecution, was hospitably entertained by St. Alban, at Verulam, in Hertford- pursui shire, now called, from him St. Alban's

Amphia

clothes. This, however, being soon posed St. Alban to the fury of the our saint refusing to perform the sacrids, was first miserably tortured, and ath.

R. JAMES CARMICHAEL SMYTH DIED, ÆT. 79.

nan made himself known by his exerishing the baleful effects of contagion nd other receptacles for the sick, by the ssfully introduced by him called the tion. He was several years Physician sex Hospital. This situation enabled nis attention to the treatment of Typhus ther diseases where the morbid state of re either propagates or aggravates the s improvements he was always anxious ate. He wrote several Treatises on vas a frequent contributor to the trans- society who published their papers e of Medical Communications.'

contagious fever having for some time the Spanish prisoners of war confined er, and which had baffled every effort to gress, Dr. Smyth was employed by the ers of Sick and Wounded, to exert his essing the accumulation of disease. In e successfully employed the Fumigation as. The Parliament considered his serportant, as to declare, by an express reat the abatement of the distemper was to to his ability, and to the measures purn; and, in consequence of an address to was appointed Physician Extraordinary esty. This was an office of honour, but ument: it stimulated him, however, to the further experiments, making his practice rever there existed a prevalence of conease, either in hospitals or in ships. In

.

1802, he laid his claims before Parliament; who' after a full investigation, bestowed upon him the sum of £5,000, as a reward for his meritorious services. He retired from the active duties of his profession to Sunbury, where he died. He had many children: his eldest son eminently distinguished himself in the

army, as an officer in the corps of Royal Engineers, and has recently obtained the honourable title of Baronet. For a list of his various publications on scientific and medical subjects, see the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xci, part ii, p. 89.

20. TRANSLATION OF EDWARD, King of the West Saxons.

ras after

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Edward being barbarously murdered by his mother-in-law, was first buried at Warham, without any mour. solemnity; but, after three years, was carried by ht it is Duke Alferus to the minster of Shrewsbury, and there interred with great pomp.

21.-LONGEST DAY,

This day is, in London, 16 h. 34 m. 5s., allowing

9 m. 16 s. for refraction.

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24. SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST and MIDSUMMER

DAY.

The nativity of St. John the Baptist is celebrated by the Christian church on this day, because he was the Forerunner of our blessed Lord, and, by preaching the doctrine of repentance, prepared the way for the gospel. He was imprisoned by Herod for preach

stone men a tween

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ds beheaded by the arts of that enraged

ving singular custom was a few years 1 by the inhabitants of Ripon in YorkMidsummer-eve, every housekeeper who, preceding twelve months, had changed into a new neighbourhood (there being ted districts called neighbourhoods) able before his door in the street with e, and ale, as refreshments for all who cept it. If the master of the house be circumstances, the party, after regaling For a short time, are invited to supper, ening is concluded in mirth and good he origin of this custom is not known, Ito have been instituted for the purpose ng strangers to an early and friendly acwith the neighbours; others think that it hed for the laudable purpose of settling by the meeting and mediation of friends. all, Midsummer-day is considered as a 7, on which either a pole is erected, degarlands, or some flag is displayed to sanctity of the time. The fires kindled in rts of the country on the eve of Mid, and other festivals, may probably be mong the relics of Druidical superstition. formed by Toland, in his History of the t two fires were kindled by them near one May-eve, in every village through the that it extended to Gaul, to Ireland, and One fire was on the karne, (that is, a w) the other on the ground adjoining; the easts to be sacrificed, were to pass betwo fires. The Druids were accustomed hted torches in their hands on certain oca peculiar manner, in order to drive away s. In the Island of Lewis, one of the les, it was an antient custom to make a

P

fiery circle round the houses, corn, and cattle, belonging to each particular family; this was done by a man who carried a brand or torch in his hand, and travelled round the things which were to be inclosed. The same ceremony by the carrying of fire was performed about women after childbearing, and round children before they were initiated, as an effectual means of preserving the mother and her offspring from the power of evil spirits.

In Cornwall, there are several festival fires, or bonfires; one in particular, which is kindled on the eve of St. John the Baptist, and the other on that of St. Peter's Day; and Midsummer is thence called, in the Cornish tongue, Goluan, a word which signifies both light and rejoicing. At these fires,' (says Dr. Borlase) the Cornish attend with lighted torches, tarred and pitched at one end, and make their perambulations round the fires, going from village to village, and carrying their torches before them: this is certainly a remnant of Druid superstition.' The custom, of which Dr. Borlase thus speaks, was no doubt very common in Cornwall when he wrote; but at present, although the bonfires remain, the marching from village to village with lighted torches exists only in the fading recollection of the aged, and in those pages which marked the prevailing customs of departed days.

lost. Y are light

for som tomary gility,

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In thes in each

About the time of the summer solstice, the Druids lighted up a fire in honour of Bel or Belus; and, at this season of the year, it is still a custom in some parts of Ireland for the people to light up fires in some elevated places', and to bring their families together, to dance round, to pass through, and to jump over them, in order that success may attend them in all their future enterprises. In some places,

1

Chiefly on the mountains which lie to the south of Dublin. Α

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