given to the season of Lent, and denoted the quadra gesimal or forty days' fast. When the three weel before Quadragesima ceased to be considered a weeks after the Theophany (or Epiphany), and we appointed to be observed as a time of preparatio for Lent, it was perfectly conformable to the ordina mode of computation to reckon backwards, and, f the sake of even and round numbers, to count decades. (Shepherd.)

The cities of Palermo and Catania dispute t honour of her birth: but they do much better, wh by copying her virtues, strive to become her fello citizens in heaven.'-(Butler.)-She suffered marty dom under Decius, in the year 251.

*6. 1820.- ANNE FLAXMAN DIED,

Wife of the celebrated sculptor. This lady w an excellent Greek scholar, and it is supposed th the Professor has been indebted to her classical ta for the beauty of many of his groupes, and for th pure, simple spirit, by which they are characteriz 10. SEX AGESIMA SUNDAY. See SEPTUAGESIMA p. 35.

*11. 1821.-ADAM WALKER DIED, ET. 90, The celebrated lecturer on experimental philo phy, and author of several astronomical and phi sophical works. This gentleman was the inven of the Eidouranion, or, Transparent Orrery; Coelestina; the great revolving lights on the Isle Scilly, and at Cromer; the warm air-stove, and present mail-coach.

14.-SAINT VALENTINE.

Valentine was an antient presbyter of the chur after a year's imprisonment at Rome he was bea with clubs, and then beheaded, in the Via Flamin about the year 270, under Claudius II. The mod celebration of this day, with young persons, is v known; and it may be some consolation, to th who complain of the gradual decline of good

to be informed, that the practice of sending Enes' on this day still flourishes in undimivigour; it appearing by the returns of the any Post Office, that the number of letters passed through that office on the 14th of Fe821 exceeded the usual daily average by the of 200,000 letters!

tine's-day, we are happy to find, was not n by the intrepid seamen of the arctic expewhile laid up in Winter Harbour, and expeall the rigours of a North Georgian season; ngly a jeu d'esprit on the subject appeared in ry entertaining Gazette, entitled 'Hyperborivilege,' from which we make an extract.

Almost devoid of covering,

In southern climes stay hovering,
The cold would set you shivering;

So, urchin boy, adieu!

For o'er our hearts you must your pow'r resign,
Till we, returning, bow at beauty's shrine.

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY. See SEPTUAGE-
SIMA, p. 35.

19.-SHROVE TUESDAY.

is called 'Fastern's E'en' and Pancake TuesShrove is the preterite of shrive, an antiquated which signifies to hear or make confession

D

See T. T. for 1814, p. 35, and for 1815, p. 45. I Yorkshire, and the northern counties, this and th preceding day are called Collop Monday and Par cake Tuesday: the latter is a noted holiday; the par cake bell, rung in the forenoon, not only announce the hour for commencing the frying of pancakes, b proclaims a jubilee for children, apprentices, ar

On Shrove Tuesday, the Carnival' terminates, է a most singular illumination immediately after th horse-race. Not only all the houses are illuminate but all persons on foot or in their carriages ho lighted tapers; and sit or stand, in the cold and we with their fingers dripping with wax or tallow, a cording to the ability of the illumination. After th lapse of an hour, on the progressive march of t troops down the Corso, light after light suddenly di appears, amidst peals of laughter and lamentatio of regret; till the sounds of the horses' feet die awa the crowd disperses, and utter darkness and utt solitude succeed.

Formerly Lent began on the Sunday after Qui quagesima, i. e. our first Sunday in Lent, and end at Easter, containing in all 42 days; and subtracti the six Sundays which are not fasts, there remain only 36 fasting days, the tenth part of 360, the nu ber of days in the antient year, then considered as tythe of the year consecrated to God's service. ! these 36 fasting-days, however, of the Old-Let Gregory added four days more, to render it equal the time of our Saviour's fasting, causing it to beg on Ash Wednesday, three days after Quinquagesin and thus it has remained ever since. Lent is not apostolic institution, nor was it known in the earl ages of the Christian church.

The performance of the celebrated 'Miserere'

See a full description of it. as now celebrated at Rome, in on

K

e Chapel at Rome, on this day, is thus well 1 by a modern traveller:-"The shadows of (observes our author) had now closed in, hould have been left almost in total darkfor the dull red glare which proceeded from n lights of the unseen choristers, and which, with the deepening twilight, produced a most oly gloom. After a deep and most impressive silence, the solemn Miserere commenced; and mortal ear was heard a strain of such powerful, rt-moving pathos. The accordant tones of a human voices, and one which seemed more man, ascended together to heaven for mercy Kind-for pardon to a guilty and sinning It had nothing in it of this earth-nothing eathed the ordinary feelings of our nature. ed as if every sense and power had been rated into that plaintive expression of lamenof deep suffering, and supplication, which sed the soul. It was the strain that disemboirits might have used who had just passed the aries of death, and sought release from the ious weight of woe and the tremblings of agony that they had suffered in the passage grave. It was the music of another state of

It lasted till the shadows of evening fell , and the red dusky glare, as it issued stronger he concealed recess whence the singing pro1, shed a partial, but strong, light upon the s near it. It ceased-a priest with a light 1 across the chapel, and carried a book to the ting cardinal, who read a few words in an and impressive tone. Then again the light disred, and the last, the most entrancing harmony in a deeper, more pathetic sound of lamentation nortal voices ever breathed. Its effect, upon the s of those who heard it, was almost too all-powerbe borne, and never, never can be forgotten. One

gentleman fainted, and was carried out; and many o the ladies were in an agitation even more distressing which they vainly struggled to suppress. It was th music of Allegri; but the composition, however find is nothing without the voices who perform it here It is only the singers of the Papal chapel who ca execute the Miserere; it has been tried by the bes singers in Germany, and totally failed of effect.There is never any accompaniment, though, a times, the solemn swell of the softened organ seeme to blend with the voices. This music is more won derful, and its effect more powerful, than any thin that can be conceived. At its termination, som loud strokes that reverberated through the chapel intended to represent the Vail of the Temple bein rent in twain, closed the service'.'

*23. 1821.-JOHN KEATS DIED.

Ripe for the sickle; others, young, like him, o
And falling green beneath th'untimely stroke.

He died at Rome, whither he had gone for th benefit of his health. His complaint was a consump tion, under which he had languished for some time but his death was accelerated by a cold caught i his voyage to Italy. It is rather singular, that, in th year 1816, he expressed an ardent desire to visi these classic regions; and, five years afterwards, hi wish was gratified; how fatally we have just seen The sonnet in which he expresses a hope that he may at some period visit the shores of Italy, is one of hi earliest productions, and is too beautiful to be omitted in this humble tribute to his memory.

Happy is ENGLAND! I could be content

To see no other verdure than its own;
To feel no other breezes than are blown

Through its tall woods with high romances blent;

Rome in the Nineteenth Century vol iii. p. 135.