*6. 1786.-HALSEWELL EAST-INDIAMAN LOST. This lamentable catastrophe took place at Seacombe, in the isle of Purbeck, on the coast of Dorsetshire. The vessel was commanded by Captain Pierce, a man of ability and character. Among the passengers were two of his own daughters, and five other ladies, equally distinguished by their personal charms and mental attainments. These, together with the venerable commander, most of his officers, and the passengers, were all buried in the remorseless deep; and so complete was the wreck, that not an atom of the ship was ever after discoverable.-(Butler's Chronological Exercises.)

Ocean! thou dreadful and tumultuous home
Of dangers, at eternal war with man:
Death's capitol, where most he domineers,
With all his chosen terrors frowning round.

YOUNG.

*7. 1796.-PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES

BORN.

That eye is dark-that gentle breast
Is loveless now, and chilled to rest;
That soul is dwelling now on high,
And shines a star that cannot die.

She was

A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed.

BRITANNIA! tear thy laurel leaf,
Entwine it frae thy bonny brow;
Filled is the measure o' thy grief,
Nae splendour will become thee now:
Bind on thy temples wreaths o' rue,
And mournful rest on CHARLOTTE's tomb;
And Windsor Palace wave with yew-

And ceaseless wail her early doom.

Blest wi' the Husband o' thy choice,
Sweet CHARLOTTE! happiness was thine;
Life then to thee was fu' o' joys,
A foretaste o' the bliss divine:

But, Fate, why bind the eglantine
Wi' the dark blossoms o' the grave?
Why, why the mournful wreath entwine,
And bid it over CHARLOTTE wave?

When lingering on the verge of death,
Intent ye gazed upon thy love;

Grasped his warm hands to cheer his faith,
And never bade thy fond eyes rove;

Mildly they beamed, an' never strove
To stray frae him, but gazed their fill,
And, when in death they ceased to move,
They pointed to the Husband still!

Blest in the flush o' nature's bloom,
A nation's pride, a nation's joy,
How soon to slumber in the tomb
An' ilka brightnin' hope destroy!
Resting wi' thee th' bonny Boy
Wha might hae wore the British Crown,
The Star o' Brunswick's set in woe,
An' a' the lovely prospects flown.

Britannia! tear thy laurel leaf,
Entwine it frae thy bonny brow;
Filled is the measure o' thy grief,
Nae splendour will become thee now;
Bind on thy temples wreaths o' rue,
And mournful rest on CHARLOTTE's tomb;
And Windsor Palace wave with yew—
And ceaseless wail her early doom1.

8.-SAINT LUCIAN.

Lucian, a native of Syria, was celebrated in his youth for his eloquence, and intimate acquaintance with polite literature. After the death of his parents, he gave all his fortune to the poor, and confined himself to the study of the scriptures. He was a proficient in Hebrew, and revised the Septuagint version of the Bible. He wrote an apology for the Christians, and presented it to Maximinus II. After having undergone various

See the Cypress Wreath,' a collection of the best poems that have appeared on this melancholy occasion.

torments, at the instigation of this emperor, he was martyred in the year 312.

11.-PLOUGH MONDAY.

On this day, or about this time, in the north, the fool-plough goes about, a pageant that consists of a number of sword-dancers, dragging a plough, with music, and one, sometimes two, in a very fantastic dress; the Bessy, in the grotesque habit of an old woman, and the fool, almost covered with skins, wearing a hairy cap, and the tail of some animal hanging from his back. The office of one of these characters is, to rattle a box among the spectators of the dance, in which he collects their little donations.

The fool-plough, in Germany, is somewhat different. In Franconia, young women are yoked to the plough, upon which a piper sits and plays; and the ladies are then dragged into some river or pool.

13. SAINT HILARY.

Hilary was born at Poictiers in France, of an illustrious family; and of this place he was chosen bishop in the year 353. Having taken an active part against the Arians, be was banished to Phrygia, by order of the Emperor Constantius, in 356, where he remained for three years. After various travels in different parts, and many sufferings, Hilary died at Poictiers in 368. He was an excellent orator and poet; his style abounds with rhetorical figures.

*13. 1818.-RT. HON. G. ROSE DIED, ÆT. 73.

A man whose whole life was active, laborious, and useful; and presented an instance of what may be accomplished by industry and integrity. He was up early and late, and, with a total disregard of amusement, was always and totally in his business. To his encouragement and exertions the country is, in a great measure, indebted for the excellent system of SAVINGS' BANKS, now so

generally adopted. He died M. P. for Christchurch, &c., and, though he rose from very small beginnings, was enabled to bequeath a large property.

*15. 1559.—QUEEN ELIZABETH CROWNED.

Her vigour, her constancy, her magnanimity, her penetration, vigilance, address, are allowed to merit the highest praises, and appear not to have been surpassed by any person that ever filled a throne: a conduct less rigorous, less imperious, more sincere, more indulgent to her people, would have been requisite to form a perfect character. By the force of her mind, she controlled all her more active and stronger qualities, and prevented them from running into excess: her heroism was exempt from temerity, her frugality from avarice, her friendship from partiality, her active temper from turbulency and a vain ambition: she guarded not herself with equal care or equal success from lesser infirmities; the rivalship of beauty, the desire of admiration, the jealousy of love, and the sallies of anger. Her singular talents for government were founded equally on her temper and on her capacity. Endowed with a great command over herself, she soon obtained an uncontrolled ascendant over her people; and while she merited all their esteem by her real virtues, she also engaged their affections by her pretended ones. Few sovereigns of England succeeded to the throne in more difficult circumstances; and none ever conducted the government with such uniform success and felicity. Though unacquainted with the practice of toleration, the true secret for managing religious factions, she preserved her people, by her superior prudence, from those confusions in which theological controversy had involved all the neighbouring nations: and though her enemies were the most powerful princes of Europe, the most

active, the most enterprising, the least scrupulous, she was able by her vigour to make deep impressions on their states: her own greatness, meanwhile, remained untouched and unimpaired.(Hume.)

If ever royal virtues crowned a crown,
If ever mildness shone in majesty,
If ever honour honoured renown,

If ever courage dwelt with courtesy,
If ever princess put all princes down

For temperance, prowess, prudence, equity,
This! this was she, that in despight of death
Lives still adored, admired ELIZABETH:
Spain's rod, Rome's ruin, Netherlands' relief,

Heaven's gem, earth's joy, world's wonder, Nature's
chief.

WORTHIES OF DEVON, fol. 1701, p. 332.

18.-SAINT PRISCA.

Prisca, a Roman lady, was early converted to Christianity; but refusing to abjure her religion, and to offer sacrifice when she was commanded, was horribly tortured, and afterwards beheaded, under the Emperor Claudius, in the year 275. O could we step into the grave, And lift the coffin lid,

And look upon the greedy worms
That eat away the dead;

It well might change the reddest cheek

Into a lily white;

And freeze the warmest blood to look

Upon so sad a sight!

Yet still it were a sadder sight,

If in that lump of clay

There were a sense to feel the worms

So busy with their prey.

O pity then the living heart ;

The lump of living clay,

On whom the canker-worms of care

For ever, ever, prey!

20.-SAINT FABIAN.

St. Fabian succeeded St. Anterus in the pontificate, in the year 236. Eusebius relates, that, in