primitive Christians, yet it is but of recent date in the church of Rome; as it was not instituted by Pope Calixtus until the year 1455. 7.-NAME OF JESUS. Before the Reformation, this day was dedicated to Afra, a woman who had been converted to Christianity by Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, and who afterwards suffered martyrdom; and the breviary was recognized by Paul V. Afterwards Donatus, who became a martyr in the time of Julian for refusing to sacrifice, was substituted in her place. Our reformers devoted it to the NAME OF OUR BLESSED LORD. 10. SAINT LAWRENCE. St. Lawrence was, by birth, a Spaniard, and treasurer of the church of Rome, being deacon to Pope Sextus, about the year 259. Soon afterwards, his bishop was killed by the soldiers of Valerian the emperor, with whom our saint would willingly have died. Lawrence refusing to deliver up the church treasure, which they imagined to be in his custody, he was laid upon a gridiron, and broiled over a fire. The celebrated palace of the Escurial is dedicated to this saint. See this described in T. T. for 1814, p. 199. 12. 1762-PRINCE REGENT BORN. 15.-ASSUMPTION. This is a festival in the Greek and Romish churches, in honour of the supposed miraculous ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven. *19. 1782.-ROYAL GEORGE SUNK Off Spithead, when its whole crew, consisting of 800 souls, with the unfortunate Admiral Kempenfeldt, perished! 24. SAINT BARTHOLOMEW. The word Bartholomew means the son of Tolmai, or Tolomæus, the name of a family among the Jews, mentioned by Josephus. He preached the Gospel in Armenia, converted the Lycaonians, and afterwards visited India. Some authors assert that he was crucified, like St. Peter, with his head downwards; others, however, with more probability, say, that he was flayed alive, by order of Astyages, King of Armenia. *24. 1812.-LINES BY HON. ST. GEORGE TUCKER. The following sweet and touching lines appeared in the Canadian Courant of the above date, and were written on being solicited to know why the author had ceased to court the inspiration of the poetic muse: Days of my youth! ye have glided away ; Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and grey; Augustine was born at Thagaste, a town in Numidia, in the year 354. He early applied himself to the study of polite literature, and became a professor of philosophy and rhetoric, first at Rome, and afterwards at Milan. He next diligently studied theology, in which he was instructed by St. Ambrose, with whom he contracted an intimate acquaintance. In the year 388, he returned to his native country, and, three years afterwards, was chosen Bishop of Hippo. Augustine was a judicious divine, and the most voluminous writer of all the Fathers. He died in 430, at the age of 77. 29.-JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADED. This day was formerly denominated Festum Col lectionis Sancti Johannis Baptista; or the feast of gathering up St. John the Baptist's relics; but afterwards, by corruption, Festum Decollationis, the festival in remembrance of his being beheaded. His nativity is celebrated on the 24th of June, which see. *31. 1688.-JOHN BUNYAN DIED, The well known author of The Pilgrim's Progress, a work, which, perhaps, next to the Bible and Prayer-book, has gone through more editions than any other. From the age in which it was written, and from the station in life in which the author was bred, that of a tinker, it contains much quaintness, and much that is obsolete, as well as some coarseness. The Rev. Joshua Gilpin has, therefore, we think, rendered the public an acceptable service in revising it, and curtailing its redundancies, and softening the style of it. *AUGUST 1819.-MEETINGS OF REFORmers. No occupation; all men idle, all, And women too, but innocent and pure : All things in common Nature should produce, I would with such perfection govern, Sir, SHAKSPEARE. Astronomical Occurrences In AUGUST 1820. THE Sun enters Virgo at 7 m. after 7 in the morning of the 23d of this month; and he rises and sets at the following times during the same period, viz. TABLE Of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every fifth Day. August 1st, Sun riscs 18 m. after 4. Sets 42 m. after 7 The time shown by a good sun-dial, increased by the numbers in the following table, will give the time that should be shown by a well regulated clock at the same moment. Tuesday, August 1st, to the time by the dial add 5 57 Sunday, 6th, Friday, 11th, Wednesday 16th, Monday, 21st, 26th, 31st, 5 32 4 53 4 0 2 53 1 34 0 6 Moon's Passage over the Meridian. The Moon will pass the first meridian of this country at the following times during this month; which are selected for the reasons already assigned. August 19th, at 7 in. after 8 in the evening Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites. The following eclipses of Jupiter's first and second satellites will be visible at the Royal Observatory this month: viz. Mercury will be stationary on the 5th, and in conjunction at 45 m. after 9 in the evening of the 19th of this month. He will also be stationary again on the 29th; and Venus will be stationary on the 21st. The Moon will be in conjunction with ẞ in Taurus at 45 m. after 8 in the morning of the 4th; with a in Leo, at 9 m. after 8 in the evening of the 9th; with Mars, at 28 m. after 9 in the evening of the 12th; with a in Virgo, at 52 m. after 9 in the morning of the 14th; with a in Scorpio, at 38 m past 2 in the morning of the 18th; with Jupiter, at 54 m. after 5 in the morning of the 25th; and with 3 in Taurus again, at 23 m. after 2 in the afternoon of the 31st. The Moon will likewise be in apogee on the 11th, and in perigee on the 24th. DECLINATION and MERIDIAN ALTITUDES of the PLANETS. The declination of a planet will be easily understood by considering that it is the same as that of the Sun, which we have already described; and that its use is also the same; but it is not so easy in its ap |