portant revelations of the gospel. I foundest veneration, the wisAnd, with respect to the other dom which could plan, and the part, the accidental conjunction power which could execute, a of science and infidelity, in the machine so stupendous as the case of certain individuals, ren-universe, a world so replete dered conspicuous by their ta- with wonders. He meets, morelents, and dangerous by their over, on every side, with inexprinciples; a moment's reflec- plicable phenomena, with etertion will be sufficient to con- nal barriers which he cannot vince every man of cool under- surmount; with ultimate laws, standing, that nothing can be referable only to the will of the more unjust than to arraign Supreme Being: and he is philosophy on such a ground. deeply humbled. As well might we proscribe the study of history, because a Hume, or a Gibbon, chanced to be an historian. *། The philosoper, it is true, aided by the improvements of modern times, is enabled to trace, to a considerable extent, the broad footsteps of the Divinity; he can range, almost without control, through earth, and seas, and skies; and, at every step, he is surprized, amazed, confounded: and, if his heart be right with God, he bows before the uncreated mind, and worships the mysterious LORD of NATURE! But here philosophy drops her wing; and here, also, Christianity appears in all her native glory. It is Christianity, not philosophy, that can unbar the gates of death, and reveal, to the solicitude of mortals, the secrets of the world to come. Yes, it is Christianity, and Christianity alone, which instructs mankind in the full character of Deity; which unfolds to them the admirable contrivance, the nice adjustments, involved in human redemption; and answers, most satisfactorily answers, the heartrending inquiry, How shall man be just with God? But knowledge, it has been said, puffeth up; and pride of intellect, we may subjoin, ill assorts with Christian piety. The maxim I believe to be true, when properly explained and restricted. A frothy and superficial acquaintance with a vast variety of particulars, especially when this happens to be combined, as is sometimes the case, with a very moderate capacity, tends, unquestionably, to produce a character the most odious and insufferable of any; a character distinguished by vanity, self-conceit, arrogance, and intolerable presumption. The effect, however, of genuine research and deep information, is, I am persuaded, far otherwise. The splendid discoveries, indeed, which science unveils to the philosophic mind, spread rapture through all its faculties, and fill it with incommunicable delight. Yet these same discoveries, and, at the same moment too, shadow the enthusiasm of the philosopher with awe; and he contemplates, with the pro- Camberwell, 15th Feb. 1816. I remain, yours, &c. T. H. Juvenile Department. CALENDAR FOR APRIL, 1816. I. The Name is derived from Aprilis, of Aperio, I open; because the earth, in this month, begins to open her bosom for the production of vegetables. II. Fasts and festivals.-Apr. 4. St. Ambrose. He was born about the year 340, and educated in the palace of his father, who was Prætorian Prefect of Gaul. He ruled over the see of Milan more than twenty years, converted the 'celebrated St. Augustine; and, at his baptism, composed that divine hymn, well known in the church of England by the name of Te Deum. He died, aged 57, in the year 396. April 7. Palm Sunday. The Sunday before Easter, is so called from the palm branches and green boughs, formerly distributed on that day, in commemoration of our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. April 10, is observed by the Jews, as the anniversary of the death of the two sons of Aaron. James II. was the last king who performed this in person. A relic of this custom is still preserved in the donations dispensed at St. James's on this day. At Rome, on Maundy Thursday, the altar of the Capella Paolina is illuminated with more than four thousand wax tapers, and the pope and cardinals come thither in procession, bringing the sacrament along with them, and leaving it there. Next follows the august ceremony of the benediction, and afterwards, the pope washes the feet of some pilgrims, and serves them at dinner. April 12. Good Friday. Holy Friday, or the Friday in holy week, was its more ancient and general appellation; the name, Good Friday, is peculiar to the English church. Buns, with crosses upon them, are usually eaten in London, and some other places, at breakfast. The use of buns is derived from the consecrated sweet-bread, which was offered on high festivals. It seems to be the relic of a very ancient custom. According to Mr. Bryant, "the offerings, which people in April 11. Maundy Thursday. ancient times used to present to In Latin, dies mandati, the day of the gods, were generally purthe command, being the day on chased at the entrance of the which our Lord washed the feet temple, especially every species of his disciples. This practice of consecrated bread, which was was long kept up in the monas-denominated accordingly." See teries after the ceremony, liberal Time's Telescope for 1815, p. 89. donations were made to the poor, The prophet, Jeremiah, alludes of clothing and of silver money; to this practice, when he speaks and refreshment was given them of the women's making cakes to to mitigate the severity of the fast. the queen of heaven. Jer. vii. 18. On the 15th of April, 1731, Maun- xliv. 18, 19. dy Thursday, the Archbishop of York washed the feet of a certain number of poor persons. April 13. Easter Eve. Particular mortifications were enjoined on this day. April 14. Easter day, or, Euster Sunday. Much difference of opinion prevailed in the eastern and western churches, respecting the time of observing Easter; till, in 325, the council of Nice declared, that the feast should be kept by all churches on the same day. Easter is styled, by the fathers, the highest of all festivals, the feast of feasts, the queen of festivals and Dominica Gaudii, the joyous Sunday. Masters granted freedom to their slaves at this season, and valuable presents were made to the poor. April 15, 16. Easter Monday and Tuesday. Every day in this week, was formerly observed as a religious festival, sermons being preached and the sacrament administered. (Time's Telescope.) The word Easter, is said to be derived from the goddess, Eastor, worshipped by the Saxons with peculiar ceremonies in the month of April. enters her first quarter on the 5th; is full on the 12th; enters her last quarter on the 19th; and her change will be on the 27th. She passes the planet Mars on the 3d, and Jupiter on the 13th. Mars is visible all the evening, and sets between twelve and one in the morning. Jupiter rises on the 1st, at fortythree minutes after eight in the evening, and continues to rise about four minutes earlier every evening; so that, at the end of the month, he rises at half-past six. On the 25th, he will be six signs distant from the sun. This is called his opposition to that luminary, as these two heavenly bodies are, at such a time, on opposite sides of the earth. this time, also, Jupiter is about one hundred and ninety millions of miles nearer to us, than he is when he passes the sun. At Venus rises on the 1st, an hour and 40 minutes before the sun, and April 23. St. George. From an hour and 14 minutes after day the Greeks he has been received break. She is continually apinto the Latin church; and Eng-proaching the sun, whose brightland and Portugal have chosen ness is now rendering her invisihim for their patron saint. The ble. She will pass him on the order of the Garter, under the 31st of July, and will re-appear name and ensign of St. George, in the evenings of November. was instituted by Edward III. in 1330. This is the most noble and ancient of any lay order in the world. The knights companions are generally princes and peers, and the king of England is sovereign of the order. April 25. St. Mark. He died in the eighth year of Nero, and was buried at Alexandria. On this day, the 15th of Nisan, is celebrated, the Jewish festival of the passover. See Exodus, xii. 3-20. III. Astronomical Occurrences. -The sun enters Taurus on the 20th, at forty-two minutes past five in the morning. The moon Mercury will, likewise, be hidden in the sunbeams till the early part of November, when, if the sky should be clear, he will be visible for several mornings. He is, indeed, so constant an attendant on the sun, that few persons have ever seen him. He may, however, be very distinctly seen with the naked eye, at two different periods, in almost every year. But, in order to obtain a satisfactory sight of him, some previous attention is requisite, as the precise time to look for him should be known beforehand, as well as the place in which he may be expected to appear. One of the forementioned periods extends from the beginning of February, to the latter end of April; and the other, from the middle of September, to the end of the year. The latter of these periods is favourable for morning observations; and the former, for those which may be made between sunset and the end of twilight. At either period, Mercury must be sought within a week of his greatest elongation, or greatest distance from the sun. When this elongation retards his southing till the afternoon, he may be expected to tarry behind the sun in the evening; but when it occasions him to pass the meridian, in the forenoon, he must be sought in the morning. The eastern elongation, therefore, is wanted for the spring; and his greatest elongation, on the western side of the sun, is wanted for the autumn. Owing, however, to the fogs, which prevail in the mornings of the latter season, a decided preference should be given to that period, which extends from February to April. But Mercury generally appears to the best advantage, when that elongation, which brings him to the south, after the sun, happens towards the end of March. A good opportunity of this kind, presented itself in the year 1807, when Mercury was remarkably distinct, for at least eight days. He was seen, with perfect ease, about an hour and a half after sunset, on the 21st; and was also very conspicuous, on the 28th, till near eight o'clock. Sometimes this planet may be seen for the greater part of an hour, and sometimes for a few minutes only. It is, therefore, desirable to watch for the point of time when the twilight is sufficiently weakened, and when the planet is sufficiently high to have the vapours of the horizon below him. In order to find the place where Mercury. will appear, the following method may be adopted: Notice the place of the sun, about forty minutes before he sets; and ascertain, from an almanack, the time of Mercury's passing the meridian on the same day. Add this to the time of your viewing the sun, and this sum will be the time when you should begin to look after Mercury, near the place in which you saw the sun. You will, however, most probably find the planet about eighty minutes after sunset, and at about eight degrees, or sixteen times the breadth of the sun, to the right of the place you may have previously noticed. IV. Naturalist's Diary.-The arrival of the swallow, about the middle of this month, announces the approach of summer; and now all nature assumes a more cheerful aspect. As these birds live on insects, their appearance is a certain proof, that some of this minute tribe of animals are got abroad from their winter retreats. The next bird which ap pears is that sweet warbler, the nightingale. The wryneck makes its appearance about the middle of the month, preceding the cuckoo by a few days. The school-boy, wand'ring in the wood. LOGAN. The other summer birds of passage, are the ring-ousel, the red-start, the yellow wren, the swift, the white-throat, the grasshopper lark; and lastly, the willow wren. The blossoms of trees present to the eye a most agreeable spectacle, particularly in those coun tries which abound with orchards. | The blackthorn is the first that puts forth its flowers; then the ash, the ground-ivy, the box tree, the pear-tree, the apricot, the peach, the nectarine, the wild and garden cherry, and the plum; gooseberry and currant trees; the hawthorn, the apple-tree, and the sycamore. intimate that they are different varieties of the same species. Other botanists, however, have considered them as different species of the same genus. These plants have, in past times, been introduced into gardens, and, in course of time, have been converted into that beautiful flower, the polyanthus. Hence we may see the astonishing effects of cultivation, and we may, by analogy, form some idea of what may be expected from the culture of the human mind. The leaves of the primrose and the leaves and flowers of the cowslip, afford an agreeable repast for silkworms. The rue-leaved saxifrage is a reddish plant, with white flowers. It is about three inches high; and the leaves are thick, or fleshy, and resemble the form of a hand, The lowest leaves have five fingers; the uppermost, one only; and the others have generally three fingers; from which cir cumstance, this species of saxifrage, has obtained the epithet tridactylites, which means three. fingered. Among the various productions of British soil, the following trees, shrubs, and plants may be selected for the attention of the young botanist, during the present month: The trees that will unfold their flowers, are the common elm, (ulmis campestris ;) the bullace-tree, (prunus insititia;) the pear-tree, (pyrus communis;) the birch-tree, (betula alba;) the oak, (quercus robur;) the white willow, (salix alba;) and the common yew-tree, (taxus baccata.) The shrubs which may be expected to be in flower are, the common elder, (sambucus nigra;) the gorze or furze, (ulex europeus;) and the osier, (salix viminalis.) The plants that will unfold their blossoms are, the Cowslip, (primula veris alpha;) The wood sorrel is found in the oxlip, (primula veris beta;) woods and shady hedges. Every the primrose, (primula veris gam-leaf is like three hearts joined toma;) the rue-leaved saxifrage, (saxifraga trydactylites;) the wood sorrel, (oxalis acetosella;) the barren strawberry, (fragaria sterilis;) the wood anemone, The wood anemone grows in (anemone nemerosa ;) the water- woods, and on commons and crowfoot, (ranunculus aquatilis;) heaths where there are occasional the marsh marigold, (caltha pa- clusters of bushes. Every stem lustris;) the cuckoo-flower, (car- has one flower, with two rows of damine pratensis;) the herb ro- petals, or leaves, of which the bert, (geranium robertianum;) flower is composed: the three the hemlock, cranes-bill, (gera-petals in the upper row are white, nium cicutarium;) the hairy vio- and the three lower, or outer let, (viola hirta;) and the dog's violet, (viola canina.) Linnæus has distinguished the cowslip, oxlip, and primrose, by letters of the Greek alphabet, to gether at the points; and the flowers, which are white, with beautiful purple veins, have five divisions. petals, are white above, and tinged with purple underneath. The leaves are jagged, or deeply cut and serrated. The water crowfoot is found on |