Then came cold February, sitting This month has Pisoes or the fishes for its zodiacal sign. Numa, who was chosen by the Roman people to succeed Romulus as their king, and became their legislator, placed it the second in the year, as it remains with us, and dedicated it to Neptune, the lord of waters. Its name is from the Februa, or Feralia, sacrifices offered to the manes of the gods at this season. Ovid in his Fasti attests the derivation : In ancient times, purgations had the name A pliant branch cut from a lofty pine, Is Februa called; which if the priest demand, Spenser. name of this our month of February came; came, But here adopted by another name; A bloody crime, or any sinful stain. Massey's Ovid. Our Saxon ancestors, according to Ver stegan, "called February Sprout-kele, by kele meaning the kele-wurt, which we now call the colewurt, the greatest potwurt in time long past that our ancestors used, and the broth made therewith was thereof also called kele; for before we borrowed from the French the name of potage, and the name of herbe, the one in our owne language was called kele, and the other wurt; and as this kele-wurt, or potage-hearbe, was the chiefe winterwurt for the sustenance of the husbandman, so was it the first hearbe that in this moneth began to yeeld out wholesome yong sprouts, and consequently gave thereunto the name of Sprout-kele." The "kele" here mentioned, is the wellknown kale of the cabbage tribe. But the Saxons likewise called this month "Solmonath," which Dr. Frank Sayers in his " Disquisitions" says, is explained by Bede "mensis plancentarum,' and rendered by Spelman in an unedited manuscript "pan-cake month," because in the course of it, cakes were offered by the pagan Saxons to the sun; and "Sol," or soul," signified "food," or cakes." 66 In "The Months," by Mr. Leigh Hunt, he remarks that "if February were not the precursor of spring, it would be the least pleasant season of the year, November not excepted. The thaws now take place; and a clammy mixture of moisture and cold succeeds, which is the most disagreeable of wintry sensations." Yet so variable is our climate, that the February of 1825 broke in upon the inhabitants of the metropolis with a day or two of piercing cold, and realized a delightful description of January sparkled from the same pen. "What can be more delicately beautiful than the spectacle which sometimes salutes the eye at the breakfastroom window, occasioned by the hoarfrost dew? If a jeweller had come to dress every plant over night, to surprise an Eastern sultan, he could not produce any thing like the 'pearly drops, or the silvery plumage.' An ordinary bed of greens, to those who are not at the mercy of their own vulgar associations, will sometimes look crisp and corrugated emerald, powdered with diamonds." THE SEASON. Sunk in the vale, whose concave depth receives With wondering stare and fruitless search they trace In act to drink; now with fastidious nose February 1. st. Ignatius. St. Pionius, A. D. 250. St. Bridget. St. Kinnia. St. Sigebert II. King. St. Bridget. St. Bride, .otherwise St. Bridget, confers her name upon the parish of St. Bride's, for to her its church in Fleetstreet is dedicated. Butler says she was born in Ulster, built herself a cell under a large oak, thence called Kill-dara, or cell of the oak, was joined by others of her own sex, formed several nunneries, and became patroness of Ireland. says Butler, "a full account of her vir'ues has not been transmitted down to us, together with the veneration of her name;" "But," yet he declares that "her five modern lives mention little else but wonderful miracles." According to the same author, she flourished in the beginning of the sixth century, her body was found in the twelfth century, and her head "is now kept in the church of the Jesuits at Lisbon." This writer does not favour us with any of her miracles, but bishop Patrick mentions, that wild ducks swimming in the water, or flying in the air, obeyed her call, came to her hand, let her embrace them, and then she let them fly away again. He also found in the breviary of Sarum, that when she was sent a-milking by her mother to make butter, she gave away an the milk to the poor; that when the rest of the maids brought Then came cold February, sitting His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground, Of hasting prime did make them burgeon round. Spenser. This month has Pisoes or the fishes for its zodiacal sign. Numa, who was chosen by the Roman people to succeed Romulus as their king, and became their legislator, placed it the second in the year, as it remains with us, and dedicated it to Neptune, the lord of waters. Its name is from the Februa, or Feralia, sacrifices offered to the manes of the gods at this season. Ovid in his Fasti attests the derivation : In ancient times, purgations had the name A pliant branch cut from a lofty pine, Is Februa called; which if the priest demand, name Of this our month of February For our religious fathers did m came, But here adopted by another n A bloody crime, or any sinful M in their milk she prayed, and the butter multiplied; that the butter she gave away she divided into twelve parts, 66 as if it were for the twelve apostles; and one part she made bigger than any of the rest, which stood for Christ's portion; though it is strange," says Patrick, "that she forget to make another inequality by ordering one portion more of the butter to be made bigger than the remaining ones in honour of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles." BURIAL OF ALLELUIA. In Mr. Fosbroke's "British Monarchism," the observation of this catholic ceremony is noticed as being mentioned in Ernulphus's Annals of Rochester Cathedral," and by Selden. From thence it appears to have taken place just before the octaves of Easter Austin says, "that it used to be sung in all churches from Easter to Pentecost, but Damasus ordered it to be performed at certain times, whence it was chanted on Sundays from the octaves of Epiphany to Septuagesima, and on the Sundays from the octaves of Pentecost and Advent. One mode of burying the Alleluia was this: in the sabbath of the Septuagesima at Nones, the choristers assembled in the great vestiary, and there arranged the ceremony. Having finished the last Benedicamus,' they advanced with crosses, torches, holy waters, and incense, carrying a turf (Glebam) in the manner of a coffin, passed through the choir and went howling to the cloister, as far as the place of interment; and then having sprinkled the water, and censed the place, returned by the same road. According to a story (whether true or false) in one of the churches of Paris, a choir boy used to whip a top, marked with Alleluia, written in golden letters, from one end of the choir to the other. In other places Alleluia was buried by a serious service on Septuagesima Sunday." FLORAL DIRECTORY. call the Purification of the virgin, they observe it with great pomp. It stands as a holiday in the calendar of the church of England. Naogeorgus thus introduces the day; or rather Barnaby Googe, in his translation of that author's, "Popish Kingdom :" Then comes the Day wherein the Virgin offred Christ unto The Father chiefe, as Moyses law commaunded hir to do. Whose Candell burneth cleare and bright, at any time they light, or tempest dare abide, Nor nor hurts of frost or haile.' According to "The Posey of Prayers, or the Key of Heaven," it is called Candlemas, because before mass is said this day, the church blesses her candles for the whole year, and makes a procession with hallowed or blessed candles in the hands of the faithful." From catholic service-books, quoted in "Pagano Papismus," some particulars are collected concerning the blessing of the candles. the priest says over them several prayers; Being at the altar, one of which commences thus: "O Lord Jesu Christ, who enlightenest every one that cometh into the world, pour out thy benediction upon these Candles, and sanctifie them with the light of thy grace," &c. Another begins: Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God, Holy who hast created all things of nothing, and by the labour of bees caused this liquor to come to the perfection of a wax candle; we humbly beseech thee, that by the invocation of thy most holy name, and by the intercession of the blessed virgin, ever a virgin, whose festivals are this day devoutly celebrated, and by the prayers of all thy saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless and sanctifie these candles," &c. Then the priest sprinkles the candles thrice with holy water, saying "Sprinkle me with," &c. and perfumes them thrice with incense. One of the |