all that human care could do was to alleviate the suffering which it might not arrest. Many had been the visits paid to their poor dwelling by Lady A- the old pictures were again upon the wall, the old pieces of furniture replaced. Alice had worked steadily, and her work had given satisfaction; her sister's protracted life had not been without blessing to her; it had taught her lessons of self-reliance, weaning her from trust in any creature like herself, for the power to think and act rightly. And when that hour arrived in which Mary Lee was called to give up her spirit to GOD that gave it, even when watching by her still cold form, even when standing by the grave and listening to the sound so awful to our human hearts when the first heavy sounding earth is thrown upon the coffined clay, even then Alice did not feel alone. Nor did she feel so utterly alone when she returned to the room they two had so long occupied, for she had much before her of active employment which had been mercifully provided for her; the furniture and pictures, and all their little property were again to be parted with, not this time to obtain small sums to eke out a poor subsistence with, but because a place had been offered to her, and thankfully accepted, in the household of Lady A Believe it not, dear reader, that there is always a gulf impassable between rich and poor, that the first are always cold and selfish; theirs is indeed a harder trial than thine, but sometimes it is bravely borne; and there are amongst the wealthiest and the noblest those who bear the Cross as well as amongst the lowliest, who have deep sympathies and prompt assistance ready for the poorest brethren in the Church of CHRIST. And O that this short unexciting story might teach you the highest lesson which it is intended to convey, to serve God, and to trust in Him, and believe that, when all else seems to be failing, if you seek Him first, He can and will support you still. A POOR WOMAN'S FUNERAL. THE funeral of an old and faithful servant, conducted in a manner we would wish to see more widely followed, took place at the pleasing and romantic-looking little village of Ashcombe. On Sunday, the 5th of January, Hannah Sevil, an humble, though constant communicant of our Church, departed to her eternal reward on the festival of the Circumcision of our Blessed LORD. The family of J. C. Tozer, Esq., of the Cottage, Teignmouth, in whose service she had lived for upwards of thirty years, wished as far as possible to render her funeral not only decent and befitting, but also correct and instructive. Her coffin, in consequence, was constructed of solid oak, and was what is technically known as a "double ridged" one, displaying a large cross on its cover, and similar in many respects to those recommended in the third number of the "Instrumenta Ecclesiastica." Though perfectly plain and unadorned by what moderns style "coffin furniture," it was just what we should wish to see adopted in every instance of a churchman's funeral. It bore on its double coped lid the simple memorial, "H S. 79." The pall also was furnished with a broad red cross, extending along its whole length and breadth. Though some inconvenience was expected from the absence of a bier, yet the very objectionable custom of bearing on the shoulders was most properly broken through; and though the want of fitting music was allowed by all, yet this is a step in the right direction, accomplished, as we happen to know, under severe difficulties, which must redound to the honour of its earnest promoters. 66 NOTES OF THE MONTH. FEBRUARY Derives its name from Februa, or Feralia, which signified the sacrifices offered to the Manes; or from Februa, Februaca, or Februalis, names of Juno. Our Saxon ancestors called it Sprout-kele;" by kele meaning the word hele-wurt, which we call the kale-wurt, the greatest pot-wurt in time long past that our ancestors used, and broth made therewith was also called hele. It was also subsequently called "Sol-monuth," pancake 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 FEBRUARY 2, CANDLEMAS DAY. 66 The Purification of the Blessed Virgin is called Candlemas Day, from a ceremony which still prevails in the Roman Catholic Church of blessing the candles for the year; on which occasion a long procession is formed, those taking part in it bearing candles in their hands. The custom is supposed to allude to the words of Simeon, in which CHRIST is described as A light to lighten the Gentiles ;" and also to that passage of S. John, (i. 9,) “That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." A belief formerly prevailed among the common people, that a piece of a candle which had thus been blessed, would act as a charm against thunder and lightning. A relic of this belief may still be seen in the case of timid people, who to this day light a candle during a thunder storm. The peculiar observances of the day, and the superstition last referred to, are thus stated in a translation of some old verses: Then comes the day, wherein the virgin offered CHRIST unto Then numbers great of tapers large both men and women beare This done, each man his candell lights, where chiefest seemeth hee, Whose taper greatest may be seene, and fortunate to bee, Whose candell burneth cleare and bright: a wondrous force and might Doth in these candells lie, which if at any time they light, Nor fearfulle sprites that walke by night, nor hurts of frost or haile. The blessing of the candles, &c., was given up by the English Church at the Reformation, an order having been issued for its discontinuance, in the second year of Edward VI. Old Herrick, in his Hesperides, gives the following when alluding to "ceremonies for Candlemas Eve :" Down with the rosemary and bayes, The holly hitherto did sway, Then youthful box, which now hath grace Grown old surrender must his place Unto the crisped yew. When yew is out, then birch comes in And many flowers beside, Both of a fresh and fragrant kinne, To honour Witsuntide. Green rushes then, and sweetest bents With cooler oaken boughs, Come in for comely ornaments Thus times do shift; each thing his turne do's hold; For the sun to shine fully and brightly on Candlemas Day was held as the forerunner of severe weather. And as Hone tells us of a farmer rubbing his hands for joy, whilst the storm was raging on this day, so Brand gives us one or two popular proverbs, from which we learn that And The hind as lief would see His wife on a bier, As that Candlemas Day Should be pleasant and clear. If Candlemas be fair and clear, FEBRUARY 3. This day, dedicated to the memory of Bishop Blaze, is celebrated with much splendour in many parts of England by the woolcombers, but more especially in Yorkshire. It is not easy to account for the reasons which induced the wool-workers to select Blaze as their patron saint. FEBRUARY 14. The customs of this day are too well known to call for any description. Though the origin is involved in some doubt, yet the best reason seems to be given by Douce in his annotations on Shakespeare. "It was the practice in ancient Rome, during a great part of the month of February to celebrate the Lupercalia, which were feasts in honour of Pan and Juno, whence the latter deity was named Februata, Februalis, and Februlla. On this occasion, amidst a variety of ceremonies, the names of young women were put into a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. The pastors of the early Christian Church, who by every possible means endeavoured to eradicate the vestiges of Pagan superstitions, and chiefly by some commutation of their forms, substituted in the present instance, the names of particular saints instead of those of women; and, as the festival of the Lupercalia had commenced about the middle of February, they appear to have chosen S. Valentine's day for celebrating the new feast, because it occurred nearly at the same time. This is in part the opinion of a learned and rational compiler of the Lives of the Saints, the Rev. Alban Butler. It should seem, however, that it was utterly impossible to extirpate altogether any ceremony to which the common people had been accustomed; a fact which it were easy to prove in tracing the origin of various other popular superstitions. And accordingly the outline of the ancient ceremonies was preserved, but modified by some adaptation to the Christian system. It is reasonable to suppose that the above practice of choosing mates would gradually become reciprocal in the sexes; and that all persons so chosen should be called Valentines, from the day on which the ceremony took place." Reviews. This Anschar, a Tale of the North. By RICHARD JOHN KING. It is some time since we read a work in which we have been so deeply interested, as the one the title of which is given above. may be accounted for partly by the fact that we know but little of the subject concerning which it treats, for Mr. King opens up a new field; but we cannot deny that the graphic powers of description possessed by the author throw a charm around us, which we by no means are disposed to withstand. He has studied nature deeply, and like a skilful limner, can transfer to canvas some of its loveliest tints, and most beautiful hues. Whether he bids us gaze upon a morning, noon, or evening scene; whether he leads us through the noble pine forests, by the still lake, or through the shady dell, it is all the same: but little stretch of the imagination is required to summon up the object before our eyes. The subject, too, bespeaks our attention; the more so, as though he does not make a parade of his learning, Mr. King is evidently fully conversant with the habits and manners of by-gone times, and the customs and practices of the northern nations. The tale carries us back to the early part of the ninth century, "when the Empire of Charlemagne was gradually falling to pieces, while the Gothic and Swedish races were still heathen, and the northern pirates were commencing that series of incessant ravages, which for the next two centuries rendered their name so great a terror throughout Europe." For the tale of missionary labours, related by Anschar, we must refer to the work itself, as any condensation would give but an imperfect impression of the merits of the whole. We will cull one or two flowers at random, to show what they may expect to find in this rich garden of " pleasaunce" and information. "On the spot where we stood, covered at that time with wild and uncleared forest, there is now a lowly Christian Church, built of the same great trunks, and wide-spreading branches, which the soil had nourished for long ages before the period of our arrival. When we reached it, however, there was not the smallest sign which indicated the neighbourhood of human life, or of the humblest dwelling. The trees stood rank behind rank, untouched as yet by axe or by hatchet; and their dark branches spread out far and wide over the waters of the lake, rippling upon the beach below them. Far out on |