they shoolde fare the better alle the yere followyng." It would seem also to have been once customary to perfume the ploughs with incense; for the learned Bale, in his very rare book intituled, Yet a Course at the Romyshe Foxe, printed at Zurick in 1542, mentioning the "auncyent rytes and laudable ceremonyes of Holy Churche," can only allude to this where he says, "then ought my lorde," meaning Bishop Bonner, "to suffre the same selfe ponnyshment for not sensing the plowhess upon Plowgh Mondaye." 14, 1831. HENRY MACKENZIE DIED, ÆTAT 80. This popular author, the son of Dr. Joshua Mackenzie, an eminent physician of Edinburgh, was born in August, 1745. Having received a liberal education, he devoted himself to the study of law, and in 1766 became an attorney in the Scottish Court of Exchequer. His first literary attempt was The Prince of Tunis, a tragedy, performed with success at Edinburgh in 1763. In 1771 The Man of Feeling appeared anonymously, and became, at once, so extremely popular, that a Mr. Eccles, a young Irish clergyman, laid claim to the authorship, and supported it by a copy transcribed with his own hand, with blottings, interlineations, and corrections; and such was the plausible pertinacity with which he maintained his perpetual right, that Mr. Mackenzie's publishers found it necessary to publicly contradict Mr. Eccles' claim. His next work was The Pursuit of Happiness, a poem ; which was succeeded a few years afterwards by The Man of the World, intended as a sequel, or second part of The Man of Feeling. The hero, in the latter, is constantly obeying every emotion of his moral sense: in the former he rushes headlong into ruin, and spreads misery around him, by pursuing a happiness which he expected to obtain in defiance of the suggestions of the inward monitor. His next production was Julia de Roubigne, which Sir Walter Scott says," perhaps gives the reader too much actual pain to be so generally popular as The Man of Feeling, since we have found its superiority to that beautiful essay on human sensibility often disputed by those whose taste we are in general inclined to defer to. The very acute feelings which the work usually excites among the readers, whose sympathies are liable to be awakened by scenes of fictitious distress, we are disposed to ascribe to the extreme accuracy and truth of the sentiments, as well as the beautiful manner in which they are expressed. There are few who have not had, at one period of life, disappointments of the heart to mourn over; and we know no book which recalls the recollection of such more severely than Julia de Roubigne." In 1777-8, a society of gentlemen met together, occasionally, in Edinburgh, for the purpose of reading short essays of their own composition. Mr. Mackenzie being a member, suggested the idea of publishing a periodical paper after the manner of the "Spectator," which being acceeded to, The Mirror made its appearance: Mr. Mackenzie being the editor and principal contributor. The success of this led to The Lounger, conducted on the same plan, and which continued until the year 1787. In the latter Mr. Mackenzie paid the first tribute to the genius of Burns, by a review of his poems then first published. This at once brought the unknown poet into notice, and drew him from obscurity into the full blaze of a fame that will never die. Mr. Mackenzie enriched the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Highland Society, with several valuable communications. He also wrote several tragedies and comedies which were published in an edition of his works in 1808. During the greater part of his life he enjoyed the situation of Comptroller of the Taxes for Scotland. In conversation he was full of the wit and playfulness that distinguish his essays; and he was wont to delight his friends with recollections of his earlier years, which were full of interest and amusement. It was no trivial praise when Sir Walter Scott, in dedicating Waverley to him, styled him the SCOTTISH ADDISON. 18. ST. PRISCA. A Roman virgin put to death by order of the Emperor Claudius, in the year 275, for refusing to abjure Christianity and offer sacrifice when commanded. 19, 1831. NATHANIEL GOW DIED. This celebrated Scottish violinist, and composer of many popular airs, died at Edinburgh. He received a pension, in his latter days, from George the Fourth, who treated him with marks of royal condescension, on observing him at the head of his band in Dalkeith House in 1822. 20. ST. FABIAN. A native of Italy, who succeeded St. Anteros in the Papal chair in the year 236. He suffered martyrdom under the persecution of the Emperor Decius in the year 250. 21. ST. AGNES, A beautiful Roman virgin, who suffered martyrdom at the age of thirteen, in the year 304, for embracing the doctrines of Christianity. Forster says:-" There is an evident connexion between the name of Agnes and the Latin word Agnus; and in corroboration thereof, it may be mentioned, that on the legendary account of St. Agnes appearing to her parents in a vision after her death with a lamb by her side, the figures which painters have drawn of her are usually accompanied by a lamb.” In the church built on the place of her martyrdom, the priest of the church of St. Peter's ad Vincula annually blesses two lambs, whose wool is afterwards made use of by the nuns of St. Lawrence to make palliasses. Agnes's Eve was formerly a night of great importance to young maidens, desiring to know who should be their husbands: it was required of such persons that they should not eat on this day, and those who conform to the rules, call it fasting on St. Agnes's Fast. There is a receipt, or charm, whereby a lad or a lass is to obtain a sight of the fortunate lover, provided that before the mystic ceremony begins, they preserve silence till the clock has struck the hour of twelve, and it runs thus:-"On St. Agnes's night, take a row of pins, and pull out every one, one after the other, saying a paternoster, sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you will dream of him or her you shall marry." There is another ceremony performed on this same St. Agnes's night, which more generally prevails, and is more generally practised in the northern parts of Scotland than the former one; but this is only adopted by the mountain peasantry, and in which it is well known that they place the most implicit faith, and you cannot offend them so highly as to discredit its authority. This ceremony consists of a number of young lads and lasses meeting together on the eve of St. Agnes, and at the hour of twelve, one by one, go to a certain corn-field and throw in some grain, after which they pronounce The prayer is granted by their favorite saint, and the shadow of the destined bride or bridegroom is seen in a mirror on this very night; and from this period the young couple date their happiness or misery, what was only fancy actually soon after being made reality. 22. ST. VINCENT. A native of Spain, who suffered martyrdom in that country during the Dioclesian persecution in the year 304. Hail, holy maids! who haunted once the steep, Which faith and genius once had made divine; No suppliants bow, no votive altars shine, No trembling priestess chants, nor Gods protect the shrine. The wandering Dryad has forgot her bower, Fair Dian sports not at her twilight hour, The bird of Venus plumes no more her wing. But yet, as then, YE reign-yet worshipped, though alone. S |