CONCEPTION B. V. M. This day is so marked in the church of England calendar and almanacs. It is the Romish festival of "The Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin," whom that church states to have been conceived and born without original sin. A doctrine whereon more has been written, perhaps, than any other point of ecclesiastical controversy. One author, Peter D'Alva, has published forty-eight folios on the mysteries of the Conception. The immaculate conception and happy nativity of the Virgin are maintained to have taken place at Loretto, about 150 miles from Rome; and further, that at that particular place," hallowed by her birth," she was saluted by the angel Gabriel, and that she there nurtured our Saviour until he was twelve years of age. The popular belief readily yielding to that which power dictated, Loretto be came one of the richest places in the world, from the numerous pilgrimages and votive presents made to the " Sancta Casa," or "Holy House," to enclose which, a magnificent church was erected and dedicated to the Virgin, hence generally styled "our Lady of Loretto." 66 Peter the Lombard originally started the mystery of the immaculate_conception in the year 1060; though Baronius affirms, that it was "discovered by Revelation" in the year 1109, to one, (but his name is not recorded,)" who was a great lover of the Virgin, and daily read her office." On the day he was to be married, however, he was so much occupied," that this usual piece of devotion escaped his attention until he was in "the nuptial office," when, suddenly recollecting the omission, he sent his bride and all the company home while he performed it. During this pious duty, the Virgin appeared to him with her son in her arms, and reproached him for his neglect, affording, however, the glorious hope of salvation, if he would "quit his wife and consider himself espoused to her," declaring to him the whole of the circumstances of her nativity, which he reported to the pope, who naturally caused her feast immediately to be instituted. The canons of Lyons attempted to establish an office for this mystery in the year 1136, but Bernard opposed it. The. council at Oxford, in 1222, left people at liberty either to observe the day or not. Sixtus IV., however, in the year 1476, ordered it to be generally held in comme moration, although the alleged circumstances attendant upon this immaculate conception are not, even in the church of Rome, held as an article of faith, but merely reckoned a "pious opinion." The council of Trent confirmed the ordinances of Sixtus, but without condemning as heretics those who refused to observe it; and Alexander V. issued his bull, even commanding that there should not be any discussion upon such an intricate subject. The Spaniards, however, were so strenuous in their belief of this mystery, that from the year 1652, the knights of the military orders of St. James of the sword, Calatrava, and Alcantara, each made a vow at their admission to "defend" the doctrine. In the popish countries, the Virgin is still the principal favourite of devotion, and is addressed by her devotees under the following, from among many other titles, ill suiting with the reformed sentiments of this country. Empress of Heaven! Gate of Paradise ! The only Hope of Sinners! Under the two latter, they implore the Virgin for salvation by the power which, as a mother, she is inferred to possess of "commanding her son!" The legends afford tales in support of the opinion, that she not only possesses, but actually exerts such authorities."O Mary," says St. Bonaventure," be a man never so wicked and miserable a sinner, you have the soft coin passion of a mother for him, and never leave him until you have reconciled him to his judge." One instance of which peculiar protection of sinners is recorded from father Crassett, who with much solemnity states, that "a soldier, hardened by his occupation, had not only renounced Christ, but given himself up wholly to the devil and the most vicious courses, though, as he did not also renounce the Virgin, he in a time of much necessity fervently prayed for her intercession." This application, he adds, "was instantly attended to, and the man heard the benevolent mother of our Lord desire her son to have mercy upon him; who, not to refuse his parent, answered, he would do it for her sake, notwithstanding he had himself been wholly forgotten and unnoticed." The first who was particularly noticed as introducing this worship of the Virgin, is Peter Gnapheus, bishop of Antioch, in the fifth century, who appointed her name to be called upon in the prayers of the church. It is said that Peter Fulio, a monk of Constantinople, introduced the name of the Virgin Mary in the public prayers about the year 480; but it is certain, she was not generally invoked in public until a long time after that period.* NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature ... 38. 22. December 9. JEWISH MARRIAGE CEREMONY. On the 9th of December, 1809, the following cause was tried in the court of King's-bench, Guildhall, London, before lord Ellenborough and a special jury. Holme and others v. Noah. Mr. Garrow stated this to be an action upon a bill of exchange for a small sum of money for coals, which the plaintiffs, who were coal-merchants, had furnished to the defendant, who was an ingenious lady, employing herself in drawing pictures. The bill, when due, had not been honoured. Mr. Park, in defence to the action, maintained, that the defendant was a Mr. Brady's Clavis Calendaria. married woman, and said he held an excellent treatise in his hand, called "Uxor Hebreiaca," from whence he cited in behalf of his client, who was a Jewess, whose husband was alive. Mr. Philips, reader of the Synagogue of the Jews in Leadenhall-street, proved the marriage to have taken place in the year 1781; he was present at it. The proper priest, now dead, officiated in the usual form and solemnity, and these parties were duly united in lawful marriage, according to the Mosaic form. He was one of the attesting witnesses of the entry of the marriage in the book of the priest. Mr. Levi proved that he knew the husband and wife; was present at the marriage, he being then only thirteen. Jos. Abidigore, a teacher of the Hebrew language, read in English the entry in the priest's book of this marriage; the eeremony was executed by the priest. The entry in English was thus: "Fourth day of the week, in the second month Neron, in the year 5541 after the creation of the world, according to the reckoning here in London. Henry Noel said to Emily" Become thou a wife unto me, according to the law of Moses, and I will ever after maintain thee according to the rites of the Jews;" and the priest said, "I heard him account her wife, and she shall bring to him the dowry of her virginity according to the law, and she shall remain and cohabit with him." To which the lady did consent and become unto him his wife, and she offered him presents consisting of silver and gold, and splendid ornaments of gold, and 100 pieces of fine silver; and the bridegroom accepted these presents of the bride, and brought also 100 pieces of the like gold, ornaments, and fine silver; the whole amounting together to 200 pieces of gold and fine silver; and the bridegroom doth take all the responsibility of and for their children. And their mainthe care of all for himself, for his bride, tenance to be had out of the property which he doth possess, under this solemn union. Lord Ellenborough. This marriage being proved to be duly had according to the solemnities of the Mosaic law, the suited. plaintiffs must be called.-Plaintiffs non NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature... 37 85. December 10. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature .... 37 90. A WELSH Baptism. For the Every-Day Book. On the 10th of December, 1813, in passing through the small village of Llangemuch, in Carmarthenshire, I observed several of the villagers assembled round the door and windows of one of the cot- proceeded to cross, " in the name, &c.," THE FEMALE CHARACTER. Ledyard, the traveller, who died at Cairo in 1788, on his way to accomplish the task of traversing the widest part of the continent of Africa from east to west, in the supposed latitude of the Niger, pays a just and handsome tribute to the kind affections of the sex. "I have always observed," says Ledyard, "that women, in all countries, are civil and obliging, tender and humane; that they are ever inclined to be gay and cheerful, timorous and modest; and that they do not hesitate, like men, to perform a generous action. Not haughty, not arrogant, not supercilious, they are full of courtesy, and fond of society; more liable, in general, to err than man, but, in general, also more virtuous, and performing more good actions than he. To a woman, whether civilized or savage, I never addressed myself in the language of decency and friendship, without receiving a decent and friendly answer. With man it has often been otherwise. In wander ing over the barren plains of inhospitable Denmark, through honest Sweden, and frozen Lapland, rude and churlish Finland, unprincipled Russia, and the wide-spread regions of the wandering Tartar; if hungry, dry, cold, wet, or sick, the women have ever been friendly to me, and uniformly so: and to add to this virtue, (so worthy the appellation of benevolence,) these actions have been performed in so free and so kind a manner, that, if I was dry, I drank the sweetest draught; and if hungry, I ate the coarse morsel with a double relish." NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature...38 20 December 12. NATIONAL SONG. To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Sir, I perceive in page 539 of the present volume, you have inserted the national song of "God save the King," in the Welsh language, as translated by the able and learned Dr. W. O. Pughe, perhaps the following version of the same in the Gaelic language, or that spoken by the Highlanders of Scotland, may prove acceptable to many readers. O Dhia! cum suas, ard Dheors' ar Righ, Dhia tearn án Righ. Dhia sabhal an Righ. O Dhia! le d' sgiath dion da shliochd, Dhia bean'ichdo shluagh an Righ. Bithidh ait'n diugh thar tir na 'n tonn, Air son deugh shlaint 'an Righ. Buanich O Dhia! sa' ol an Righ. Among the translations of Dr. Owen Pughe, his version of " Non nobis Domine" is excellent. I subjoin it, that you may make what use of it you please. O, nid i ni, ein Jor, o nid i ni, NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature . . . 39. 05. December 13. Lucy.* ART OF PRESERVING HEALTH. Be virtuous; govern your passions; restrain your appetites; avoid excess and high-seasoned food; eat slowly, and chew your food well. Do not eat to full satiety. Breakfast betimes; it is not wholesome to go out fasting. In winter, a glass or two of wine is an excellent preservative against unwholesome air. Make a hearty meal about noon, and eat plain meats only. Avoid salted meats: those who eat them often have pale complexions, a slow pulse, and are full of corrupted * See vol. i. 1570. humours. Sup betimes, and sparingly. Let your meat be neither too little nor too much done. Sleep not till two hours after eating. Begin your meals with a little tea, and wash your mouth with a cup of it afterward. The most important advice which can be given for maintaining the body in due temperament, is to be very moderate in the use of all the pleasures of sense; for all excess weakens the spirits. Walk not too long at once. Stand not for hours in one posture; nor lie longer than necessary. In winter, keep not yourself too hot; nor in summer too cold. Immediately after you awake, rub your breast where the heart lies, with the palm of your hand, Avoid a stream of wind as you would an arrow. Coming out of a warm bath, or after hard labour, do not expose your body to cold. If in the spring, there should be two or three hot days, do not be in haste to put off your winter clothes. It is unwholesome to fan yourself during perspiration. Wash your mouth with water or tea, lukewarm, before you go to rest, and rub the soles of your feet warm. When you lie down, banish all thought. In December, 1738, was shown at the Linen Hall, in Dublin, a piece of linen, accounted the finest ever made; there were 3800 threads in the breadth. The trustees of the linen manufacture set a value of forty guineas on the piece, which contained 23 yards. It was spun by a woman of Down. About two years before, Mr. Robert Kaine, at Lurgan, county of Ardmagh, sold 24 yards of superfine Irish linen, manufactured in that town, for 40s. per yard, to the countess of Antrim which occasioned the following lines:How swiftly would the shuttles fly, Would all the great such patterns buy, Cambray should cease, and Hamburgh too, To boast their art! since Lurgan! you May, like Arachne, dare to vie, With any spinning deity; Nay, tho' Asbestos she should weave, Thou, Lurgan, should'st the prize receive. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature. . . 38 20. December 15. A LITERARY DISASTER. On a certain day, the date of which is uncertain, in the month of December, 1730, the books and MSS. of Dr. Tanner, bishop of St. Asaph, being on their removal from Norwich to Christchurch college in Oxford, fell into and lay under water twenty hours, and received great damage. Among them were near 300 volumes of MSS. purchased of Mr. Bateman, a bookseller, who bought them of archbishop Sancroft's nephew. There were in all seven cart loads.* It may be recollected that bishop Tanner was the friend of Mr. Browne Willis, respecting whom an account has been inserted, with an original letter from that distinguished antiquary to the prelate when chancellor of Norwich. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean temperature. . 38 · 67. December 16. Cambridge Term ends. O SAPIENTIA. was probably erected about the time of the termination of feudal warfare, when defence came no longer to be an object in a country-mansion. Many circumstances in the interior of the house, however, seem appropriate to feudal times. The hall is very spacious, floored with stones, and lighted by large transom windows, that are clothed with casements. Its walls are hung with old military accoutrements, that have long been left a prey to rust. At one end of the hall is a range of coats of mail and helmets, and there is on every side abundance of old-fashioned pistols and guns, many of them with matchlocks. Immediately below the cornice hangs a row of leathern jerkins, made in the form of a shirt, supposed to have been worn as armour by the vassals. A large oak-table, reaching nearly from one end of the room to the other, might have feasted the whole neighbourhood; and an appendage to one end of it, made it answer at other times for the old game of shuffle-board. The rest of the furniture is in a suitable style, particularly an armchair of cumbrous workmanship, constructed of wood, curiously turned, with a high back and triangular seat, said to have been used by judge Popham in the The meaning of this term in the calen- reign of Elizabeth. The entrance into dar is in vol. i. 1571. STORY-TELLING. Is a diversion of necessity in winter, when we are confined by the weather, and must make entertainment in the house, because we cannot take pleasure in the open air. Though at any time we may like, yet now we love to hear accounts of sayings and doings in former times; and, therefore, it seems that a description of an old house in the country, and an old and true story belonging to it, may be agreeable. AN ANCIENT HALL. Littlecotes-house, two miles from Hungerford, in Berkshire, stands in a low and lonely situation. On three sides it is surrounded by a park that spreads over the adjoining hill; on the fourth, by meadows, which are watered by the river Kennet. Close on one side of the house is a thick grove of lofty trees, along the verge of which runs one of the principal avenues to it through the park. It is an Frregular building of great antiquity, and • Gentlemans Magazine. the hall is at one end by a low door, communicating with a passage that leads from the outer door, in the front of the house, to a quadrangle within; at the other it opens upon a gloomy staircase, by which you ascend to the first floor, and passing the doors of some bed-chambers, enter a narrow gallery, which extends along the back front of the house from one end to the other of it, and looks upon an old garden. This gallery is hung with portraits, chiefly in the Spanish dresses of the sixteenth century. In one of the bedchambers, which you pass in going towards the gallery, is a bedstead with blue furniture, which time has now made dingy and threadbare; and in the bottom of one of the bed-curtains you are shown a place where a small piece has been cut out and sown in again; a circumstance which serves to identify the scene of the following story : It was a dark, rainy night in the month of November, that an old midwife sat musing by her cottage fire-side, when on a sudden she was startled by a loud knocking at the door. On opening it she found a horseman, who told her that her assistance was required immediately by a |