*21. 1828.-REV. JOSHUA GILPIN DIED, ÆT. 73. He was Vicar of Wrockwardine, Shropshire, and was well known for his valuable publications. His first was 'An Essay on the Peace of 1783,' from the French of the Rev. J. W. de la Flechere, Vicar of Madely, quarto, 1785. His next was 'The Portrait of Saint Paul, or the True Model for Christians and Pastors,' from the French Manuscript of the same author, two volumes octavo, 1791. It has since been printed in a cheap form, in one volume 12mo, and has gone through many editions, and should be in the library of every Christian minister. In the year 1808 he published A Monument of Parental Affection to a dear and only Son.' This was Joshua Rowley Gilpin, who was born January 30, 1788, and died September 6, 1806. This is a publication worthy the perusal of every parent and of every child. From the preliminary address we extract the following affecting passages: "I formerly indulged a hope, that my pastoral labours in this place would be one day seconded by the happier efforts of my son, from the pulpit of his father. This flattering expectation is now cut off for ever; but, though I must not present him to you in the church as a public preacher, permit me to introduce him to your family circles as a silent monitor. By such a procedure I shall secure to myself the wished assistance of my departed son; and, while I declare the great truths of the gospel in your public as semblies, he shall privately call your attention to the uncertainty of human life, the loveliness of early piety, and the blessedness of dying in the favour of God. 'Nor do my views terminate even here; since, after having retained him as my coadjutor, it appears possible to leave him among you as my successor. The time is fast approaching, when you will see me borne to that grave which is already prepared to receive me. But, long after my ministerial exercises shall have reached their final period, and when you, my brethren, shall be sleeping around me in the dust-my dearest son may continue to act, through the medium of this little volume, as the modest instructor of your descendants, persuading them by his own bright example, and haply prevailing with some of them to become followers of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises?' In the year 1811, Mr. Gilpin published 'The Pilgrim's Progress from this World to that which is to come, in two parts, by John Bunyan; a new and corrected edition, in which the phraseology of the author is somewhat improved, some of his obscurities elucidated, and some of his redundancies done away.' The origin of this work is thus mentioned by Mr. G. in his address to the reader: 'At the age of thirteen or fourteen, my dear departed son requested me, in vain, to undertake the revisal and correction of this well-known work; my disinclination to such an undertaking being at that time absolutely insuperable. But since the removal of my beloved boy, among many other affecting recollections, his urgent request has been frequently brought to my mind; and that request has been so powerfully backed, both by friends at home, and by strangers abroad, as to overcome all my remaining reluctance.' Mr. G. afterwards, says, 'Had I not considered the Pilgrim's Progress as one of the most useful publications that ever appeared, or that is ever likely to appear, in the Christian world, I should never have troubled myself about its form or fashion, nor have felt any concern for its future fortune in the world. But deeply convinced of its important tendency, and lying under the weight of many obligations to the author of this admirable production, both as to pleasure and profit, I have thus endeavoured to discharge a debt of gratitude to the excellent, though illiterate Bunyan.' Acquiescing in these sentiments, we beg leave respectfully to submit to the committee of The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, whether this work, and this edition of it, is not well worthy a place in their Supplemental Catalogue, and more especially as The Progress of the Pilgrim Good-intent in jacobinical times is already there.-J. P. ; 23.-SAINT GEORGE, The patron Saint of England.-See T.T. for 1821, p. 107. The King's birth-day is kept on this day, being his name-day, in imitation of the custom in Catholic countries. 25.-SAINT MARK. This Evangelist wrote his gospel about the year 63. He died in the 8th year of Nero, and was buried at Alexandria. The custom of sitting and watching in the church-porch, on St. Mark's Eve, still exists in some parts of the north of England. A curious narrative, by Mr. Gervas Holles, relative to this day, may be seen in our last volume, p. 89. 26. LOW SUNDAY. It was a custom among the primitive Christians, on the first Sunday after Easter-day, to repeat some part of the solemnity of that grand festival; whence N this Sunday took the name of Low-Sunday, being celebrated as a feast, though in a lower degree. * *APRIL, 1826.-ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOUNDED. The house No. 33, Bruton Street, was taken in 1826, and fitted up for the museum; and a plot of ground in the Regent's Park was obtained for exhibiting a living collection. Sir T. Stamford Raffles was the principal founder and the first president of this society. The second meeting of the society took place in March, 1827, when, in consequence of the death of the president, the Marquess of Lansdown was chosen to that office. The museum in Bruton Street consists of several thousand animals or parts of animals, the greater part of which have been voluntarily contributed. Last year, the collection which Sir Stamford Raffles formed in Sumatra, some valuable eastern animals, a remarkable collection of horns by Major General Hardwicke, an ostrich by the king, and a number of presents by other individuals, were added; and during the present year various accessions have been made. In the society's menagerie and garden, situated on the north-eastern side of the Regent's Park, not far beyond the new St. Catherine's Church and Hospital, nearly two hundred living animals are exhibited in suitable paddocks, dens, and aviaries. Among the most attractive of these, are two beautiful llamas, a leopard, some kangaroos bred in this country, a pair of emus, and three bears. Specimens of the ratel, or Indian badger, ichneumons, tiger cats, badgers, monkeys, &c., add to the attractions of the menagerie. Some valuable animals, from the arctic regions, have been lately presented by the Hudson's Bay Company; such as Canadian lynxes, arctic foxes, porcupines, horned owls, &c. The ornithological department comprises several species of eagles, cranes, gulls, gannets, cormorants, with various gallinaceous birds. The PROGRESS of ZOOLOGY. Soon the Regent's Park will grow ! To survey its beauties go; Birds and beasts of ev'ry hue, Notes of invitation go To the west and to the east, Begging of the Hippopo Tamus here to come and feast: Sheep and panthers here we view, Monstrous contrariety! All united by the Zo Ological Society. Monkeys leave their native seat, Monkeys green and monkeys blue, Other monkeys here to meet, And kindly ask, Pray how d'ye do?' From New Holland the emu, With his better moiety, Here we see the lazy tor- Bears at pleasure lounge and roll, Half day climbing down again; While on good terms with the Zo- Would a mammoth could be found, The bones alone are left of him: I fear a hungry mammoth too, (So monstrous and unquiet he), By hunger urged, might eat the Zo- Christmas Box, 1829. Astronomical Occurrences In APRIL 1829. THOSE brilliant constellations which have communicated such splendour to the wintry sky, will soon be lost in the solar effulgence. Aries, by the middle of the month, will have disappeared; the brightness of Taurus will be diminished by its approximation to the western horizon; while the mild beauty of Pleiades will scarce pierce the twilight of the vernal eve. Orion, with its belt, will no longer glitter with that radiance, which, when aided by an atmosphere refined by frost, shone forth with increased intensity: this 'sentinel of winter,' as if released from its vigilance, ceases to suspend its watchful light over the sleeping nations, and hastens with its bright companion, Sirius, to mingle its fainter glories with the solar beams.-Literary Gazette. SOLAR PHENOMENA. The Sun enters Taurus at 7 m. past 9 in the morning of the 20th of this month: he will also be eclipsed on the 3d; but as the eclipse will happen under the following circumstances, it will necessarily be invisi · ble in this country. The ecliptic conjunction will take place at 214 m. past 10 at night, in longitude 0' 13° 53', the Moon's latitude at the time being 351' south. The Sun will be centrally eclipsed in the meridian at 56 m. past 9, in longitude 149° 6' west, and latitude 32° 15' south; he will also rise and set during this period as in the following TABLE Of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every fifth Day. April 1st, Sun rises 33 m. after 5, sets 27 m. after 6 37 |