in a Dissertation preserved by WOLFIUS, Monum. Typogr., tom. ii, p. 475, in not.-(NICHOLS'S Origin of Printing, p. 74.) The morning of this day is still regarded, in many parts of Europe, in something like the same light with our own Allhallows Eve, the Scottish observances and superstitions connected with which have been so beautifully treated by Burns in his Halloween. This holiday in olden time was equally reverenced by the Christian and the Moorish inhabitants of Andalusia; and such of our readers as are acquainted with the ballad of the Admiral Guarinos, (which Cervantes, in one of his most beautiful passages, has introduced Don Quixote as hearing sung by a peasant going to his work at daybreak) will recollect the mention that is made of it there. Three days alone they bring him forth a spectacle to be And on that morn more solemn yet when the maidens strip the bowers, The following is a very literal version of the ballad, which has been, for many centuries, sung by the maidens on the banks of the Guadalquivir, in Spain, when they go forth to gather flowers, on the morning of the day of John the Baptist: Come forth, come forth, my maidens, 'tis the day of good St. John, And let us all go forth together, while the blessed day is new, Come forth, come forth, my maidens, the hedgerows all are green, Come forth, come forth, my maidens, and slumber not away There's trefoil on the meadow, and lilies on the lee, And hawthorn blossoms on the bush, which you must pluck with me. Come forth, come forth, &c. Come forth, come forth, my maidens, the air is calm and cool, Come forth, come forth, my maidens, we'll gather myrtle boughs, If the wether be still, as we dance on the hill, and the dew hangs sweet on the flowers, Then we'll kiss off the dew, for our lovers are true, and the Baptist's blessing is ours 1. Come forth, come forth, my maidens, 'tis the day of good St. John, It is the Baptist's morning that breaks the hills upon; And let us all go forth together, while the blessed day is new, To dress with flowers the snow-white wether, ere the sun has dried the dew 2. *24. 1672.-STATE OF MARGATE. A singular contrast is presented to us by a passage in Mr. Evelyn's Diary respecting this once obscure, but now populous and flourishing town. "This towne much consists of brewers of a certaine heady ale, and they deale much in mault, &c. For the rest, 'tis raggedly built, and has an ill haven, with a small fort of little concernment, nor is the island [of Thanet] well disciplin'd; but as to the husbandry, and rural part, far exceeding any part of England, for the accurate culture of their ground, in wch they exceed, even to curiositie and emulation.' The following lines describe the modern state of Margate, in 1820: Many a dashing belle or beau, 1 Many a gouty leg or toe, Many a place to lounge or walk in, Many a place to ease your purses, Many a loo to fill with verses, "They inclose the wether in a hut of heath,' says Depping, and if he remains quiet while the girl sings, all is well; but if he puts his horns through the frail wall or door, then the lover is false-hearted.' * Blackwood's Magazine, vol. vii, p. 259; consult also T. T. for 1814 1819. Many a book to write your name in, Many in groups the Pier are pacing, Many from cold or hot baths reeking, This is Margate; how d'ye like it'? *24. 1761.-PRICE OF PORTER RAISED to threepence halfpenny per quart by many publicans, on account of the then new duty upon malt; but they soon sold it at the old rate of threepence, as they found their houses deserted by their old customers. *24.323. B. C.-ALEXANDER THE GREAT DIED, ÆT. 32. Arrian, whose disposition to careful examination, and whose desire of impartial judgment will be most striking to those most versed among the antient historians, has concluded his narrative of the actions by declaring his opinion of the character of that extraordinary man thus: Alexander was in body most graceful, most active, most indefatigable; in mind most manly, most ambitious of glory, most indifferent to danger, most diligent in devotion to the Deity. In sensual pleasures he was most temperate; of praise for the gifts of the mind only insatiable: singular in readiness to see the best to be done in the most critical emergencies, and, from what was evident, to conjecture concerning what remained obscure: in all the business of arraying, providing, and ruling an army, most able; in encouraging the soldiery, filling them with hope, and, by demonstra 'Pasquin at Margate, or Garner's Grins.' From the 6th April to the 25th Sept. 1818, 31,465 persons were carried to and from Margate by the Steam-boats. In 1819, the number increased to 36,886. tion of his own fearlessness, dispelling the fears of others, excellent; in doubtful enterprize most daring; in anticipating even the enemy's suspicion of his purposes most skilful; in his own engagements most faithful; in avoiding to be deceived by others, most acute: of expense upon his own pleasures, most sparing; in bestowing upon others, perhaps profuse. "If then, through vehemence of temper, and in highly provoked anger, he became criminal, or if, through inflated pride, he gave too much into barbarian fashions, I think candour will find large extenuation for him; his youth, and his uninterrupted course of the most extraordinary great fortune, being considered, together with the flattery with which kings, to their great injury, are constantly beset. On the other hand, the severity of his repentance for his faults, I reckon his great, and, among what is recorded of kings, his singular merit. Even his claim to divine origin I cannot esteem a blamable extravagance; his object having been to gain that veneration from those he had conquered, which might contribute to the stability of his new empire; and the example of Minos, Æacus, Rhadamanthus, Theseus, and Ion, men acknowledged by the Greeks to have been sons of gods, being familiar to him and all about him. His assumption of the Persian habit, while living among the Persians, avoiding thus to appear a stranger in the country over which he reigned, I consider as a just policy. His long sitting at table, Aristobulus assures us, was not for the sake of wine, for he commonly drank little, but for conversation, and to discover who might deserve his esteem, and with such to cultivate friendship. Let then, whoever would vilify Alexander, not select, from the actions of a man fallible as of mankind, only what may be blameworthy; but, putting together all his deeds, consider how comparatively insignificant, in whatever situation of high fortune placed, he himself has been, engaged through life in comparatively little matters, and not even in those doing always well. My opinion therefore I will profess, that, not without especial purpose of the Deity, such a man was given to the world, to whom none has ever yet been equal.' (Mitford.) *28. 1621.-SIR RICHARD BULKELEY DIED, Æt. 88. He was of goodly person, fair of complexion, and tall of stature. He was temperate in his dyet, not drinking of healths. In his habit, he never changed his fashion; but always wore round breeches, and thick bumbast doublets, though very gallant and rich. In the last year of Queen Elizabeth, being then somewhat stricken in years, he attended the counsil of marches at Ludlow, in winter-time. When the lord president Zouch went in his coach' to church, or elsewhere, Sir Richard used to ride on a great horse; and sometime he wo go from his lodging to church, in frost and snow, on foot, with a short cloak, silk stockings, a great rapier and dagger, tarry all prayers and sermon in very cold weather; insomuch yt Ld. Zouch was wont to say, he was cold to see him. His estate in Anglesey was 25001, in Carnarvonshire 8001, and in Cheshire 1000l. a year; having always a great stock of ready money lying in his chest. He kept many servants and attendants, tall and proper men: two lacqueys in livery always ran by his horse: he never went from home without 20 or 24 to attend him. He was a great favourite of Queen Eliz. He had great contests with Dudley Earl of Leicester; who,, upon one occasion, hastened to the queen, and told her the counsil had been examining Sir Richard Bulkeley about matters of treason; that they found him a dangerous person, and saw cause to comit him to the Tower. What! Sir Richard Bulkeley!' said the queen; 'he never intended us 1 Coaches were not known in England till the reign of Elizabeth. |