DESCRIPTION OF THE MONTH. THE word January is derived from the Latin Januarius, a name given to the month by the Romans, from Janus, one of their divinities, to whom they attributed two faces, because on the one side the first of January looked towards the new year, and on the other towards the old one. The word Januarius may also be derived from Janua "gate," in regard to the month being the first, which is, as it were, the gate of the year. CHRONOLOGICAL OCCURRENCES. JANUARY 1, 1801, Ireland united with Great Britain.-1, 1801, The asteroid Ceres was discovered by Father Piazzi, of Palermo, when engaged in verifying the places of Dr. Maskelyne's thirty-six stars. He named it Ceres, in honour of Sicily, as that island was, on account of its fertility, anciently consecrated to the goddess Ceres.-9, 1507, Mars eclipsed by Jupiter.-14, 1742, Dr. Edmund Halley died, aged eighty-six, and was interred in Lee churchyard, near Greenwich. He will ever be revered for his discoveries in science, particularly in astronomy and navigation.-14, 1830, Sir T. Lawrence, a distinguished artist, died.—16, 1599, Spenser, the poet, died.-18, 1486, Houses of York and Lancaster united. -19, 1472, Copernicus born.-24, 1659, The Long Parliament dissolved.—28, 1596, Sir Francis Drake died. ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES. THE planet Mercury, owing to the nearness of his orbit to the Sun, is seldom visible to the naked eye; but I find he will be favourably situated for observation during the first half of this month, when he will appear like a little bright speck in the twilight, near the western horizon, about three quarters of an hour after sunset. Early in the evening Saturn is to be seen in the southern skies; afterwards towards the west. Soon after day-break Venus may be seen rising, but not very splendid, in the south-east; at which time Jupiter decks the southern parts of the heavens with his bright beams, and on the 23d is in the neighbourhood of the Moon. The Christian philosopher, contemplating the mighty power of God in creating and sustaining these ponderous orbs, in connexion with his great love to fallen man, as exhibited on the bright pages of Divine Revelation, ready to say, -My soul confides In that all-healing and all-forming Power, IT freezes on, His mighty arm, pluck'd from its dark domain AND BOTANICAL PHENOMENA. The dormouse and squirrel are now in torpidity; the hungry hare for food boldly enters our gardens; while chaffinches, tom-tits, and other small birds, approach our dwellings in quest of sustenance. Our gardens now exhibit but few charms: here and there a monthly rose-tree presents its cheering blossoms. FARMING AND GARDENING DIRECTIONS. IN frosty weather carry out manure for grass-lands; clean ditches, and repair quick-set hedges. See that the live stock, especially the ewes, are sufficiently fed and protected from cold. If the weather be warm enough, sow carrots, peas, beans, lettuce, &c.; preserve them from the cold by mats. Cucumbers and melons require great attention, and a little air as often as possible. Attend to fences, and water furrows. Deciduous forest-trees should be planted in dry weather, and crowded plantations thinned. Clear the trees from moss, dig orchards, and guard against hares, &c. 10 14 32 13 14 31 (Last Quarter, 22 9 38 night.-Weather somewhat mild. PLANETS' GEOCENTRIC LONGITUDES, DECLINATIONS, AND RIGHT ASCENSIONS. Q Venus. 13 22 25 12 51282 1st day. H's lo. T 27°: Dec. N. 10°: R. A. 1h. 40m.-'slo. X 6°: Dec. S. 10°; R. A. 22h. 32m. M W D D REMARKABLE DAYS. O 18 Sun Sun Sun's rises. sets. dec. S. h. mh. m. ISD in apogee 2d day. 112/7 424 4617 11 2E 4 SUN. AFT. EPIPH. PURIF. 137 404 4816 53 3 M Blaise. [CANDLEMAS DAY. 147 38 4 50 16 36 4 Tu Day breaks 5h. 40m. 157 374 52 16 5 W Agatha. D's & N 4° 59' 167 354 54 16 6Th Venus rises 4h. 42m. mo. 177 344 55 15 7 F Sirius south 9h. 30m. aft. 187 324 57 15 8 S Half Quarter Day 197 304 5915 9 E5 SUN. AFT. EPIPHANY 2017 285 10 M QUEEN VICTORIA M. 1840 217 11 Tu Jupiter sou. 4h. 5m. morn. 227 12 W Twilight ends 7h. 1m. ΟΥ 42 23 2611 33 4 46 5 6 5 31 6 34 78 16 ESEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY. 277 25 Tu Saturn sets 9h. 24m. aft. 27 37 417 15 26 9 567 56 59 5 28 9 34 66 57 5 30 9 12 w 76 555 32 8 49 86 535 34 8 27 m 6 515 35 8 4 8 0 513 2 6 12 11 17 6 57 morn. 1 714 2 rises 0915815 18 7a15 1 8 2 4816 38 39 2 4 3 3517 17 9 59 2 57 4 2018 111 16 3 49 5 419 15 morn. 4 39 5 4520) 29 0 32 5 296 2921 11 1 43 6 19 7 1422 24 2 49 7 9 8 1023 6 3 47 7 59 9 2424 18 4 38 8 48 10 4625 05 19 9 37 0 a 626 12 5 5710 24 1 527 Note.—In the columns of Moon's rising and setting, Moon's southing, and High Water a London Bridge, "m" between the hours and minutes implies morning; and "a" afternoon. The Places of the Sun, Moon, and Planets are given for Noon. Clock before or after Sun, for Noon DESCRIPTION OF THE MONTH. THE name of this month has given rise to long etymological contests; but it was probably derived from Februa, a name given to Juno as the goddess of purification. It was called by the Saxons, the Sprout-kele; and subsequently the Sol-monat, from the return of the Sun, then entering on the sign of the Fishes. CHRONOLOGICAL OCCURRENCES. FEBRUARY 2, 1841, Dr. Olinthus Gregory died. He was truly a Christian philosopher. I had frequently the pleasure of conversing with him on religious and scientific subjects; and once had a conversation with him, in company with my old friend Mr. Samuel Drew, the celebrated metaphysician, in the vestry of the Wesleyan chapel, Woolwich.-5, 1788, Sir Robert Peel born.-8, 1587, Mary Queen of Scots beheaded.-9, 1811, The Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, D.D., died, aged eighty years. He was a most industrious and accurate astronomer, and was the originator of that valuable periodical, "The Nautical Almanac." The first Number, for 1767, appeared in 1766, and the work has been regularly continued to the present time. During the forty-seven years that he held the situation of Astronomer Royal, he acquired the respect of all Europe by his diligence, and the accuracy of his observations, &c.-17, 1723, Tobias Mayer was born. His theory of the moon, and Astronomical Tables and Precepts, were so well esteemed, that they were rewarded by the English Board of Longitude with a premium of £3,000, which sum was paid to his widow. He was very accurate and indefatigable in his astronomical observations; indeed his labours seem to have very early exhausted him: he died at the age of thirty-nine years.-24, 1848, Revolution in Paris. ASTRONOMICAL "WHEN Nature, rising from chaotic night, NOTICES. Received the' Almighty's order, which constrains Tuned their glad hearts, and swept each noble Loudly they sang rich anthems to his praise, The planet Saturn appears in the evenings, and with his now opening ring is an interesting object to those persons who are in possession of good telescopes. The two bright planets, Venus and Jupiter, are morning stars. On the 6th the Moon is in conjunction with Saturn, and on the 19th with Jupiter. METEOROLOGICAL, ZOOLOGICAL, AND BOTANICAL PHENOMENA. THE skylark warbles in the air in mild weather, which is never of long duration at this dull and cold period of the year. The thrush, blackbird, chaffinch, and hedge-sparrow sing; the woodpecker makes a loud noise in the woods; fieldcrickets open their holes, and gnats dance in sunny days. The principal flowers that appear this month are the snow-drop, the crocus, the fringed star of Bethlehem, and the dwarf bay. FARMING AND GARDENING DIRECTIONS. KEEP calves warm, clean, and dry: thrash out corn, dress thorn-hedges, and work the plough. Transplant cucumber and melon plants, raised last month, into new hot-beds. Sow onions, spinach, parsley, small salading, radishes, Scotch cabbage, cauliflowers, vetches, saint-foin, carrots, parsnips, fennel, lettuce, peas, beans, &c.: plant cabbages, &c., as last month; and prepare the ground for planting asparagus. Slugs, snails, and insects should be destroyed; and all sorts of fruit-trees planted. Pick and carry off all the stones, and break and disperse marl-lumps. 10 10 36 13 9 47 Last Quarter, 24 1 26 afternoon.-Cold winds, with showers. 5 18 28 PLANETS' GEOCENTRIC LONGITUDES, DECLINATIONS, AND RIGHT ASCENSIONS. 6 13 25 1st day. H's lo. T 283: Dec. N. 10° : R. A. 1h. 44m —¥'s lo. X 7° : Dec. S. 10°: R.A. 22h.36m. 7 F Perpetua. D's & N 3° 23' 166 355 48 5 238 9 E1 SUNDAY IN LENT 0 186 315 51 4 36П 10 M Jupiter sou. 2h. 13m. morn. 196 285 53 4 13 156 [perigee 26 6 136 106 6 16 20 Th Length of day 12h. 4m. 296 PROPER LESSONS FOR 610 32 3 29 457 4 18 11 42 4 15 5 27 5 1morn. 5 46 46 14 0 53 5 57 6 45 7 28 2 06527 36 37 50 8 529; 18 50 10 2010. 10 4 50 9 4911 4611 25 5 2910 48/morn. 12 12 3 31 51m 10 6 011 45 0 5213 16 13 0 31 2 Xii. xxvii. John iii. 2 Lesson. L iv. xii. Phil. xxii. Coloss. Xxxiv 2 Thess. xlii. 2 Tim. xlv. Heb. DESCRIPTION OF THE MONTH. THE month was dedicated by Romulus to Mars, from whom it was called March. In Saxon it was called Rethe or "rough" monat; and Lenet or "length" monat, from the lengthening of the days. Thence the name of Lent. CHRONOLOGICAL OCCURRENCES. MARCH 1, 1848, W. H. Cooper died.-2, 1791, The Rev. John Wesley died. The remains of this great and good man were interred in the burial-ground of the Methodist chapel, City-road, London. "How calm the evening, how serene the sky! "Born in an age when error dimm'd the land, A pattern of true zeal, and teach men how to live!" How softly falls the moonlight on this tomb, Whose sculptured marble guards the cold abode Where sainted WESLEY waits his joyful doom! Here would I linger oft, at day's decline, And muse in secret, near the favourite shrine, While in yon vaulted sky the stars benignly shine. 8, 1618, On this day Kepler had the first suggestion of those fundamental laws of planetary motion which have been fully confirmed by subsequent observations, and are now generally known by the name of " Kepler's laws." Kepler's rapture on this discovery was unbounded. "It is now," says he, "eighteen months since I got the least glimpse of light; three months since the dawn; very few days since the unveiled sun, most admirable to gaze on, burst upon me. Nothing holds me; I will indulge in my sacred fury; I will triumph over mankind by the honest confession that I have stolen the golden vases of the Egyptians," (alluding to the harmonies of Ptolemy,) " to build up a tabernacle for my God, far away from the confines of Egypt. If you forgive me, I rejoice; if you are angry, I can bear it: the die is cast, the book is written,-to be read either now or by posterity, I care not which it may well wait a century for a reader, as God has waited six thousand years for an observer."-20, 1727, Sir Isaac Newton died, aged eighty-five years. 66 ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES. DURING this month, about an hour after sun-set, the Zodiacal Light may be observed in the west, appearing as a luminous track in the heavens, in the form of a triangular beam, rather rounded at the vertex. It extends each way from the sun 450, and sometimes 150° along the ecliptic, its horizontal base varying from 8° to 30° in breadth. It appears to surround the sun in the form of a lens, a plane through the edge of which inclines in a very small angle to the sun's apparent path, and bears some resemblance to the ring of Saturn as it is generally seen: the nature of its light seems analogous to the pellucid tail of a comet, though occasionally it exceeds in brightness the Via Lactea, and gradually vanishes into the surrounding blue of the heavens. The Moon in her monthly tour through the skies is a good guide to the planets of our system: hence on the 5th she is near Saturn, on the 18th near Jupiter, and on the 28th not far from Venus. METEOROLOGICAL, ZOOLOGICAL, AND BOTANICAL NOTICES. "YOUTH of the year, delightful Spring, Thy blest return on genial wing Inspires my languid lays: No more I sleep in sloth supine, Its annual tribute pays. "The bright-hair'd sun, with warmth benign, Again the streams refresh the plains, The melody of birds now gradually swells upon the ear. The throstle, second only to the nightingale in song, charms us with the sweetness and variety of its lays. The linnet and the goldfinch join in the general concert in this month; and the golden-crown wren begins to tune its vernal notes. The sweet violet gives out its delightful fragrance, and the wild primrose exhibits its lively flowers. FARMING AND GARDENING DIRECTIONS. EARLY turnips and principal crops of carrots should be sown in this month; also peas, beans, oats, saint-foin, barley, vetches, mangle-wurzel, and flax. Plant all kinds of fruit and forest trees, sea-kale, Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, small onions, and shalots. Sow all sorts of salad-seeds, Brussels-sprouts, &c. |