worship is alluded to in the Acta Apostolorum, xix. 35, in fact, turns out on examination to have been nothing more than a Lunar Stone of immense bigness. A similar gigantic stone fell from the air some years ago in India, and was actually worshipped by the inhabitants, who considered it as a creature of heaven. This event happened in August 1812. That both Vulcan and Vesta were emblems of fire we have noticed in another place. The Ammonians styled the spirit of fire Apthas and Pthas, and it is originally the same as the Vulcan of Aegypt, and the 'Eoria and Vesta of Greece and Rome. Insurance from Fire.-We promised to resume the subject of Insurance Companies, which we take this occasion to do, and to present the reader with a list of them. One of the oldest offices of insurance in England appears to be the Sun Fire Office, whose insurance mark is easily recognised on the walls of houses, being a figure of the Sun, that is of that luminary which can put out fire. The office being established not only to pay for damages done by that element, but also to establish a Fire Guard in London well supplied with engines to quench the flames; and this useful institution has been followed by other offices, so that nowadays a fire in London is soon discovered, and aid is almost instantly afforded. The following is an alphabetical list of the existing Fire Offices, with the different marks whereby they are known, and by observing which on the houses we may form some sort of comparative estimate of their business and popularity. Many of the offices have changed from time to time the shape of their mark, so that we may be deceived if we observe them inattentively as to the number of offices. These marks used to be made of lead, but now thin iron is generally used. There are besides these many Country Fire Offices; and if we may judge from the different marks that we have seen in traversing the country, their number must be very considerable. Catalogue of London Fire Insurance Companies, Names of the Offices, and the Design of the Insurance Mark. ALBION Fire and Life Insurance Company, instituted in 1805. BRITISH, 1799, the mark being Lion and Shield. BRITISH COMMERCIAL. BEACON Fire. A Beacon. COUNTY Fire and Provident Life Office, in 1816. EAGLE Fire and Life Insurance Company. Eagle on a rock, with the motto "Safety." EQUITABLE Assurance, no sign. PELICAN Life Insurance Company. Pelican feeding her young with blood. EUROPEAN Insurance Company. GLOBE Fire and Life Office, 1803. A Globe. GUARDIAN Fire and Life Assurance Company. An Angel descending with a spear and shield. HAND IN HAND Fire Office, 1696. Two hands joined. HOPE Assurance Company, 1807. A female figure of Hope standing on an Anchor. IMPERIAL Insurance, 1803. A Crown. LONDON Fire and Life Assurance, 1720. A female figure of Britannia. NORWICH UNION Insurance Societies. Justice sitting, two hands joined, and a wreath on shield, with the words "Norwich Union Society." PHOENIX Fire Insurance Company. The Phoenix in the midst of flames. ROYAL EXCHANGE. The building of the Royal Exchange. WESTMINSTER Life Insurance and Annuity Office, 1717. Portcullis and Plumes. A very curious article on Insurance may be found in Beckmann's History of Inventions, vol. i. August 30. St. Rose of Lima, Virgin. SS. Felix and Adauctus Martyrs. St. Fiather of Ireland Anchoret and Confessor. St. Pama Machius Confessor. St. Agilus Abbot. POMONA.-Apricots still abound. Peaches, Pavies, and Nectarines are plentiful. A few early Apples ripen, and the following Summer Pears, in the order in which we have placed them, begin now to contribute to the dessert of this delicious time of year. The Windsor Pear, Jargonelle, Cuisse Madame, Musk Pear, Green Chissel, Summer Bergamot, and Summer Bonchrêtien. A variety of early Plums, as the round Red Plum, early Orleans, and Green Gages, begin to ripen; and Melons and the remains of Currants and other solstitial fruit, carefully preserved, add to the rich and plentiful store which flows from Pomona's cornucopia. See Sept. 21. Cereris Mundus patet.-Rom. Cal. CERES. The exhibition of the ornaments of Ceres the goddess of cornfields, probably was appointed by the Romans for today in consequence of the harvest being over, which in the climate of Italy would be about this time. In our country, in France, and in the Netherlands, August is the general harvest month, and our grains are usually in the barns by this time, but there is a great difference in years: in some seasons we have seen the corn all standing at this time: and in the preceding year (1823), we noticed both in Kent, Surry, Sussex, and in Normandy, that the corn was not carried in the middle of September. The end of August is, however, the most usual time of harvest, and hence the beginning of sporting has, from time immemorial, been fixed for September 1. In fine weather the Harvest Home, as it is called, is a scene of great cheerfulness, and it is peculiarly pleasing to see the Wheat carried accompanied by the cheerful sound of the Harvest Horn, an emblem of the Horn of Plenty. But the many rustic ceremonies formerly belonging to the carrying of the harvest are fast going out of use. Brand observes, that the Harvest Home is called Mell Supper, Kern, Churn Supper, or Feast of Ingathering, and quotes Macrobius, who tells us, that among the Heathens, the masters of families, when they had got in their harvest, were wont to feast with their servants, who had laboured for them in tilling the ground. In exact conformity to this, it is common among Christians, when the fruits of the earth are gathered in and laid in their proper repositories, to provide a plentiful supper for the harvest men and the servants of the family. At this entertainment, all are, in the modern revolutionary idea of the word, perfectly equal. Here is no distinction of persons, but master and servant sit at the same table, converse freely together, and spend the remainder of the night in dancing and singing in the most easy familiarity. Bourne thinks the original of both these customs is Jewish, and cites Hospinian, who tells us that the Heathens copied after this custom of the Jews, and at the end of their harvest, offered up their first fruits to the gods. For the Jews rejoiced and feasted at the getting in of the harvest. Dr. E. D. Clarke, noticing the annual custom at Rhodes of carrying Silenus in procession at Easter, says, "Even in the town of Cambridge and centre of our University, such curious remains of ancient customs may be noticed, in different seasons of the year, which pass without observation. The custom of blowing horns upon the first of May old style is derived from a festival in honour of Diana. At the Hawkie, as it is called, I have seen a clown dressed in woman's clothes, having his face painted, his head decorated with ears of Corn, and bearing about him other symbols of Ceres, carried in a waggon, with great pomp and loud shouts, through the streets, the horses being covered with white sheets; and when I inquired the meaning of the ceremony, was answered by the people, that they were drawing the Harvest Queen.” The labours of the sickle being completed, those who have toiled in securing the wealth of their employer, now receive the welcome reward of a harvest supper or festival. Bloomfield writes : : Here once a year Distinction lowers her crest; Luxury and refinement, however, have, we fear, of late years, contributed almost entirely to divide the labourer from his employer; and the poet sings of " days long past." The separate table and the costly bowl are but too common at the close of harvest in many parts of England." It is devoutly to be wished," observes a useful writer, "that the farmer, the gentleman, and the parson, would ever keep in mind, that personal intercourse at times with their inferiors, upon free but not too familiar a footing, tempered with cheerful and innocent mirth, is not only a duty, but their interest, and would tend to attach the labourer to his master, and be one great means of civilizing and purifying society." "We should do well," says another writer, to take a lesson from our continental and Scottish neighbours in this respect, as their excellent treatment of domestic servants insures the highest fidelity and most inflexible honesty. May the description of the poet again become universal in its application!" The ancients sacrificed to Vacuna the titular goddess of Leisure after the harvest time. Thomson thus describes the festivities of harvest : The harvest treasures all Sure to the swain; the circling fence shut up; While, loose to the festive joy, the country round Shook to the wind their cares. The toilstrung youth, Darts not unmeaning looks; and where her eye August 31. St. Raymund Nonnatus, Confessor. St. St. Cuthburge Queen Virgin St. Aidan of Ireland Bishop and Isabel Virgin. CHRONOLOGY. in 1422. Germanici Natalis.-Rom. Cal. Henry V. of England died at Vincennes near Rouen POMONA.-Apricots abound, but are waning. Peaches, Pavies, and Nectarines of numerous sorts are still in great perfection, which, together with Green Gages, Orleans, Bonum Magnum, and other Plums, make up the dessert at this time of year. Melons too are now numerous. The Water Melons are perhaps the best; after them the Rock Cantulopes, and the large rough Melons. Those of an oval shape, covered with a rough network, are also excellent fruit. Currants decline, now being confined to those preserved either on walls or matted. The wood and some species of Pine Strawberries still abound. In the hedges Blackberries, Bilberries, and Dogberries abound. The sorts of Apples and Pears already gathered are not numerous. We have already mentioned the Jargonelle, Cuisse Madame, and Windsor Pears, the Green Musk Pear, and some others. Swans Eggs are hardly ripe yet, and the Summer Bergamots are still hard. Red Streaks, Codlings, and a few early Apples are ripe; and Codlings, even when unripe, make excellent Apple Puddings at this time of year. Mulberries, a fruit of which some persons are very fond, are now plentiful. Walnuts, already abundant in the South of France and Germany, are unripe yet in Holland, Flanders, and England. We have eaten ripe Walnuts at Strasburg in the end of August, and, travelling rapidly down the Rhine, have been surprised to find them quite unripe at Cologne and Amsterdam. NAIS. With the month of August the best river fishing ceases; we shall, therefore, take leave of this subject with the following descriptive lines by Mr. Lobb, a poet of our days: On the decurrent and expansive Course of a River. Like infant princes, in their infant play; |