He show'd her to his sailors, and he hail'd her with a cheer, The ocean from its bosom shook off the moonlight sheen, Out burst the growling thunder, and the lightning leap'd about, shock, And her timbers flew, like scatter'd spray, on Inchidony's rock. Then loud from all that guilty crew one shriek rose wild and high, But the angry surge swept over them aud hush'd their gurgling cry; And, with a hoarse exulting tone, the tempest passed away, And down, still chafing from their strife, the indignant waters lay. When the calm and purple morning shone out on high Dunmore, Full many a mangled corpse was seen on Inchidony's shore ; And to this day the fisherman shows where these scoffers sank, And still he calls that hillock green, the Virgin Mary's bank. 2. 1724. KLOPSTOCK, THE GERMAN POET, BORN. STANZAS WRITTEN WHILST READING "KLOPSTOCK'S MESSIAH," DURING A STORM. My small-my holy book! thou tellest me, Of dwellings, far beyond this storm-beat sphere; Of beings, radiant in immortal light; Of man, made like them; of the Ever Bright! Gain'd us,-unspeakable felicity! My lovely book!—I read thee, till I find Of scenes, and beings, which thou dost portray; My small-my holy book,-I may not now My lovely book!—whilst yet the thrilling strain, 3. DOG-DAYS BEGIN. Dog-days is a term given to the hottest time of the year, which, according to the Almanacks, is from this day to the 11th of August, which is a certain number of days before and after the heliacal rising of Canicula, or the dog-star, in the morning. 4. TRANSLATION OF ST. MARTIN. This day commemorates the translation or removal of St. Martin's body from one tomb to another more magnificent, by order of Perpetuus, his successor in the see of Tours. (See St. Martin, Nov. 11). 7. THOMAS A'BECKET. This day commemorates the anniversary of the translation of the relics of Thomas a' Becket from the under croft of Canterbury Cathedral, on this day, in the year 1220, to a sumptuous shrine at the east end of the church, to which crowds of pilgrims afterwards resorted. A'Becket, the son of a London merchant, was afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and memorable for his pride, insolence, and ingratitude. He was murdered on the 29th of December, 1171, in Canterbury Cathedral, by four knights, to avenge some insults which they conceived King Henry II. to have received from the haughty primate. 9. 1829. WILLIAM THOMAS FITZGERALD DIED, ÆTAT. 70. A descendant from the Desmond branch of the illustrious family of the Fitz-Geralds of Ireland; brought up for the Bar, but which he relinquished on obtaining, in the year 1782, a situation in the Navy, Pay Office; which he retained till age placed him on the superannuated list. He was the author of a great quantity of fugitive poetry which appeared in the European and Gentleman's Magazines and other periodicals during the last half century: the chief of which were of a loyal and patriotic nature. He was an early and warm supporter of the Literary Fund, at the anniversary dinners of which, for thirty-two successive years, he regularly recited an original poem in praise of the charity in allusion to which Lord Byron, in his biting satire, says : : "Who has not heard the loud Fitzgerald bawl, 15. ST. SWITHIN. This Saint was of noble origin, and, while a priest, Egbert, King of England, appointed him preceptor to his son Ethelwolf, who, on succeeding to the throne, procured for Swithin the bishopric of Winchester in 852; after which he prevailed on the monarch to grant a charter of tithes to the church. He died in the year 862, and, by his own desire, was buried in the open church-yard. The monks considering it disgraceful for the Saint to lie in a public cemetery, resolved to remove his body into the choir, which was to have been done, with solemn procession, on the 15th of July. It rained, however, so violently for forty days, succeeding, that the design was abandonned as heretical and blasphemous, and they honoured his memory by erecting a chapel over his grave. From this circumstance arose the saying that "if it rains on St. Swithin's Day, it will rain for forty days after in just ridicule of which Gay says: Let not such vulgar tales debase thy mind, Nor Paul nor Swithin rule the clouds and wind. 18. 1828. DREADFUL HURRICANE IN LINCOLN. A dreadful hurricane or tornado passed through a considerable part of the county of Lincoln on this day, which was productive of effects very singular and exceedingly destructive. For the following narration, we are indebted to a person who visited the woods and other parts of the neighbourhood, where the ravages of the tempest were most conspicuous. This phenomenon appears to have been first observed a few miles south-westward of Boston. During the morning the atmosphere was sultry, and about noon a thunder-storm appeared to be gathering in the south. Between two and three o'clock thunder was heard, and shortly afterwards a single vivid flash of lightning was observed. At this time a small black cloud was noticed suddenly to descend in the shape of a column, and as suddenly a similar cloud appeared to rise from the earth; the two joined and formed a vast black column, reaching from the clouds to the earth. This body, accompanied by a loud rushing sound resembling the discharge of artillery, advanced rapidly from the south towards the north-east, until it reached Wyberton Fen, where two labourers were spreading manure, K but who ran off on perceiving its approach. After taking up and carrying the manure to a considerable distance, and levelling a field of wheat which lay in its track, the column crossed the North Forty-foot Drain, drawing therefrom a considerable quantity of water, which it immediately afterwards deposited. On the north bank of the drain is a farm, the yard of which the column entered, and in an instant it levelled a strong kid crew fence, and lifted into the air a number of sheep hurdles. With equal rapidity it uncovered a waggon shed, and threw down the end of the building, though strongly constructed of brick, and also partly uncovered and materially injured a barn adjoining the shed. The column next drew into its vortex a heavy cart, and a ponderous four horse roller, carrying the cart with amazing velocity a distance of forty-two yards, and the roller nearly twenty yards. It then passed to another farm, where it threw down a large apple-tree, and took up fifteen geese and a number of pigeons, returning them in a few seconds completely lifeless. The hurricane then passed towards the river Witham, on crossing which the column was observed to rise and elevate its lower extremity in a considerable degree: continuing its course northward, it was observed sometimes to elevate itself in such a manner that its effects were not felt; then again it would descend, spreading devastation in its progress. About a mile westward from the village of Mareham-le-fen, the road from Tattershall to Spilsby passes between Tumby and Fulsby Woods, the first of which is situated on the south, the other on the north side of the road. Towards these woods the terrific mass was attracted, and on its approach thither, it was observed to form itself into two columns, which twisted themselves spirally, one apparently in an ascending, the other in a descending direction. It was accompanied by a tremendous noise, and emitted flashes of fire and a powerful sulphurous smell, and was followed by torrents of rain. Entering Tumby Wood on the south side, the tempest rapidly spread its devastating effects therein very widely, though partially, and proceeded in a north-eastward direction for about half a mile. It there crossed diagonally a road which intersects the wood, and then changed its course for one directly northward, moving |