Augustine was born at Thagaste, a town in Numidia, in the year 354. He early applied himself to the study of polite literature, and became a professor of philosophy and rhetoric, first at Rome, and afterwards at Milan. He next diligently studied theology, in which he was instructed by St. Ambrose, with whom he contracted an intimate acquaintance. In the year 388, he returned to his native country, and, three years afterwards, was chosen Bishop of Hippo. Augustine was a judicious divine, and the most voluminous writer of all the Fathers. He died in 430, at the age of 77.

29.-JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADED.

This day was formerly denominated Festum Collectionis Sancti Johannis Baptista; or the feast of gathering up St. John the Baptist's relics; but afterwards, by corruption, Festum Decollationis, the festival in remembrance of his being beheaded. His nativity is celebrated on the 24th of June, which see ; and also our last volume, p. 164, for some lines on St. John, by Cottle.

*AUG. 1483.-LOUIS XI died. This monarch has been transmitted to posterity in the blackest colours, and has obtained the title of the Tiberius of France. He had, indeed, the dark dissimulation and the unfeeling severity of that emperor, with perhaps less regard to equity. He was a bad son, a bad husband, a bad father, a bad master, and a tyrannical sovereign. He depressed the nobility, and raised the lower orders, freely admitting merchants and men of talents to his table and conversation. His aversion to war, though it led him to some dishonourable compliances, promoted the welfare of his dominions; and no king of France made more valuable additions to the crown at less cost. His favourite ministers were chosen from the lowest classes, and therefore were entirely devoted to his will. Francis I said of him, that it was he who

first put kings hors de page,' out of tutelage; but it was by means that will for ever brand his name with the stamp of tyranny. He was the author of several useful establishments, and the administration of justice was generally pure where he was not himself concerned. This prince instituted the order of St. Michael, and was the first French king who bore the title of Most Christian!

Astronomical Occurrences

In AUGUST 1818.

THE Sun enters Scorpio at 56 m. past 1 on the 11th of this month; and his rising and setting will be as in the following table for the same period :

TABLE

Of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every Fifth Day. August 1st, Sun rises 19 m. after 4. Sets 41 m. after 7

33

Equation of Time.

To find mean time from that indicated by a good sun-dial, add the following quantities to those given by the dial, and the required time will be obtained for every 5th day of the month. The quantities to be added for the intermediate days must be found by proportion.

TABLE.

Saturday, Aug. 1st, to the time on the dial add

Thursday

6th,

Tuesday

Sunday

16th,

Friday

21st,

Moon's Passage over the Meridian.

The Moon will pass the first meridian at the following epochs, during the present month, viz.

August 12th, at 46 m. past 8 in the evening.

4 morning.

13th, 51
14th,
22d,
23d,

54

33

24th,

18

6

Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites.

The following will be the only eclipses of Jupiter's first and second satellites visible at the Royal Observatory this month :--

: Mercury will be in conjunction with the star marked a in Leo, on the 2d of this month, when the star will be 47' south of the planet; and he will also attain his greatest elongation on the 17th. The Moon will be in conjunction with in Scorpio at 56m. after one in the morning of the 11th. No other phenomena occur during the present month which merit notice.

On the RING of SATURN.

Saturn presents one of the most singular phenomena in the system of the world. Besides the satellites which we have already noticed, Saturn is ge

nerally seen situated between two bodies resembling handles, the figure and magnitude of which are constantly changing. They even sometimes disappear altogether, and then reappear after a certain interval; during which the body of this planet appears round, like those of the other planets.

As these appearances are constantly produced, according to a regular succession, we are necessarily led to conclude that the cause which produces them is constant, and hence they must be attributed to some solid body which encompasses the planet, and which disappears and reappears successively. But as we are not acquainted with any heavenly body which has the property of shining by its own light at alternate intervals, we naturally infer that this shines by the reflected light of the Sun, and that the variations which it presents arise from changes in its position and form. The improvement of telescopes and attentive observation have shown that these singular appearances arise from a magnificent ring which encircles the body of that planet. This ring is very thin, and its plane coincides with that of the equator of the planet; from which, however, the ring itself is wholly detached. The plane of the ring is also inclined to the plane of the ecliptic in an angle of 34° 48′; and as Saturn moves in the plane of his orbit, accompanied by this ring, it is thus presented to the earth in different positions and under different inclinations, which produces the phenomena above described,

Thus, when the side of the ring which is enlightened by the Sun is turned towards the earth, it appears luminous; but, when the opposite side is turned towards us, it cannot be perceived. When the plane of the ring passes through the centre of the earth, it cannot be visible, because it is not then capable of reflecting any part of the light that falls upon it, at least in a direction which can reach the earth. When its plane passes through the Sun, the

ring must also disappear to common observation, since the reflected light, which in that position proceeds only from its edge, is too feeble to render it visible with common astronomical telescopes. But by employing very powerful telescopes, the edge of the ring may be perceived, and appears like a fine luminous line across the disc of the planet. This line, indeed, is so fine as scarcely to subtend a second of a sexagesimal degree; but at that distance a second answers to a thickness of about 4500 English miles. The general appearance of the ring, however, is that of an ellipse of greater or less eccentricity. The maximum of the conjugate axis is about half the transverse, and the ratio varies from that limit till the ellipse becomes a right line. The space between the planet and the ring is nearly equal to the breadth of the latter, and about one-third of the diameter of the planet.

If the apparent radius of Saturn be 9", the exte rior radius of the ring will be about 21", and the interior only 15"; thus the breadth of the ring and the space between it and the planet are each equal to 6". The apparent thickness of the ring is about 1"; which makes its real thickness equal to the radius of the earth; for this radius, which at the Sun would subtend an angle of nearly 9", would at the distance of Saturn subtend an angle of 1".

When this ring is observed with very powerful telescopes, several dark and extremely delicate concentric circles are perceived on its surface, which ap parently divide it into several parallel rings, all detached from each other. Herschel is of opinion that two of these rings may be distinctly perceived.

To determine the relative position of the ring with respect to the Sun and the Earth, it is necessary to ascertain the situations of its nodes, or the points where its plane cuts the ecliptic; and these would be easily obtained, if the instant in which the ring disappears, by its plane passing through the centre of the Earth,