have time to cool, and become incapable of producing an animal! In the summer, you see her giving her self greater liberty, and quitting her care for above two hours together; but in winter, when the rigour of the season would chill the principles of life, and destroy the young ones, she grows more assiduous in her attendance, and stays away but half the time. When the birth approaches, with how much nicety and attention does she help the chick to break its prison! Not to take notice of her covering it from the injuries of the weather, providing it proper nourishment, and teaching it to help itself; nor to mention her forsaking the nest, if, after the usual time of reckoning, the young one does not make its appearance. A chemical operation could not be followed with greater art or diligence than is seen in the hatching of a chick.

The hen, considered in other respects, is without the least glimmering of thought or common sense. She mistakes a piece of chalk for an egg, and sits on it in the same manner; she is insensible of any increase or diminution in the number of those she lays : she does not distinguish between her own and those of another species; and when the birth appears of ever so different a bird, will cherish it for her own. In all these circumstances, which do not carry an immediate regard to the subsistence of herself or her species, she is a very idiot. In other birds, too, the object of this instinct appears to be merely the preservation of their species: for, notwithstanding the natural love of brutes is much more violent and intense than in rational creatures, Providence has taken care that it shall be no longer troublesome to the parent than it is useful to the young; for as soon as the wants of the latter cease, the mother withdraws her fondness, and leaves them to provide for themselves and what is a very remarkable circumstance in this part of instinct, we find that the love of the parent may be continued beyond its usual time, if the preservation of the species require it; as we may see

in birds that drive away their young as soon as they are able to get their livelihood, but continue to feed them, if they are tied to the nest, confined in a cage, or by any other means appear not in a condition to supply their own necessities.

APRIL,

APRIL is derived from Aprilis, of aperio, I open; because the earth, in this month, begins to open her bosom for the production of vegetables. The Saxons called this month oster-monat, from the goddess Goster, or because the winds were found to blow generally from the east in this month.

Remarkable Days

In APRIL 1818.

1.-ALL FOOLS' DAY.

On this day every body strives to make as many fools as he can: the wit chiefly consists in sending persons on what are called sleeveless errands, for the history of Eve's mother, for pigeon's milk, stirrup oil, and similar ridiculous absurdities.

The making of April fools, after all the conjectures which have been formed touching its origin, is pro bably borrowed by us from the French, who call them April Fish (Poissons d'Avril), i. e. simpletons, or, in other words, silly mackerel, who suffer themselves to be caught in this month. But as, with us, April is not the season of that fish, we have very properly substituted the word' FOOLS.'

On the custom of keeping fools at court, and the dress of the domestic fool in Shakspeare's time, consult T. T. for 1815, p. 118, et seq.

3.-RICHARD, Bishop.

Richard, surnamed de Wiche, from a place in Worcestershire where he was born, was educated at the

Universities of Oxford and Paris. He afterwards travelled to Bononia, where he studied the canon law for seven years. On his return home he was nominated to the see of Chichester by the chapter; but his appointment being opposed by the king, Richard appealed to Rome, and had his election confirmed by the pope, who consecrated him also at Lyons in the year 1245. He was as remarkable for his learning and diligence in preaching, as he was for integrity. Richard was canonized by Pope Urban.

Our saint was born about the year 340, and was educated in his father's palace, who was Prætorian Præfect of Gaul. He ruled over the see of Milan with great piety and vigilance for more than twenty years; during which time, he gave all his money to pious uses, and settled the reversion of his estate upon the church. He converted the celebrated St. Augustine to the faith, and, at his baptism, composed that divine hymn, so well known in the church by the name of Te Deum. He died aged 57, A.D. 396.

*7. 1520.-RAFFAELLO DIED, ÆT. 37.

Every accomplishment and qualification necessary to form an illustrious painter were combined in Raffaello; a sublimity of thought, a fruitful and rich invention, remarkable correctness in drawing and design, and a wonderful disposition and expression. His attitudes are noble, natural, and graceful, and contrasted without the smallest appearance of affectation or constraint; and to the elegance and grandeur of the antique he added the simplicity of nature; for, though he admired the antique statues as highly as he ought, yet he studied nature with equal assiduity; from which combined attention to both, resulted that amazing variety and elegance in the forms, actions, and attitudes of his figures, and those delicate and graceful airs of the heads which distinguish his compositions from all others; and in which he surpassed the greatest masters, who flourished since the revival

of the art of painting. The Royal collection of his Cartons at Hampton Court, from which some most beautiful engravings have been executed, is an invaluable treasure to the artist. But the excellency of these extraordinary productions is not to be discovered at the first glance; they must be carefully and attentively examined before their merit can be fitly appreciated. A person of acknowledged taste and judgment, who also was an idolizer of Raffaello, visiting the Vatican with an eager desire to study his works, passed by those very compositions with indifference, which were the objects of his enquiry and curiosity, till he was recalled by his conductor, who told him that he had overlooked what he sought for.

The greatest remains of Raffaello's pencil are the frescoes at the Vatican. His oil pictures (of which his immortal Transfiguration is the chief) are dispersed throughout Europe, and are every where regarded as inestimable. The most eminent engravers have considered his works as the noblest employment of their art, and more than 740 pieces have been enumerated as engraved from the designs of Raffaello.

*7. 1807.-LALANDE DIED.

Lalande, if not the most profound and original, was certainly the most learned astronomer of France, and the principal promoter of the science to which he was so passionately devoted. Before the age of twenty-five, he was admitted into almost all the learned academies, and pensioned by the principal monarchs of Europe. He travelled through many states, and was every where received with demonstrations of the most enthusiastic respect. Unmarried, and being without posterity to pursue the career on which he had shed so much lustre, he took under his protection two relatives, one of whom, a young man of great hope, perished in La Vendée, and the other became one of the most indefatigable of the

French astronomers. He bred up also to astronomy the children of his nephew. It was necessary, under the pain of forfeiting his favour and friendship, that all belonging to him should be observers and calculators. Eminently useful to astronomy by his works, his example, instruction, influence, and correspondence, he was desirous that this utility might be continued after his death; and with that view he founded a prize, to be adjudged annually by the Institute, to the author of the best memoir, or most curious observations on that subject. Lalande was remarkable for the most egregious vanity, as well as the broadest eccentricities of character, and almost equally eminent for the most noble virtues of the heart. About the commencement of the Revolution he became a professed atheist; and towards the latter part of his life displayed every mark of insanity. This was so visible to all, that, at an extraordinary sitting of all the classes of the Institute, convoked for the purpose, Lalande being present, a letter was announced from the Emperor Napoleon, and read aloud, in which it was declared that Lalande had fallen into a state of dotage, and was therefore forbidden to publish any thing in future under his own name. The old astronomer immediately rose very solemnly, made a low bow, and replied that he would certainly obey the orders of his Majesty.

*9. 1626.-LORD BACON DIED.

It is a singular example of the confidence with which original genius reposes upon the merit of its own productions, and assures itself of posthumous fame, that Lord Bacon inserted in his last will the following remarkable passage: My name and memory I leave to foreign nations; and to mine own countrymen, after some time be passed over.' When young, he formed the grand conception that he was born to benefit mankind: in his letter to Fulgentio he styled himself the servant of posterity; in all his philosophical labours, be, to the latest hour of his life,