se, fiel This word is a corruption of St. Audrey, and ian pr originated in those times, when they tricked and Angli bedecked the shrines and altars of the saints with vol. finery. The votaries of St. Audrey (an isle of Ely saint) exceeding all the rest, in the dress and equipage of her altar, it grew into a bye-word upon any thing that was very gaudy, that it was saidt all tawdry; as much as to say, all St. Audrey. derive aced 1 undi nd the ays in e it is PURITAN, OR PURITANICAL FELLOW. Puritans are a sect that dissent from the church of England. They made their first appearance in Queen Elizabeth's time; and, on account of their extraordinary sanctity, which they introduced in religious worship, they were reproached with the name of puritans, which term is to this day applied to any hypocritical character, whom, by way of derision, we call a puritan, or puritanical fellow. CANDLEMAS. Candlemas, a feast of the church, held on the second day of February, in honour of the purification of the Virgin Mary. It is borrowed from F the practice of the ancient Christians, who, on that day, used abundance of lights, both in their churches and processions, in memory, as is supposed, of our Saviour's being on that day declared by Simeon," to be a light to lighten the gentiles." In imitation of this custom, the Roman catholics, on this day, consecrated all the tapers and candles, which they use in their churches during the whole year. THIEVES' VINEGAR. During the great plague in London, in the year 1666, four thieves, availing themselves of the public calamity, took that opportunity to plunder the houses of the dead and dying, yet, notwithstanding, escaped the infection themselves. On its being inquired how they thus ensured their own safety, it was found, that they constantly carried about them sponges of prepared vinegar; which preparation future apothecaries adopted in all infectious cases, and sold under the denomination of Thieves' Vinegar. GOBLINS. A Flemish painter, called Gluck, having got possession of the secret for dying a beautiful wait till the bit of candle in his hand was burnt out. This being granted, Gobelin immediately threw it into a well, and threw the devil in after it. The devil thus outwitted, was exceedingly angry; but Gobelin had time to get a guard of ecclesiastics, who secured him from similar attacks in future.-Philosophical Magazine. TO SING LIKE A NIGHTINGALE. A Saxon word is said to form the etymology of the word nightingale, viz. galan, "to sing," combined with night; as the nightingale pours forth its strains in the lonely hours of repose. These vigils did not pass unnoticed by the ancients, who have remarked that, "to have less rest than a nightingale is a sign of a bad sleeper." Our favourite poet Milton omits no opportunity of introducing this lovely bird. How finely does it serve to compose the solemn scenery of his Penseroso! "In her saddest, sweetest plight Smoothing the rugged brow of night, Sweet bird, that shunn'st the noise of folly, Most musical, most melancholy! |