352 nature. William Godwin.-Time's Telescope for August. [VOL 3 The Enquirer is a volume of essays, For ourselves, we do not think him a and exhibits some of the peculiarities of man of very high genius, and we considMr. Godwin's genius. It has much of er him rather as distinguished for singuthe paradoxical spirit of the Political larity than wisdom. But, however aisJustice, but in a less grave and authorita- posed we may be to regard his philosotive form ; like all the works of this au- phy as unsound in its principles, and imthor, however, it is founded on special practicable in its conclusions, still we notions and particular views of human must concede to him the merit of consistency; and admit, that he is one of the We like the Life of Mary Woolston- few remaining examples of the difference craft better than any other of Mr. God between the literary character and the win's productions. It is a simple un- man of business. His inanner bears no ambitious memoir, and inculcates no resemblance to the ponderous decorum singularities, although such might have of Dr. Johnson, nor the easy elegance of been expected from the incidents of the Addison; but his works afford excellent lady's conduct, especially coming from specimens of that self-excited enthusiasm an author so remarkable for the excep- which characterised the spirit of the times tions he has taken to the existing institu- in which Caleb Williams made its aptions of society. pearance, and in which to feel nobly, it With respect to the general merits of was thought requisite to speak and act Mr. Godwin, he is certainly a man of with unusual emphasis and solemnity. very considerable natural parts, and has There is one great and cardinal obcultivated his mind with industry and jection made to the style of Mr. Godwin, He has a most acute perception independent, altogether, of its revolutionof abstract truth, and would be an excel- ary energy and inflation; and that is, lent logician if he could discriminate bet- his licentious use of words. He seems ter between the probable and the possi- often governed in this by some influence ble. His faults in style, in the choice of association, and uses terms with referof subject, and in the manner of treating ence to some recondite meaning known, what he undertakes, are, we conceive, or felt only by himself: his vocabulary owing to his apart and self-commun- is English enough, but his sentences are ing way of living. Had he mixed more very unlike the manner in which Engwith the world, held intercourse with a lishmen express themselves. How abgreater variety of characters and classes, surd would be the appearance of a perwith persons less liable to exercise their son energising in company according ta reason, and more actuated by their sym- the manner of Mr. Godwin! With all pathies and antipathies, than the circle to his faults, however, this author is a man which he has probably confined himself; of respectable powers; and, widely as --we say probably, because we really we differ from him in his first notions of know nothing whatever of his society, political justice, and little as we are disbut only judge of him by his writings: posed to agree with him even in the had he done this, his works would have principles which he has lately adopted, been of a more agreeable kind, and his we applaud the consistency of his perown fame more durable. But they sonal conduct under the change, and rewould have attracted less attention at pect him for not turning the alterations first, and would not have been thought of his political sentiments to the same acso original as they are by many readers. count as the poet-laureate Southey. TIME'S TELESCOPE, FOR AUGUST. From the London Time's Telescope, August 1818. EXTILIS was the antient Roman took possession of his first consuíship. name of this month, being the sixth celebrated three triumphs, reduced Egypt from March. The Emperor Augustus under the power of the Roman people, changed this name, and gave it his own, and put an end to all civil wars. The because in this month Cæsar Augustus Saxons called August arn-monat (more VOL. 3.] Illustration of obscure Ceremonies, remarkable Events, &c. 353 rightly barn-monat), intending thereby rebuilt or greatly enlarged by Justinian. the then filling of their barnes with In this temple, the gridiron on which he corne.' LAMMAS DAY, AUGUST 1. died was deposited with great pomp and solemnity; and, if we may believe St. This day, in the Romish church, is Gregory, it became famous for abundance generally called St. Peter in Fetters, in of miracles. The celebrated palace of commemoration of this apostle's impris- the Escurial is dedicated to this saint. onment. Some imagine that it was This summer residence of the Spanish named Lammas Day, from St. Peter's court is but a short distance from Madrid. being patron of the lambs, as our It is a monastery founded by Philip II. Saviour gave him this particular charge, in consequence of a vow made on the Feed my Lambs. It is most probably day of the battle of St. Quentin, which derived from an old Saxon term, signifying Louf-Mass; as it was customary for the Saxons to offer an oblation of loaves, made of new wheat, on this day, as the first-fruits of their new corn. TRANSFIGURATION, AUGUST 6. Though this day was observed in remembrance of our Lord's Transfiguration on the Mount, by the primitive Chris. tians, yet it is but of recent date in the church of Rome, as it was not instituted by Pope Calixtus until the year 1455. NAME OF JESUS, AUGUST 7. also happened on the festival of St. Lawrence. In Spain it is called by the name of this saint (San Lorenzo), and every thing in the Escurial reminds us of the instrument of his martyrdom. It is not only seen upon the doors, windows, the edifice itself bears, its form. It is a altars, rituals, and sacerdotal habits, but quadrangular building, with the principal front to the west, behind which is faces Madrid takes the form of the shorta mountain; the opposite side which ened handle of a gridiron reversed; and of four little square towers which rise the four feet are represented by the spires above the four angles. Before the Reformation, this day was dedicated to Afra, a woman who had been converted to Christianity by Nar- There is nothing magnificent in the cissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, and who architecture of this building; on the afterwards suffered martyrdom; and the contrary, it has rather the serious simBreviary was recognized by Paul V. plicity suitable to a convent, than the Afterwards Donatus, who became martyr splendid elegance which should announce in the time of Julian for refusing to the residence of a monarch. The sacrifice, was substituted in her place. front to the west alone has a fine portal Our reformers devoted it to the NAME formed by large columns of the Doric OF OUR BLESsed Lord. order, half sunk in the wall, and on each SAINT LAWRENCE, AUGUST 10... side two great doors of noble dimensions. St. Lawrence was, by birth, a Span- By this portal we pass to an elegant iard, and treasurer of the church of square court, at the bottom of which is Rome, being deacon to Pope Sextus, the church. This principal entrance is about the year 259. Soon afterwards, never open for the kings of Spain and the his bishop was killed by the soldiers of princes of the blood, except on two Valerian the emperor, with whom our solemn occasions ;-when they come saint would willingly have died, Law for the first time to the Escurial, and rence refusing to deliver up the church when their remains are deposited there treasure, which they imagined to be in in the vault which awaits them; a striking his custody, he was laid upon a gridiron, emblem of the gates of life and eternity. and broiled over a fire: this torture he The front to the south is entirely des bore with such incredible patience and titute of ornament; but in its four cheerfulness, that he told his tormentors stories, including the basement, rendered to turn him round, as he was done necessary by the inequality of the ground, enough on one side. His martyrdom there are nearly three hundred windows, was so highly esteemed, that Pulcheria, The two great doors of entrance are on the empress, erected a temple to hise opposite front. The whole edifice honour, which was afterwards either is built of hewn stone of a species of ATHENEUM, Vol. 9, 354 Saints' days,&c.-Blenheim-Assumption—Matthew Boullon. [voL3 granite, which, by its colour, become when struck, displaces one piece, and rebrown by time, adds to the austerity of the places another. The coining mill, which building. The quarry where it was dug was erected in 1788, and has since been is in the neighbourhood of the Escurial, greatly improved, is adapted to work and it is said that this was one motive eight machines, and each is capable of for the choice of its site. It furnished striking from sixty to an hundred blocks of such considerable dimensions, pieces of money in a minute, the size of that three stones were sufficient to form a guinea, which is equal to between the chambranle, or case of the greatest door-ways, and each step of the principal staircase is composed but of one. BATTLE OF BLENHEIM, AUGUST 13. And many a childing mother then, But things like that, you know, must be They say it was a shocking sight After the field was won, 30,000 and 40,000 per hour at the same blow, which strikes the face and reverse; the edge of the piece is also struck, either plain, or with an inscription. In a national view, Mr. Boulton's undertakings have been highly valuable and important. By collecting round him artists of various descriptions, rival talents have been called forth; and by successive competition, have been muluplied to an extent highly beneficial to the public. A barren heath has been covered with plenty and population; and these works (Soho), which, in their infancy, were little known and attended to, now cover several acres, give emThis is a festival in the Greek and ployment to more than 600 persons, and Romish Churches, in honour of the are, indubitably, the first of their kind supposed miraculous ascension of the in Europe. No expense has been Virgin Mary into heaven.-On this day spared to render the works uniform and the Jews observe what is called the handsome in architecture, as well as Black Fast, or anniversary of the de- neat and commodious. The same But things like that, you know, must be ASSUMPTION, AUGUST 15. struction of the first and second Temples. liberal spirit and taste have been displayThey also commemorate the taking of ed on the adjoining gardens and pleasBethuliah, mentioned in the Maccabees; ure-grounds, which, at the same time the sedition of Ben Cosebah under the that they form an agreeable separation Emperor Adrian; and the outrage of Turnus Rufus the Roman general, who ploughed up the ground on which the Temple had stood. MATTHEW BOULTON DIED, AUGUST 17. from the proprietor's residence, render Soho a much admired scene of picturesque beauty. No one who passes through Birmingham will neglect to pay a visit to this place. To Mr. Boulton, in conjunction with A foundery has lately been established Mr. Watt, the public are greatly indebt- Soho, by the proprietor of the latter at Smethwick, a short distance from ed for the most important improvements place, for the manufactory of steamin the steam-engine, and for the first application of this wonderful power to engines. Here that powerful agent is coining. By means of this engine ail employed, as it were to multiply itself, and its various parts are fabricated and the operations are concentrated on the same spot. It works a number of coin- larity, neatness, and expedition, which adapted together with the same reguing machines with greater rapidity and distinguished all the operations of their exactness by a few boys from twelve to fourteen years of age, than could be wards distributed to all parts of the manufactory. These engines are afterdone by a great number of strong men, kingdom by the Birmingham canal, without endangering their fingers, as the which communicates with a wet dock machine itself lays the blanks upon the belonging to the foundery. die perfectly conceatral with it, and, VOL. 3.] Illustration of remarkable Days, Ceremonies, &c. 355 COUNT RUMFORD DIED,AUGUST 21, 1814. nurse of unknown sensibilities, that He employed his great abilities and perpetuate distress; Fancy shall emgreat acquirements in promoting the body thy form, and often visit the grave comforts and the happiness of mankind; of Chatterton, to drop the tear of condescending to subjects generally ac- sympathy over that ingenious, unfriended, counted mean, but really in themselves and unfortunate youth!-Dyer. of extensive and great consequence. The Yet all shall read, and all that page approve, LOUIS IX. DIed, august 25, 1270. This king, usually styled Saint Louis, deservedly ranks among the greatest and best of his race. His foibles were the excess of good qualities; and if superstition led him into projects and prac tices injurious to his kingdom and degrading to himself, the genuine spirit of religion deserves the credit of having Round him the labourers throng, the nobles wait, guarded the purity of his morals, and Friend of the poor, and guardian of the state. rendered him one of the most upright SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, AUGUST 24. and benevolent of men. The Catholic The word Bartholomew means the church, approving his piety without disson of Tolmai, or Tolomæus, the name tinction, holds his memory in high respect. of a family among the Jews, mentioned Pope Boniface VIII canonized him in by Josephus. He preached the Gospel 1297; and his descendant, Louis XIII, in Armenia, converted the Lycaonians, procured the day dedicated to his hon. and afterwards visited India. Some our to be declared a general feast of the authors assert that he was crucified, like church. It is still celebrated with great St. Peter, with his head downwards; pomp and ceremony in France. others, however, with more probability, say that he was flayed alive, by order of Astyages, king of Armenia. MASSACRE OF FRENCH PROTESTANTS, BATTLE OF CRESSY, AUGUST 26, 1346. This celebrated battle was fought on some plains near Abbeville (in the route from Calais to Paris), when more than 100,000 French were defeated, chiefly This horrid massacre of 70,000 Pro- by the valour of the Prince of Wales, testants, or Huguenots, began at Paris who was but sixteen years of age (his on the night of St. Bartholomew, by the father being no more than thirty-four), secret orders of Charles IX. King of though the English did not exceed France, at the instigation of the Queen Dowager of Medici. The 24th of August is observed by the Jews as a day of humiliation, because the western light of the Temple was miraculously extinguished during the reign of Ahaz. 30,000. The loss of the French far exceeded that of the English army. SAINT AUGUSTINE, AUGUST 28. Augustine was born at Thagaste, a town in Numidia, in the year 354. Augustine was a judicious divine, and the most voluminous writer of all the Fathers. He died in 430, at the age of 77. JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADEd, august 29. CHATTERTON DIED, AUGUST 25, 1770. O! GENIUS, art thou to be envied or pitied? Doomed to form expectations the most sanguine, and to meet with disappointments the most mortifying? This day was formerly denominated To indulge towards others the most Festum Collectionis Sancti Johnnis generous wishes, to receive thyself the Baptista, or the Feast of gathering up most illiberal treatment? To be applaud- St. John the Baptist's Relics; but aftered, admired, and neglected? To be a wards, by corruption, Festum Decollafriend to all, befriended often by none? tionis, the festival in remembrance of his O! thou creative, discriminating power, being beheaded. His nativity is celesource of inexpressible delights, and brated on the 24th June. 356 Varieties. [VOL. 3 SIR, cause VARIETIES. MOON-STRUCK" MADNESS. From the Monthly Magazine, April, 1818. comes next to be placed under investigation. It has been proved by observation, and from chemical experiments, that both N your miscellany for August last, a the barometer and thermometer are afcorrespondent requested to know if fected by the perturbation of the moon there be any real foundation for the gen- on the atmosphere, at the time of its conerally received opinion, that the moon junction and opposition: the earth's athas an effect on such persons as labour under insanity of mind. The causes of mosphere, it is well known, contains a this human malady have been variously great quantity of the galvanic or electric principle in both us states; and, as this attributed in different periods and nations. In the early ages, among the principle, by experiments, is found to be affected by perturbation of the lunar orientals, as in the present period, insanity was attributed to the influence of phases, it must have the same effect on the same principle, existing in the conevil spirits, an opinion recorded in the struction of the human and other animal Christian gospels; and which, as such, nerves. During the same state of the influenced the faith of Christians almost to the present. On the advancement of nerves, this perturbation is not observed by the animal functions; but when the science, this ancient opinion gave place nerves become deranged and weak, by to one somewhat more rational, that the the irregularity of the vivifying quality of soul mind became affected from a own. More recent physiolo galvanism, the least perturbating power is perceived, either in augmenting or di gists ha attributed this mental malady minishing the malady. This is the only to a derangement of the nervous system, case of insanity which can be termed luspécially that part which composes the construction of the brain; whereby the nacy: all other cases, of which there is mind is rendered incapable of properly a great variety, proceeding from other causes, are not affected by lunar perturperforming its functions. The nature bation. A medical professor, therefore, and construction of the nerves, therefore, will be the most proper enquiry towards may have a number of insane patients the elucidation of the subject. From under his care, even for years, without having a lunatic among them. The fol the investigation of the most eminent anatomists, chemists, and physiologists, lowing species of insanity, or derange the nerves are discovered, both in their ment of the mind, arise from various single and compound state, to be com- causes and affections of the nerves in that posed of very fine elastic fibres, replete part of the system which forms the conwith the galvanic or electric principles, both in its positive and negative state. On a proper proportion and combination of these species or properties of the galvanic principle, the sanity of the nervous system, to perform the necessary animal from their effects, and, consequently, not functions, depends. If this due propor- them will not be improper :in general acceptation, the definition of tion and regular combination be destroyed by any cause, those composing the construction of the brain will be deranged; and the mind, in consequence, become insane, and unable to perform its regular and accustomed functions. As this appears to be the real cause, at least, of one species of the insanity of the hu- Phantasphobia is an insanity in which the man mind, whether such a malady is or can be affected by the perturbation of the moon on the earth or its atmosphere, struction of the brain; but none of them are species of lunacy, nor can the patients afflicted be termed lunatics. As the technical terms for these classes of insanity or madness are immediately taken Hydrophobia is so termed, from the patient being affected with a frenzy and dread at the sight of water. This malady proceeds from the effects of canine venom, received into the blood by means of an incision caused by the bite of an insane animal of this species The only remedy is the amputation of the wounded part: if the venom gets into the mass of blood, death is inevitable. patient is affected with the idea of ghosts and apparitions, which seem to appear under such uncouth forms, as to excite dread and horror in the mind:---though, at other times, these |