Her labours of love in that department were zealous and indefatigable, travelling a circuit of many miles, and obtaining access to persons from whom other collectors were excluded: her success even exceeded the utmost expectations of her friends. She bequeathed five pounds to the Methodist Missions, as a last token of her love to them. The disease which terminated her life, was the dreadful malady of the Small Pox; but the power of religion was eminently seen in her triumphant end. A little before her death, a friend said to her, "You will soon be gone;" she replied, "O, yes! I shall: the angels are come,-the angels are come; I am going, I am going :" and raising herself in token of victory, she departed, aged twenty-four years. Nantwich, Dec. 11, 1821. THOMAS EASTWOOD. THE JUVENILE NATURALIST, FOR FEBRUARY, 1822. (From "Time's Telescope for 1822.") IN the course of this month all nature begins, as it were, to prepare for its revivification. God, as the Psalmist expresses it, 6 renews the face of the earth;' and animate and inanimate nature seem to vie with each other in opening the way to spring. About the 4th or 5th, the woodlark, one of our earliest and sweetest songsters, renews his note; a week after, the thrush sings; and the yellow-hammer is heard. The chaffinch sings; and the redbreast continues to warble. Turkey-cocks strut and gobble; fieldcrickets open their holes; and wood-owls hoot: gnats play about, and insects swarm under sunny hedges; the stone-curlew clamours; and frogs croak. "By the latter end of February the green wood-pecker is heard in the woods, making a loud noise. "Bullfinches return to our gardens in February, and though timid half the year, are now fearless and persevering. "But few flowers appear in this month: the dwarf-bay puts forth its beautifully red and copious flowers, often entirely concealing the branches; the laurustinus is in flower, and the great henbit graces the sunny bank with its purple blossom; while the mul berry-coloured catkins of the alder give an air of cheerfulness to the otherwise bare and desolate scene. "The principal objects worthy of attention in the vegetable kingdom, in the present month, are the various species of mosses, which are, many of them, in full bloom, exhibiting, like some evergreens, their flowers and fruit at the same time. "Trifling and insignificant as mosses appear, their uses are by no means inconsiderable: they thrive best in barren places, and most of them love cold and moisture; they protect the more tender plants when they begin to expand in the spring, as the experience of the gardener can testify, which teaches him to cover with moss the soil and pots which contain his tenderest plants; for it equally defends the roots against the scorching sunbeams and the severity of the frost. Several species of mosses grow upon marshes, and in process of time occupy the space formerly filled with water; forming, in their decayed state, immense beds and masses of peat, which, where coal and wood are scarce, is of great use as fuel. BRIEF ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES, FOR FEBRUARY, 1822. "Ox the 6th of this month, the Moon will be visibly eclipsed. The eclipse will commence at 20 minutes past 4 in the morning; and end about 36 minutes past 6. On the 23d, the crescent of the Moon is seen in a beautiful position, with VENUS to the west of her, and SATURN and JUPITER at some distance above her; and she directs her course above these two latter planets. On the 24th, she is perceived to have travelled rapidly from VENUS towards SATURN and JUPITER, and will have passed these latter planets before her next appearance on the 25th, when she will be seen having JUPITER, SATURN, and VENUS, all below her. "MERCURY is an evening star, at his greatest elongation on the 20th, and stationary on the 26th. In a good horizon towards west south-west, he may be seen to advantage, both before and after his greatest elongation, as he is then about an hour and a half above the horizon after sun-set. "VENUS is an evening star, stationary on the 17th. She forms a fine object under SATURN and JUPITER; being at first three hours and three quarters above the horizon after sun-set; but this duration is daily decreasing. "MARS is seen after the middle of the month, during the whole night. At first he does not rise till about an hour and three quarters after sun-set; but he rises every succeeding night earlier. On the 19th he is in opposition to the SUN, and consequently will then be seen to great advantage. "JUPITER and SATURN are evening stars: HERSCHEL is a morning star." (Evening Amusements.) POETRY. TO AN INFANT. WHEN cherub smiles give place I see the chart of years: Though others' emblem be The deadly cypress' shade, Be thine the citron tree, That knows not how to fade, But, through each change of weather, Bears fruit and flowers together. Thy childhood be as gay As spring-tide just begun ; Thy youth a bright May-day And ardent as its sun; Thy prime, midsummer,-sweeping O'er harvests ripe and reaping. POETRY. Nor let thy sun's decline When he who writes this verse, He could not look on thine! 71 TO MISS MARGARET G MARGARET, we never met before, Sweet smiles and blushes darting: I dare not wish you countless wealth, I dare not wish you beauty's prize, Of these good gifts be you possest, Just in the measure GoD thinks best. But, little MARGARET, may you be, The LORD in darkness be your light, Your joy through every future breath, And your eternal hope in death. Scarborough, Sept, 1814. (MONTGOMERY.) TO THE MEMORY OF "LITTLE EDWARD." (See Youth's Instructer, for Jan. 1822, page 13.) THE Sun may rise, and rippling streams The seed may sprout, the plant appear, MINISDEN.. Printed by T. CORDEUX, 14, City. Road, London.. |