INTRODrCTIOK. XXIX 



marked by the red. poppies papaver Cereale among 

 the young earn ancf in other sown fields. This is 

 the season of hay making, when the scythe is 

 heard in the morning, and tlie haymaker's song in 

 the eveiiing. The fruits of the season are straw- 

 berries, cherries, and cnri'ants, and lastly the very 

 early pears which succeed each other by turns. 



Calendar. — The Feasts of St. Barnabas, 

 St. John the Baptist, and of S.S. Peter and Paul, 

 occur attliis season. The conclnsion of the move- 

 able feasts, however, generally takes place in the 

 early part of tliis pei'iod. On these we have the 

 following observations recorded in the " Pilgrim's 

 Way book." — ' We celebrate tJie exhUerating Ro- 

 gation Processions to chaunt the divine praises 

 and beg blessings on the fruits of the earth, at a 

 time wliich responds to the season of flowers and- 

 young leaves, when every meadow is^ spangled 

 witJi colours, and every blossomed maybusli has- a' 

 bird singing witli us ; and lastly, tlu^ cousmnmation 

 of the religious ritea of Pentec(»st, and tlie gi^at 

 mystery of Corpus Christi, at a period when the 

 grass is long, tlie whole country in flower, and 

 when all animated nature out of doors is also per- 

 fected and robed in the mantle of summer ! These 

 are all^Uustrations of tlie coincidence of natural 

 phenomena with religious exhibitions which must 

 have struck evejry attentive observer. They prove 

 how much picturesque effect, wliich is the voice 



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