60 SHROVE TIDE? 



FEB. 29. St, Oswald, bp. of Worcester, and abp. 

 of York, A.D. 992. 



06s. St. Oswald was educated by his uncle St. Odo, and made 

 Dean of Winchester. He afterwards took the monastic habit at 

 Fleury in France. Having succeeded St. Dunstan in the see of 

 Worcester, and subsequently having been made Archbishop of York, 

 he fell sick at St. Mary's in Worcester, belonging to the Benedictines, 

 among which monks' he died, after extreme unction, exclaiming 

 " Glory be to the Father," in the year 992. 



The 29th of February only occurs in leap years. 



We shall subjoin the following advice for the agriculturist, to 

 avail himself of next month : 



Advice to the Countryman for March. 

 Now when a few dry days have made the land 

 For workmg fit, take then the Plough in hand ; 

 And if the weathi r should continue fair, 

 Keep on with sowing Oats and Barley there : 

 Nor this thy work defer, like some, until 

 The showers of April 'gin the diks to fill ; 

 A bushel of INIarch dust is worth, they say, 

 A Sovereign's ransome, or a stack of hay. 

 Now sow your garden seeds, now nail the trees, 

 When the warm Sun at first brings out the Bees; 

 For they, by instinct strange, appear to see 

 What sort of weather is about to bee — 

 Trust them, ami imitate their iadustrie. 

 Snowdrops are now numerous, and reminds one of Mrs. Smith's 

 lines : 



like pendent flakes of vegetating snow, 



The early herald of the infant year. 

 Ere yet the adventurous Crocus dares to blow, 

 Beneath the orchard boughs thy buds appear. 



W' hile still the cold northeast ungenial lowers, 



And scarce the Hazle in the leafless copse 

 Or Sallows show their downy powder'd flowers, 



The grass is spangled with thy silver drops. 

 Yet when those pallid blossoms shall give place 



To countless tribes of richer hue and scent, 

 Summer's gay blooms, and Autumn's yellow race, 



I shall thy pale inodorous bells lament. 

 So journeying onward in life's varying track. 



Even while warm youth its bright illusion lends. 

 Fond memory often with regret looks back ^ 



To childhood's pleasures, and to infant friends. 



