82 PASQUE? 



MARCH 22. St. Catherine of Sweden, virgin, 

 A.D. 1381. 



St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, confessor, 



St. Lea, widow. 



St. Deoiiiatius, bishop of Carthage, confessor. 



St. Basil of Ancyra, p. m. in 362. 



Obs. St. Catherine of Sweden was daughter of Ulpho prince of 

 Nericia in Sweden and of St. Bridget. She was placed in the Nun- 

 nery of Risburg at seven years of age. Being very beautiful, she 

 was betrothed in marriage to Egard, a nobleman of great virtue, 

 but she prevailed on him to consent that they should both make a 

 mutual vow of perpetual chastity. She after much pilgrimage be- 

 came abbess of Vatzen, and died on the 24th of March, in 1381. 



Pilewort Ficaria verna flowers. 



This beautiful little plant, which is first seen about a week ago 

 opening its yellow flowers on some warm bank, is now pretty com- 

 monly in flower. It has been for this reason called Star of St. 

 Catherine. From this time to the middle of April these beautiful 

 plants shew more and more flowers, and on warm days their bril- 

 liant stars of golden yellow bespangle every green shady bank and 

 sloping glade, and form an elegant contrast to the silvery appear- 

 ance of the mead dotted with daisies. Towards May their flowers 

 get bleached with the sun, and they wither away soon after the 

 festival of the Holy Cross, when Crowfoots take their place in the 

 fields. The roots of the Pilewort are round and clustered together ; 

 some botanists rank this plant as a ranunculus. 



The Nightingale now arrived sings, till May, both^night and day ; 

 but it is his nocturnal serenade that delights the poet, and of which 

 Milton is mindful in Allegro : 



To the Nightingale. 

 Sweet bird, that shun'st the noise of folly. 

 Most musical, most melancholy ! 

 Thee, Chantress, oft, the woods among, 

 I woo, to hear thy evening song. 



