'96 PASQUE 



9 



APRIL 5. St. Vincent Ferrer, conf. a.d. 1419. 

 St. Tigernach, bishop and conf. in Ireland. 

 St. Gerald, abbot. 

 St. Becan, abbot, in Ireland. 



Megalesia. — Julian Cal. 



Obs. St. Vincent Ferrer was born at Valentia in Spain on the 

 23(1 of January, 1357. He made surprisins^ly rapid progress in the 

 path of perfection, taking St. Dominick for his model. At the age 

 of twenty eight, in the year 1384, he received the cap of Doctor 

 from the hands of Cardinal Peter de Luna, legate of Pope Clement 

 VII. St. Vincent had a particular talent for the pulpit ; at his ser- 

 mons persons often fainted away. He performed many miraculous 

 cures. It was on Wednesday in Passion Week, the 5th of April, 

 that St. Vincent slept in the Lord, in the year 1419, having lived, 

 according to the most exact computation, sixty two years, two 

 months, and thirteen days. 



Yellow Crown Imperial Corona imperialisfiave fl. 



Striped Crown Imperial Corona irwperialis striata fl. 



The yellow as well as the striped variety of this plant are neither 

 of them judged so handsome as the plain red sort ; all are by this 

 time in flower. The Dog's Tooth Violet is now in full blow ; its 

 flower is an elegant reddish purple, and its leaves beautifully spotted. 



Blackcap Carruca atracapilla arrives. 



The Blackcap is called the Mock Nightingale from imitating the 

 notes of this bird ; in countries where Nightingales abound they 

 improve the song of other birds who imitate them, a circumstance 

 which shews thut birds possess the organ of imitation. See the 

 Phrenological Works of MM. Gall and Spurzheim. 



Now and then a straggling swallow makes its appearance, which 

 is before the time of the general arrival, and has given rise to the 

 antient Greek proverb, that 



Mitt p^EXlJiv Ettp iv woiei, 



A proverb that has been translated into almost every language of 

 Europe. See Natural Histnry of Sxvallows, by T. Forster, London 

 1817. See an account of April 15 infra. 

 Horace solicits his friend's return : 



Cum Zephyris si concedes et hirundine prima. 



And in Greece the Swallow's return was a holiday for children ; in 

 anticipation whereof they exclaimed, ii Zeu; ^iXi^nv agawole 



