ASSUMPTION TIDE, 227 



AUG. 14. St. Eusebius, priest and mart. 3d cent. 



St. Eusebius, priest and confessor. 



Vigil of the Assu7nption, 



Obs, In the reign of Dioclesian and Maximlan, Eusebius, a holy 

 priest, refusing to sacrifice to the idols was beheaded, probably in 

 Palestine, as is recorded in some ancient Martyrologies which bear 

 the name of St. Jerom. 



Elegant Zinnia Zinnia elegans full fl. 



Narrowleaved Rudbeckia Rudbeckia angustijolia fl. 



Indian Goldflower Chrysanthemum Indicum fl. 



Fingered Rudbeckia Rudbeckia digitata fl. 



Bastard Saffron Curthamus tincioria defl. 



The weather at this time of year is generally fine, warm, and 

 settled ; the air is very much electrified, and the clouds exhibit a 

 greater variety of beautiful forms than they do earlier in summer. 

 The colours of the clouds, too, at sunrise and sunset are particularly 

 beautiful, and this we remember was remarkably the case in the 

 years 1810 and 1811. Moonlight scenery is now particularly 

 beautiful, there being some night, and yet the weather being re- 

 markably warm and serene. We can easily enter into the feelings 

 of the sentinel, in Mr. Wordsworth's elegant poem, if we place our- 

 selves in the imagined scenery in which the poet has placed him, on 

 the eve of the great festival of the Assumption : 



How calinlysfliding through the dark blue sky 



The midnight Moon ascends ! Her placid beairis. 



Through thinly scattered leaves and bouichs grotesque. 



Mottle with mazy shades the orchard slope ; 



Here o'er the Chesnut's fretted foliage, i^rey 



And massy, motionless they spread ; here shine 



Upon the crags, deepening with blacker night 



Their chasms; and there the glittering argentiy 



Ripples and glances on the confluent streams. 



A lovelier purerlight than that of day 



Kests on the hills ; and oh, hOK awfully 



Into that deep and tranquil firmament 



The summits of Auseva rise -.erene ! 



The watchman on the battlements partakes 



The stillness of the solemn hour ; he feels 



The silence of the earth, the endless sound 



Of flowing water soothes him ; and the stars, 



W hich in that brightest moonlight well uigh quenched, 



Scarce visible, as in the utmost depth 



Of yonder sapphire infinite are seen. 



Draw on with elevating influence 



Toward eternity the attempered mind. 



Musing on worlds beyond the grave he stands. 



And to" the Virgin Mother silenily 



Breathes forth her hvmn of praise. 



