228 rORTY DAYS OF ST. SWITHIN. 



+ AUG. 15. ASSUMPTION of our Lady. 



St. Alipius, bishop, 429. 



St. Arnoul, bishop, 1087. 



St. Aid, bishop in Ireland, 506. 



Obs. On this festival the church commemorates the happy depar- 

 ture of the Blessed Virgin INIary and her translation into the kingdom 

 of her son. It is believed that she lived to a very advanced age, 

 improving daily in perfect charity, and in the most heroic exercise ot 

 all virtue". She paid the debt of nature, none of the children of 

 Adam being exempt from this law. It is a traditionary pious belief 

 that the body of the Blessed Virgia was raised soon after her death, 

 and assumed to glory by a singular privilege, before the general re- 

 surrection of the dead. This is mentioned by the learned Andrew 

 of Crete and St. Gregory of Tours ; it is an opinion perfectly con- 

 formable to the sentiments of piety and respect which we owe to 

 the glorious mother of God. — Lives of the Saints, 



The fio-ures of the Blessed Virgin's Assumption emblematically 

 represent her sometimes as having a glory of twelve stars round her 

 head, and the moon beneath her feet ; at others she is represeiited 

 as a beautiful virgin, treading on the head of the serpent recoiled 

 round the globe oi the world. 



Under this day in Butler's Lives will be found a long discourse 

 on the Assumption, and on the Life and Intercession of the Virgin 

 Mary. The celebrated prayer to her made by St. Bernard is too 

 well known to need repetition here. 



Virgin's Bower Clematis Vitalba full fl. 

 Tlie White or Wild Virgin's Bower, called also Traveller's .Toy, is 

 still in full flower, and we find it recorded in the Ephemeris before 

 quoted as the Assumption Flower. 



Antiquaries have not settled why the Virgin is sometimes drawn 

 with the crescent on her head : 



And I nill tread the virtuous peaceful paths 

 Of herwlio trod the subtile serpent's head, 

 And wears the silveiie cresant on lier own. Anthol. 



Besides the celebrated Ave Maris Stella, several antient hymns 

 were recited formerly on this day in the churches. We subjoin the 

 following for the amusement of the poetic reader : 

 ^ Hymn to the Blessed rir^in. 



Virgin Mother of our gracious Lord, 

 Thou at whose shriue all liin^s, all nations bend ; 

 Mother of Mercies ! who thine aid dust lend 

 To lips who hail thee with the heart's accord ; 



Solace of sinners, Loadstar ever nigh, 

 Whose saintlie feet the serneut sin have ciushed ; 

 How much I love, when all rude winds are hushed. 

 And silverie moonbeams liuht the niotlie skie. 

 Beneath hisrh heaven's blue vaulted canopy, 

 In hallowed stillness to invoice thy aid. 



And feel niv cares released, my sorrows fly; 

 For, but to hail thee once, Spotless Maiil, 



Seems a brieht ray of hope in realms on high, 

 Where psin di^ssolves in joys that never fade. 



