LUKE TIDE. 293 



OCT. 19. St. Peter of Alcantara, conf. a.d. 1562. 

 SS. Ptolemy, Lucius, &c. martyrs. 

 St. Frideswide, virgin, 750. 

 St. Ethbin, abbot. 



Obs. St. Peter of Alcantara was born in Estramadura in 1499, and took tlie habit o( 

 the severe Order of St, Francis at sixteen years old, in the solitary convent of Man. 

 Jarez, in tlie mountains between Spain and Porluffal. He was a man of remaritable 

 piety. In his retirement he composed his Golden Book on Mental Prayer. He lived » 

 life of severe penance and mortification, denying himself sleep, food, and other luxurie* 

 than were necessary to life. 



St. Frideswide was daughter of Didan prince of Oxford, and learnt from her cradle 

 that " whatsoever is not God, is nothing." From an early period of her life, her inclina- 

 tions led her strongly to a religious state ; she tlierefore desired earnestly to devote her 

 virginity to God in a monastic state. Her mother was then dead, and her religious fa- 

 ther rejoiced in her choice. About the year 750 he founded at Oxford a nunnery, in 

 honour of St. Mary and all the saints, the direction of which was committed to her 

 care. The devil, envying her happy progress, assailed her virtue with implacable rage. 

 Algar, a merchant prince, smitten with her beauty, resolved !to lay a snare to carry her 

 ofi ; the holy virgin escaped his pursuits by concealing herself a long time in a hogstye. 

 St. Frideswide died before the end of the eighth century, and was honoured by many 

 miracles. 



Tall Tickseed Coreopsis procera full fl. 



We have already said that fair, warm, and dry weather, often occurs about this time, 

 and is called St. Luke's Little Summer. A gentle breeze from the south, the thermo- 

 meter about GO^'y fair sky, and sunderclouds and other mixed clouds, witii the sun slowly 

 breaking out into full radiance, and the ground gradually drying, constitute the weather 

 of this last act of summer, named after St. Luke. It is now that Cliina Asters^ African 

 Marigolds, Stocks, Starworts, and all the Autumnal, as well as what remains of the 

 Acstival Flora, seem to shed their last smiles on the declining year; while tlie sun gilds 

 the russet foliage, and is reflected beautii'ully from the yellow, red, and brown tints of 

 the forests in their variously coloured decay. When once this weather changes again, 

 the gales of later autumn will sweep off the last leafy honours of the woods, and prepare 

 for winter's dull reign. 



The old German ballad on the loss of summer's flowers, so popular in Saxony and in 

 Prussia, has been thus translated at Berlin. It is written in the same strain ot melan- 

 choly, unrelieved by hope, which we have before had occasion to notice in productions ot 

 Protestant countries. The song in its original begins, " Sagt wo gint die Vatchen hin :" 



Say where is the Violet fled 



Late so gaily blowing. 

 Springing beneath fair Flora's tread. 



Sweet perfume bestowing] , 

 Ah the vernal scene is o'er. 

 And the Violet blooms no more. 



Tell where lurks the scented Rose, 



Pride of Summer's morning. 

 That by the Pink odorous grows, 



Hill and dale adorning. 

 Ah, fair maid, the Summer's fled, 

 And tlie hapless Rose is dead. 



Bear me to the brooklet, then. 



With rustling music flowing. 

 Watering the flowery glen 



By its margin glowing. 

 Wind and Sun have dried its store, 

 And the brooklet flows no more. 



Lead, then, to the bowery shade. 



Late with blossoms flaunting'. 

 Loved resort of youth and maid, 



Recreant ditties chanting. 

 Hail and storms with fury shower. 

 Leafless mourns the rifled bower. 



Say where hides the village maid. 



Late yon cot adorning T 

 Oft I've met her in the glade, 

 Fair and fresh as morning, 

 - Swain, how short is Beauty's bloom ! 

 Seek her in the grassy tomb. 



Where does now the INIinstrel rove. 



Who of rural pleasures. 

 Merry %vake by twilight grove, 



Siin^ in deftest measures. 

 MaidT how swift Life's vision flies. 

 Death has closed tlie Minstrel's eyes. 



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