ALLHALLOW TIDE. 305 



OCT. 31. St. Quintin, martyr, a.d. 287. 

 St. Wolfgang, bishop. 

 St. Faillan, martyr. — Plgil of Allhallows. 



06s. The martyrdom of St. Quintin took place in the city of 

 Augusta Veromanduorum, on the territory of the Veromandin. 

 After suffering many cruel torments, he was beheaded on the 31st 

 of October, in 287. 



Fenelleaved Tickseed Coreopsis feridifolia full fl. 



The feast of St. Stachys takes place today in the Greek church, 

 and that of Narcissus also occurs today in some Calendars. 



This is Allhallow's Eve, or Hallow Even, or the Vigil of All 

 Saints' Day, and it is customary on this night with young people in 

 the north of England to dive for Apples, or catch at them when stuck 

 upon one end of a kind of hanging beam, at the oth-r extremity of 

 which is fixed a lighted candle, and that with their mouths only, 

 their hands being tied behind their backs. Nuts and Apples chiefly 

 compose the entertainment, and from the custom of flinging the for- 

 mer into the fire, or cracking; them with their teeth, it has doubtless 

 liad its vulgar name of Nutcrack Night. 



Mr. Pennant tells us, in his Tour in Scotland, that the young 

 women there determine the figure and size of their husbands by 

 drawing cabbages blindfold on AUhallow Even, and, like the Eng- 

 lish, j'iing' Nuts into the fire. 



" On Nuts burning on Allhallows Eve," from a Collection of 



Poems printed at Dublin in 1801, page 127 : 



These glowing Nuts aie emlJenis true 



Of what in liuinan life we view ; 



The illniHtched couple fret ajid fume. 



And thus in strife themselve- consume; 



Or from each other wildly start, 



And with a noise for ever part. 



but see the happy happy pair, 



Of genuine love and truth i^incere ; 



Witli mutual fondness, while they burn. 



Still to each other kindly turn ; 



And as the vital sparks decay, 



Toi>ether gently sink away; 



Till life's fierce ordeal being past. 



Their mingled ashes rest at last. 



There was also a divination by Lady Birds : 



Fly, Lady Biid, north, south, or east, or west, 

 Fly where the girl is found that I love best- 

 Snails were used in love divinations : they were set to cravcl on the hearth, 

 and were also thought to mark in the ashes tlie initials of the lover's name. 

 Quid lente obliquo limaoem tramite euntem 



Sub pedibus calces cai a puellatuis? 

 Non placet ilia mihi literas dum fingit iniquas, 

 Et terrae inscribit signa delenda mihi. 



Antliologia Bar. et Aust. 

 We now enter on the season when the last gleams of warm sun will be 

 changed for the alternate nocturnal sales and foggy calms of November. 



Dd2 



