356 ADVENT. 



DEC. 21. St. Thomas, apostle. 

 St. Edburge, virgin. 



Angeronalia. Herculi et Cereri, — Rom. Cal. 



Obs. St.Thomas the apostle, stirnamed Didymus or the Twin, appears to have 

 been a Jew, and in all probability a (Jiililean. There are a very few passaees 

 in the Gospel concernini; him. St. Thomas is said to have suffered martyrilom 

 in Galilee, being killed by some people instigated by the heathens. Very lit- 

 tle, however, is known for certain on this point. He is affirmed to have tra- 

 velled and promulgated Christianity anient; the Parthians, Medes, Persians, 

 and Carmeuians, and to have been the apostle of the Indies ; where he effected 

 numerous conversions, and by his preaching raised the indignation of the Bra- 

 mins, who instigated the people agiiinst him till they threw stones and darts at 

 him, and ended his life by running him tlirough the body with a lance. 



In London the Wardmotes are always held on St. Thomas's Day, for the 

 election of Common Councilinen and other officers. 



Going a Gooding' on St. Thomas's Day formerly prevailed in England. 

 Women begged money, and in return presented the donors with spries of Palm 

 and branches of Primroses. Mr. Ellis says. This practice is .still kept up in 

 Kent, in the neighbourhood of Maidstone. 



Sparrowwort Erica Passerina still fl. 



The weather is now usually more still than in the early part of the month, 

 and is often cloudy and dark to such a degree as to have caused this and the 

 following days to have been called t/ie dark dnys afore Christmas. During 

 such weather, Cocks often crow all day and night almost, which has given rise 

 to a popular and rather pleasing notion thattlie Bird of Dawning now saluteth 

 with his perpetual crouing the Advent of the Lord of Light, the dawn of 

 Christian hope. Thus Shakspeare observes in Hamlet : 



And then it started, like a guilty thing 



Upon a fearful summons. 1 have heard 

 The Cock, that is the trumpet of the morn. 

 Doth with his lofty and shrill sounding throat. 

 Awake the god of day ; and at his warning, 

 Whether in sea or tire, in earth or air, 

 The extravagant and erring spirit hies 

 To his confine 1 and of the truth herein 

 This present object made probation — 

 It faded on the crowing of the Cock. 

 Some say that ever 'gainst that hallowed season, 

 At which our Saviour's birth is celebrated, 

 The bird of Dawning croweth all night long. 

 The nights are wholesome, then no mildew falls, 

 No planet strikes, nor snirits walk abroad; 

 No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm ; 

 So gracious and so hallowed is the time. 



The traditions of all ages appropriate the appearance of spirits to the night. 

 The Jews had an opinion that hurttul spirits walked about in the night. The 

 same opinion obtained among the ancient Christians, who divided the night 

 into four watches, called the evening, midnight, and two morning cockcrowings. 



The Cock crows, and the morn grows on, 



When 'tis decreed 1 must be gone. Butler. 



The tale 



Of horrid apparition, tall and ghastly, 

 That walks at dead of night, or takes his stand 

 O'er some new opened grave ; and, strange to tell, 

 Evanishes at crowing of the Cock. Blair. 



We shall resume our observations on the period of Cockcrow tomorrow. 



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