298 OF METEOROLOGICAL CHAP. 10. $ 1. 



reference to the phaenomena of the time of 

 year on which they are celebrated, and have 

 been borrowed from the Festivals of the Hea- 

 then Deities. 



On St. Bridget's Day, the custom of offering 

 cakes was transferred from a rite performed to 

 an ancient Pagan Deity, named Bridgit, 

 which had its origin in the Feast of Ceres, who 

 was, according to some authors, the identical 

 Queen of Heaven, to whom the ancient Jew- 

 esses burnt incense, and made cakes. 



St. James's Day, July 25, occurring at the 

 time of year at which the young orchard frviit 

 is set, and begins to swell, a custom has arisen 

 on this day of blessing the Apples, of which we 

 are reminded by a sacred manual, printed in 

 1555* 



* Benedictio Pomorum in Die Sancti Jacobi." 

 " Te deprecamur omnipotens Deus ut benedicas, hunc 

 fructum novorum pomorum, qui esa arboris letalis et porno in 

 primo parente jussa funeris sententia muletati sumus," &c. 

 &c. " Dein Sacerdos aspergat ca aqua benedicta." 



Manuale in usum Sarum, 64, 65. 



It may be observed in general, that the benediction pro- 

 nounced on Fruits, &c. was often insttiuted in acknow- 

 ledgement and memorial of the universal care which the 

 Creator takes of his creatures. At Rome, even at the present 

 clay, the farmers and others compel their flocks and animals 



