PART I.] Evening Lecturés.-Almanac used in the Isle of ŒEsel. 625 We have not scorned to be taught by them. Why then should we hesitate to learn what is excellent, not from the Dissenters or Church Methodists (though they have renewed the practice), but from the ancient Fathers of our Church, and beyond them from the Founders of Christianity? In the character of a Clergyman I should feel myself disgraced in my own estimation, and sunk in the "For the Esthonians and the Lettish an almanac is annually printed in their own language, and sold at an easy price; but the boors of Esel make a kalendar for themselves. For this purpose, as they cannot write, they have from time immemorial made choice of certain signs, which they mark in an artless manner on seven narrow flat sticks, tied together by a thong passed through a hole at the upper end of each. More properly the inscription is on thirteen sides. On each side is a month consisting of twenty-eight days. By this kalendar they know at once every week day, every immoveable festival, and every day that is memorable among them by any superstitious rites: for each has its own peculiar sign. They begin to reckon every successive year one day later than the last; and in the use of the kalendar they follow the practice of the Hebrews and other Oriental nations, who begin their books at what with us is the end, and read from right to left. estimation of my flock, did my timidity, or ny indolence, refuse to the true Churchmen the same unexceptionable opportunities of religious worship and instruction, which the Dissenter affords to his mistaken followers, while, with much shewof reason, he inculcates my supineness. Indolence, however, is seldom the cause: it is more frequently the fear of the imputation of belonging to a party, whose new and forward zeal without ancient orthodoxy has brought suspicion and resentment upon all zeal which will not blindly follow in the trammels of bad precedent, and which dares to wish Christianity brought back from modern luke warmness on the one hand, and fiery blaze on the other, to a genuine ancient warmth and power. Oh, how this love of the praise of men has infected some of the best among us! I believe it, abject as it is, almost HEREWITH send you a fac-simile, somewhat reduced in size, of one the single reason that weekly services of these rude almanacs, used in the are not universal among those who iste of Esel, together with such exreally care at all for the religious in-planations as could be collected from terests of their parishes. Every institution of such services by orthodox and bold men will, however, somewhat diminish the cause of offence. In some cases few may be the attendants. That is not our concern: if we be there worshiping God, and only two or three be gathered together, I need not say that our Saviour will be among us; but I may hint that the interests of the Church will not then suffer from an accusation against our lukewarmness. Your Correspondent's picture of a parish priest is good; but, forgetting those things which are behind, let us reach forward to those which are before. In the character of a Clergyman I would instantly do my part by the establishment of Evening Lectures. For others-God is their judge, and not I believe, Mr. Urban, that my sentiments are those of the real GENT. MAG. Supp. LXXXII, Part I, C man. I "View of the Russian Empire during the reign of Catharine the Second, and to the close of the Eighteenth Century," 3 vols. 8vo. 1800. vol. I. p. 181. a rather intelligent boor. They are likewise in use in the isles of Ruhn and Mohn. The Ruhnes still speak language, they being probably the the Runik, perhaps the true Livonian remains of the old Livonians. The language is entirely confined to that island, being spoke no where else, at least as far as was known to my informant, pastor Haken, of Yamma, gacity and learning, than for his una man not less respectable for his sadissembled piety. W. T. 1 Sunday. 2 Monday. 3 Tuesday. 4 Wednesday. 5 Thursday. 6 Friday. 7 Saturday. The cross or other mark at top denotes a festival, or a memorable, or a superstitious day. a New year's day. b Three kings day (Epiphany). d Korjusse. winter. h Reenla Maria, Mary's purification. i Aet. (I cannot tell what.) k Tort. (perhaps Dorothea.) 7 Lunallo pææv, on which all must rest. m Petri ellis; then the water-springs begin to steam, and the rocks in the lake to freeze. Matsi, or Maddisi pææv, Matthias, the 24th of February. Then the Esthonian observes the weather, in order to form a conjecture respecting the duration of the winter. Many will not take a sieve in their hand, lest it should charm the vermin: neither will they work with a needle, to preserve their cattle from being bit by serpents, and from other mischief. On this day all the worms in the ground turn about. . Talli harri; now the snow dissolves with the appearance of the spring: the roads alone are covered. Pendise pææv; Benedict the 21st of March. Paasto Maria; Mary's annunciation, the 25th of March; now the Esthonian goes upon the continent, before sunrise, to drink brandy, in order that he may be all the year ruddy, brisk and gay, and be safe from the stings of 'musquitos. Ambrus pææv; Ambrose. s Now the pike-fish comes in, and the u Vit. (The meaning of this I know not.) x Finding of the Cross. y Eric; the barley shews its ears. Vitus, the 15th of June. y Corpus Christi day. Fastday, previous to John. John; in the night they kindle fires, and guard the cattle from witches. Fastday. Peter and Paul. Heina Maria; Mary's visitation, the 2d of July. Karruse pææv; Margaret, the 13th of July. Many will not work, that the bear (Esthn. karro) may do them no hurt. × Maddelisse pææv; hitherto the bees > Oli pææv; now a sheep is slain as a sacrifice. Lauritse pææv; Lawrence, the 10th of August: now they first light fires in the evenings, to avert mischief from conflagrations. Kulli Maria; Mary's ascension, the 15th of August. Pertmisse or Pertli-pææv; Bartholomew. The sign at top represents I suppose the knife with which he was flayed. John's decapitation. g Pissoke Maria; Mary's nativity, the o Elevation of the Cross. 7 Michael. v Koletemisse pææv; vegetation begins x Lisabi pææv; Elizabeth. Lemeti Maria; Mary's offering. w Lemeti pææv; Clement. a Kaddri; Katharine, the 25th of November. b Andrew. c Barbara, the 4th of December. e Niggola Maria; Mary's conception, the f Lutse or Lulse pææv; Lucia. Mr. URBAN, North of Trent, June 10. THE perusal of R's letter, p.413, respecting Mons. Lambert's Theory of the Heavens (in the admiration of which I in some respect agree with him and Mons. Bounet, who has also highly extolled it) induces me to mention a thought which has frequently suggested itself to my mind, and which you possibly may not think unworthy of insertion in your Miscellany. It is, Sir, respecting the revolutionary motion of the earth round the sun, which, at the distance supposed to be between those two bodies, and in the time (a year) in which that motion is performed, must, I apprehend, be at the rate of about 17 miles in a second of time. Sir, astonishing and inconceivable as this velocity appears to be, if we consider that the earth being (in round numbers) about 8000 miles in diameter, it is 8 minutes (nearly) in moving through a space equal to that diameter, we shall (I think) be in Now clined clined rather to call it slow than quick. If it is as I have stated, and the conclusion is admitted, it appears to follow, that quickness or slowness of motion are altogether relative to the bulk of the moving body. I have, indeed, heard objections and answers made to the idea I have above stated, but, without detailing them, I wish to leave it to the judgment of your more sagacious and better-informed readers. D. Mr. URBAN, Cuckney, Notts. HOWEVER I may despise the gross misrepresentations contained in the letter signed W. M. (see p. 308) and lament the spirit of rancour and unmanly bitterness in which it is written; however I may be blamed by those whose opinions claim respect from me, for thus taking notice of an anonymous attack, as weak as it is calumnious, and manifesting a want of that spirit which should influence the actions of a good man; yet, feeling as I do, in the situation of one at the bar of the publick, I must crave leave of you, Mr. Urban, to be heard defence. in my In my endeavour to show that, in the saying to turn cat in pan, the word pan is a corruption of band (see p. 228), every impartial and unprejudiced man will, I trust, acquit me of ill manners, and of want of candour, in citing your old Correspondent Paul Gemsege, whom I personally knew, and whose opinions I wished to treat with becoming respect. But, much as I am inclined to reverence " gray; headed doctrines," I must be allowed to preserve the liberty of my own judgment; and as my faith is not so strong as to bear all the lumber thrown in its way, or so easy as to believe, without examination, all that is told, I claim the privilege of thinking for myself, and of sifting the opinions of others, even against a torrent of authorities, under the exalted names of that Colossus in Literature, Dr. Samuel Johnson, and that polite scholar and Antiquary, the late Rev. Dr. Samuel Pegge. If these literary characters were not infallible; if, on the contrary, it can be shown, that in tracing the origin of this proverbial saying, they have (mistakingly) perverted some words, and disagreed in the meaning of others; I shall stand protected by the rhyming adage: "When Doctors disagree, In vol. XXIV. pp. 66, 212. may be found all that Dr. Pegge, under the anagrammatical signature of Paul Gemsege, advanced in favour of the text cat in pan; and I request such of your Readers, Mr. Urban, as are in possession of the early volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine, to refer to his authorities, which I should be glad to give at length, were it consistent with the limits of your publication to allow such an indulgence. It is observed by Dr. Johnson, that the word cates has no singular*. in deed there is not to be found in the English language such a word as cate; yet we are told by Mr. Gemsege the word [cat] no doubt is cute, which is another word for a cake, or other aumalette!" This is pretty round assertion, and, it is presumed, destitute of all authority. He takes "cate to be no other than the last syllable of the word delicate," giving rather an unlucky instance from Lilly, who, in his Euphues, speaks of the English ladies" eating delicates.” Mr. Gemsege then observes, perhaps from this word cate comes to cater, and a caterer;" perhaps not; cate, being an airy nothing, and the mere child of imagination, cannot be the etymon of cater. Dr. Johnson says cater is from cates, with the authority of Junius before him, who observes that the Dutch have kater in the same sense with our cater. Mr. Gemsege having deduced his favourite cate from delicate (the propriety of which he himself afterwards justly called in question, suggesting that cate might be from the French achat, a word signifying a purchase, bargain, buying, &c.) goes on," that this is the true original of this saying is very clear from a similar corrup tion in the word saltcat; a saltcat is a cake well impregnated with brine, and laid in a pigeon house in order to tempt and entice the birds," &c. Now really, Mr. Urban, a saltcat so enticing. ly described would almost lead one to suppose it to be "a rich and most de licious cake!" It is, however, no such thing. To support his hypothesis, Mr. Gemsege had recourse to a maze *Notwithstanding this positive assertion by the Doctor, Cate has most anoma❤ lously and feebly found its way into the late editions of his Dictionary, attended with a quotation from Shakspeare, proving its non-existence as a word. of |