held this day in the highest respect. The Palm-Tree, from the spreading of whose branches before our Saviour, this Sunday received, and yet retains its name, has been made the emblem of victory: not, however, as some erroneously have supposed, from that circumstance, but from its peculiar nature. It shoots upwards; and though depressed by weight on its branches, or agitated by the winds, immediately recovers its original altitude; and besides, like other evergreens, does not drop its leaves.

19. St. Alphege was a Bishop of Winchester, and afterwards of Canterbury. In a siege of Canterbury, by the Danes, Alphege fell into their hands, on storming the city, and was cast by them into a filthy and unwholesome dungeon; whence he was conveyed to Greenwich: at which place offer was made to him of his liberty, upon the payment of a ransom of 3,000 marks of gold. "The only riches I have to offer," replied the Saint, "is that of wisdom; which consists in the knowledge and worship of the true God." Incensed at this apparent contumely, they struck him with the backs of their battle-axes, and afterwards stoned him until nearly dead; when one of their number, from a feeling of mercy towards him, cleft his head in twain, and terminated his life and sufferings on the 19th of April, 1012. On the spot where this murder was committed, now stands the parish Church of Greenwich; on which is still an inscription, expressive that it was erected and dedicated to the glory of God, and the memory of St. Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, there slain by the Danes."

19. Maundy Thursday.-Edward the Third, in the year 1363, appears to have been the first English monarch who introduced into this country the practice of feeding, clothing, and distributing money to indigent persons on Maundy Thursday; and many successive Sovereigns used also, in order to show their humility, to wash the feet of those selected as the proper objects of their beneficence. In this kingdom, the custom of bestowing provision, clothes, and money, has continued without intermission to the present period; and yearly on this day the Lord Almoner, or, in his absence, the Sub-Almoner, attends for that purpose in Whitehall Chapel; when, after the religious service has been completed, as many poor men and as many poor women, as the King has reached years of age, receive the royal bounty; consisting of woollen cloth, linen cloth, shoes, stockings, five threepenny loaves each, beef, salt salmon, cod, and herrings; wooden cups of ale and wine; and, lastly, a piece of gold; for which, recently, a one-pound note has been substituted, with as many silver pennies to each individual as the Monarch has numbered years. The custom of washing the feet of the poor has, however, been long abolished in this country.

20. Good Friday. From the earliest records of Christianity, this day, emphatically called Good Friday, has been held as a solemn fast, in awful remembrance of the Crucifixion of our Saviour: but its appellation of Good, applied in relation to the blessed effects which sprang from that important event, is of no very remote origin, and appears to be peculiar to the Church of England. Our Saxon forefathers denominated it Long Friday, from the length of the offices and fastings on that day but its ancient and appropriate title was Holy Friday, by which it is still distinguished; as is also the week in which it happens, by that of Holy, or Passion Week.

22. Easter Sunday is a moveable Festival, held in commemoration of the Resurrection;-and, being the most important and most ancient in observance, governs the whole of the other moveable feasts throughout the year. Easter-day is now made to agree, since the change of style, with the ordinance of the Council of Nice in 325, and always happens on the first Sunday after the full moon immediately following the 21st of March. Easterday cannot fall therefore earlier than the 22d of March, nor later than the 25th of April.

23. Saint George-was born in Cappadocia, of Christian parents, of considerable respectability, though at the period of his birth possessing only a small patrimony. St. George was carefully educated in the belief of the Gospel, in the defence of which his father lost his life while the saint was yet of very tender years. Upon the decease of his father, St. George accompanied his mother into Palestine; where they came into possession of a large estate. Dioclesian the Tyrant, who knew not of his being a Christian, and admired his majestic and noble form, appointed him a commander in one of his legions, with the dignity of a seat in the Council. In the 20th year of his age he lost his maternal parent, and wholly dedicated himself to his military duties; in which he became eminently distinguished: but during the height of his reputation, the persecution of the Christians burst forth with increased violence and aggravated cruelty; upon which St. George withdrew himself from the service of the Tyrant, whom he had the courage publicly to upbraid in the Senate with his barbarities: and openly distributed his vast fortune for the support of those, against whom the persecutors of Christianity, headed by the Emperor, were exerting their utmost malice. Alike unmoved by promises of aggrandizement, and unawed by threats, St. George continued firm in his opposition to the tyrannies of the hardened Emperor; for which, after having several times endured the torture, he was ignominiously drawn through the city of Lydda, and beheaded on the 23d day of April, 290. The surviving Christians buried his mutilated

remains, the sepulchre containing which remained in tolerable preservation, until the year 1180; and we find, that his head was solemnly translated to the great church built in honour of him in the eighth century, by pope Zachary, who attended the ceremony, accompanied by the whole of the clergy, and most of the laity of Rome. From these facts sprang those fabulous statements of the combat of St. George with a dragon, to preserve the daughter of a King, who otherwise would have been devoured by a monster.

It has been the practice from time immemorial, for all nations to adopt some peculiar Cry in their warlike attacks; and such exclamations have naturally varied in this as in other countries, according to the fancy and caprice of different sovereigns, or as the popular feelings and sentiments of the times prompted. Edward the Third, at the battle of Callice, in the year 1349, joined to England's then supposed principal guardian, St. Edward the Confessor, the name of St. George, both of whom he earnestly invoked to aid his arms. Victory shone on the banners of the King; and the next year the Order of the Garter was established, dedicated to St. George, whose name has ever been the word of attack of England; as the saint himself has, from that period, been considered as its guardian hero and protector.

25. St. Mark the Evangelist.-On this day the Reformed Church holds a Festival, in commemoration of the benefits the Christian religion has received from the pious and exemplary exertions of this Evangelist.

St. Mark was first brought to the knowledge of the divine truth by the Apostle Peter, who calls him "Marcus his son," as a testimony of his great affection. It was at Rome that he compiled, from the discourses of St. Peter, to whom he became a constant attendant, the writings distinguished by the title of "The Gospel according to St. Mark." Having finished this inestimable composition, St. Mark quitted Italy, to preach the doctrines of Christianity in Egypt, where he converted multitudes; and after establishing a bishopric at Alexandria, extended his labours westward, successfully preaching in Marmorica, Pantapolis, Lydia, &c. until about the year 61, when he returned to superintend his church at Alexandria. The Egyptians, jealous of the success of St.Mark, and exasperated by the mistaken but zealous ardour of some of his converts, who, contrary to the mild tenets he had inculcated, attempted by violence to plant the Gospel and overthrow the heathen worship, broke into the church while the Evangelist was preaching, and tying his feet together, dragged him through the streets, and over the most rugged ways, until his flesh was torn from his body, and he expired in excruciating agony on the 25th of April, in the year of our Lord 68; which day has annually been celebrated as his anniversary from its first institution in the year 1090.

EDITOR- -K.

AN INQUIRY

INTO THE SUPPOSED FAILURES OF VACCINATION, AS A PREVENTIVE TO THE SMALL-POX; WITH A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE TWO DISEASES.

It has been thought, that, previous to the introduction of Vaccination, the Small-Pox proved more fatal to mankind than even the Plague itself. The latter is peculiar to certain countries, whereas the former commits its ravages throughout the world. But this is not all it has the power of bringing certain hereditary diseases into action, which might otherwise have lain dormant in the system. Scrophula, or the King's Evil, for instance, is sure to be roused by the Small-Pox; perhaps, in some instances, it even lays the foundation for this disease.

Some will say, " But the Small-Pox may be disarmed of its terrors, in a great measure, by Inoculation?" I grant it, so far as relates to the individual; but here it is that the superiority of Vaccination is evident ;-the Vaccine Disease cannot be communicated through the medium of the air, but only by absolute contact, and not even then, without being applied to a wound; whereas the Small-Pox, when once introduced, we know not when or where it will stop. The inoculation of one may prove the death of hundreds. It is about two years since that we were visited with this dreadful malady; and I speak within bounds when I say, that, at the least, one hundred in this and the adjoining town fell its victims: the havoc it made in the two counties (for it spread I know not how far,) was shocking indeed. distinctly traced the disease from London. A child, on a visit to its friends in town, was hurried home in consequence of this disease making its appearance in the family. A few days after its return it fell sick of the Small-Pox; a child in the adjoining house was next taken ill; and from them it spread gradually over Windsor and Eton, and all the neighbouring country for several miles.

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It perhaps admits of some doubt whether the practice of Inoculation for Small-Pox has been really useful to mankind. It is very certain that it has tended very much to perpetuate the disease. It is a rare thing now-a-days to hear of an adult that has not had the Small-Pox (unless the person has been vaccinated); whereas, previous to the custom of Inoculation, great numbers went through life without being affected with this disorder. The Vaccine Disease, when perfectly regular, is as great a security against the Variolous as the Small-Pox itself. In the last three years I have seen one decided case of Small-Pox occurring twice in the same individual, and another case where there was

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great reason to suspect it. Within this period I have vaccinated upward of five hundred, many of whom lay in the same bed with their brothers and sisters dying of the Small-Pox, and where it was so extremely virulent as to excoriate the mothers' nipples, and cause ulcerations on the arms of the nurses; and yet, in every instance where the progress of the disease had been regular and uninterrupted, with perfect safety. To prove this on a larger scale-In the Report of the Small-Pox Hospital in London, for December 1802, it is stated, that 2,500, that had been vaccinated at the Institution, were afterwards inoculated with Small-Pox matter, and exposed in an hospital full of its infection, without effect. Why is it then, it may be asked, that we hear every now and then of failures? The cause is not in the inefficacy of Vaccination, but in the inattention of nurses and parents, doubtless in many cases from ignorance; but I am sorry, from experience, to add, in numerous cases from want of attention to the directions of the medical attendant. The poor are too apt to think, that the vaccinator, in directing the parents to let him see their children on certain days of the disease, does it with a view solely of taking matter to vaccinate others; whereas, in fact, his motive is the security of the vaccinated.

I feel particularly desirous of impressing on the minds of my readers the following observations on the Cow-Pox, and to remove that too prevalent opinion, that, if a pimple rises on the part vaccinated, the disease has taken effect, and the person is safe; the which I will prove to any unbiassed mind to be a rich source of the prejudices against the Cow-Pox, and of the occasional supposed insecurity of Vaccination.

The Cow-Pox is a disease which requires the nicest attention, both on the part of the practitioner and the person vaccinated. The person ought to be in perfect health; for it requires, as it were, the undivided attention of the system, more particularly should the person be free from any eruptive complaint. Any injury of the pustule before the twelfth day is hazardous; and unless one pustule or pimple has been permitted to go through every stage, without suffering the slightest injury, the person cannot be considered as secure. It being generally known that a redness around the pustule at a certain period is the criterion by which medical men form their opinion of the security of the vac

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❤ I have mentioned one, because it accords with the general opinion of practitioners; but, in my own practice, have always recommended re-vaccination, when less than two have been uninjured. I have been in the habit of making three or four punctures: if only one puncture should take effect, although the pustule should be perfectly regular in every respect, I should not feel satisfied of my patient's safety; in all such cases I have recommended re-vaccination at some distant period. I must however state, that a great many of my patients have not attended to this rule; and no instance of failure, on this account, has ever come to my knowledge.