FOR 1827; OR, A Complete Guide to the Almanack: CONTAINING AN EXPLANATION or Saints' Days and Holidays; WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF BRITISH HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES, AND CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY. Astronomical Occurrences IN EVERY MONTH; COMPRISING REMARKS ON THE PHENOMENA OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES: THE NATURALIST'S DIARY; EXPLAINING THE VARIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS, A View of Scotian Botany, Published Annually. London: PRINTED FOR SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER, PATERNOSTER ROW. FOR_LIBRAR NEW YORK Advertisement. TIME'S TELESCOPE, of which we have now completed the Fourteenth volume, has received so many flattering testimonies of approbation from contemporary writers, and such continued indulgence from the Public, that we deem it a work of supererogation,' in this our day,' to consume the time or exhaust the patience of our readers, in descanting upon its various claims to the notice of the literary world. The kindness of numerous Contributors, and other patrons of our humble labours, will be ever fresh in our memory; and, while life and health permit, we will not shrink from the task of annually preparing for them an intellectual feast, in which it will be our constant aim to mingle the good things' of past literature with the more graceful productions of modern times;-the whole being intended to form an entertainment, at which the visiter may cut and come again' without fear of exhausting the stores of the banquet. The present volume (almost entirely a new work), will be found to exhibit much novelty, as well as variety, in the selection of its materials:-a very interesting series of papers on Scotian Botany, by Mr. YOUNG, of Paisley; a Description of some of the most rare and remarkable British Insects, by Mr. CURTIS, Author of the British Entomology; Ornithological Notices, by the Rev. Mr. JENYNS, of Bottisham-Hall; and Sketches of the various Appearances of Nature in five of the most interesting months of the year, by WILLIAM HOWITT;-are among the attractive portions of the Natural History Department of our Work. The Biographical and Antiquarian Notices present many curious traits of character, and records of remarkable customs long since obsolete, yet worthy to be remembered; as well as too many instances of credulity and superstition still existing in a neighbouring country-we allude to the absurd legends and ridiculous ceremonies of the Roman Catholics in Portugal; an ample account of which will be found in our pages. For the sake of variety, we have omitted to give any Introduction or Prefatory Poems to Time's Telescope for 1827; but their place has been supplied by original poetry, and a mass of curious and interesting matter on a variety of subjects,-a change in our plan which we hope will be agreeable to most, if not all of our readers, at least for one year;—and, for the future (Deo Volente), we will endeavour to follow the example of an illustrious Roman author,-Ipsâ varietate, tentabimus efficere, ut alia aliis, quædam, fortasse, OMNIBUS placeant. LONDON, |