rision.

By many, the Christian dispensation is supposed to be, in a great
degree, favourable to a state of bachelorism, because the Apostle, Paul,
has recommended it as preferable; but we think the recommendation was
given for the following reason: (i.e.) every one in the early ages of
Christianity was exposed to liability of testing his religious
principles, by the loss of both his property and life; and consequently,
the loss must have been felt in a greater degree, if the sufferer was
married. Thus persecution must have been more dreadful to the married
than to the unmarried. The ancient church, misconstruing the Apostle's
words, and also overlooking his meaning, recommended the state of
bachelorism in the male, and perpetual virginity in the female sex, not
only as a state more perfect than marriage, but even as highly
meritorious. Thus, by degrees, came into being the absurd and fast
decaying system of monastic establishments, which, for many centuries
burdened Europe with drones innumerable.

In England, bachelors are not left to go forgotten to their solitary
graves. There was a tax laid on them by the 7th William III., after the
twenty-fifth year of their age, which was L12. 10_s_. for a duke, and
1_s_. for a commoner. At present they are taxed by an extra duty upon
their servants: for a male, L1. 5_s_.; for a female, 2_s_. 6_d_., above
the usual duties leviable upon servants. E.J.H.

*** So, Touchstone's philosophy hath legal warrant: "Is the single man
blessed? No: as a walled town is more worthier than a village, so is the
forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a
bachelor."--_As you like it._ (Ed. M.)

* * * * *

SAXON ALMANACS.

The Saxons were accustomed to engrave upon square pieces of wood, the
courses of the moons for the whole year, (or for a specified space of
time) by which they could tell when the new-moons, full-moons, and
changes would occur, and these pieces of wood were by them called
_Al-mon-aght_ (i.e.) _Al_-moon-heed, which signifies the regard and
observation of all the moons, and from this term is derived the word
_Almanac_.

Many of our readers are probably aware of, or have seen, a Saxon
Almanac, answering the above description, in St. John's College,
Cambridge. E.J.H.

* * * * *

SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY

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EXEMPLARS ABRIDGED FROM MR