Pilewort. _Ficaria verna._ Dedicated to _St. Catharine_ of Sweden. ~March 23.~ _St. Alphonsus Turibius_, Abp. of Lima, A. D. 1606. _Sts. Victorian_, &c. A. D. 484. _St. Edelwald_, A. D. 699. _St. Edelwald._ This was an English benedictine monk of Rippon, who became a hermit, and was buried by St. Cuthbert in St. Peter’s church, at Lindisfarne. CHRONOLOGY. 1801. Paul, emperor of Russia, was strangled at St. Petersburg. * * * * * FLORAL DIRECTORY. Peerless Daffodil. _Narcissus incomparabilis._ Dedicated to _St. Alphonsus_. ~March 24.~ Cambridge Term ends. _St. Irenæus_, Bp. of Sirmium, A. D. 304. _St. Simon_, an Infant Martyr. _St. William_ of Norwich. _St. Simon_, an Infant. The _Jews_ are said to have murdered this infant in 1472. After having deliberated at their synagogue in the holy week, on the preparations for their passover, they came to the resolution of crucifying a child on Good Friday, and having stolen Simon, they made him the victim, and sung around his body while elevated. Whenever an act of cruelty was to be perpetrated on the Jews, fables like these were forged, and the brutal passions of the mob let loose upon the life and wealth of fugitive Israelites. _St. William_ of Norwich, A. D. 1137, Was another of these pretended martyrs to Jewish hatred. Weever states, that “the Jews in the principal cities of the kingdom, did use sometimes to steal away, and crucify some neighbour’s male child,” as if it were a common practice. Since protestantism, no such barbarities have been imputed to the Jews. CHRONOLOGY. 1580. The first bombs were thrown upon the town of Wachtendonck in Guelderland. The invention is commonly attributed to Galen, bishop of Munster. 1726. Daniel Whitby, the learned commentator on the New Testament, died. He was born at Rushden, Northamptonshire, in 1638, and was eminent for ability and honesty throughout his life. * * * * * FLORAL DIRECTORY. Golden Saxifrage. _Chrysosplenum oppositifolium._ Dedicated to _St. Irenæus_. ~March 25.~ _Lady Day._ Holiday at the Public Offices, except the Excise, Stamp, and Custom. _The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary._ _St. Cammin_, Abbot, A. D. 653. ~Lady Day.~ The Roman Catholic festival of the Annunciation is commonly called in England LADY DAY, an abridgement of the old term _Our Lady’s Day_, or the _Day of our blessed Lady_. This is a “gaudy day” in the Romish church. Deeming the mother of Christ an intercessor and mediatrix, it offers innumerable honours and devotions to her. _Hail Mary!_ resounds in the masses to her praise; and the worshippers of her shrines and resemblances, are excited to a fervour of devotion which would astonish, if it were not known that sculpture, painting, poetry, vocal and instrumental music, have been added to revive the recollection of monkish fables, and early impressions in her behalf.