“Both in his native and domesticated state, during the solemn stillness of night, as soon as the moon rises in silent majesty, he begins his delightful solo; and serenades us the livelong night, with a full display of his vocal powers, making the whole neighbourhood ring with his inimitable melody.” * * * * * A lover of natural history cannot I think be a bad man, as the very study of it tends to promote a calmness and serenity of mind, favourable to the reception of grateful and holy thoughts of the great and good Parent of the universe. He cannot be a cruel man, because he will be unwilling wantonly to destroy even an insect, when he perceives how exquisitively each of them is contrived, and how curiously it is made for the station it is destined to fill in the animal world.—JESSE. * * * * * Many methods have been suggested for saving life in cases of accidents on the water: the following was stated to me as an experiment actually made by the relater; he had thus supported himself in the sea, at Plymouth, for twenty minutes, and could have done it much longer. As danger of overturning or of sinking appears, have your hat in readiness, and place it under your chin, holding it with your hands in the same position upon the water as on the head. The air in the crown will prevent the water from rising, and is sufficient to keep the whole head above water. _Homerton._ JAMES EDMESTON. _ANNIVERSARIES IN JULY._ MONDAY, 15th. ST. SWITHIN’S DAY.—See _Saturday Magazine_, vol. i., p. 14. 1685 Execution of _Duke of Monmouth_, after his defeat at Sedgemoor. 1815 _Napoleon_ went on board the British ship Bellerephon, Captain Maitland, after his defeat at Waterloo. 1817 Died, at Paris, the _Baroness de Staël_, the daughter of M. Necker, and author of several political works, which enjoyed considerable popularity while the events of the French Revolution, with which the name of M. Necker is so intimately connected, were recent. Her works evince much knowledge of the human heart. TUESDAY, 16th. 622 On this day the _flight_ of the impostor, Mohammed, from Mecca, took place, and from it his followers date the events of their history. This epoch is called, from the Arabic word, which signifies _to fly_, or _to leave one’s country_, the _Hegira_. 1377 _Richard II._, only child of Edward the Black Prince, was crowned at Westminster. He did not inherit the warlike genius or the talents of his father and grandfather, but seems to have been of a mild, amiable disposition, and may truly be said, in the words of Shakspeare, to have been “a man more sinned against than sinning.”