The Caprotinia, or feasts of Juno Caprotina, were celebrated on the 9th of July, in favour of the female slaves.  During this solemnity they ran about, beating themselves with their fists and with rods.  None but women assisted in the sacrifices offered at this feast.  Kennet says, the origin of this feast, or the famous Nonae Caprotinae, or Poplifugium, is doubly related by Plutarch, according to the two common opinions.  First, because Romulus disappeared on that day, when an assembly being held in the Palus Capreae, or Goats’-Marsh, on a sudden happened a most wonderful tempest, accompanied with terrible thunder, and other unusual disorders in the air.  The common people fled all away to secure themselves; but, after the tempest was over, could never find their king.  Or, else, from Caprificus, a wild fig-tree, because, in the Gallic war, a Roman virgin, who was prisoner in the enemy’s camp, got up into a wild fig-tree, and holding out a lighted torch toward the city, gave the Romans a signal to fall on; which they did with such good success, as to obtain a considerable victory.

The Lucaria was an ancient feast, solemnized in the woods, where the Romans, defeated and pursued by the Gauls, retired and concealed themselves; it was held, on the 19th of July, in a wood, between the Tyber and the road called Via Salaria.

The feast of Neptunalia was held on the 23rd of July, in honour of Neptune.

The Furinalia were feasts instituted in honour of Furina, the goddess of robbers among the Romans; they took place on the 25th of July.  This goddess had a temple at Rome, and was served by a particular priest, who was one of the fifteen Flamens.[9] Near the temple there was a sacred wood, in which Caius Gracchus was killed.  Cicero takes her to be the same as one of the Furies.

[Footnote 9:  Flamen, among the ancient Romans, was a priest or minister of sacrifice.]

P.T.W.

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NOTES OF A READER.

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CAPTAIN POPANILLA’S VOYAGE.

Who has not read Vivian Grey, in five broad-margined volumes, with space enough between each line to allow the indulgence of a nap, when the poppy of the author predominated?  Affectation, foppery, and conceit, have protracted the memoirs of this renowned personage to such an extent; but in spite of all that unfashionable critics have said, Vivian Grey has just produced a volume under the title of the Voyage of Captain Popanilla, with as much of the aforesaid qualities as the most listless drawing-room or boudoir reader could require.  Nevertheless, “the voyage” has many touches of wit, humour, and caustic satire, and it has the soul and characteristic of wit—­brevity; for we read the volume in little more than an hour; and, although Vivian may regard our analysis of his voyage like showing the sun with a lantern, we are disposed to venture upon the task for the gratification of our readers.