festivals.

The _Divalia_ was a feast held on the 2lst of December, in honour of the
goddess _Angerona_, whence it is also called Angeronalia. On the day of
this festival the pontifices performed sacrifices in the temple of
Voluptia, or the goddess of joy and pleasure, who, some say, was the
same with _Angerona_, and supposed to drive away all the sorrow and
chagrin of life.

The feast of _Laurentinalia_ was held on the 23rd of December, but was
ordered to be observed twice a year by Augustus; by some supposed to be
in honour of the _Lares_, a kind of domestic genii, or divinities,
worshipped in houses, and esteemed the guardians and protectors of
families, supposed to reside in chimney-corners. Others have attributed
this feast in honour of Acca Laurentia, the nurse of Romulus and Remus,
and wife of Faustulus.

P.T.W.

* * * * *


CELTIC ETYMOLOGIES.

(_For the Mirror._)


_Hibernia_.--Ireland is called by the Latin writers, _Hibernia,
Ivernia--Ierne_[1]--and _Verna_--names differing but little in sound,
and all, merely Latinizations of the Irish words _Ibh Eirin_--that is,