was, both to request the attendance of the friends of the young couple, and their benevolent presents, or contributions, in order to enable the new-married pair to begin their new mode of life with comfort, and the means of prosperity. These contributions were, and yet are, in some article of furniture, outstock, or money; and are regularly repaid by contributions of a similar kind, on like occasion; and, by this most excellent custom, worthy of general adoption in every parish, a provision is made without any great inconvenience to any individual; and yet such collectively sets a deserving young couple at once in a state of comparative wealth and independence. "The duty of the bidder, if well performed, reflected as much honour on himself, as profit in his reward, when hired for the purpose. On entering a hall, or dwelling, which he took care to do when the family was assembled, and guests, if any, with them, and all in good humour; then striking the floor with his staff to demand attention, he, with a graceful bow, began his address. This was sometimes a prescribed form, but more frequently otherwise, and diversified according to the genius of the speaker, and the character of his auditory, so as to compliment, please, and induce them to comply with his invitation. At present, the invitation is sometimes by hand-bills, of one of which the following is a copy:"Carmarthen, March 20th, 1802. "As I intend to enter the matrimonial state, on Easter Monday, the 19th day of April next, I am encouraged by my friends to make a Bidding on the occasion the same day, at my dwelling house, known by the sign of the Green Dragon, in Lammas-street; where the favour of your good company is humbly solicited; and whatever donation you will be pleased to confer on me then, will be gratefully received, and cheerfully repaid, whenever demanded on a similar occasion, by your humble servant, "DAVID THOMAS. "The young man's mother, brother, and sister (Hannah, Richard, and Phoebe Thomas), desire that all gifts of the above nature due to them, may be returned to the young man on the said day, and will be thankful for any additional favours bestowed on him."' "The names of the visitors were registered in a book, that the compliment might be returned whenever it might be proper to do so; and the regular festival of national games and pastimes on these Occasions increased the number of visitors. "On the day of the ceremony, the nuptial presents having previously been made, and the marriage privately celebrated at an early hour, the signal to the friends of the bridegroom was given by the piper, who was always present on these occasions, and mounted on a horse, trained for the purpose; and the cavalcade, being all mounted, set off full speed, with the piper playing in the midst of them, for the house of the bride. The friends of the bride in the mean time raised various obstructions, to prevent their access access to the house of the bride, such as ropes of straw across the road, blocking up the regular one, &c., and the Gwyntyn, (literally the Vune), corrupted in English into Quintain, consisting of an upright post, on the top of which a spar turned freely. At one end of this spar hung a sand-bag, the other presented a flat side. The rider in passing struck the flat side, and if not dexterous in passing was overtaken, and perhaps dismounted by the sand-bag, and became a fair object of laughter. The Gwyntyn was also guarded by the champions of the other party; who, if it was passed successfully, challenged the adventurers to a trial of skill at one of the twenty-four games; a challenge which could not be declined; and hence to guard the Gwyntyn was a service of high adyenture. When these difficulties were over, or the bridegroom's friends had anticipated the arrangement, they hasted to the bride's abode; and if the door was shut against them, assailed it, and those within, with music and poetry, particularly the latter, in strains of raillery. If the latter could not be retorted from within, the door was opened; and, by a little management, the bridegroom's friends contrived to draw the bride out of the company, and bear her off as in triumph. Her friends at a convenient time, discovered her flight and pursued, and, if they overtook the other party, a mock encounter took place; in which the pursuers acknowledged their own inferiority, and the bride was brought safely to the bridegroom's house, and the whole party received with the greatest kindness and welcome. The remainder of the day was passed in festivity, Trials of skill on the national games first took place; and, after these, singing to the harp and dancing, prolonged the entertainment to a late hour, "Such is the account of this ceremony, which I have been permitted to extract from a valuable manuscript of a gentleman well informed on the subject, "This curious ceremony is, I believe, as the semblance of carrying off the bride makes a part of it, confined to some districts of South Wales; that of contributing to the settlement of the newly-wedded pair, by presents of furniture, &c., is also usual in North Wales; and hence it may be inferred, that the custom, partially known, is not of British origin; and I believe it was introduced into this country by the Romans, who certainly had such a custom established, as it is said, by Romulus, in memory of the carrying off of the Sabine virgins. Rosini, in his Roman Anti, quities, gives a description of the custom on the authority of Apuleius, which exactly resembles the one in South Wales, viz., that when the bride was dressed, a multitude of armed men, flourishing their swords, as if raging for battle, burst into her chamber and carried her off, without any resistance on the part of her friends. The pipers were also the musicians. As the Romans were sa long in Britain, and the families connected with them, or such as could not return when their legions were withdrawn, may Have settled in South Wales, it is no great trespass on probability to conclude, that such was the real origin of this part of the ceremony. Whether the Gwyntyn, or Quintain, was in use among the Romans, I am not certain, though I rather think not. The name is, I think, with the learned author of the manuscript abovė mentioned, decisively of Welsh origin; and, in the custom of guarding the Quintain, the origin of the stories in romance, in which a knight guards a shield hung on a tree against all adventures, is clearly perceived. "Another part of the custom, and perhaps more ancient, is still more curious; viz., that when the door is shut against those who come to take away the bride, admission is to be obtained only by the united powers of music and poetry, and it is impossible not to recognise in it an illustration of the well-known story of Orpheus and Eurydice, as a simple fact, no farther varied than, that Pluto is made the representative of a Thracian chieftain, who had carried off the wife of the Bard. It may surprise, that such an illustration can be found in a custom of this country, not yet wholly, I believe, Felinquished, yet the comparison of the circumstances leave no doubt that it is applicable, and I have no doubt but, that many more of the supposed fables of antiquity, would admit of as simple an explanation as this of Orpheus, by an attention to popular cus toms and traditions." P. 159. On the custom of making April-fools, our Author makes the following observations. "The custom of sending persons on inquiries or errands, which are to end in disappointment and ridicule, well known under the terms of making April-fools, though it may be, as Polonius would say, a foolish custom, is nevertheless interesting as to its history. That it was a general custom of the old Britons is evident, from its being still a general custom in all parts of Britain. It is, or has been so, likewise in France and Germany, as it is called in French, donner un poisson d'Avril, that is, to give one an April fish, and the Germans call it, einen in den April chicken, that is, to send one on an April errand. What is still more singular is, that it is also the custom in India, and has been so from time immemorial. The following account of this Indian custom, is given by Colonel Pearce in the Asiatic Researches. Vol. II. p. 334. "During the Huli, when mirth and festivity reign among Hindus of every class, one subject of diversión is to send people on errands and expeditions, that are to end in disappointment, and raise a laugh at the expense of the person sent. The Huli is always in March, and the last day is the general holiday. I have never yet heard any account of the origin of this English custom; but it is unquestionably very ancient, and is still kept up even in great towns, though less in them than in the country: with us it is chiefly confined to the lower class of people, but in India high and low join in it, and the late Surajah Dowlah, I am told, was very fond of making Huli fools, though he was a Mussulman of the highest highest rank. They carry the joke here so far as to send letters, making appointments in the name of persons, who, it is known, must be absent from their houses at the time fixed upon: and the laugh is always in proportion to the trouble given."" P. 113. But when Mr. Roberts traces the origin of this custom beyond the first dispersion of mankind over the earth, we must indeed put on our three leagued boots to follow him. One peculiarity in the Welch nation is remarkable, that in numeration they proceed first regularly to ten, then to fifteen, then to fifteen and one to twenty, and reckon by twenties not by teus, till they come to an hundred. ART. X. The Restoration of the Works of Art to Italy. A Poem. By Felicia Hemans. Svo. pp. 46. Murray. 1816. THIS is a poem of no ordinary merit. The authoress is possessed of a powerful imagination and of a commanding mind. Her taste appears to have been cast in the mould of ancient days. Her periods are long, and generally well sustained; Occasionally however they taper off towards the conclusion, which considerably diminishes the effect of the preceding beauties. We will give her exordium as a fair specimen of the whole. "Land of departed fame! whose classic plains, Have proudly echoed to immortal strains; Whose grandeur, yet contending with decay, Lost, lovely Realm! once more 'tis thine to gaze "Awake, ye Muses of Etrurian shades, If yet by classic streams ye fondly rove, The concluding couplet, though it contains much truth, evinces very liule poetry. Our authoress must learn to sustain her flight to the last. We were much pleased with the Apostrophe to Florence. "Fair Florence! Queen of Arno's lovely vale! To wrest thy treasures from the Spoiler's power. Mourned o'er the demes they rear'd in ages fled. Too long, with sad and desolated mien, Revealed where conquest's lawless track had been; Lonely they frown'd, a desert solitude. Florence! th' Oppressor's noon of pride is o'er, Rise in thy pomp again, and weep no more!" P. 9. We should not do justice to the poem were we to omit the spirited invocation of the Medici. "Ye, at whose voice fair Art, with eagle glance, With power electric, through the realms around; Bid all the scene be consecrated ground, And from the stone, by Inspiration wrought, Dart the pure lightnings of exalted thought." P. 11. We |