were reduced in circumstances, by secretly conveying a sum of money into their father's house. The annual ceremony of the boy-bishop, once observed on this day, is described at length in T. T. for 1814, p. 306.

8.-CONCEPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

This festival was instituted by Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, because William the Conqueror's fleet, being in a storm, afterwards came safe to shore. The council of Oxford, however, held in 1222, permitted every one to use his discretion in keeping it. 13. SAINT LUCY.

This virgin martyr was born at Syracuse. She refused to marry a young man who paid his addresses to her, because she had determined to devote herself to religion, and, to prevent his importunities, gave her whole fortune to the poor. The youth, enraged at this denial, accused her before Paschasius, the heathen judge, of professing Christianity; and Lucy, after much cruel treatment, fell a martyr to his revenge, in the year 305.

16.-0 SAPIENTIA.

This is the beginning of an anthem in the Latin service to the honour of Christ's advent, which used to be sung in the church from this day until Christ

mas eve.

21.-SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTle.

Thomas, surnamed Didymus, or the Twin, was a Jew, and in all probability a Galilean. There are but few passages in the gospel concerning him. Thomas is said to have suffered martyrdom in the same city, being killed by the lances of some people instigated by the Bramins.

This is the shortest day, and is, at London, 7 h. 44 m. 17 s.; allowing 9 m. 5 s. for refraction.

On a STATUE of TIME,

Translated from the Greek.

The maker whence?-fron Sicyon-what's his name?
Lysippus-who art thou? all-conquering TIME.—
Why on thy tiptoe raised?—I always run.

Thy feet are winged!-My speed is like the wind.

Why in thy hand a razor?—I inflict wounds sharper than a sword.
A bushy lock upon thy forehead waves?—That they who meet may

seize me.

Behind, thy head is bald!-In vain would he who lets me pass, recal or stay me!

25.-CHRISTMAS DAY.

This is named Christmas-day, from the Latin Christi Missa, the Mass of Christ, and thence the Roman Catholic Liturgy is termed their Missal or Mass Book. About the year 500, the observation of this day became general in the Catholic church.

6

At this once hospitable season, there was a run of merry days' from Christmas-eve to Candlemas, and the first twelve in particular were full of triumph, and innocent pleasure. But every thing is altered' NOW. The celebration of Christmas, in modern times, is scarcely worth a record. The middle classes make it a sorry business of a pudding or so extra, and a game at cards. The rich invite their rich friends to their country houses:-but the poor are left out entirely, or presented with a few clothes and eatables that make up a wretched substitute for the hospitable intercourse of old. To those who have the power (would that they had the heart!) to do it, we would say, Every face that you contribute to set sparkling at Christmas is a reflection of that goodness of nature which generosity helps to uncloud, as the windows reflect the lustre of the sunny heavens. Every holly bough and lump of -berries with which you adorn your houses, is a piece of natural piety as well as beauty, and will enable you to relish the green world of which you show yourselves not forgetful. Every wassail bowl which you set flowing without drunkenness, every harmless pleasure, every innocent mirth however mirthful, every forgetfulness even of serious things, when they are only swallowed up in the kindness and joy which it is the end of wisdom to produce, is

Wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.

Ff

The divine MILTON, though a stern reformer, saw nothing to quarrel with in the natural joys of humanity, or in the customs which they gave rise to. In a Latin epistle to his friend Deodati, he countenances all the merriments of Christmas. He is recorded as having kept 'gaudy days' (holidays) himself; and in his affectionate elegy on the death of the same friend, does not disdain to regret the pleasure they used to have in roasting pears and chesnuts during the long winter evenings, while the wind was thundering through the elm-trees out of doors'.

Many of the amusing Christmas ceremonies of 'olden tyme'in England are described in our previous volumes.-Mr. WHISTLECRAFT affords us a delightful picture of the substantial entertainments given in the days of good King ARTHUR, which is delineated with all the minute accuracy and high finishing of a Mieris or a Gerard Douw.

The great King Arthur made a sumptuous feast,
And held his Royal Christmas at Carlisle,
And thither came the vassals, most and least,
From every corner of this British Isle;
And all were entertained, both man and beast,
According to their rank, in proper style;
The steeds were fed and littered in the stable,
The ladies and the knights sat down to table.
The bill of fare (as you may well suppose)
Was suited to those plentiful old times,
Before our modern luxuries arose,

With truffles and ragouts, and various crimes;
And therefore, from the original in prose

I shall arrange the catalogue in rhymes:
They served up salmon, venison, and wild boars
By hundreds, and by dozens, and by scores.
Hogsheads of honey, kilderkins of mustard,

Muttons, and fatted beeves, and bacon swine;
Herons and bitterns, peacock, swan and bustard,
Teal, mallard, pigeons, widgeons, and in fine
Plum-puddings, pancakes, apple-pies and custard :

And therewithal they drank good Gascon wine,

'See that pleasant little year-volume, yclept Literary Pocket Book, the blank pages of which might be made a convenient receptacle of vations, hints, and notes for T. T. for 1824.

With mead, and ale, and cyder of our own;
For porter, punch, and negus, were not known.
The noise and uproar of the scullery tribe,

All pilfering and scrambling in their calling,
Was past all powers of language to describe-

*

*

*

All sorts of people there were seen together,
All sorts of characters, all sorts of dresses;
The fool with fox's tail and peacock's feather,

Pilgrims, and penitents, and grave burgesses;
The country people with their coats of leather,

Vintners and victuallers with cans and messes;
Grooms, archers, varlets, falconers and yeomen,
Damsels and waiting-maids, and waiting-women.

The Christmas ceremonies at Naples are described at some length in our last volume, pp. 303-305. To this account may now be added the following custom on the day preceding Christmas-day. The city then makes a present to the king of fruit and birds; this offering, which consists of every fruit that the country produces, and of every bird which supplies the table, is arranged on several pyramids, and carried in procession down the principal street to the palace. The fruits are the most excellent of the kind, and the quantity is generally enormous.

26. SAINT STEPHEN.

Stephen was the first deacon chosen by the apostles. He was cited before the Sanhedrin, or Jewish Council, for prophesying the fall of the Jewish Temple and economy; and while vindicating his doctrine by several passages of the Old Testament, he was violently carried out of the city, and stoned to death, in the year 33.

27. JOHN EVANGELIST.-See p. 163.

28. INNOCents.

The slaughter of the Jewish children, by Herod, is commemorated on this day. The festival is very antient, for Tertullian and Saint Cyprian call these Innocents martyrs, and Prudentius has written a hymn upon the subject. Childermas-day is another name for this feast.

Days of my childhood, when, where wild-flowers grew,
From morn I've strayed till twilight gloomed again,
When I recal my long since pleasures, then
So sweet, so pure, so simple, and so true,

Mine eyes grow misty with regretful dew,

To think that like a dream they're gone;-I yearn
And sigh for bliss that never can return,—
So loved when lost-and so unprized when new!
And well may I weep o'er the joys that smiled
Long past-well linger 'mid the times that were,
I who retain the weakness of the child

Without the simpleness;-my moments are
As wayward, and as wasteful, and as wild,
-But, oh! not innocent, nor void of care.

Sixty-five Sonnets, &c.

31.-SAINT SILVESTER.

He was Bishop of Rome; and succeeded Miltiades in the papacy, in 314. Silvester is accounted the author of several rites and ceremonies of the Romish church, as asylums, unctions, palls, corporals, mitres, &c. He died in 334.

*31. 1821.-CLOSE of a MEMORABLE YEAR.

The year 1821 was as remarkable for winds and rains as for the bounties of Providence in blessing us with plenty, and giving long withheld comfort to the poor, which TIME should record for the children of the generations to come. This is best shown by stating the price of articles, at the same place, at two periods.