Beton day frugal, and not spare his friend Se gift, to show his love finds not an end With the deceased year. POOLES'S ENG. PARNASSUS. In the volume of " ELIA," an excellent per begins with " Every man hath two Birthdays: two days, at least, in every rear, which set him upon revolving the lapse of time, as it affects his mortal duration. The one is that which in an especial manner be termeth his. In the gradual desuetude of old observances, this custom of solemnizing our proper birthday hath Bearly passed away, or is left to children, who reflect nothing at all about the mat, not understand any thing beyond the rake and orange. But the birth of a FW year is of an interest too wide to be pretermitted by king or cobbler. No one ever regarded the First of January with dference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam. "Of all sound of all bells-(bells, the mac nighest bordering upon heaven)— most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the old year. I never hear it without a gathering-up of my mand to a concentration of all the images that have been diffused over the past twelvemonth; all I have done or suffered, performed, or neglected-in that regretted time. I begin to know its worth as when a person dies. It takes a personal colour; nor was it a poetical flight in a contemporary, when he exclaimed, 'I saw the skirts of the departing year.' "The elders with whom I was brought up, were of a character not likely to let slip the sacred observance of any old institution; and the ringing out of the old year was kept by them with circumstances of peculiar ceremony. In those days the sound of those midnight chimes, though it seemed to raise hilarity in all around me, never failed to bring a train of pensive imagery into my fancy. Yet I then scarce conceived what it meant, or ought of it as a reckoning that conerned me. Not childhood alone, but the young man till thirty, never feels practically that he is mortal." Kinging out the old and ringing in the ew year, with" a merry new year! a happy new year to you!" on new year's day, were greetings that moved sceptred pride, and humble labour, to smiles and kind feelings in former times; and why should they be unfashionable in our own? Dr. Drake observes, in "Shakspeare and his Times," that the ushering in of the new year, or new year's tide, with rejoicings, presents, and good wishes, was a custom observed, during the 16th century, with great regularity and parade, and was as cordially celebrated in the court of the prince as in the cottage of the peasant. The Rev.T. D. Fosbroke, in his valuable "Encyclopedia of Antiquities," adduces various authorities to show that congratuthe Romans on this day. The origin, he lations, presents, and visits were made by says, is ascribed to Romulus and Tatius, and that the usual presents were figs and dates, covered with leaf-gold, and sent by clients to patrons, accompanied with a piece of money, which was expended to purchase the statues of deities. He mentions an amphora (a jar) which still exists, with an inscription denoting that it was a new year's present from the potters to Count Caylus a piece of Roman pottery, their patroness. He also instances from new year to you;" another, where a person with an inscription wishing "a happy medallions, with the laurel leaf, fig, and wishes it to himself and his son; and three date; one, of Commodus; another, of Victory; and a third, Janus, standing in a temple,with an inscription,wishing a happy new year to the emperor. New year's gifts until they were prohibited by Claudius. were continued under the Roman emperors Yet in the early ages of the church the Christian emperors received them ; nor did they wholly cease, although condemned by ecclesiastical councils on account of the pagan ceremonies at their presentation. The Druids were accustomed on certain days to cut the sacred misletoe with a golden knife, in a forest dedicated to the gods, and to distribute its branches with much ceremony as new year's gifts among the people. The late Rev. John Brand, in his "Popular Antiquities" edited by Mr. Ellis observes from Bishop Stillingfleet, tha. among the Saxons of the North, the festival of the new year was observed with more than ordinary jollity and feasting, and by sending new year's gifts to one another. Mr. Fosbroke notices the continuation of the Roman practice during the middle ages; and that our kings, and the nobility especially, interchanged presents. Mr. Ellis quotes Matthew Paris, who appears to show that Henry II er torted new year's gifts; and he cites from a MS. of the public revenue, anno 5, Edward VI. an entry of "rewards given on new year's day to the king's officers and servants in ordinary 1551. 5s., and to their servants that present the king's majestie with new year's gifts." An orange stuck with cloves seems, by reference to Mr. Fosbroke and our early authors, to have been a popular new year's gift. Mr. Ellis suggests, that the use of this present may be ascertained from a remark by old Lupton, that the flavour of wine is improved, and the wine itself preserved from mouldiness, by an orange or lemon stuck with cloves being hung within the vessel so as not to touch the liquor. Thomas Naogeorgus, in "The Popish Kingdome," a Latin poem written in 1553, and Englished by Barnabe Googe, after remarking on days of the old year, urges this recollection: The next to this is Newe yeares day and Newe yeares giftes do sende, Honest old Latimer, instead of presenting Henry VIII. with a purse of gold, as was customary, for a new year's gift, put into the king's hand a New Testament, with a leaf conspicuously doubled down at Hebrews xiii. 4, which, on reference, will be found to have been worthy of all acceptation, though not perhaps well accepted. Dr. Drake is of opinion that the wardrobe and jewellery of queen Elizabeth were principally supported by these annual contributions on new year's day. He cites lists of the new year's gifts presented to her, from the original rolls published in her Progresses by Mr. Nichols; and from these it appears that the greatest part, if not all the peers and peeresses of the realm, all the bishops, the chief officers of state, and several of the queen's household servants, even down to her apothecaries, master cook, serjeant of the pastry, &c. gave new year's gifts to her majesty; consisting, in general, either of a sum of money, or jewels, trinkets, wearing apparel, &c. The largest sum given by any of the temporal lords was 201.; but the archbishop of Canterbury gave 401., the archbishop of York 301., and the other spiritual lords 201. and 107.; many of the temporal lords and great officers, and most of the peeresses, gave rich gowns petticoats, shifts, silk stockings, garters sweet-bags, doublets, mantles embroidere with precious stones, looking-glasses, fans bracelets, caskets studded with jewels and other costly trinkets. Sir Gilber Dethick, garter king at arms, gave a boo of the States in William the Conqueror time; Absolon, the master of the Savoy gave a Bible covered with cloth of gold garnished with silver gilt, and plates the royal arms; the queen's physicia presented her with a box of foreig sweetmeats; another physician presente a pot of green ginger, and a pot of orang flowers; her apothecaries gave her a box lozenges, a box of ginger candy, a box o green ginger, and pots of other conserves Mrs. Blanch a Parry gave her majesty little gold comfit-box and spoon; Mr Morgan gave a box of cherries, and on of apricots. The queen's master coo and her serjeant of the pastry, presente her with various confectionary and pre serves. Putrino, an Italian, gave her tw pictures; Ambrose Lupo gave her a box o lute strings, and a glass of sweet water each of three other Italians presented he with a pair of sweet gloves; a cutle gave her a meat knife having a fan hat of bone, with a conceit in it; Jerom Bassano gave two drinking glasses; and Smyth, the dustman, presented her ma jesty with two bolts of cambrick. Some o these gifts to Elizabeth call to recollection the tempting articles which Autolycus, in the "Winter's Tale," invites the country girls to buy: he enters singing, Lawn, as white as driven snow; Buy, lads, or else your lasses cry, Dr. Drake says, that though Elizabeth made returns to the new year's gifts, in plate and other articles, yet she took su ficient care that the balance should be her own favour. No. 4982, in the Catalogue for 1824, 01 Mr. Rodd, of Great Newport-street, is a roll of vellum, ten feet long, containing the 1 new year's gifts from king James I. to the persons whose names are therein mentionnd on the 1st of January 1605, with the new year's gifts that his majesty received the same day; the roll is signed by James himself and certain officers of his household. In a "Banquet of Jests, 1634," 12mo. there is a pleasant story of Arehee, the king's jester, who, having fooled many, was fooled himself. Coming to a nobleman, upon new year's day, to bid him good-morrow, Archee received twenty pieces of gold; but, covetously desiring more, he shook them in his hand, and said they were too light. The donor answered: *1 prithee, Archee, let me see them again, fe there is one amongst them I would be 1th to part with:" Archee, expecting the to be increased, returned the pieces to his lordship; who put them in his pocket with this remark, "I once gave They into a fool's hand, who had not the wit to keep it." Ps were acceptable new year's gifts to the ladies, instead of the wooden skewes which they used till the end of the teenth century. Sometimes they receased a composition in money: and hence alowances for their separate use is still cenominated "pin-money." Groves were customary new year's z. They were more expensive than our times, and occasionally a money present was tendered instead: this was taved glove-money." Sir Thomas More, lord chancellor, decreed in favour of a Mrs. Croaker against the lord Arundel. On the following new year's day, in sea of her gratitude, she presented sir Tomas with a pair of gloves, containing fety angels. It would be against good manners," said the chancellor, to forsake a gentlewoman's new year's gift, and I apt the gloves; their lining you will be pleased otherwise to bestow." Mr. Brand relates from a curious MS. in the British Museum, of the date of 1560, that the boys of Eton school used on this day to play for little new year's gifts before and after supper; and also to make verses, which they presented to the provost and masters, and to each other: new year's gifts of verses, however, were not peculiar to schoolboys. A poet, the beauties of whose poetry are justly remarked to be "of a kind which time has tendency rather to hallow than to injure," Robert Herrick, presents us, in his Hesperides, with a New Year's Gift 66 sent to Sir Simon Steward." He com- Mr. Ellis, in a note on Brand, introduces a poetical new year's gift in Latin, from the stern Buchanan to the unhappy Mary of Scotland. "New year's gifts," says Dr. Drake "were given and received, with the mutual expression of good wishes, and particularly that of a happy new year. The compliment was sometimes paid at each other's doors in the form of a song; but more ge nerally, especially in the north of England and in Scotland, the house was entered very early in the morning, by some young men and maidens selected for the purpose, who presented the spiced bowl, and hailed you with the gratulations of the season.' To this may be added, that it was formerly the custom in Scotland to send new year's gifts on new year's eve; and on new year's day to wish each other a happy new year, and ask for a new year's gift. There is a citation in Brand, from the "Statistical Account of Scotland," concerning new year's gifts to servant maids by their masters; and it mentions that "there is a large stone, about nine or ten feet high, and four broad, placed upright in a plain, in the (Orkney) isle of North Ronaldshay; but no tradition is preserved concerning it, whether erected in memory of any signa! event, or for the purpose of administering justice, or for religious worship. The factured at the royal establishment in the neighbourhood of Versailles during the preceding year. Undoubtedly, new year's gifts originated in heathen observances, and were grossly abused in after ages; yet latterly they became a rational and pleasant mode of conveying our gentle dispositions towards those we esteein. Mr. Audley, in his compendious and useful "Companion to the Almanack," says, with truth, that they are innocent, if not praiseworthy; and he quotes this amiable sentiment from Bourne: "If I send a new year's gift to my friend, it shall be a token of my friendship; if to my benefactor, a token of my gratitude; if to the which at poor, this season must never be forgot, it shall be to make their hearts sing for joy, and give praise and adoration to the Giver of all good gifts." The Jews on the first day of their new year give sumptuous entertainments, and joyfully wish each other "a happy new year.' This salutation is not yet obsolete even with us; but the new year's gift seldom arrives, except to honest rustics from their equals; it is scarcely remembered with a view to its use but by young persons, who, "unvexed with all the cares of gain," have read or heard tell of such things, and who, with innocent hearts, feeling the kindness of the sentiment, keep up the good old custom among one another, till mixture with the world, and " long experience, makes them sage," and sordid. New year's day in London is not observed by any public festivity; but little social dining parties are frequently formed amongst friends; and convivial persons may be found at taverns, and in publicans' parlours, regaling on the occasion. Dr Forster relates, in his "Perennial Calendar," that many people make a point to wear some new clothes on this day, and esteem the omission as unlucky: the practice, however, from such motives, must obviously be confined to the uninformed. The only open demonstration of joy in the metropolis, is the ringing of merry peals from the belfries of the nunerous steeples, late on the eve of the new year, and until after the chimes of the clock have sounded its last hour. On new year's day the man of business opens new account-books. "A good beginning makes a good ending." Let every man open an account to himself; and to begin the new year that he may expect to say at its termination-it has been a good year. In the hilarity of the season let him not forget that to the needy it is a season of discomfort. There is a satisfaction An economist can In doing a good action: and he who devises liberal things will find his liberality return to him in a ful! tide of happiness. afford to be generous. "Give me neither poverty nor riches," prayed the wise man. To him who is neither encumbered by wealth, nor dispirited by indigence, the stores of enjoyment are unlocked. He who holds fast the Golden Mean, The little and the great, The tallest pines feel most the pow'r Comes heaviest to the ground; And spread the ruin round. And hopes, in spite of pain; If hindrances obstruct thy way, And let thy strength be seen; CHRONOLOGY. Cowper. 1308. On the 1st of January in this year, William Tell, the Swiss patriot, associated himself on this day with a band of his countrymen, against the tyranny of their oppressors. For upwards of three centuries the opposition was carried on, and terminated by the treaty of Westphalia in 1648, declaring the independence of Switzerland. 1651. On the 1st of January Charles II. was crowned at Scone king of the Scots Charles, when a child, was weak in the legs, and ordered to wear steel - boots. Their weight so annoyed him that he pined till recreation became labour. An old rocker took off the steel-boots, and concealed them; promising the countess of Dorset, who was Charles's governess, that she would take any blame for the act on herself. Soon afterwards the king, Charles I., coming into the nursery, and seeing his boy's legs without the boots, argnly demanded who had done it?" It was I, sir," said the rocker, "who had the honour, some thirty years since, to attend on your highness, in your infancy, when you had the same infirmity where with now the prince, your very own son.. I think it is.' (Good creature! There Is troubled; and then the lady Cary, is not a better, or more truth-telling ser(afterwards countess of Monmouth) com- vant going.) I must rise, howevermanded your steel-boots to be taken off, Get me some warm water.'-IIere comes who, blessed be God, since have gathered a fine interval between the departure of strength, and arrived at a good stature." the servant and the arrival of the hot Care, chaplain to Charles II., at the time water; during which, of course, it is of the affair happened, related this anecdote no use' to get up. The hot water to old Fuller, who in 1660, contemplating comes. Is it quite hot?'-'Yes, sir.' "the restoration," tells the story, and quantly exclaims, "the nation is too ecble, when his majesty shall return from foreign parts, to impose any other steel boots upon him, than the observing the laws of the land, which are his own stockings, that so with joy and comfort he may enter on what was his own inheritance." The nation forgot the "steel-boots," and Charles forgot the "stockings." in. 'It is very cold this morning, is t not? Very cold, sir.'-' Very cold indeed, isn't it?'- Very cold indeed, sir.'- More than usually so, isn't it, even for this weather?' (Here the servant's wit and good nature are put to a considerable test, and the inquirer lies on thorns for the answer.) Why, Sir... 1801. January 1. The Union of Great Britain with Ireland commenced according to act of parliament, and the event was solemnized by the hoisting of a new royal flag on the Tower of London, accompanied by the firing of guns there and in St. James's Park. On the 3d the king received the great seal of Great Britain from the lord chancellor, and causing it to be defaced, presented to him a new great seal for the United Kingdom. On the same day, January 1st, 1801, Piazzi, the astronomer at Palermo, discovered a new primary planet, making an eleventh of that order: he called it Ceres, from the goddess of that name, who was highly esteemed by the ancients of Sicily. Usually at this period the rigour of cold 1s severely felt. The indisposition of lie-abeds to face its severity is pleasantly pic tured by Mr.Leigh Hunt, in a paper in the Indicator. He imagines one of those persons to express himself in these terms: "On opening my eyes, the first thing that meets them is my own breath rolling forth, as if in the open air, like smoke out of a cottage-chimney. Think of this symptom. Then I turn my eyes sideways and see the window all frozen over. Think of that. Then the servant comes Perhaps too hot for shaving: I must wait a little?—No, sir; it will just do.' (There is an over-nice propriety sometimes, an officious zeal of virtue, a little troublesome.) Oh the shirt — you must air my clean shirt :-linen gets very damp this weather.'-'Yes, sir.' Here another delicious five minutes. A knock at the door. Oh, the shirt-very well. My stockings-I think the stockings had better be aired too.'- Very well, sir.' Here another interval. At length every thing is ready, except myself I now cannot help thinking a good deal-who can?-upon the unnecessary and villainous custom of shaving; it is a thing so unmanly (here I nestle closer)-so effeminate, (here I recoil from an unlucky step into the colder part of the bed.)-No wonder, that the queen of France took par! with the rebels against that degenerate king, her husband, who first affronted her smooth visage with a face like her own. The emperor Julian never showed the luxuriancy of his genius to better advantage than in reviving the flowing beard. Look at cardinal Bembo's picture-at Michael Angelo's-at Titian's-at Shak speare's-at Fletcher's-at Spenser's—at Chaucer's-at Alfred's-at Plato's. could name a great man for every tick of my watch. Look at the Turks, a grave and otiose people-Think of Haroun Al Raschid and Bed-ridden Hassan-Think of Wortley Montague, the worthy son of his mother, a man above the prejudice of his time-Look at the Persian gentlemen, whom one is ashamed of meeting about the suburbs, their dress and appearance are so much finer than our own-Lastly, think of the razor itself-how totally opposed to every sensation of bed-how cold, how edgy, how hard! how utterly I |
