though he begs his plum-porridge all the twelve days. Now or never must the music be in tune, for the youth must dance and sing to get them a-heat, while the aged sit by the fire. The country maid leaves half her market, and must be sent again if she forgets a pack of cards on Christmas even. Great is the contention of holly and ivy, whether master or dame wears the breeches; and, if the cook do not lack wit, he will sweetly lick his fingers."

Grose, in his "Worn-out Characters of the last Age," describing the little country squire of about 3001. a year, in Queen Anne's days, says, "he never played at cards but at Christmas, when a family pack was produced from the mantle-piece. His chief drink the year round, was generally ale, except at this season, the 5th of November, or some other gala days, when he would make a bowl of strong brandy punch, garnished with a toast and nutmeg. In the corner of his hall, by the fire-side, stood a large wooden twoarmed chair with a cushion, and within the chimney-corner were a couple of seats. Here, at Christmas, he entertained his tenants, assembled round a glowing fire, made of the roots of trees, and other great logs, and told and heard the traditionary tales of the village, respecting ghosts and witches, till fear made them afraid to move. In the meantime the jorum of ale was in continual circulation."

The paper of "The World,” (No. 104), very humorously laments the decay of these, and other old hospitable customs at Christmas :-

"Our ancestors considered Christmas in the double light of a holy commemoration, and a cheerful festival, and accordingly distinguished it by devotion, by vacation from business, by merriment, and hospitality. They seemed eagerly bent to make themselves, and every one about them, happy, with what punctual zeal did they wish one another a merry Christmas! and what an omission would it have been thought, to have concluded a letter without the compliments of the season! The great hall resounded with the tumultuous joys of servants and tenants, and the gambols they played served as amusement to the lord of the mansion, and his family, who, by encouraging every art conducive to mirth and entertainment, endeavoured to soften the rigour of the

season, and mitigate the influence of winter. What a fund of delight was the choosing of King and Queen upon Twelfth Night! and how greatly ought we to regret the use of minced pies, which, besides the idea of merry-making inseparable from them, were always considered as the test of schis-. matics. How regularly were they swallowed by the orthodox, to the utter confusion of all fanatical recusants! If a country gentleman should be so unfortunate in this age as to be under a suspicion of heresy, where will he find so easy a method of acquitting himself, as by the ordeal of plum porridge?"

The custom of singing Christmas Carols, and the midnight performance of the Waits, are thus prettily described by a modern poet :—

Of wakeful Waits, whose harmony (compos'd

Of hautboy, organ, violin and flute, And various other instruments of mirth), Is meant to celebrate the coming time.

In the West Riding of Yorkshire, at Christmas, they have a sort of rustic ball, which is termed "merry night," which proved so interesting, that the young people cannot be kept from them. The amusement consists of athletic dancing, in all the lower modes of that art; of interludes by. masking, mimics and gesticulations, and of the ancient sword-dance. Tea, cakes, fruit, strong ale, and strong punch, besides kissing and romping "with gallantry robust," form an indispensable part of the entertainment. At midnight all the parties engaged depart in separate groups, cheering the way with jocund raillery, heartfelt laughter, and shouts of exultation. The bodings of the howlet or nightcrow are unheeded by the votaries of Euphrosyne; no direful phantom glides across their path in gloomy avenues; no demons obstruct their passage by lonely barns, mouldering ruins, or ivy-covered bridges. Each rustic nymph is finally conducted by her partner in the dance to her father's house, into which both enter without noise, and, seated on the antiqe lang

settle, prolong conversation in gentle whispers till the first breaks of dawn admonish the youth to retire.

CHRISTMAS BOXES.

The "Athenian Oracle" derives the origin of Christmas money from this: "The Romish priests had masses for almost every thing: if a ship went to the Indies, a priest had a box in her, under the protection of some saint, and for masses, as their cant was, to be said to that saint, &c. the poor people must put something into the priest's box, which was not opened till the ship's return. The mass at that time was called Christ-mass; the box called Christ-mass-box, or money gathered against that time, that masses might be made by the priests to the saints to forgive the people the debaucheries of that time; and from this, servants had the liberty to get boxmoney, that they too might be enabled to pay the priest for his masses, well knowing the truth of the proverb-'No penny, no Pater-noster.

JANUARY.

the old one.

New Moon First Quarter

Last Quarter. New Moon

The planet Venus will be in conjunction with 8 in Scorpio. Geargium Sidus will be in conjunction at one in the morning of the 3rd. Saturn will be stationary on the 18th. Mercury will attain his highest elongation on the 19th, and be stationary on the 24th of this month.

THE GARDENER'S JOURNAL FOR JANUARY.

This is the last month of the gar dener's leisure; for with February he commences his labours. Manuring, digging, and trenching the ground for the reception of future crops, protecting the tender habitations of the soil, forming hot beds for early forcing, and the completion of any requisite planting and pruning, are all that the gar dener has to perform in this month.

If the weather be mild, the modest snow-drop will display its elegantly drooping silver cup; and the garden

crocus will put forth its flowers; as will the chrysan, the mums, the auriculas, sweet peas, marigolds, primroses, hearts'-ease, and the beauteous daisy.

The red-breast is now the only bird that chaunts its melodious song. Surrounded by snow, and all around him bleak, and dreary, and comfortless, this little bird may be found warbling his sweet notes of thanksgiving, in a manner peculiarly soothing and affecting, producing delightful harmony.

TO A ROBIN

Who took up his residence in the Cathedral at Bristol, and accompanied the organ with his singing.

Sweet, social bird, whose soft harmonious lays,

Swell the glad song of thy Creator's praise;

Say, art thou conscious of approaching ills

Fell Winter's storms the pointed blast that kills? Shunn'st thou the savage north's unpitying breath

Or cruel man's more latent snares of death?

Here dwell secure; here, with incessant note,

Pour the soft music of thy trembling throat.

Here, gentle bird, a sure asylum find; Nor dread the chilling frost nor boist'rous wind.

No hostile tyrant of the feathered race Shall dare invade thee in this hallowed place;

Nor, while he sails the liquid air along, Check the shrill numbers of thy cheer

NEW YEAR'S DAY

In England is a day of festive merriment. It was formerly also observed as a day of great festivity in Scotland. On the eve of New Year's Day, called Hogmanay, every visitor was treated with wine and cake, or whiskey, buns, and shortbread, or cheese and bread. Among the wealthy people dinners and evening parties were the order of the day. Most of the middling and lower ranks in society did not, on that evening, go to bed; but prepared the hot-pint, in readiness to sally out as the clock struck twelve, to be the first foot to cross the threshold of a friend. The streets were crowded with parties on this errand even long before that hour; the young men, particularly, to show their partiality to the girls whose favours they were anxious to secure, often spending a dreary half hour at the bolted door lest a more favoured or more anxious lover should anticipate them in the first welcome of beauty. Their hot-pint, or caudle, was made of ale, spirits, sugar, and nutmeg, or cinnamon, mixed together in appropriate quantities, and boiled; and was carried about, on the first morning of the year, in the tea-kettle in which it was prepared. It was held unlucky to enter any person's house, on the first day of the year

DISAPPOINTED LOVE.

Since

A singular Relation of a Young Gentleman who shot himself because his Father opposed his Union with a Lady

whom he loved,

FROM MADAME DU NOYER'S LETTERS.

The subject of the following narrative was the son of a Member of the Parliament of Paris, and heir to his father's property, which was very great. The young man being smitten with the beauty of a young lady of whom his father entirely disapproved, occasioned continual disputes, and led the harsh parent to insist upon his son not only breaking off the engagement, but of giving his hand to another lady whom he had selected. But as the young man's heart had already yielded to the fair after whom he sighed, he resolved not to obey the commands imposed by his father, and his thoughts were some time employed in inventing a scheme to rid himself of the unpleasant proposition. In a state of desperation he left home, carrying with him a brace of pistols loaded with ball, and he repaired to the country seat where his charmer resided with her parents. Immediately on presenting himself before her, she observed something peculiarly wild in his manner, and an extraordinary expression in his eyes. He implored her to take a short walk with him in a copse which was near the house, to which she con

sented; but no sooner had they reached a retired spot, where no human eye discovered them, than he threw himself at the feet of his beloved girl, and declared "that his father was anxious he should desert her and wed another, but rather than comply with so cruel a request, he would die. But I have formed a resolution," he added" and will fulfil it, and I hope and trust you will aid me in its accomplishment. The sacrifice I am about to make is quite equal to the one required of you, and I am firmly of opinion, if you really love me, you will have no hesitation in complying with my request, which is, to die with me. However it may be, I have determined upon my own destruction. Behold these two pistols," said he, pulling them from his pocket, "I will present one at your head, and afterwards will blow out my own brains with the other." This proposition, however, was not very acceptable to the young lady; for whether she was not so ardently attached to her admirer as he was to her, or whether she had a wish to continue in

existence, although she might be deprived of him, she was desirous of remaining longer in the world, and there

fore endeavoured to dissuade the infatuated lover from executing his rash and dreadful project, and argued with him on the probability that his father might relinquish his command, and their union might yet take place. Notwithstanding her representations and entreaties he remained inflexible in his resolution, "We have not a moment to lose," he cried, "we must die instantly, lest some one should approach and prevent us." The fair damsel finding his mind was made up, and in order to escape from the imminent peril, she pretended to approve of the rash measure, and begged he would first kill himself, to encourage her to follow the example; and she assured him she could pull the trigger of the pistol most gladly, when he had done so. The credulous fond youth believed the assertion of his adored charmer, and immediately shot himself. she, following the example of the young widow mentioned by La Fontaine, permitted her devoted admirer to take his travels into the next world alone, and ran terrified to her father's house, to whom she related the sad adventure.

But

A report was circulated in the country, that the young man had fallen from his horse, and in the fall one of