198 Memoir of the Life and Writings of Lady Morgan. 66 [VOL. 4 66 talent and wayward eccentricity is well and philosophical view of life, than is known. Mr. Owenson found him mix- to be found in her earlier productions. ing colours for the scene painters at the Her reputation consequently has rapidtheatre, in the most abject penury. On ly increased; and public expectation discovering his talents, this gentleman, looks forward to further and still more with that prompt, uncalculating warmth successful efforts of her pen. of heart, which forms so brilliant a fea- It is a singular fact, that on the Conture in the Irish character, took him at tinent, the works of this Lady rank once into the bosom of his family, still higher than they do at home; and clothed and educated him, and by mak- it affords a decided testimony of their ing his case known to the public, and intrinsic eloquence of thought and senespecially to the celebrated Dr. Young, timent, that they should have been renBishop of Clonfert, Mr. O's near rela- dered so popular under the disfiguring tion,he was the instrument for procuring garb of foreign translation. The him that patronage, which, but for the Wild Irish Girl," St. Clair," and ungovernable and self-willed indepen- "The Missionary," are, however, well dence of Dermody's capricious dispo- translated, and retain their situation sition, must have led to every temporal among the popular and classical prosuccess. To Lady Morgan's only sis- ductions of the French press. "O'Donter, Lady Clarke, has descended a full nel," from the Hibernicisms with which portion of hereditary ability, which it abounds, was less likely to succeed would have been more productive, if the abroad, and the French translation is cares of a young and numerous family both coarse and unfaithful. had not occupied too large a portion of however read with great eagerness in her time and attention. This lady has Paris, and has, as we are informed, obrecently brought out on the Dublin tained likewise the honours of a Dutch stage a comedy, called "The Irishwo- and Spanish costume. The work howman," replete with originality of con- ever which has made Lady Morgan ception, and humorous dialogue, and most generally known, is her "France;" which met with the most decided suc- having passed through three editions at cess; so that it will probably soon find home, three in America, and as many its way to the London theatres. in France. An abridgment also has been formed, including those passages which fell under the censure of the French police, and published, we believe, in Geneva, under the title of "L'Esprit de Lady Morgan.' It was Lady Morgan commenced her public career very early in life: notwithstanding therefore that she is still the youngest successful candidate for literary honors, of her own sex, her published works are already numerous. They Lady Morgan is in person petite, are a volume of poetry, written before feminine, graceful and animated; unishe was fourteen, and dedicated to that ting in her gay conciliating appearpatroness of Irish talent, the late Coun- ance, the ease of fashionable life, with tess of Moira: " St. Clair," 2 vols. ; the navieté of strong and original tal"Novice of St. Dominick," 4 vols. ; ent, and that even flow of spirits which "Wild Irish Girl," 3 vols.; "Patriot- springs from constitutional benevoic Sketches," 2 vols. ; Ida," 4 vols.; lence and an active and occupied "The Missionary," 3 vols. ; "O'Don- mind. We have heard the conversanel," 3 vols ; France," 2 vols. 8vo.; tional abilities of this Lady highly ex"The Lay of the Irish Harp," 1 vol.; tolled, and her success in the great and a volume of twelve Irish Melodies. world attributed to that cause, and to She has now in the press another na- what the French call l'art de raconter tional novel, to be called "Florence bien. If we may trust to our own Macarthy," which will appear in the powers of observation, great humour, coming season. pleasantry, and the absence of all affectation, and pretension, constitute no small part of its merits. Lady Morgan is, however, accused of being what is called uncertain, of only coming out in In her later publications she has taken a higher flight, and has exhibited a profounder acquaintance with the human heart, and perhaps a more caustic VOL. 4.] Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical. 199 particular sets and circles; and we sion was by a great Law-giver dehave heard that when called on to shew nounced as treason. Though Lady off, she has, like her own Duchess of Morgan was bred a protestant in the Belmont, quoted the well known par- bosom of the established church, she lez nous la philosophie et puis la theolo- has from conscientious motives strenu-gie, and then remained buried in im- ously advocated the emancipation of penetrable reserve and silence. One the Catholics. This vein of political feature in her character it would be sentiment has drawn down upon her a wrong to pass by, although we do not heavy measure of critical vituperation. always approve its results, we mean her But those who stem the stream of enthusiastic love of her native country. opinion, (especially when strengthened The situation of Ireland naturally be- by authority,) must expect occasionalgets strong party feelings; and to re- ly to be dashed by its current against main neuter r in times of civil dissen- rocks and shallows. VARIETIES. From the London Time's Telescope, for Dec. 1818. SAINTS' DAYS, OBSCURE CEREMONIES, REMARKABLE EVENTS, &c. IN DECEMBER. 'Now OW comes December, which He was of so charitable a disposition, after January for new-years gifts, that he portioned three young women, February for pancakes and valentines, who were reduced in circumstances, by March for leeks for the Welchmen, secretly conveying a sum of money April for fools, May for milkmaids and into their father's house. Milner, in their garlands, June for green pease, his History of Winchester, describes a mackerel, beans and bacon, and what curious font preserved in the cathedral not (this is a plentiful time,) July for of Winchester, and applies the carvings hay in the country, and August for on it to the life and miracles of this corn, September for oysters, October saint. The annual ceremony of the for brewing good beer, and November boy-bishop, once observed on this day, for drinking it. After all these are past, is described at length in Ath. Vol. II. some for working, but all for eating and p. 144. drinking, after all comes December, CONCEPTION OF THE V. MARY, DEC. 8. with the barns full of corn, the larders This festival was instituted by Anfull of beef and pork, the barrels full of selm, Archbishop of Canterbury, bebeer, the oven full of Christmas pies, cause William the Conqueror's fleet, the pocket stored with money, the being in a storm, afterwards came safe masters and mistresses full of charity, to shore. The council of Oxford, and the young men and maids full of however, held in 1222, permitted every play.'-(Poor Robin, for Dec. 1757.) one to use his discretion in keeping it. December had his due appellation given bim in the name of winter-monat, to wit, winter-month; but after the Saxons received Christianity, they then, of devotion to the birth time of Christ, termed it by the name of helight-monat, that is to say, holy-mouth.' December, last of months, but best, who gave SAINT NICHOLAS, DECEMBER 6. December 10th is a fast observed by the Jews, on account of the approaches then made by the Romans to besiege Jerusalem ; the commencement of the national calamities of the Jews. December the 12th is, by devout Jews, observed as a fast, on account of the profanation of the Holy Writings by their translation into Greek; a calamity said to have been succeeded by three days' darkness. SAINT LUCY, DECEMBER 13. 200 T'arieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical. young man who paid his addresses to This is the shortest day, and is at London 7 b. 44 m. 17s., allowing 9m. 53. for refraction. Shortest of all the varying days, [VOL. 4 with the greatest absurdity, more particularly on the continent of Europe. The Fete de l'Ane and the Fete de Foux, the Feast of the Ass and of Fools, with other religious farces, are considered by Mr. Warton to have been first instituted at Constantinople about the year 900, by Theophylact, to wean the minds of the people from pagan ceremonies, by the substitution of Christian spectacles, partaking of the same spirit of licentiousness. held in The Ass's Festival was France for many centuries. A curious account of this religious ceremony was published in the year 1807, by M. Millin, a member of the French Institute. It is taken from a manuscript missal belonging to the Cathedral of Sens, and details the impious and extravagant mummeries practised in that church on Christmas-day. Pierre Corbeil, the author, was Archbishop of Seus, and died in the year one thousand two hundred and twenty-two. On this festival of folly, a bishop, or even a pope, was elected for the occaThe feast of our Saviour's nativity sion; the priests were besmeared with was undoubtedly celebrated in the early lees of wine, and they were masked or ages of Christianity; for we are told disguised in the most extravagant and that, under the persecution of Maxi- ridiculous manner. On the eve of the minus, that emperor burnt a church at day appointed to celebrate this festival, Nicomedia, which was filled with before the beginning of vespers, the Christians assembled to keep this festi- clergy went in procession to the door val. St. Gregory terms it the festival of the cathedral, where were two of festivals; and St. Chrysostom, the choristers singing. Two canons were chief of all festivals. It is named now deputed to fetch the Ass, and to Christmas-day, from the Latin Christi conduct him to the table, which was the Missa, the Mass of Christ, and thence place where the Great Chanter sat, to the Roman Catholic Liturgy is termed read the order of the ceremonies, and their Missal or Mass-Book. About the names of those who were to take the year 500, the observation of this any part in them. The modest animal day became general in the Catholic was clad with precious priestly ornachurch. ments, and, in this array, was solemnly conducted to the middle of the choir, during which procession, a hymn was sung in a major key, the first stanza of which is as follows: In the primitive church, Christmasday was always preceded by an Eve or vigil. When the devotion of the Eve was completed, our forefathers used to light up candles of an uncommon size, which were called Christinas candles, and to lay a log of wood upon the fire called the yule-clog or log. Orientis partibus Sarcinius aptissimus. Hez! Sire Ane, hez! Of all the various ceremonies ob- After this, the office began by an served on Christmas day, or during this anthem in the same style, sung purposely season, those formerly practised in in the most discordant manner possible; Catholic countries are, perhaps, fraught the office itself lasted the whole of the a rhapsody of whatever was sung in the course of the year, at the appropriated festivals, forming altogether the strangest and most ridiculous medley that can be conceived. As it was natural to suppose that the choristers and the congregation should feel thirst in so long a performance, wine was distributed in no sparing manner. The signal for that part of the ceremony was, an anthem commencing, Conductus ad poculum, &c. (Brought to the cup, &c.) 201 The night, and part of the next day; it was From the following circumstance may be dated the origin of Christmasboxes, now almost forgotten. Romish priests had masses said for almost every thing. When a ship went on a voyage, the priests had a box in her under the protection of some saint, and the poor were desired to contribute to this box, that masses might be said for them. This treasury was not to be opened until the ship's return. The mass, at that time, was called Christmas; the box, Christmas-box, or money collected against that time, that the priests might say masses to the saints, and entreat the forgiveness of the debaucheries of the people at this season; and from this, servants had the liberty to get box-money, that they, too, might be enabled to pay the priest for his masses, knowing well the old proverb, No penny, no paternoster.' The first evening, after vespers, the Grand Chanter of Sens headed the jolly band in the streets, preceded by an enormous lantern. A vast theatre was prepared for their reception before the church, where they performed not the most decent interludes: the singing and dancing were concluded by throwing a pail of water on the head of the Grand Chanter. They then returned to church to begin the morning office; and, on that occasion, several received on their naked bodies a number of pails of water. At the respective divisions of the service, great care was taken to supply the Ass with drink and provender. In the middle of it, a signal was given by an anthem, Conductus ad ludos (Brought to play, &c.) and the Ass was conducted into the nave of the church, where the people mixed with the clergy, danced round him, and strove to imitate his braying. When the dancing was over, the Ass was brought back again into the choir, where the clergy terminated the festival. 6 A thrift-box, as it is vulgarly called, is still retained in barber's shops in the North, being put up against the wall, and every customer contributing. The Carols, formerly sung at this season of the year, were festal chansons for enlivening the merriments of the Christmas celebrity; and not such religious songs as are current at this day, with the common people, under the same title, and which were substituted by those enemies of innocent and useful mirth, the Puritans. The BOAR'S HEAD, soused, was antiently the first dish on Christmas-day, and was carried up to the principal table in the hall, with great state and solemnity, a carol being sung at the time. The vespers of the second day concluded with an invitation to dinner, in Chatterton gives a lively description the form of an anthem, like the rest, of Christmas as it was, in olden time. Conductus ad prandium (Brought to The antient Christinas gambols,' says dinner,) and the festival ended by a the poet, were, in my opinion, superepetition of similar theatricals to those rior to our modern spectacles, and which had taken place the day before. amusements; wrestling, hurling the What is the most extraordinary fact ball, and dancing in the wood-lands, of all, and indeed barely within the were pleasures for men. It is true, the limits of credibility, is, that this most conversation of the hearth-side was the shameful festival was not suppressed tales of superstition; the fairies, Robin till towards the end of the sixteenth Goodfellow, and hobgoblins, never century! Some of its most shocking failed to make the trembling audience absurdities had, indeed, been removed, utter an avemaria, and cross their chins; yet the custom was continued.* * Strange as it may appear, this asinine festival was annually celebrated in England, in the Cathe2B ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. dral of Lincoln, till the Eleventh Century; when Grosthead, the bishop, ordered his deans to abolish the Festum Asinorum, cum sit vanitate plenum et voluptatibus spurcum. See also Corpus Christi, at p. 100, Vol. 3, Ath. but the laughable exercises of blindman's buff, riddling, and question and command, sufficiently compensated for the few sudden starts of terror. Add to these amusements the wretched voices of the chanters and sub-chanters; howling carols in Latin; the chiming of consecrated bells; the burning consecrated wax candles; curiously representing the Virgin Mary; praying to the saint whose monastery stood nearest ; the munching consecrated cross-loaves sold by the monks; all which effectually eradicated the spectres of their terrific stories. Nor were these the only charms against the foul-fiends and nightmare; sleeping cross-legged, like the effigies of Knights Templars and warriors, and the holy bush and church-yard yew, were certain antidotes against those invisible beings. The lord, underogating, share [VOL. 4 The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, It was a hearty note, and strong. The great barons and knights generally kept open houses during this season, when their villains or vassals were entertained with bread, beef, and beer, and a pudding, wastol-cake, or Christmas kitchel, and a groat in silver at parting; being obliged to wave the full flagon round their heads, in honour of the master of the house. Plays were performed by the monks; the plot being, generally, the life of some Pope, or the founder of the abbey to which the monks belonged. Private exhibitions at the manors of the barons were usually family histories; minstrels, jesters, and mummers, composed the next class of performers, who were by the apostles. maintained in the castle of the baron, to entertain his family. SAINT STEPHEN, DECEMBER 26, Stephen was the first deacon chosen He was cited before the Sanhedrin, or Jewish Council, for prophecying the fall of the Jewish TemThe Meteor of the North' has ple and economy; and while vindicapainted a vivid but faithful portrait of ting his doctrine by several passages of antient Christmas ceremonies, and with the Old Testament, he was violently all the minute accuracy and high finish- carried out of the city, and stoned to ing of a Gerhard Douw : On Christmas eve the bells were rung; Might that night village partner choose; death, in the year 33. See Acts vii. for his admirable defence. W. I. ROBERTS DIED, DEC. 26, 1806. EPITAPH. Pilgrim! if youth's seductive bloom And learn how swift thy bliss decays! But, ah! if woe has stabbed thy breast, And this one teaches how to die! For she who sleeps this stone beneath, |