The National Register. — London, England, 1809-10-29 00:00:00

4,vriQUIIT OF When we reflect on that loalural enquiry inherent in the mind prised, -Midst all the atteeriW the -term Jubilee, that none of our cotemporariei thought of:enlightening their readers on the subject of niieatienieei. We are well aware that in iittremptiog to throw* , tome light on this subject, we lay ourselves open to t 1 e "wicks of some of those violent punsters, who not only grin daily though a whole half column of a MorningPtper, bu i t even from tune to time oblige the world with whole strigs, in thoso cialectible productioas whi,ch tthex 'are face- . thkusly pleased to denominate farces. aqd w q.,f,they,hv pen to hear of a good thing, contrive to bring it in by liook or by Crook; without any dread, bowever, of their wittiecisms, we have taken some pains to ascertnin the origin of this custom, now s t o universal. Herodotint, who wr i oid about four hundred and eighty lleforx Christ, .is the Arat author upon record. oho, taco notice of it; .and he informs us in his seesnd book,. that kt was customary with the.aucient Egyptians to make illuminations both otitheir regularfestivAs,-and on tar ticulw,flays of rejoicing : on their regular kstleitlkt rise Tire made in honour of their differeet ideritd Wink munitions.were pot con fi ned to the to w n which theidef was specifically supposed to have taken tip his residence, but were made on the same night, in the various parts of that ancient Empire. Subsequent to thia.period, the cus torn had found its way into - the land of Canaan, as we toad in the Scriptures - of " fires upon high places," and Us practice scion after became an object of political pixiance with the Jews, at least as early as the time of das MaCcabeus *out one hundred and fifty years be ore the coming of the Messiah, for it appears that the . , *hole Jewish nation was commanded by the civil power to Celebrate an anrn.M feast of eight days continuance at Je rusalem. This feast was called the " Feast of Oedication," and in the New Testament our Saviour is noticed as hay imp been-present at it ;' a thing by the way which has puz ad many wise commentators, and also . many pious chris bans to account fbr, as they mild find nb mention of such a t feast in . the Mosaic ritual. The fact is. however, that it was of human institution, and is sapposed to have origi ,mied-abouttbree hundred years after the.. building of the tam*. in commemoration of their restoration to their Wigton and liberty, by-the ViCiarY obtained by their gal kat Judos• Maccabees, over their tyrannical invade, 'fib* liave liteticed this the more particularly, because Oat Jfiseigiast in his description Of,this feast, remarks that Vita Sews is histime still iibserved it, sad even called. it its eaminsier &coarse by a name (phyla) which may literally be *PM slated , "light or illumination;". sad be farther informs its that one, of the most remarkable ieremonies 60**leet. fp" ; it. celabotiess, * fighting of Candles lempwr ortarry 44100114 lh& fet*ti r 0 0 11 .4 PNeint pews at,4 heit.sloors, and wsedoi!a t pat *eh as tutees of 1414 .bet es emblems sf their., religion sod Ab c o rre s ore d *Ahem by that,_impritliat victor!— . Tbia seem s ouiriciqnt to amount los the sosivorsality of the rosimeijii Vitiff)Pe ;. sod it is not itMpossihk that its 'wattle's in China, and in various parts or the tut, is of ouch higher antiquity ; in India in perjjeular, _pert of the rekilpino el Vse weddings of the rich; indeed, as is; all warm. elimeles. their 'festivals ore celebrated its the night, whits torch light is neces. err, - it is not •assrisrising that, frimi the 'assigiiition 'of M 64., lights shoeit betonse 'the symbols of joy Simi-glad tie's. Eitel. or Ettiatres is they are sometimes called may lie accounted for isi•thle *tie manner as I. the laffername in . a letter prethed la 9 Le, explanation is altemyted CoUreissoira:i*• , Theogesioses egitee (*lo, es. th a t ; i n .nme, party of l e iiicelisebim ea. pactiOlar algbts,.. they 41111111,1064 ins is, ils• pebrecidneli and tfilik **(tbs.'s speech, ~eat. do airy connection between a heart f 4 of joy, a belly full o s Aurae, anda head full, or as ip-Aaore.elegangy expressed ia skits/nil of wine ; yet the anefystort, or at least the Pre. ,pstvore ei.oor loyal corposstissivere Of a very different ppinion. Stowe who wrote hii Vistory of London in the reign of Elizabeth, says, that fires were COllllllOll in • his tioe; 66 these were called hone Ares, as well of good amity " amongst neighbours, (islifew) that being before at con. i 46 troversy, were then by the labour of others reconciled, : 46 and made of bitter enemies, loving friends; as also fot " the virtue that a !great tire both to purge the infection ~ 66 of the air;" un these occasions. they were not content with light .alawe, but had tables set out in the streets, .4tosawnwith 46 sweet bread, and good 'drink," a custom 'which our philosophical politicians wean now to considet as i• more honoured in the breach, than in the observance, " we were well pleased, however, to obierve that som e E tlyl cunt deei#ild speechifiFes, against illumillations, hiiil either the loyalty or the prudence . %i to Urn . 'a • -, Can.. dies ;" and there can be no doubt that on the - ;opt occasion, notwithstanding . their l dislike to Co' . r atio gpttliiig, they indulketthine Oiiii corporeal:a Wit a lly the 1 cotiforrti of a good-dititiei • ' '.. • ' ' , 474 k -" . S • ' .11114.11,117 C JUBILEES. frYCEITM TIIEATIRE• The important Celebration of Jubilees has engaged se much of public attention during the past week, that ti.e Theatres became objects of minor consideration ; the (ntly novelty. thorefure, at this place of Exhibition, was the production of a 4 4 musical dramatic Entertainment," de signated as ‘• Britain's Jubilee." When Poets bestride their Pegasus, they: find . him sometimes but au ill traini...4l animal; one that may perhaps be , persuaded to jog oa quietly, but which, if whipped and spurred, will generally ding his ridets into the dirt, On the present occasion, our • Poet's time witsiinelted, and though in hii hurry he at first set off iii a canter, yet bis •pro!..tress tip the Parnassian hill I, was but short indeed; until in his. tumble he so kickt.d arsd splashed about him, as to bespatter all the bye-stariders with his loyalty and patriotic chip-traps. Upon such an event as this, the good nature and loyalty of John Bull, are. wonderftit assistants to' a ha'ril murheti Poet s' the one will Wake bite to alike many allow, *es for ttie:dpficieneies orgenitti, and the other will •pre vent thits4eg a loml'Aece ^n seloodii aubjeCt.—: to *analyse 'Such 'a hasty pioductink, therefore,' Or even to' attempt to sketch its outline,' would he Painting Ott a 'cob. web. ,IVe had,. it if true; tiro . or Oirteyorhig Larifeein 'love, and two or three lovers all atireitf, big who had The polite ness to Bowe borne iery'Oppkirttinely nn this tictaiionl'*ild *patriotic rame), f o r dt*pilicioas to illumituite the town of Barspitaple "Ad bee candles, al well i s the siodiente with his The isitirtalltsi We abovttiold 14 this character, was a pretty close inifletinn-of Dortiets'lliide)wth 407. in his anxiety to meet 'with' easterners; al- to . . any other merit'it poiliessW, it o*ed . it entirely to Mathews, tho Ugh even his, ettylii 'futile extract Wit and hirntollr' from. his part, were as as the eZtrictitio ler Etiithetims from cucumbers.' The audience, however; -were.iti high gone#fiumoor; and were not ea an xious as Mr, Dowinkhl about leaving'" 4utlie Cursed cold phwe"..until all Was - over, In sort , with the exception of 'broad staring allusions to the day,. there. Was - nothing to - :engage: the attentie4 but the ,meeting in the chandler'. .slap, where Studio. detailed fir rather rotalled the epeee,lsee of their invOrite ty o,: T. .lhett tdo sonwelog",!orioisiti,au4.alite.g4t, . . THE NATIONAL REGISTER. OCT. 1 4 9. •- ILL kIA 4 TIONS. nt bones °faxen, sheep, &Ci s custom, which iniibmmou sim•••• with many ethers derived from our sioss;ors, and now of almost unintelligible, is siipposeil to bst tupas a memo. earicksith that spirit a of estinOre are talker Sur- vest of the ancient custom of hunting tha its • Much wit has been displayed, and long spee c h es t9 " 04111 !" - * 1 .110"7011'96 of i nip tmamnisnranes have.. h i ve been manufactured , to prove that there was do neces.