The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-26 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, DECEMBER 25.

The dinner party yesterday included her Royal High-
ness the Princess Royal, his Serene Highness Prince
Ernest of Leiningen, Colonel the Hon. James Lindsay,
commanding officer Ist Battalion Grenadier Guards,
and the Hon. Mary Seymour.
The band of the Grenadier Guards played during
dinner, and her Majesty's private band afterwards per-
formed in the Castle.

Divine service was performed this morning in the
private chapel of the Castle. The Queen and Prince,
the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal,
Princesa Alice, Princess Helena, the Duchess of Kent,
and Prince Ernest of Leiningen attended.
The ladies and gentlemen of the Court and the do-
mestic household were also at the service.

The Hon. and Very Rev, the Dean of Windsor offs
dated, and administered the Holy Sacrament.

Despatches from the Governor of the Cape of Good
Hope were received yesterday at the Colonial•office.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.

The Duke and Duchess of Richmond are surrounded
by a family circle at Goodwood, Sussex. Their Serene
Highnesses Prince and Princess of Saxe Weimar and
the Karl and Countess of March aro of the circle.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland have a large
family party at Trentham, Staffordshire. The Duke
and Duchess of Argyll, the Marquis and Marchioness of
Stafford, the Earl and Lady Constance Grosvenor, be-
side■ other members of the ducal house, are staying
there.

The Duke and Duchess of Bedford are receiving a
select circle at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire.
The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland are dispensing
the hospitalities of the festive season at Raby Castle,
Durham.
The Duke and Duchess of Northumbirland are at
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, with a select party.
The Duke and Duchess have caused liberal benefactions
to be distributed to the poor on the family estates in
Northumberland and Yorkshire.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury have a
select party assenabled at Hatfield-house, Herts.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter are seeing
company at Burghlerhouse, near Stamford.
The Marquis of Lansdowne is entertaining a distin-
guished party at Bowood, Wilts. The noble marquis
will receive company until the middle of next month.
The Marchioness (Dowager) of Londonderry is sur-
rounded by a numerous family circle at Wynyard-park,
near Stockton-on-Tees.
The Earl and Countess of Clarendon have a select
party at the Grove, near Watford, Herts. The Right
Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Theresa
Lewis and Miss Lewis, and the Hon. Mrs. Villiers are
staying with the noble Earl and Countess.
The Earl and Countess Howe have a family party con-
gregated at Gopsall-hall, Leicestershire. As customary
the noble Earl and Countess have caused the indigent
poor on their estates to be relieved at this inclement
season of the year.
The Earl of Cardigan is surrounded by a large and
distinguished party at Deene-park, near Kettering.
The Earl Fitzwilliam has a large party, chiefly mem-
bers of his family, staying with his Lordship. On St.
Thomas's-day the labourers on the Yorkshire estates,
and also the poorer persons were bountifully relieved by
the command of the noble Earl.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have a nume-
rous and distinguished circle at Broadlands, near Born-
say, Hants.
Lord and Lady Ashburton are entertaining a select
circle during the Christmas holydays at the Grange,
Hants.

Lord and Lady Stanley of Alder:ey are seeing com-
pany at Alderley-park, Cheshire.
The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and Mrs.
Herbert are receiving company at Wilton-house, near
Salisbury.
Sir Stephen Glynne has a large family party assembled
at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire. The Right Hon. W.
E. and Mrs. Gladstone are staying there.

THE BOAR'S HEAD, AT QUEEN'S
COLLEGE, OXFORD.

The ancient custom of serving up a boar's head,
" bedeck'd with bays and rosemary," and a large orange
in its month, at this college, on Christmas day, was duly
observed yesterday, and the spacious College Hall was
crowded withl Oxonians and their town and county
friends. The boar's head, which, borne on the shoulders
of two servants, weighed upwards of seventy pounds,
was announced by the sound of the trumpets, when the
following song was chaunted :
THE BOAR'S HEAD SONG.
The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedcck'd with bays and rosemary,
And I pray you, my masters, be merry,
Quot estia in convivio.
Chorus—Caput Apri defero,
Reddens laudes Domino.
The boar's head, as I understand,
Is the bravest dish in all the land,
When thus bedeck'd with a gay garland,
Let us servire cantico.
Chorus—Caput, &c.
Our steward bath ordained this,
In honor of the King of Bliss,
Which on this day to be served is,
In Reginensi Atrio.
Chorus—Caput, &c.
The Rev. T. Rennison taking the solo part, and cho-
risters from Magdalen College singing the chorus, from
the entrance of the hall to the high table, where a sump-
tuous dinner awaited the invited guests.
This, we believe, is the only place whore the ancient
custom of serving up a boar's head every Christmas day,
with the original channt, is still observed.

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Monday (Christmas-eve) evening, and the life and joy
which they imparted were universal. The third and
sixth bells, upon which the old clock struck the quar-
ters, were broken by the continued blows upon two sides
(on one side by the clapper, and the other by the ham-
mers), and these have been recast. The hanging of the
peal of bells has been rearranged and the framework
strengthened, as the walls of the tower were much re-
duced in olden times to admit the 'bells—this has now
been corrected. The peal, as of yore, now consists of
sundry names
10 bells, the largest one being used only for the clock
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bob-majors and other surprising performances, have
long since passed away ; but a new team has been or-
ganized under the able direction of two of the survivors,
Henry Ovenden, of St. Dunstan's ; and Mr. Austen, of
St. Stephen's. The bells were rung again yesterday
(Christmas-day) before and after each service, and hence-
forward they will be rung upon the same occasions as is
olden times.—Kentfili agzete,