The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-12-25 00:00:00

On oar arrival teeing minimiser el. the Squire closeout to re-
eriee u., arr 00000 pained by his Iwo other sort; one a young
*Ricer of the army, home on leave of simmer; the other so
°swum', ju-i from the University. The Moire was • fine
healthy looking old gentleman, with silver hair curling
lightly et 00000 elan open florid countenance, in which a physitig-
oomint, with. the silviintsge, like niqelf, of • 111•TIO1111 hint
oi two. might discover • singular mixture of whim and he:
sievulensit.
int family meeting was warm and affectionate: as the
evening aas far advanced, the Squire woold not permit us
to change our -travelling dresses, but ushered •s at inure In
the company, which was assembled in a large old•lfattlitutted
hall. It was composed of dill. rent beam-lira of a mummer-
sons family connexion, where there were the ritual proper-
lions of old uncles and saist•, consfoi table married dames,
imperaunusti J spinmera,blitoming contains half-fledged ship.
lines, and bright-eyed boarding school byodeus. They wire
variously occupied : some at a round maw armee ;• others
court ridog around the fire-place; at one end of the ball was
.Y group of the young folk., some nearly grown up, 'ahem of
noire tender and building age, fully engrossed by a no 'ay
K and a mansion of wooden horses, penny trumpets.
mid filleted dolls, about the Sour, &WAWA" tracts of a "loop
of little fury beings, whir, haviug fruit( ked throttles • happy
,!:;%:, had licer carried of to slumber through • peacefal
night.
St hile the mutual greetings sere going iin between Brace-
bi idge and his reditives, I bowl time In scan the apartment.
1 hare called it • hall; for so it had cert•inly loess to old
times, and the Squire had evidently mot. avonred her restate
it to some. of it. primitive state. their the isestry
ding foe plate %V %A suspended • pistil,. of a wart tor in
r %Moor standing In a white horse, and on the opposite wall
hitac and lance. At one end an eritor-
-111.1.1i pair of mallets weir inserted in the wall, the lit iii het
sei•ing as hunks on whirls In «impend hat., whips and Tars ;
unit in the fusion. of the •partrnent acme fowling pieces,
fi•ltiug 10111%, Um' oilier sport ing mildew nos. Ihe (monitor
wan of the CU u• Woo kilt imblor of furrti•r dry., thong',
some articles of modern convenience had been and
ine im Les, Amur had tiren rat pried; so that the *lurk pre-
sewed au told mixture of nairour and hall.
The elate hail lie. it crinurril Ginn the aide nverwlichning
file-plare, to make way for n fir.. of tytm.d, in ohs mi.'." of
u hit lm %as au r,or moos log gloomy owl bias:tog, and arid:.
in,. tooth • vast volanie of light and heat : this I uudrushered
was she Yule clog, whirls for wits it:nth-Aar in 1...
Atoned in and 1:1u ttttt it d on • Chiestinas ere, lICCUIIIiog
10 10.c11.111 customs.
_ . .

_
li was I. ally .I.lschiful to see the old Squire ill Inv
LI tuityry !bow etas, by the hospilabil fire•ide or 144 41.-
...ton, and looki. e .lrunnd him like the solo or a spit. la,
LC:M1111r %MITA h and gladness to est ry hrart Err,, the
siry dot that lay idn tel.ed al his f • et, a•a bait)
his
niasuer's fact, *mg his tail apionsi Ilse Elmo', and Oleic'.
b,tri..4 If again to sleep, coefidessi of kleollsoss and moirrtain.
tlll3llalluis from the heart it. g.uunO, p.'a-
lily which cannot be described, hui is iu to. mail
I:111i the stranger at outer at hi. case. 1 had ....1 hero
many tu15,..1.8 by ibe rosof wtaldr hem Ili of thr mesh.. old
r, hehire 1 louod n.yaelf as math al ironic a. it 1 had
Leen our ..i Ilie fun ty
. _

Slipper was minuisholl shortly after our arrival. It was
yes veil op in a aparinin oaken chande r, the planets of
whir b shone with wae, and prom,' a hirh acre sew. nil fa-
mily portraits decorated wish bully and ivy 13..501e the
ft,eint .1 halite, two gnat Walt tapirs, called Chrintrias
entitles, wreathed with gismos, were I land of a h.gbly.
p besufet among she family plain. The table war
htoindatilly spread with staniatitial I sic; but the SqMre
made his stepper uf frameni'., a dist. male of wheat cakes
hoil.il in milk with itch spree, being a standing dish in
*ld tune. for Christ ma Eve. I wa■ happy in find my old
friend, minreibpie, in the retinue of the team ( mid finding
lion to be perfectly orthodux, and that I need 5101 be
&Astrid of my predilectiou, I 'retied hint will. all she
warmth wherewith we usually greet ad old and very denied
acquaintance.
The mirth of the company was greatly promoted by the
hunimos of an reenters, personage, shone Mr. Bracehridgr
't.ll)s ail.!ressi el atilt ii,. galas appellatoin of Master
lie was a tight %nisi. little 111811, sith the air of au
errant old barliclor 11. 11111.(` ass slcipett like the bill of
ti ; bi►face slightly pined with the mall pox, wills •
t:•v p. pet mai Moen, no it, like a final bitten leaf in autumn.
tie had an eye• uf great (pinkness and vivacity, with • drol-
l- •y •iiil 'inkjet; aaegel) of I apt canon that was irresistible.
fie was .16161,11 y It.. WI! of OW fami'y, dealing very much
to oly jokc• and iiiiiiienitecs aith the lobes, mud making in.
f•••ite merriment hy harping. limns old Hormel,; %kith, an-
thi t ignin,nie of the family chronicles 4sd not
me to enjoy. It 6.4 on•fl to be his great delight
lire i,.g supper in k.ep a )uung girl neat him In • continual
aginty st:flid laughter, tit spite if her aVIC if the iepruv•
nog looks her moth. r, alio sal opposite. Indeed, he e,„
the idol of the younger part of the company, who laughed
at every thing he sa.d u. 111 I,aodat .v.syloin of his con 0.
Viigiire. I ciiiilJ not wonder at it ; fur he must have been
a mil al le of teC1,1111.10111111.1111 in their ryes. lie rout' iini.
Iste Punch and .holy; utake an old worn:in of hie habits
with the assistance of a burnt viol and pocket-handker-
ehici; :nd tut hat orneer into such a ludicrous caricatote,
that the young Nits acre ready to die with laughing.
I was 1.1 bit. sly 11110 his history by Frank Mace-bridge.
it a was an old hcchelor, of • install independent income,
winch, by can ful management, was sufficient fur all his
wants. Ile revolved itirsingh the family system like • va-
riant comet in its orbit; sometimes visiting one branch,
a 4.1 xom.timtes another quite remote; as is often Ike ease
with gent ;emelt of ext. 'nice connections and small forlancs
Eegland. Ile had u chirping buoyant disposition, al-
ways injuying ►he pit-sent moment ; and his frequent change
of scene and company prevented his acquiring those rusty
rtuccumllwdattug habits, with width old barb. lons are so
silichaitiably charged. He was a complete f lenity don-
being veraril in the genealogy, hiss try, and inter-
litkr. I of the whole home of Ileacebridge, which in
Mimi. giist favourite a ill, the old folks; he was a bran of
all he .IJer Isiah • snit superminnated spinstei among a lium
10. was habitually considered rattier • young fellow, and lir
was a master of the revels among the children; an that
tt..•re was not I more popular being in the sphere in stitch
be 'roved than Mr. Simon Cracehridge.

or late years hr It td resoled alma•' entirely with the
&iny, to whom he had become a factotum, and whom be
pistil' ularty d lighted by jmnping with his humour in re.
street to old limn, soil by h,.visßa scrap tams Oil Solle to
suit every oreashro. IC,• had presently a spet•imea of his
h.vt•nit Whined ialeid, for no sooner was supper remused,
and spiced wines and other beverages peculiar to the season
ini.odoci it, than Plaster Simon was called on for a good
old Chriimas song. He bethought himself for a alomritt,
and then, with a sparkle of she rye, nod a voice that was
by no means had, excepting that it ran occasionally into a
falsetto, like the notes of a split reed, he quasi red forth a
quaint std ditty.
Now Christmas is come,
Let its boat up the ilium,
And tail all our to ighbuura together ;

• The Yee don is a great log of wood, sometimes the
retor of a tree, to ought into the house with great erre y,
1.4 C'ssi,toas stir, laid in the lire-glare, and hebtrit with the
Instil of the last yeas's clog. While it lasted, ihrre was
great oinking, singing, and Whale of tales. tiostartiturs it
wan at is ompassarsl by Chris.tosa% candles ; but in the cottages
the only light was (sumo 51le ruddy blare of the great nom'
tire. The Yule flog win in hum is all ought ; tilt rem out it
wa r,.nsider• d a sign of ill hick.
ntentiows it its oust. of his songs.
Con, bring wills a none,
merrie, thermic Isles,
The Citrl,l 4/ MI I Al* to the bring;
hale on good dime, she
Bid ye all he free,
And &lot: to psnr hearts desiring

Vie Yule Or% is 11111 burnt in many and
luichen. to England, particularly in the mirth, and shire
are several Nitwit:llllooS CUISIVIVitd with it seloillt the pa-
bainry. It ti syuiung peen's% come to the house while it is
Laming, ur a person liaref.oted, it is eoneklered an
ill omer. The IsraaJ remaining hum the Yule clog ismer,.
fully put away to light the oral year's Coaistaaas in. •

And whew (hey appear,
Let u• take the. suit ewer,
As will keep out the mitol awl the goalie; Ate.

The supper bad disposed every one to gutty, awl an Cud
harper WII4 sunimuned form the see valeta' hall, wjiere be
had Levi Orli sum; tig all the evening, and to all appearance
tuna..uin{t bimarlf with mimeo, the flopsire's borrielsrewed.
He was • kind of Isstiger.on, I was told, of the establish-
ment, and though ostensibly a resident of the village, was
°rosier to be found in the Squi.e'a kitchen than his own
borne, she old gentlernau heing feed of the sound of " Harp
to

The donee, like most dances after supper, was merry
one: some of the older folks joined is it, vied the Squire
►tr•self figured down 'several couple wit► a partner with
whom he affirmed he bol danced at every Christmas fur
near ly half ae. 'miry. Master Simons, who Deemed to be
a hod of connecting link b-lween the old limes and the
new, and to be with,' a little antiquated is the taste of his
accomplishments, evidently piqued himself on his dancing,
and was endeavemiing to gain' credit by the heel and lee,
,utad.wn, slid sillier grae•o of she ancient school; but be
lied unlock sly assorted himself with • little romping girl
from !mauling girl, who, by her wild vivacity, kept him
continually sin the stem!), and rh tented all Ida sutler al-
it mots •t elegance : sneli are the ill-sorted matches to
whirl, antique gentlemen are otifortunatirly prose!
'll.e young llx•rnian, on the contrary, bid led out one of
hi. maple,' arms!. no whom the rogue played • ibutseand
hide knstresirs with impunity; he was full of pinctind
j• 4164 s, unit his delight was to tease his aunts and cousins;
I, like mod-cap youngsters, he was is universal favun•
rile irtriong the annum. The most interesting couple in the
dunce was ire young racer and a ward 44114 Squire's, Is
beantiful girl of seventeen. From several sly glances whilst
I bud uutictd in the course of the evening, I suspected
there us. n Islllll. kindness grnwing Sip between them; and,
mite. d, the young soldit r was just the hero to captivate a
roor,nrit ZII I. lie wa• 1411, ■lender, and handsome, mid,
hk•• most young 11. itiols officers of late years, had picked
Sp s.troms tonsil arc 1111 l pli•lonents on the Continent—motif
talk F.ettch and Italian—d. aw landsepes—aing very tole.
"61)--ilauce divinely; hest, •tiove all, hr hod been wound.
ed at 11'31. rim) : whet girl of ue,rill en, well read sit putlry
and rola-Auer, could res.st such • mirror of chivalry and
protein., !
• -

Tlie ou,sment she dance was over, he caught up a guitar,
and E.lting nesiust ihe 0.1 marble file place, in an altitude
a It:elt lan. hail' inch in 41 lii swipe{ was studied, I•eian the
ink Fiend] air of the Trnishastsur. The Splire, hoarser;
ssrls:rned against Ear i i ally thin! on Christmas Bar but
gssnsi old ; up, u alu.h the you p: minsdret, casting
up his rye fur ain •1.1. as if in an effort of memory,
%ism k jots, as-so her .trill,. and with a chastising air of
lauuy, gave llr.rirk's•• Night Puce to Julia

11,r ryes the iglow•werni It od thee,
1 he shnotisiK suns attend 'hue,
•
And 'he. Irts lon,
-• H bus.• little ryes gl,.sr
Like the spuk4 of lire, beF,lend thee.

No Will u' mishght ibre;
Nur *stake or slow-worn b:te
Lot tits, oil illy way,
Not waking a slay,
Sine glopo litre is noise lu affright i bee.

Tht n Irt not the (141 k thee ettooleeet,
What titootrli the moon does tdttaibtr,
The •t.ttit of the 'tight
jo.d thee their light,
I.tke impure clear altllnut 'lumber.
Theo, JoII t, let me woo Ile r,
Thu*, thot. I, come must met
And atoll ;shun swill
Thy silvery tot
My swot ~our Mu thee.

The sun:, might have !wen intended in compliment to thw
fair Julia, lot au I cutout his partner was called, or it weight
000 ~li,lWreviY. WAS certainly oisconsilims of any such
applitatimi, fir she never limit.' at the singer, but kept
bet e)t•ti este Himn the door. ILT face was •uffnaril it is
true, with a beautiful blush_ and there was • gentle braying
of the Lmm, but al: that was doubters canard by the exer-
cise of lite taltet ; indeed, at, Ercat wall her intliffetence,
that she was saiisoug h use If with plucking at pieces • choice
bouquet of but•lionse Ilqacsa, and by the time the wing was
cunctuilrii the g I:ty sit ruins on the flour.
- -

The party now broke up for the litchi with the kiwi-heart-
esl old CUteUllia of shaking hawk. A. 1 pasued through the
hall, ust toe way In soy elvishber, the hying embers of the
yule clue •till •r-el forth a dusky glow, and had It not been
the cc. on botrit .hoes •tir ahruall," I should
bare b. half-trtopted to•teal (lons my fl/0111 et inidotzht,
and loci) a heiber the fa,t lea might uu: be he at their rtsels
about the heat

Illy cletintorr was in the oil part of the mansion, the
pouderutis furniture of shirts might bare been falirtrateil in
the days of the giaufs. The room wait panelled, with tor-
hin a of heavy carved work, in %loch flowers Stud glut. Flint
toes lime strangely intermingled; and a row ut bl.,•k•
looking putlrsitit stated mournfully at me from the walls.
The bed was of rich though faded damask, with a lofty
lesser, and aloud in a niche opposite a ►ow-window. I had
scarcely gut into bed alien s strain of music seemed to
bleak forth in the sir just below the window. I listened,
and found it proceeded from a band, which I concluded le
be the waits from ueighltuuring village. They strut round
the house, playing wadi, the windows. I drew aside the
tuitions to hear them mole distinelry. The moon•b-Stmt
f 11 through the upper part of the easement, partially light-
ing up the atiquatrd apartment. The sounds, as they Ir.
cedtd, hecaine more *oft and aerial, and seemed to accord
with quiet and moon-light. 1 listened and listened—they
became wore and more hauler and statute, and as they gra-
dually diet -ay my brad sunk upon the pillow, mad l tell
asleep.

1