The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-01 00:00:00

til YEAR'S DAY.

N
wa S Fear's
anciently Eve,
CVlebraates well
as
NewVtriO Day,
US 41ii ces:
One of the most popular of these was, the custom
called mussed, which is still retained in several
parts of the country : on this occasion young
women go about with a wassail bowl of spiced
ale, with some sort of verses 3 which are sung by
them ai they proceed from door to door. This
term wassail is derived from the. Anglo-Saxon
Vas had, he in health, and: is well' illustrated hi
the story told of yo rti g ern and Rowena, which
being well known to all readers of English history'
need not be here repeated. Tile Wn,i9ftir 'bowl,
according to Wharton, was ShakspeareN" GtisSip's
bowl" in the Midvonoter Night's Dream. The cont.
po.sition Was ale, nutmeg, sugar, toast, and roasted
crabs or apples. It was also called U lamb's
wool." Was4iaile and drine.heil are said to
have been the o,suaLpncient phrases of quailing
among the English, and were synonimous with
the " Come, here's to you," and " pledge
you," of the present day.
A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine (Kay,
1754), tells us, " the drinking of the wassail
bowl, or cup, was, in all probability, owing
tg the keeping of Christmag by our ancestors,
in the same matmer they had before the feast of
Pule. There was nothing the Northern nations,"
says he, " so much delighted in as carotisjn,7; ale,
especially at this season of the year, when fight-,
lug was over. 1t was likewise the custom at all
their feasts for the master of the house to fill as
large bowl or pitcher, and drink out of it' first
himself, and then give it to him that sat next, and
so it went round. One custom more should be
remembered, and that is., that it 'was usual some
years ago, in Christmas that., for the poorer peo-
ple to go from door to door with a wassail cup,
adorned with ribbon, and -a golden apple at the
top, singing and begging money for it, the origi-
nal of which was, that they might preeure
lamb's wool' to fill it, and regale themselves ns
well as the rich."

Milner, in a dissertation on an ancient, clap,
supposed to he 11, wassail cop, inserted in the
.eleventh volume of the Archfeologia; informs
us, that the introduction of ,Christianity amongst
our:ancestors, did not at all c.contributo to tha
abolition of the practice of wasselliug. On
.the
contrary, it began to assume a.port of religious
aspect ; and the was.sekbowl itself, which in great
monasteries was placed on the Abbot's table, st
the upper end of the refectory or rating-hall. to
be circulated amongst the con►munity at I)is dis-
cretion, received the bonobreble appellation of
Poculum Charitatis." This, in our Universities,
is celled the Gr►►ce Cori.

A ston*,.calli,ld. the. 4; Iriiiseartiiieli:foil;z, from
the information of thy, Inte Mr. laysoli's, is still
sung on New Year's Ere, Gloncv,tc,rsitirp.—
The-wasAellers grin g with them, that Gentleman
tells us, a great . bowl, dressed np with gar-
lands and ribbons, the first verse of which is—
" Wassail, wassail t all over the town,
Our tow ii white, our ale is brown
Our bowl is made of 4 nut Alin true,
We be good fellows all,—l drink to t1).f.."

NEW E.ta's at v .—" As the vol4ar," (11Nerves
Bourrw, " are always careful to end the cid year
well, so are t` ey no less solicitoos of making a
good beginning of the new one. The Md one is
ended with a heavy compotation ; the new one
is opened with the custom of sending presents,
which are termed new year's gifts, to friends and
acquaintance." He resolves both customs into
superstitions, as being observed-in order that the
succeeding year may be prosperous and success..
ful. Among other customs, feasting is not for,
gotten on this day.
' Froze January, leader of the yeat,
Mined pie* in van, and cairm head in the rear." *

•
Bishop Slillingtleet notices that, among the
Saxons of the northern nations, the feat of the
new year was kept up with more than ordinary
jollity ; whence they reckoned their age by so
many to/as (a word in the Gothic language sig-
nifying merry-makings) ; awl a certain northern
riter describes this kind of feast just as Bucha-
nan describes the. Britisll Saturnalia, by feasting
or sending presents and new year's gifts to one
another ; a custom derived to the Christian world
from Oeutilism. The superstition condemned in
this
.by. the ancient fathers, lay in the idea of
these gifts being considered as omens or success
forlthe ensuing' year. In this sense also, and in
this sense alone, could have commenced the be-
nevolent compliment of wishing each other a
happy new year. The latter has been adopted
by the modern Jews, who, on the first day of
the month 'risri, have a splendid entertainment,
and wish each other a happy new year.
In Westmorland and Ctimberland, as stated by
another Correspondent in the Gentleman's Ma-
gazine for 1791, " early in the morning on the
Ist of January, the Itex PoPuli assembled toge-
ther, carrying strings and baskets. Any inhabi-
tant, stranger, or whosoever joints not this ruffian
tribifilti sacrificing to their favourite saint-day, if
unfortunate enough to be met by any of the band,
is immediately mounted across the slang (if a wo-
man, she is basketted,) and carried shoulder
height, to the nearest public house, as here the
payment of sixpence immediately liberates the
prisoner. None, though ever so industriously
inclined, are permitted to follow their respec-
tive avocations on that day." At ROMP, on the
contrary, it is said to have been a custom on
New Year's Day for all tradesmen to work it
little in their bussiAtess by way of omen ; or for
luck's sake, as we 2 say, that they might have
constant business all the year after. Massy, in

• Alfurling to an annual insult intferetl, on the Illtth of Ja-
nuary, to the Inetuoty of the unfortunato Chitties I.

a note on Ovid's Fast', who translates the pas.
sage in his author thus :
With business is the year auspiciously began ;
But every arblit, soon as balms try'd
To work a little, lays his work aside."
The scarce book called the " Popish King.
dom," &c. (1570) has the following lines relate
ing to New Year's Day :
The 'n ex to this Js New Year's Day .when on to every (retitle
They costlypresents bring, and New Year's Gifts do sende,
A good beginning of the ycare they %virile and wishe again
According to the ancient Oise of heathen people vaine. '
In the Monthly Miscellany, for, ,:December,
1692, there is an Essay on Now rear's Gifts,
which States, that the ancient Romans were" great
observers of the custom of New Year's Gifts,
even when their year consisted only of ten
tunoths of thirtyssix days each, .and began in
March ; also when January an. 4, Pebruary were
added'by Noma to !the ten others, the calends
or first of January, were the time iit which they
madeipresents,; and even ItomulasAnd Tativaf
made so order that eVery year verviiie should be
offered to them, with other gifts, .as tokens of
good fortune for the new year. Tacitus makes
mention of an order of Tiberius, forbidding the
giving or demanding of New Year's Gift's, un-
less it were on the calends of January ; at which
time, as well the, Senators as Knights and .other
great men, brought gifts to the Emperor, and in
his absence to the capitol. The ancient Dreids,
with great ceremonies, used to serape oflfrom the
outsides of oaks the misliden, which they-conse-
crated to their great Tutates, and then distil-
buted it through Gaul, on 4ccotint of the-great
virtues whiCh they attributed to it; hum whence
New Year's Gifts are still called in some parts
of France Grp/ uu neuf. Our English nubility,
every New Year's tide, still send to the'-King
a purse with gold in it. Reason may he joined
to Custom, to justify the practice ; for as the
presages are 4,rawn, from the .first things that We
meet at the beginning of a day, week, or wear,
none can he More pleasing than or those things
that are given us. We rejoice with our friends
after having escaped the dangers that attend
every. year; and congratulate each other for the
future, by presents and wishes for the haßpy con-
aniline of that course, which the ancients called
Strenarum Cothmerciam. And as formerly *Men
used. to renew their hospitalities by , presents
called Xenia, a name proper enough for our 'New-
year's gifts, they. may be said to serve to renew
friendship,-which is One of the greatest gifts int•
parted by wave. to men ; and they who' have
always assigned, some day to those things which
they thought good have also thought it proper to
soletnniie the festival of, gifts, and to show how
much they esteemed .it, in token of linppines_
made it begin the year. The value of the thing
given or if, it is Hato thing of north, its nekelty,or.
I the excellency of the Work, and the place where
it is given, makes it the more -acceptable ;
above all, the time of giving it makes some pre.
sents pass for a mark of civility on the beginning
of the: year, that would appear unsuitable in an-
other season."

The night of New Yeat's-day, in some parts
of Scotland, is a flight Of SpeCial ObserVariCe.
Sir' John Sinclair's statistical account 44 that
kingdotn, the Minister of Kirmichael, in the
county of lianfr, unf.ler the head of Superstitions,
&e., tells us—' On the Ist night of January,
they observe with anxious attention the disposi-
tion of the atmosphere ; and as it is calm
or boisterous, as tin' wind blows from the
South Jr the North, from the East or the
West, they Can dorua-coille, the night of the foun-
dation of the trees ; and from this circumstance
has been derived the name of that night in the
Gaelic language. Their faith in the above sign
is couched in verses (thus translated): the wind
of the south will be productiye of heat andfer-
tility ; the wind of the west of milk and fish; the
'wind of the north of cold and storm ; and the
wind from the east of fruit on the trees. hi
nlso we had anciently our superstition on this
night. In the Dialogue of "'Dives and Pauper,"
printed by. Pinson (1493) the following are men-
tioned amongst others :-.-e• Alle,that take hede
to dystnale dayes, or use nyce observattnees in the
newe morne, or in the fierce Neon', as setting of
mete or drynke by nyght on the benches to fete
A ll►oldlo or Gobelyn."
Upon the Circumcision, or New Year's Day,
the early Christians ran about masked, in imi-
tation of the superstition of the Gentilt s. Akt:a it
this practice St. Maximus, Ste. declaimed ; s heoce
in some of the very early missals, we find %Ai:-
ten in the mass for this day," Miss(' od proitaqn..
dim oh idolit."

The Old Custom of New Year's. Gifts.—We
are HOW come round to that period of the liar
when, from time out of mind, it has ht‘ee the
cnstbrn to present testimonials of iiirectiun and
respect. No gift could he made at thi, pv), wnt
with wore satisfaction, or received with (»ore
pleasnre„ than a Ticket.or Share in the pie..ent
Rich Wheel, by which, in a few days (Nett
Wednest/ok Week), the holder may obtain an
independent fortune, as *ere are 5'2 Cupitail,
in,iluding a r20,0)01 'rwo of ,fIO,OOO, he.yidt-;
others of ie,2,000, 41,0t)0, &c.; hote of
which must be &IMO in On. Day, 15th in twit.

A bat was, a few days ago, seen in Donegan.
square. Belfact, flitti►►g about for upwaidi of a►a
het►r after dark.
Monday tt. Gentleinan attempting to cross over
to the Bermontbey shie of the water, a larqe
piece of the floating ice came in co►►tact with the
boat, and actually curried it do►vn to Deptford
before it could be stom,,,d,

COUNTY MEETINGS.

FOR THE SUN.

Mu. Enrrolt,---It appearing ,to be
,Mr. Con-
arrr's intention to attend the Norfolk County
Meeting, in consequence of the qualification
which has heen recently presented to him, I beg
leave to refer your Norfolk Readers to the Acts
,of the 60 Geo. 3, c. 1, Geo. 4, chap. 6, sec. 4, by
Ai Weil it will appear that no person is allowed to
attend County Meetings as a Freeholder (if lie
resides in another County than that where the
Meeting is to be held) anless he has been. in pos-
lession of his qualification twelve months, awl its
-value is fifty pounds a year !—llow much it is to
be regretted that the Legislature, whilst passing
these Acts, did not destroy OCCASIONALITY al-
together.

A NORF OLK REEHOLDER.
Middle Temple, Dec. 30, 1022. •

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

A number of Counties in Scotland, (Argyll,
Banff, Caithness, Cromarty, Dumbarton, Elgin,
Fife, Forfar, Lanark, Mid Lothian, Renfrew,
•Sutherland, and Wigton,) lu appointed Com-
mittees to meet at Edinburgh, for the purpose of
considering the Agricultural distresses Lot' the
country, and the means of relieving them ; and a
meeting of the General Committee was held at
-the Waterloo lintel, on Monday the 23il of De-
cember, 1 BT2, the Right Ilon, Sir ,Fniug Strict:Alß,
Bart. in the Chair, Iv hon he laid before that Corn-
•nvittee, a report, drawn np by a sub-committee,
"appointed by a former General Meeting on the
16th December, which consisted of the following
queinherp,

1. The Earl of Rosebery,
The Lord Belhaven
3. Sir Henry Steuart, Belhaven;
of Allanton,
4. John Vans Agnew, Esq. Sheuchen,
5. Gilbert Laing Areason, Esq. of Lindertis,
6. fleorge.Robertstm Scott. Esti, of Benludin, 31.11.

. 7.. Sir Alin Sinclair, the Chairman.
After some discussion, the following report was nnlmitouusly
approvid of.

REPORT.
The Sub-Committee beg leave to express the opinions they
have flamed, on the important subject referred U) them, in
the following order ,
I.- Thnt one greatdause of the present agricultural distress
arises, front the rapid iherati,Al that took Ogee in the currency,
in consequence of the Act ;'9, (.ha'. 111. vaalti, which his in.
ereaeeal the real valne • of. all money peytitients, rendered the
prices of all the productions it the soil dieproportionally low,
and.Occasioneil a want of a sufficient circulattng medium in
the country ; thereby nuginenting, to a groat dwee, the heaVy
pressure of taxLition, and of other Mirth-lie affecting those chimes
who are now soffering; and hence that ineny persons alio here
entered into money engagements, are itivolvedin obligations,
, Which they cannot fuliiiwitliout ruin to themselves end their
• 11. '['hat if the provision of the said act (50, (co.i c.
490, by whieh " all the restrictions on payments in cash, shall
finally cease and determine on the Ist of May, 10.13,"' be car.
tied into effect, it is likely greatly to aggravate the severe dis.
.tram now - exiating ; and that Pariiainot, therefore, Shott 1(1
be petitioned to direct their earliest attention w that enact-
That the hardships and dieadvantages resulting from
the sudden alteration in the currency beforementioned, appear
to Ole ronlynittee to have la en considerably increased, by the
concurrent operation of the coinage act (rid, 6,0. 111. e. 68,)
by which, in conaequence of the regulatioior for the silver coin.
N.ra, gold is made the sole legal tender for paystiente except to
.the Rlllollnt of forty shilling,.
IV. That a remiesion of taxation, as far as is consistent with
the public safety and interests, and with the preservation of
.the national Nib ; and, (wherepracticable), the oubstitution
taxes' which would press more equal upon the whole comm.
nity,in the room of some which are severely felt by- those whose
e incomes, (now greedy reduced), are derived front land, would
be a great tiource of relief.
'rhat it would be very desirable, to have country banks
established in England arid Ireland on principles similar to
atioptedin Southold, which, by augmenting the circula-
tion, anti placing It on to footing or security, would confer an
essential benefit upon every part of the United Kingdom, whose
'interest:, arc trow so closely combined.
, VI. That although the Committee do not venture to recam-
finite], in the present situation of the country, that tiny fresh
• provisions should be introduced into the corn laws, as now este-
Welled, they are of opinion, that the permission to warelionee
foreign grain in this kingdom,
,has an effect very prejudicial to
the wholesome anti intended operation of those laws.
Vii. That by improvements in the distillery laws, an ade.
quate reduction of the duty on spirits, and more freedom to the
trade, a much larger consumption of graM would take place
titan at present,-the ,revenue would be increased--a 'better]
• quality of spirits matle—and the fraudulent practices which
now accornpany diatillatioq, with their demoralizing effects,
would be prevented, or diminished ; and that by adopting, also,
a better system for the manufacture and sale of beer,- the dim.
somption of that article, and consequently of barley, would be
greatly increased.
'file mewing then resolved, That it copy of the proceedings
of this day, he transmitted to the convener of every county in
Sentland,.with a resittest, that he shall take the earliest oppor.
unity its his yower. of calling a county meeting, to take the
same into its immediate consideration.
On the motion of Lord Succoth, seconded,liy the lit:namable
Lieutenatit.General Duff, the thanks of the meeting ,were voted
to the Sub-Committer, for having condocted the imeiness re-
'lentil to them, with AO much zeal, prudence, and ability. E
Upon the thanks being voted to the Chaitenan, lie expressed
lifts great sittisfactitilr,. that the business had been brought.to go.
happy a conclusion, .and his full conviction, if the proceedings
of tfint day were acted upon energetically, by the counties of.
- Scotland, that consegtiences highly useful to' the country at
large might lie confidently relied on. 'lle particularly tilluded
to the plan of milking silver jointly • with gold, a legal tender,.
by means of which alone owing to the low price of silver,-(45.;
per ounce), compareA to its mint price, (Ua.fido per ounce),
an addition would be made, at the rate of nearly 12 per cent. to
the price:4 of all agricultural- productions ; and another most
Important object, an ineretoce of circulation, would likewise be
qbtained : for Ale bonier) of paper -money would be entitled to
maintain in circulation it larger amount, when, instead gof being`
compelled to pay excinsively in gold. at 17e. 10d. Per ounce,
they could, in aheir-optim, pay in silver, at the rate of lis.
per ounce. He added, that either silver stone, or jointly with.
gold, had been a legal tender in this country, from the most
ancient periodi Of its history, till the Bank Restriction anti the
tleinage'Act of Ltd,% wizen, , fig thp first time, gold wee. made
exclusively, except for payment under 40 shillings, the stand-
, card of valito.—ttedinkoyes (Maroc'', Dec. 23.

Af3RICULT URAI J 'REPORT FOR DEC E BE R.
From the drought at the commencement, and
the subsequent. continued rains, a.considerable
,part of the wheat seed has been put in unusually
late. The appearance of the young crop, how-
ever, js -univetlally good. Local 41amage has
been done to tho wheats by the late Houk, from
which they are recovering ; and the crops, gene-
rally, will rec,?ive a salutary check by the late
and present seasonable weather. The potptoe-
crop Inis proved great, but' the considerable cul-
tivators are so dissatisfied at the present prices,
that many of them have determined to contract
that culture. geport speaks still more favourably
of the turnips, and of all the green cattle-crops.
Lands have been for some time getting ready for
putting in the early pulse. Store cattle and
sheep, from the abundance of keep during this
autumn, have been saleablewithout any depres-
sion of prices : but cows and calves, and foals,
have been most ready of sole. Pig breeding has
been utterly ruined in this country, by the con-
- aunt and extensive importation from Ireland.