The Sun.
London, England, 1821-12-25 00:00:00

A MERRY CIIRISTMAS.

" A merry Christmas" is, still used by some
plain, honest people, as a salutation in testimony
of their good fellowship and good wishes ; .but,
like that other old fashioned practice of wishing
" A happy new year," has given way with the
altered manners of the times. These expressions
formerly had allusion to the hospitality of the
rich, whose doors were, at this season of the
year, opened to their tenantry and neighbours,
ss hen, as it were by prescriptive right, the master
tit his guests with smiles, and conducted them
to their seats in the spacious hall of their man-
sio;:s, in the middle of w !licit were the hearths,
and where " Round about our coal fire" they
were rega led with all the plain but substantial fare
04 season could afford. The first dish was general! v
a BOAR'S II LAD, 'A hick was conveyed to the prin-
cipal table, w jilt much pomp and ceremony ;
scree instances a GAMMON of BAcoN ; and a
11 EA') .on CneisrmAsDAY is yet, at
Vbs.eli's College, Oxford, solemnly ushered into
-the hall, with a .Monkish Carol. Both these
cuqoros had a like.allusion : and both were
rarant to express an abhorrence of .1 udaism,
which our foretaatWts thought was appropriately
dune by choosing as the principal dish at the
ATIVIT of cif trisT„a they did also at his RE- j
SURRECTION at EAsTEIIS what was known
to be contrary to the Jewish law ; Paga-
nism Was at an end, and the Jews were
then almost the only opposers of our Su-
blime Faith.--Pnuma Pt;nnmers and MtNcE-PIES
-r-in token of the offerings of the Wise men from
the EAST, of which these ingredients were consi-
dered to be types, and the latter, made long,
with pieces of paste over them in the form of a
'cratch, or hay rack, in remembrance of the
manger in which our Saviour was first laid—were
sure to be provided in liberal profusion ; and
'LAMB'S Woo c, or a composition of ale, sugar,
nutmeg, Sze. so called from its peculiar softness,
passed from hand to hand in the WAssAtr. Bowr,,
until jollity itself grew tired ; meanwhile the
Jt;LE, or YULE. Loo burned briskly ; the CILRtST-
MAs CAROLS were sung in boisterous and enthu-
siastic commemoration of the auspicious day; and
:nought but social mirth, happy concord, and
mutual benedictions, were suffered to prevail.—
in the evening the MUMMERS, or PLAYERS, were
iatroduced ; dancing, or that species of festive
activity called GAMBOLS (and also for the pecu-
liar energies of tire season, CualsTstAs GAltaor:s)
was encouraged ; and every other means employ-
'ed, whereby to make the guests satisfied with
their host, and happy and pleased with each
other :

" A Christmas Gambol oft could cheer
" The poor man's heart, through half the year."
-At present Christmas meetings are chiefly con-
Eyed to family parties, happy, it must be confess-
.4.d, though less jovial in their nature ; perhaps,
too, less beneficial to society, because they can be
ecjoyed on other days, as originally was the case,
c..at set apart for more general conviviality and
sociability.—The WAsaAII. Bowr, of which there
ace st:il some customs remaining to keep it in re-
membrance, in the counties of Sussex and other
parts of the kingdom, was the name of the favourite
vessel oot of which our Saxon ancestors took such
copious draughts as even to call for legislative in-
terference. When the Saxon warrior brothers,
HENGIST aod TionsA, first visited this kingdom,
at the solicitation of VORTIGvns, Prince of the
Silevres, the British Chief became deeply en-
amoured with Rowr.N.t, the young and beautiful
niece of HENGIST ; and, forgetting his country,
quietly submitted to the ambitious views of his
sabile ally, who, from an auxiliary, soon render-
ed• himself a governing Monarch in our isle.—
At a. banquet prepared by ENC IsT in honour of
VQ.IIT,IGERN, ROWENA, instructed by her Uncle,
presented to the aged Prince a cup of spiced
wine, and with smiles welcomed him in the words,
" Waes heal hlciford cyning, i. e. " Be of health,
Lortl King ;" to which, through his interpreter,
lie answered, "Drink heal !" or " I drink your
health." - The result answered the views of the
Saxon.: VORTIGERN wedded the blue-eyed
Nymph, and became regardless of the preme-
ditated encroachments on his dominions. W A ES
HEAL, from that period, not unnaturally be-
came :he name of the DRINKING Cues of the
Azglo-Saxons, in all their future entertainments:
they merely kept up a remembrance of one of
the principal means by which they had acquired
possession of this country ; and the friendly sa-
lutation of wishing health became formerly esta-
blished, and even yet remains among us. Drink-
ing parties were called WASSALS, and their jovial
partakers WASSALERS, which latter the poor who
go about soliciting money at this period call
themselves and their occupation WASSALINGS.
The expression of Jo-1:1. or Yut.r.r., when ap-
plied to Ciames, Clogs, Logs, Batches or Blocks,
Ale, Cheese, Cakes, Dough, efe. as well as all
the corrupt variations into which it hag fallen in
different counties, of JUL, JoL, YULE, YEULE,
YOE, NULE, ULE, and U, each signifies Christmas,
while the addition of G 407103 or Clogs, &c. seve-
rally denote the amusements or articles in use at
that holy season.
The custom from whence the term Yuul Dough
arose was this :—The bakers formerly were ac-
customed throughout this country to present to
their customers, on Christmas day, as they yet do
in some places, small dulls or babies made of
dough, whereby to typify the Advent of our
Lord; formerly presents of confectionary were
offered to the Fathers at Rome, made up in the
form of crosses, infants, &c., and to that origin
our best writers ascribe the ridiculous and foolish
imitation of our bakers in their You! Dough.—
The term Yuul appears to be derived thus :---,
Anciently our Saxon ancestors, as well as others
of the Northern nations, kept a. festival in honour
of their great Idol Thor., at the period of the
year when 'the Sun was on his annual return,.
which thefuniversally called Jeer.: and it is a
remarkable fact, that such expression, or some
corruption frOrn,it, is yet in use on the Continent
for •Christthas. In Swrnr.N, DENMARK, NOR-
WAY, and IRELAND, JULor YIJUL comes

near the radical word ; while the French
NoEr, and the old Norman French NOUEL
which latter was introduced into this country,
are evidently derived from the like source.—
The commonalty, however, leaving to the
learned to search for the etymology of this
word from foreign languages, have found an
origin for the term in their mother tongue.
" When the wise men" say, they " were seeking
the infatit Jr:sus, they were informed by the
Shepherds that they were to pursue the way the
Star directed, for the Saviour is in the house over
which it will stop ; and there," added they,
" be sure to find him in a manger !"
Until of late years, and in some parts perhaps
even now, the common people in the North used,
after the Church service was ended on Christmas
day, to wake parties about the streets singing
ULE-SONGS, or songs of rejoicing. For these
JU UL SONGS and WASSAIL SONGS the Priests sub-
stituted others, borrowed from Italy, having- a
direct reference to the Nativity, and distinguished
by the titles of " Christmas Carols ;" hence the
religious songs for that day are now so called.
westhaven. F. D.

I B. E I. A N D.

SPECIAL COMMISSION.

LIMERICK, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19. Thowts
Hincky, charged with the murder of James
Buckley, on the 23d of September, was acquitted.
On Thursday, Martin Grady and John Grady
Mere tried for forcibly taking away fire-arms
from the house of Mr. Edward Morgan, at Dnn-
moylan, on the 10th of last August. The pri-
soners were capitally convicted.
John Histan and John Mullane were put on
their trial, for having attacked the house of
Daniel Reilly, at Churchto•.vn, in the county of
Limerick, on the 25th of November, and having
compelled hint to quit the house, in pursuance of
a notice which had been previously posted on his
habitation, ordering hint to do so. The prisoners
were capitally convicted.
John Ward and eight others were tried for
having assaulted a Crown witness, on his return,
under the protection of an escort of the police, to
Newcastle, after the last Assizes. They were
also indicted for having assaulted the police.—
All the prisoners were convicted.

OUTRAGES IN THE COUNTY or KLLDARP.—
Seyeral outrages, which seem to be connected
with that tumultuary spirit, now so prevalent in
the south of Ireland; have occurred in the course
of the present month in the county of Kildare.
A NOTR ER DREADFUL Munorn.—On yester-
day morning, Mr. Nathaniel Keays, of I)rurn-
kean, was murdered by a blow of a spade, given
by a man of the name of John Connell, known
by the nick-name of Shawn BaWn. This murder
occurred within about a hundred yards of Keays'
house. Connell rented a quarter of an acre of'
ground from him. After the ruffian had accom-
plished the deed he ran off; and although seen
by several neighbours, with the bloody spade on
his shoulder, yet none made the least exertion to
stop him. Several labourers were near the spot ;
but all affect to be quite ignorant of the horrible
transaction.—(Limerick Telegraph of Tuesday.)
Since our last, we have received intelligence
from different quarters of the County of Kilkenny.
The posting of illegal notices is now general
throughout a very considerable portion of the
county. These are principally directed against
the levying of tithes and the re-letting of surren-
dered; farms. We have not space to enumerate
the several instances of this lawless interference
with the most important rights, which have been
communicated to .us, upon unquestionable au-
thority, since our last publication.—(Kilkelow
Moderator.)
On the night of Wednesday last, the houses
of three fanners, resident on the estate of the
Earl of Orthonde, in the neighbourhood of Killa-
mery, were visited by an armed banditti, who,
after having very severely beaten these unfortu-
nate people; gave them positive orders to abandon
some farms which they had lately taken " over
other men's heads," as the miscreants expressed
it. The names of the individuals thus maltreated
are, Sheehy, Shea, and Kennedy, of whom the •
latter, we understand, has been bady wounded.
We have not space fora more particular narrative
of this outrage in our present. number. Our in-
formant gives it as his opinion, that the assail-
ants - came from the adjoining district of the
county of Tipperary.—(lbid.)
About ten or twelve days ago, two Yeomen,
named Allen and Leary, who live within three
or four miles of Kilcock, in the county of Kil-
dare, were attacked in their houses at night, by
about fifteen or twenty men, and robbed of their
arms.—On the same night, a man, named Browne,
was robbed of his gun at Ilortland ; and a man,
named Murray, who was not provided with arms,
had thirty panes of glass smashed by the fellows,
with the butts of their guns, Who, before their
departure, did other damage to the premises.—
It appears, that Carey, one of the murderers of
the late Mr. Cruise, confessed that his gun was
all they Ivanted.
We regret to state, that a very tragical occur-
rence took place on Wednesday last, at a place
called Lurgan, between Virginia and Bally-
jamesduff, about two miles from the latter
place. A Revenue officer, with a party of
military, (we heard the Royal Meath Staff,)
proceeded from Virginia in pursuit of a
private still, against which information . had
been sworn. When they arrived at Lurgan, they
saw a man named Lynchy making off with the
still. lie was pursued, overtaken, and the still
taken from him by one of the soldiers, who had
occasion to lay it down on the road. While
stooping, Lynchy seized the opportunity, snatched
the musket ; presented at him ; shot him dead,
and then fled with the musket. Another of the
party levelled his peace at the murderer, and,
with a well directed aim, also shot him dead.—
( C UVU7I Herald.)
We are happy to have to say, that we have not
heard of any attempt to seize arms in this neigh-
bourhood, these last two or three days.—(Clon..
mel.. Herald.)

[From the Dublin Morning Post, Dec. 19.1
THE CORPORATION.
This Body met yesterday at William-street, for the pur-
pose of preparing, a Congratulatory Address to his ma_
jesty, upon his sate arrival in his British Dominions, after his
long and fatiguing journey.—And also to Address his Excel-
lency Earl Talbot, on his retiring front the Government of
this country.
The business of the day was opened by Captain J. B. Fitz-
simons, who congtatulated the country on the safe arrival of
his Majesty, and concluded by moving, " that a Committee
be appointed to prepare an Address, on the happy event of his
Majesty's safe return."
Mr. Sutter seconded the motion, which was carried unani-
mously, and being concurred in by the Board of Aldermen,
the following Committee was appointed to prepare the same,
Viz.:—
Sir A. B. Xing, Bart. Alderman Exshaw, Alderman Dar-
icy, Alderman Cash, Col. Sir R. Shaw, Bart. Mr. Fitzsimons,
Mr. Sutter, Mr. Lect, Mr. Blacker, Mr. Preston, Mr. H.
Kearney, Mr. Potter, Mr. S. Neville, Mr. Hay, and Mr.
Wright.
Mr. Sutter then proposed the Address to his Excellency Earl
tAbDt, for his mild, yet firm, Administration of ;Justice in the

We received this morning the French Papers
of Friday and Saturday. The French Chamber
of Deputies met on the former day, when a
Royal projet of law was read, proposing the col-
lection and opening of a credit for two hundred
millions of francs, for the service of the first
three months of the year IS'22. The projet
was referred to a Committee, who presented
their report on the following day, but no time is
yet appointed for taking it into consideration.—
A very lively discussion afterwards took place
on the reading of the reports on two Petitions, in
which the Ministers were attacked for not having
taken part in these debates, and accused of the
same timid irresolution as their predecessors.—
The Keeper of the Seals, M. PEYRONET, rose to
reply, but was restrained by his colleagues, and
the defence of the Ministry was undertaken by
M. de CDR BI ERE,', the Minister of the Interior,
who contended that the Ministers were justified
in not speaking on the Petitions, because the
question before the Chamber related solely to
the propriety of referring the petitions to the
Ministry,, and it was therefore becoming in the
Ministers to wait for the decision of the House
without taking part in the discussion.
The accounts from various quarters respecting
the question of peace or war are all warlike. All
the General-Officers attached to the person of the
Emperor ALEXANDER have quitted Petersburgh,
with orders to the Commanders-in-Chief of the
different Russian corps; and letters from that
capital report that the EMPEROR was expected
to set out shortly for Kiow, and thence proceed
to Bessarabia. The Russian troops on the banks
of the Pruth are represented to amount to 180,000
men; fresh troops are marching to the same destina-
tion, and every thing leads to the belief that
the decisive blow will soon be struck. It is
pretended that Nov. 30 was the last day al-
lowed to the Divan to decide on the Russian
Ultimatum; and as that day has been suffered to
pass without any answer, silence, according to
the Oriental etiquette, is equivalent to a refusal;
and we may soon expect to hear of the hostile
movements of Russia. General Yertmor.orF is
appointed to the command of the Russian army
on this side of Persia. The course of exchange
at Petersburgh, and the Austrian funds, have fal-
len, owing to the prevalent impression of the
approaching war; which opinion is still further
strengthened by the great activity which has fur
some time reigned in the Prussian War Depart-
ment ; more particularly since the recent arrival
of a Russian officer at Berlin, with dispatches
from Petersburgh, on which occasion an extraor-
dinary Cabinet Council was summoned, and met
to deliberate en the contents.

The news from the Morea is of a gratifying
nature, and promises the eventual triumph of the
Greek cause. It is reported that a firman was
published at Constantinople on the Bth of No-
vember, in which the Grand Signior revokes the
former amnesty granted to the Greeks, in conse-
quence of their refusal to accept of it and submit
to his authority.
From Madrid under date the 10th instant, we
learn that an express had arrived from Cordova
with the report of an engagement between two
regiments on the main-road near that town : one
shouted Live Riego, and the other replied Live
the King and the Constitution. At these words
'a blood v conflict ensued, in which several officers
and privates perished. The Sevillians still re-
fuse to receive General MARINO DAOIZ, and
General VELAsco, whom they have retained in
his command, on hearing of the above rencontre,
sent a large reinforcement, under the command

of the famous ZALDIVAR, to observe General
DAIoz at Cordova.—According to a private let'
ter of the 11 th, the report of the Committee Of
the Cortes on the affairs of Cadiz and Seville has
given general dissatisfaction ; and accounts are
daily pouring into the Spanish capital of fresh
revolts.

FRENCH rusns.

Dec. 20, Five per Cents. .
Deferred Stock ...
Dec. 21, Five per Cents..
Deferred Stock

87 f. 35 c.
99 f. 40 c.
87 f. 65 c.
99 f. 40 c.

We have great pleasure in laying before our
Readers, the intelligent communication of " AN
'RBI! LANDLORD" (see our First Page), on the
causes of the outrages in the south of Ireland,
and on the means of alleviating and removing the
evils under which the sister island labours. It is
evident that our Correspondent possesses an ac-
curate knowledge of the real condition of the
Irish peasantry, and of the principal disadvan-
tages and grievances which have reduced them
to a state of great misery, and have plunged
them into a course of fearful crime. It is also
obvious that he has carefully examined into the
causes and progress of the malady ; and his
proposition that Commissioners should be ap-
pointed in each district to settle the rents of all
lands, with reference to existing circumstances,
as one means of lessening the distress, is a proof
that, though a land-owner himself, he is willing
to make every sacrifice which the exigencies of
the times may require for the welfare of his
country. Considering the lamentable ignorance
of the people of this country, as to the true state
of Ireland, we earnestly hope that our well-in-
formed and able Correspondent will continue to
favour the public with the further statement of
such facts as he may deem important to the pro;
per understanding of the subject, and with such
suggestions as he may think calculated to intro-
duce a better state of society into his distracted
country. His observations as to the misery oc-
casioned by the scarcity of fuel, and on the ne-
cessity of securing a supply of that indispensable
article, as a preliminary to any extensive plan
of improvement in the district between Cork and
Limerick, are confirmed by another letter now
before us from the very district alluded to, and
which is at present the most active theatre of
outrage and disturbance. The letter from this
agitated spot is dated the 20th instant, and
says, " of firing, they (the peasantry) are utterly
destitute. The turf has been all destroyed in
the bogs by the rain. So dreadful is the
want of fuel, that rich orchards and beautiful
plantations are cut down ri et arms, in open de-
fiance of the owners. The wood of every kind
is carried away in cart-loads. If the military.
(who, by the bye, can't compass what is more
strictly their service against the rebels, as they
are called), interfere to prevent the poor from
plundering in this way to obtain firing, the souse'
quence will be starvation!"—The same letter re-
presents the potatoe crop to be very bad, and asserts
that many poor families have not as much food aq
will supply them for two months, though their stock
should hold out till the month of May next
This is indeed a wretched prospect. In reference
to the remarks of our correspondent, " AY
.i.IIISII LANDLORD," on the difficulty of remit-
ting rents in such a manner as to benefit the
various classes of sub-tenants, as well as the
principal holder of the lands, we think that
difficulty might be obviated by the landlords
who consent to an abatement of rent making it
a condition that a proportionate reduction shall
be allowed, from the tenants in chief down to
the occupying labourers. We "agree with him
that the assistance of Government would be a
great value Ia carrying projects cf improvement
into execution, and in giving a more bene'
ficial direction to the industry of the peoplo,
and we think that Government sho7ild afford such
assistance without delay. Much, 'however, might
be done, even without the aid of Government,
and much would remain to be done by individual
enterprise and public spirit, even after the Go'
vernment had afforded all the aid in its power'
The Estates of Earl FITZWILLIAM, and of
several other absentee landlords, It is said,
present a striking and pleasing contrast t°
the general wretchedness of the country ; and
the Kilkenny Factory, as we have before oh-
served, if but one half of the representationi
respecting it be true, is one of the noblest in'
stances of successful skill, and of patriotic bene'
ficence, which any country has ever presented.
We feel assured, that if wise and well devised
measures were adopted for giving full emplofl
ment and a beneficial direction to the industry °I
the peasantry (and experience has proved that
such measures are practicable), it would soon be
found that a reduction of rents is not necessary t°
the prosperity of the mass of the people ; and vr°
feel equally assured, that, without the addia°r'