Star.
London, England, 1824-12-25 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS CUS
nom ma's sworn son 1525.
This is the time when we so -emphatically wish each
ether " a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!"
and both in town and country good eating and drink-
big and conviviality in general are much encouraged.
In vain, however, do we look for " The jolly Wessel-
Bowl," and " The Bore's Heade,"--" with garlandes
gay and rosemary?' Popular superstitions and cus-
toms may generally be traced back to heathen times,
for on theirrites and mysteries were many of the Ca-
tholic ceremonies afterwards engrafted ; and to the Sa-
turnalia we are, or rather our ancestors were, probably,
indebted for some of our Christmas pastimes. The
Reformation first injured their popularity, and the age
of Puritanism gave them a fresh shock. It was even or-
dered by Parliament, December 24, 1652, That no
observation shall be had of the five and twentieth day
of December, commonly called Christmas Day ; nor
any solemnity used or exercised in Churches upon that
day in respect thereof." They now appear to be_ neg-
lected by society in proportion to its degree of polish;
and in the metropolis and its immediate neighbourhood
are little encouraged by the higher classes, and but
partially by the• middling ranks, while among the
lower portion of the people they frequently degenerate
into debauchery. In the country, especially in the far
Western and Northern counties, Christmas is yet kept
up with much spirit ; the yule log still crackles on the
hearth, and " the sirloins of beef, the minced pies, the
plum-porridge, the capons, turkeys, geese, and plum.l
puddings," smoke upon the hospitable board. Each
master of a family, like-the old courtier in the ballad,
appears to have
"a good old fashion, when Chriatmasse is come,
To call in all his old neighbours with bagpipe and drum;
With good chrar enough to furnish every old room,
And old liquor able to make a cat Tait, and man dumb."
"01 rus, g.rendo to aspiciam.' Yet even-there the
hand of improvement has been active, and some va-1
limbic relic of ancient festivities is occasionally ushered
from the parlour to the kitchen, never more to returat.l
The decoration of houses and churches with evergreens)
is continued, however, in London ; nor is there st-defi-
ciency, to the best of our experience, in the demands
for Christmas-boxes; the original intention of which
was, probably, to enable die poor to partake of the fes-
tivities of the season, from the gratuities of their more
wealthy fellow-creatures—and, GOD forbid ! that, while
feasting ourselves, we should not assist our poor neigh-
bours and dependants to enjoy themselves. Certain
nocturnal wandering minstrels occasionally disturb the
slumbers of the citizens for a month prior to Christmas,
calling themselves Waits; but, " alac k the day !" in-
stead of playing and singing the good old Carol, our i
ears are saluted with Roy 's WO, St. Patrick's Day, or,
the latest Quadrille tune. In many parts of the coun-
try, especially in the West, the Carol is still pro.,
served, and is sung in the parish churches on Christ-
mas Day, the singers also going about to the diffe-
rent houses, blithely caroling such cheering tunes as
A Child this day is born. Sit you, merry Gentle-
men. I saw three Ships come sailing in, &c. &c.
London, except some croaking ballad-singer, bawling
out, GOD rest you merry Gentlemen, or a like doggrel,
nothing in the shape of Carols is heard, though there is
a considerable sale of them among the lower classes.
Look at the following list of Christmas amusements,
given by Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy, now
superseded by Pope Joan, Blind Man's Buff, and Puss
in the Corner :—" The ordinary recreations which we
have in winter, are cardes, tables and dice, shovel-
board, cliesse-play, the philosopher's game, small
trunkes, billiards, musicke, maskes, singing, dancing,
yule-games, catches, purposes, questions, merry tales of
errant knights, kings, queens, lovers, lorcls, ladies,
giants, dwarfs, thieves, fairies, goblins, friars, witches,
and the rest." As to mummers and Christmas plays,
unless Grimaldi and the pantomimes be considered as
relics, we know not where to fiad them in or near
the metropolis ; though formerly a Lord of Misrule, or
Christmas Prince was chosen, even in the highest fami-
lies and most learned establishments ; even our Kings
used to join in these sports. Mummers, guisardes on
guise-dancers (commonly called geese-dancers), may yet
be seen in the country ; and the story of St. George and
the Dragon, and the Fair Sabra, is ar.nually repeated,
enlivened with the frolics of Old Father Christmas and
the Doctor, nho cures " each deep and deadly wound"
of the combatants, coming for that purpose
" front the furthermost parts of Spain
With a little bottle of eleeampaine."
These guise-dancers are profusely decorated with
ribands, each carrying a naked sword, with the excep-
tion of the fair Sabra, who is modestly clad in female
attire ; and Old Father Christmas and the Doctor, who
are the Pantaloon and Clown of the Piece, the ormer
being generally disguised by a frightful mask.
It is expected that very early in I'ebruary, a Session
will be held in the Old Bailey, for the trial of persons
charged with offences committed on the high seas,
within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of Great Britain.
The snow has fallen on Exmoor, during the last
week, full six inches in depth : the weather was then
more severe than at any period in the last winter.
DARING ROSIRRY.—One of the most daring street-
robberies that has occurred in the metropolis for some
time took place on Thursday evening last, between the
hours of five and six o'clock, nearly opposite the gate
leading into Gray's-inn. Mr. W. WEST, a solicitor,
after leaving his chambers, walked out of the inn to
one of the Kentish-town stages, then standing nearly
opposite, and while the coachman was in the act of
lowering the steps, a short but powerful fellow darted
towards Mr. WEST, and seizing his watch-chain, drag-
ged the watch out of the fob, and endeavoured to make
off, at the same time giving the coachman-a tremen-
duous kick on the shins with a view to prevent pursuit;
the latter, however, grappled with the fellow for a mo-
ment, and finally succeeded in lusec,kiug him down,
though he at the same time reacted a stunning blow
on the temple from his antagonist, who sprung from
the ground, again struck at the coachman, and ran off
towards the alleys at the other side, where he found
means to secrete himself eifectually, though' quickly
pursued. The watch is a valuable gold patent levers
• Monday, Mr. Williams, parcel agent, and Mr. Peafs
son, a surgeon, attended at the Dublin Police Oftiies-
Mr. Williams deposed that he had shipped twoboses,
directed to Messrs. Assins, London, which were re-
turned to him that day. Mr. Williams then examined
them, and found therein two human bodies. He fur-
ther stated, that Mr. Pearson called upon him for the
boxes, which, he said, contained linen. Informations
were lodged against Mr. Pearson, who, is his defence,
said, that he was a Student of Surgery in London, and
from the great scarcity of subjects, had been induced.
to come to Dublin, to procure a supply.