Star.
London, England, 1807-12-26 00:00:00

EDI.VBURGH, DECEMBER 31.

Arrived at OMAN'% hotel, the Earl and Cnnntefs
of ltosstra, MlQec Bouvears and Haw Loci. Set
off from the fame place, the Marquis and Mar.
chinnefs of DnuascaLt., LnrclSveNcsa Catcarsral
and Mifs LyT7ORD, for Belfalt ; and General R.
Si-swear for London.

ARRIVALS IN TOWN.
His Highners the Duke of Oloucefter, at his hours in Chandos•
!titer. from Bagibot
Lord and Lady Kinnaird, in Grofrenor ftreet, from Ireland.
George Meredith, Erg. in Nottingham-place, froth Edenkridge.
• . DEPARTURES FROM TOW*.
Yds Royal Meiners the Dube of Clarence, from Stable-yard , for'
Berkley Cattle.
His Royal Higiuters the Duke of Cumberland, from St. James's
Palace, for Windfor.
The Earl of Camden, from Arlington-ftreet, for the Wildenters.
The Counters of Albemarle, for Brighton.
or.i and Lady Offulfton, to pars the holidays with the Earl and
Cutooefs of Derby, at the Oaks.
Sir Richard Ainfey, Bart. from Manthefter-fgoare, on a silk to
W. Cobett. Efq. at Little Hillingdon.
The Hon. Arthur Stanhope, on a ?Bit, and to pars the holidays
with the Earl and Counters of Effez, at Cafhiobury Park.
General and Mrs. Grolvenor, for their feat in Wilts.
Mrs Fitzherbert, from Tilney-ftreet, to Brighton.
Montagne Burgoyne, Efg. from Baker-ltreet, for Mark. Hill,
Effir.
Ycßerday being the Anniverfary of the nativity of
Otra.LORD, commonly called Chriflmas Day, it was
etbferved with due folemnity in the metropolis and
its environs. The greater part of the Volunteer
Corps attended divine fervice. The Ea.l India Bri
gade went., in Four divigions, viz. to Bilhopfgate,
,Aldgate, Cree Church, and St. Michael's, Cernhill ;
the Cuftom honk Corps, at Barking Church, Tower-
fireet ; the Excite Corps, at Broad areet ; the Surrey
Corps generally in diviiions to their relpeeive parifh
churches. Sermons were preached, and colleelions
made at the Chapels of the Afylum, Magdalen,
Foundling, and Philanthropic Charities.
The Chriflmas feftivities were kept up yeflerday
with the ufual hilarity, and the merry maiden, eonfeffed
.that " the Druid's magic Mifletoe" (till retained all
it enchanting influence.
, ORIGIN OF PLACING HOLLY IN CNURCHES.-...-The
ireat Newton, in his Diftertations on Prophecy, fsyr,
" Gregory Nyffen tells us, that after the perfecutim
of the Emperor Decins, Gregory, Bifhop of Neocre-
farea, in Pontus, infiituted, that feflival days fhould
be celebrated to them who had contended for the
faith, that is, to the martyrs." And Nyfren adds
this reafon for the inflitution, viz. " When he (Ore
gory) obferved, that the fimple and unfailful multi-
tudes, by reafon of corporeal delights, remained in
the error of idols, that the principal thing might be
correaed among them, namely, that inflead of their
vain worfitip, they might turn their eyes upon Goo,
he permitted, that, at the memories of the holy
martyrs, they might make merry, delight themfelves,
and be difrolved into j.-q. The heathens were de
lighted with the feflivals of their gods, and unwilling
to part with thole delights ; and therefore Gregory,
to facilitate their eonver firm, inflittited annual fall-
salt to faints and martyrs." Hence, it came to pats,
that for exploding the feftivals of the heathens, the
principal feflivals of the Chriflians fucceeded in, their
room ; as the keeping of Chriflmas with ivy, and
hafting, in the room of the Bacchanalia and Satur-
nalia : the celebrating of May Day with flowers, in
the room of the Floralia ; and the keeping of Ai-
tivals of the Virgin Mary, John the Baptilt, and
divers of the A potties, in the room of the folemnities
ufed at the entrance of the fun into the figna of the
Zodiac in the old Julian calendar. " The Church,
(lays an ingenious writer), bath only chriflened
thefe heathen fettivals with the name of fome faints ;
and as Pececnber was a dead time of the year when
the heathens had their Saturnalia, and gave look to
recreation, the Chriflians honoured the reafon with
the name of their SAVII.UR." Here then we may
dilcover the honourable origin of Chriamas, and by
confulting Kennet, or aev wher writer on Roman
Antiquities,we may alio eitiOnver how thee Bacchanalia
were oblerved, the grols licentinufnefi of that felli-
•al, and the reafon of " placing fprigs of ivy, holly,
&c. in our churches at Chriflmas ;" a fcafon of more
dA,lute pleatore and criminal indulgence than any
other in the while year, as it Ciralsr was become
the Nlinifler of (in !"
Wedneltlav and Thitrilay !111, the Duke and
Doehers of MAP L!if,R,L,Gfe, annual literal donation
of bread an.l meat waq diaributed at Blenheim Park
Gate atnong the por of \Voodllock, and the feven
domain towns, in proportion to the number in each
family. At this inclement leafon, loch ads of cha-
rity are certainly well timed. May this munificent
example he followed by ail thofe who have it in their
power to relieve the wants of the poor !
Lord Vifconnt D"DLF Y and WARD has given 40
tons of coals to be dittt dotted among the poor oil
Woi teller ; three tons of which have been fcnt to the
priloners in the county and city gaol.
After the reheatfals of the new Pantomimes which
were gone through yesterday at both Theatres, an
entertainment was furnithed try the Proprietor., and
the Performers loon converted their mimic fun into
real fubflantial mirth.
The revolution in Spain teems to be Manned with
all the forms of the legitimate drama. The
_fist as
ti performed, but no one can goers how the (tory
will end. It is pretty Cataio, however, from the
Aftdtbrw's talents in his other dramas, that the charac-
ters are nut likely to be made kajpy at laft.
Three or four Cambridge Pucks, a few days (ince,
laid a wager r f 100 guineas, that they would dance
at the ball at Huntingdon, and alto at the New Rooms
in Bury, tl.e fame nigh., 'which they acctnnplilhed,
although a difiance of 58 miles, and particit,ated f..r
fern, hours,at each place, in the pleafur es of the dance.
It would appear, if legal pleadings are to be cre-
dited,
that the frailty of the fair felt ii all owing to
want of ',rotation, and that watchmen and patrolcs
are as neceffary in the lisymnral chamber, as in the
k ilreets of London. We now not that the fax will
feel themfelves much gratified by being compared to
articles that have no paw. cf rn,lante.
Wednefday laft, a turnip, weighing zolbs. was
pulled in a field belonging to Mr. R. Weaver, of
&tighten, near Chefter. This turnip is 71b. heavier
than that which obtained the vternium at Smithfield
a few days ago.