Star.
London, England, 1814-12-24 00:00:00

_

CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY.

THE FOLLOWING IS A VIVID BUT FAITHFUL IPICTUItE OF
ANCIENT CHRISTMAS EVE:
On Christmas eve the bells were rue*;
On Christmas eve the mass was sung;
That only night, in all the year,
Saw the stoleil Priest the chalice rear.
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen;
The ball wardressed with lolly green;
V,rth to the wood did merry-men go
To gather in the ruisletne.
Then opened wide the Baton's hall
To va,sal, tenant, serfs anti all;
Power laid his rod of rule aside,
And ceremony Slifed his pride.
The heir, with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choose:
The Lord, underogating, share
The vulgar game of post and pair.'
All bail d, with uncontrourd delight,
And !general voice, the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the crown.
liroughi tidings of salvation down.
The ire, with well-dried logs supplied,
Went roaring up the chimney wide;
The huge ball table's oaken face,
Scruh'd till it shone, the day us grace,
Bore then upon its massive board
No mark to part the 'squire and bird,
Then was brought in the lusty brawn,
old blue coated serving man;
Then the grim boar's head frown'd on high,
Crested with bays and rosemary.
Well can the green-garbed ranger tell
How, when, and where, the monster fell:
Whit dogs before his death be tore)
And all the baiting of the boar.
The weasel round in good heown bawls,
' Garnished with ribbons, blithely trowls,
There the huge serloin reeked; bard by
Flum porridge stood, and Christmas pia;
Nor failed old Scotland to produce,
At such high cute, her savoury Lowe.
Then came the merry ntcsquers in,
And carols roared with blithesome din s
• If untnelodious was the song,
It was a hearty note, and strong.
Who list. may in their nnuuming see
Tra e.- of ancient mystery;
Wk: s chins -u (plied the masquerade,
At seamed cheeks the :stuns made;
0! whit mmquers dight
Can boa.:!. o' b,);ools hall so light!
Ingland was merry England when
Old chti•tmas brought his sports again.
. ' lavas Christmas broached the mightinst ale;
'Twas l hr gnus told the merriest tale;
A Chrii:ma • gambol oft could cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year
Tn the primitive Church, Christmas-day was always preceded
with an eve or vigil Whet) the devotion of the eve wits com-
pleted, our forefa hers used to light up candles of an uncommun
sig, which were called Christmas candles, and to lay a log of
wood upon th- fire., called the ysile-sq, or log. A kind of baby
or tittle image, intended to represent Jesus, and called the yide-
&we, was formerly made gt this season, and preseoted by the
bakers to their customers; and In some pets of the northern
counties, the people, after service on Christmas-day, cry, Ulf, ale,
oh, as a token of rejoicing, th! lower orders running shoat the
streets, vociferating--

Ult. as//, at, A
Trrec puddirp in a pule,
Crack slurs and cry Ult !

The preparations for the celebration of this festive
season seems to be more general than we have obser-
ved it for several years past. The grand offering to
Old Christmas, namely, the holly and misletoe, ap-
peared yesterday in Lirge masses, inmost of the mar-
kets. Covent-garden market, in particular, displayed
a vast quantity. There is a fine display of beef ; and
*venal butchers, to attract custom, have written ever
their bind and fore-quarters—•" Fed by the Duke of
Ben,oap." Poultry is uncommonly dear. A turkey
fells from twenty to thirty shillings, a goose from ten
to fifteen shillings, and fowls in the same proportion.
The stage-coaches have been loaded during the week
with game, and other raritiesarom country friends;
in short, every arrangement seems so be made by John
Awl to make this, as it truly is, a most happy Christ-
mas.

THEATRICAL. FRACAS.—A comical affair has oc.
tarred t the Theatre of Botadeanx, which has made
a great poise in that City: A-young, beautiful, and
accomplished dancer, of the name of Mademoiselle
Thgrand, after having on Friday the 2d instant, dis-
played lit, graces in the Ballet of :Don,remanie,
mounted imo a post-chaise and set off for Bayonne,
whet e a vessel was prepared for her embarkation tp
Englatd. 13be. was supposed to be accompanied in
her tiirht by a gay and gallant. Englishman who had
for s.asie time paid devoirs at her toilette. The Di.
rector ,tif the Theatre, instead of wasting his time in
idle lamentations for the loss of his most brilliant star,'
set off in pursuit of the fugitive, accompanied by a
party of gels d'arpres, ar.d overtook the enamoured
air. In vain did the rich Lover offer to pay the
ger the forfeiture pf her engagerpeut—in vain
did be offer the den' d'arnies 4 thousand' Louis d'ors
to stiffet her escape. ' They were all. inexorable, and
the daughter of Terpsichore was reconducted to,
*ourdeauk. 'r'.e Theatre was crowded on the night.
of her re.appearince At the OpFra. On the riling
ot. use curtain the Regiirair, M. Cason, came ff r.
ward. anfl in an address• of grear sensibility, es-
primed in the name of -the Lady the sense of shame
and repentance with which she was penetrated, and
prayed their forgiveness for her fault. This harangue,
pronounced in the most humble tone, bad the desired
effect, and there was an universal shout of applause.
MAdemOiselle Btrand, at the commencement of the
Ballet, having to enter merely to deliver or receive a
Inter, was received with the warmest plaudits, upon
which she took the opportunity to advance to the
frimt of the stage, and made two most profound re.
virencea, to thank the public for their indulgence
• Then Ilse redoubled, and it was thought that
all was over : but on her second entry, a voice in the •
parteece,called out " Ole Mademoiselle' Bigra nd Flame
7' "Joulaisr." In' an instant this epigram acted ?Hie
electrrei:7 on the auditors. It became the signal fur
an•uproar. The Journal of Bourdeaux 'says-46 Les
cries, k: hat s, ks ,i 4,141, Is: vociferatiens parrient d'on
coin, d'un :col coin de Parterre," and did not discontinue
during the rest of the spectacle. Some persons eta
far foigot themselves as to assal the dancers with
aiiiika and oratipas.—Such isalte account of this affair
given. in the Manorial Bordelai: of O, qtli. and 9th
inst. and it was not the shunt: laic of the elopement
cf. the young dancer, but the choice of her gallant,
which gave rise to the tjimuh, in wOich the•lbalons-
tents bad
.an occasion to thew their spleen Of the
Eneisb, myeral of whopwereseated nt.tbFiKqes.,—.
The lover .
pursued his jootney to England atone.
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