Star.
London, England, 1826-01-07 00:00:00

TWELFTWDAY.

it NM& it comes! Bach biurseryed its
The Twelfth-night gins Ord all his Clan—.
'Tts Mirth, fresh erowted with teleletnel ate.
There is some difficulty in collecting acconnts either
las to the .origin of Twelfth Night, or as to the manner
in which it is, and has been celebrated, in different
parts of the country, and at various times. If a sada:
cal prophecy, in " Vox Gratuli," 1623, may be relied
on as authority, it bears testimony to the popularity of
Twelfth Night at that period. On the 6th January,
the authr.r declares that " this day, about the houres of
5,6, 7,8, 9, and IQ—yea, in some plates till midnight
well nigh, will be such a massacre of spice-biead, that
ere the next day at noon, a twopenny brrwne I.,afe
will set twenty poore folkes teeth on edge." -He fur-
ther affirms, that there will be "on this night much
masking in the Strand, Cheapside, Holbourne, er Fleet-
street. Tile twelve days of Christmas, as the extent
of its holidlys, were proverbial. 'According to NHO.
georgus, in the "Popish Kingdom," a poem %hid:
gives curio's accounts of ancient customs, it is to be
gathered, that the King of Twelfth Night, after the
manner of Royalty, appointed his officers. A citation
by Brand reptesents the antit-nt Twelfth Night cake to
have been composed of flour, honey, ginger, and pep-
per. As 'to the origin of Twelfth Day, l and says,
that " though its customs vary in diffeicnt countries,
yet they concur in the same end., and that is, to d
honour to the. Eastern Magi. Portions of the cake
used to be assigned to CHIIIST, the Virgin, the three
Magi," &c. The'same writer observes, "that the
practice of choosing 4 King' on Twelfth Day, is similar;
to a custom that existed among the ancient Greeks and
Romans, who on the festival days of Saturn, about
this season of the year, chew lots for Kings, and like
Kings exercised their' temporary anlority. Finally,
Mr.Fosbrooke affirms, that "the King of Saturnalia
was elected by beans, and that from thence came our
King and Queen of that day. The coincidence of the
election by beans having been common to both customs,
leaves scarcely the possibility of doubt that ours is a I
continuation of the heathen practice under another
name. Yet some of the observances on this day are
the remains of druidical and other ceremonies."
The cokes that appeared in the shops in Piccadilly,
Cockspur-street, and Condi% equalled in sugary bulk
those of former years. The ornaments had the usually
variegated. character, bur the most popular norelty
amongst them was, the figure of Paul Pry; it "is.
trudea' everywhere. The Twelfh Cakes at the 'West
end of the town have no longer sugary sides, emblem-
atical of the " white cliffs of England ;" there is an
innovation of the most marked character; the Cake,
are enveloped in pink paper, with fringed edges, sur-
rounding the monarchswielding their sceptres, Britannia
in her car, Peal Pry in pursuit of his umbrella, &c.
A modern and voluminous publication,- intitled, the
Picture of England and Wales," giving ample ac-
counts of the different counties, their customs, &c. says,
"To enumerate the i a ,try-cooks with the sweeral trades
might appear ludicrous, yet when it is known that one
of that trade, a London citizen, was from his success,
enabled to btqueath more than one hundred thousand
pounds to his heirs, the seeming pettiness of the business
swells into importance:.