Star.
London, England, 1827-12-27 00:00:00

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AtITIENT CHRISTMAS.
7t4111R WALTER SCOTT.

4611*

tr.
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• - well cers' Chridian sires of old
• 'Violin course had lord,
be Christmas back again,
all its table train.
. ..
c and religious rite
Cleve !Amour to'he bole night:
On Christmas-404,16e bells were rung;
'' On Christmas.eve the mass wu sung;
That only night. In all the year,
Saw the stoie2 Priest the chalice rear.
The damsel donn'd her kirtit sides ;
The hall was dressld With holly green;
Forth to the wood did merry men go,
Torahs to the silsietoel
Then opebed wide the Baron's hall,
To'sfeW/A, tenant. serf, and' all ;
Powdlaid his rod of role aside,
And euensony doff 'd his rine.
The heir, with rose in his shoes,
That bight alight village partner choose:
The Lord, underogating, share
The vulgar game of " post and pair."
AU bailed, with uncentroula delight,
And general voice, the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the Crown,
Brought Minis of Salvation dowo !
. • '
The 6re, with well.4sied logs supply'd,
• - ' ' Went, roaring, up the Chimney wide;
huge !mailable's cake* face,
' 'd, dit it show, the day to grace,
"••. then upon Its massive board
''
„weak to part the Squire and Lord.
• " ....i.l. was bare& hi the lusty brawl,
- ..", .' taid blue.coated serving man;
....
~, 3,,, the grim boar's head bowed on high,
. . 6... • ed with bays and rosemary. r
en can die green.garb'd ranger ten, . .
's -•`''' ow; whoa. and where, the monster &111,.
. 11,111* dogs beforehis death he tore,
sa.
~. ..... di the baking of the boar ; ,
round the merry wised bowl.
• 'd with ribbons, blithe did trowl.
..' . -' ^ Vim the huge sirloin reek'd; hard by
• -•- • TWO porridge stood, and Christmas pies
like faird old Scotland to predate.
* seek high tide, her savoury geese. ~
.118% came the merry mamma in,
' ' Aid carob roar'd with Witham din;
'lf unsuledines was the song,
•
It seal a hearty note and strong.
Who lists may in their numming see •
Traces of ancient mystery ;
White shirts supply the masquerade.
• •" • ' And smutted cheeks the visor made • '
ohl what anaegiers. richly digit,'
bleat of booms half to light!
was merry Ragland whom
Christmas briUght his sports again.
'''Vies Christmas brooded the mitiotest ale;
• . .'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale ;
, A Chrtomas gambol oft would cheer
._ , . A poor man's bear through half the year! ,

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• Tut CORRESPONDENCE ems DIARIES or THE
EARLS OF cLmunicooN AND ROCRESTUR.
The publiestion.of .Dr. Douglas has king made the
• Letters and Diary of Heavy Earl. of Clarendon familiar
to a persons who have investigated the history of the
eventfol period whkh preceded the Revolution. The
matetiale; valuable in themselves, became infinitely
more so from the pains which were taken in their selec-
tion and arrangement by the accomplished and impar-
t tial Biala, of Salisbury, and his work has always been
justly considered as one of the most authentic and im-
portanrof the many curious collections which contain
the history of the events of that interesting time. A
• • -considerable portion of the letters and the diary were
pointed by Dr. Douglas from copies which had been in
the possession of Lord Clarendon, and had been pre.
served by some persons connected with his family. In
some respects they were consequently incorrect, and in
others they were deficient. Mr. Upcott, to whosegood
. • fortune and indefatigable exertions we are already in-
debted for the Evelyn Memoirs, and other discoveries
of a similar nature, obtained a great mass of papers
belonging to Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, from
• a lady who eas connected with the family of that no-
bleman. On inspecting them, he discovered that they
cootaised the originals of the copies which had been
used by Dr. Douglas, as well as a very considerable
quantity, of docurneets which bad never before been
• published. The fotmer work haying become somewhat
• rare, it was thought that a new edition of it, in which
should be contained the recent discoveries of Mr. Up-
cott, would be acceptable to the public, and the volumes
b• efore us have accordingly becubrought out under the
-care of Mr. S nger, whose antiquarian and historical
knowledge qualifies him very well for the task he has
undertaken.
The correspondence of Lord Clarendon, or of his
brother, are not distinguished by any extraordinary
literary merit; but as the letters contain in detail, and
without either affectation or reserve, the writers' opi-
nions on the affairs of the time to which they relate,
they cast a great light upon the varying intrigues and
momentous events of that period. The diAries, too,
although they were evidently intended for no eyes but'
theirs who penned them, are curious evidences of the
'effect which the circumstances of the times produced
upon the persons who. acted in them. The justice of the
stand whielethe people of this country made against one
of the most dangerous and at the same time the most
contemptible of their monarchs is proved beyond the
• possibility of cavil 'or question; and if any excuse were
emitted for the resolute lengths to which• they went,
thesepapers would furnish such excuse.. " All that we
boast of as Englishmen,"ays Dr. Douglas in the re-
marks which he prefixed to the original publication of
the letters, "we owe to the Revolution. While we
enjoy the invaluable blessings of civil and religious
liberty, we shall read mere with satisfaCtion the most
authentic'account of the strange attempts of James to
establish lawless despotism, and to introduce odious
superstition, which has yet appeared; and while we have
the fullest view of the dangers escaped, it will be no
small addition to the value of the.present collection, that
it confirms many important facts, which throw light on
the conduct of those pat-iota who had the honesty to
resist a tyrant, and happily to succeed in their glorious
attempt."
The most valuable part of Lord Clarendon's cot.
respondence is that which consists of his letters from
Ireland during the period that he was Lord Lientenaet
there. They display the attempts which were made day
by day to carry into effect James's favourite scheme of
establishing the Roman Catholic religion there, and
prove that in accomplishing this object he considered
the most flagrant violation of the laws and of all Con-
stitutional principles as mere trifles. His own letters,
and still mote the conduct of his favourite and confi-
* dent, D'ck Talbot, the bold add bad Lord Tyrconnel,
afford the most unequivocal testimony of this fact. Ijs
one of Lord Clareudon's letters he describes his first ie.
' terview ie. Ireland with Lord Tyrconnel, who was seat
there to 'be "Viceroy over him;', and although he
writs under, feelidgs of .chagrin which he scarcely at.
teQnpti tosonceal, the destription is characteristic and
Mack More animated thin must of his efforts this way.
It seems that Lord Tyrconnel had acquired the Irish