The native American., 1838-02-10
From The -4nerican in England-Jy ShdeR.
RY-AMERICANS ABROAD

i
] NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ABROAD.
Christmas IN London, and Propriefies of The
English ns their Theatres.
The riot had already commenced, one day in
advance An ill-judged charity, or their own
economy, had furnished the most wretched of the
popuace with the means of brutal indulgence and
at nghtfall the streets of the capital resounded
with drunken brawls, and the clamors of pervadng
debauchery. That night went to the Covenl
Garden Theatre to witness the Christmas specta
Gle of Mother Hubbard and her Dog. Having
tired of this, went next to Drury Lane, where
there was most brilliant pageant founded on the
fable of st. George and the Dragon, and the
Seven Champions of Christendom. In both
places the audience was of character, more dis
gusting than can be furnished by any other capital
in the world.
In the places of inferior price, the occupants
were sitting in their shirt sleeves, their coats
hanging down before the boxes, and sometimes
falling; bottles were passing from mouth to mouth,
while,' Immediately below me, sat two ruffans
with their sweethearts, who in addition to their
bottle of gin, had glass to drink it from, either
because their tastes were more scrupulous, or be-
cause they had an eye to the just distribution of
their 'slush!'' One of them, who had but half a
nose, kept his arm about the neck of his greasy
partner, and induged in open dalliance, in which,
indeed, he was supported by the example of many
others, in the face of the audience.
This, in the boxes, consisted chiefly of persons
of tender age, of either sex, who, having return
ed from their boarding schools to spend the holy
days at home, were brought by their parents to
see what they might. The spectacle off the
stage was, at all events, an edifying one; and
what with the shouts, groans, the whistling and
deafening din, left the place at length, completely
stunned and heartsick.
There nothing very refreshing in the
scenes without. Here, too, the air was foul
with gas, smoke, and i'll odours of every sort.
| 1t was raising in slow, deliberate manner.
The streets, and they who perambulated them,
were reeking with mud: while the corners and
other stations, where a more than usually bril-
liant display of gas lights and stained glass an
nounced the position of gin palace, were sur
rounded by ragged throngs, whose flushed faces,
tainted breaths and noisy camor, gave evidence
of the depth of their potations. These groups
were not composed alone of the ruder sex, but
women from the laboring classes of life, as well
as of more wretched description, mingled in
equal numbers. Many staggered homeward,
cursing or chanting drunken catch, with bot
| tie in each hand; while others, only singly
armed, sustained on the aother side an uncon-
\ scious infant, exposed thus soon to the inclem-
ency of the weather, and doomed to suck its
earliest nourishment from bosom polluted by
poisonous ministerings.
1 1t was near two o'clock: the light Of day,
Withdrawn some ten hours earlier, had proclaim
ed that this was the season meant by nature
for repose; yet everywhere the streets were
thronged with whatever was unseemly in the
spectacle of human degradation. The ears were
shocked with slang and obscenity, and from
blind alleys, constituting the darker haunts of
misery and vice, proceeded the fierce clamor of
drunken strife, and reiterated cries Of 8 Murder!
murder!''
1 AS went musing homewards, it was diff
cult to realize that which had contemplated
was done in commemoration of the nativity O
4 our Saviour. It was by drunken orgies, mur
derous brawls, and shameless prostitution, thai
the English populace celebrated the advent Of
Him who came to establish pure and un-
sullied religion-"the Lamb which taketh away
the sins of the world" could not help re-
memberng that the last Christmas had found
me among the Mahonese, people who, being
both Catholic and Spanish, had, as such, dou-
BILE claim to the scorn and pity of Englishmen.
| What were the circumstances there attending
the celebration of Noche Buena-the happy
night of all the year!
| why, the streets were gay Win groups
mirthfuI and merry-making maskers, pausing tt
sing and to dance beneath the balcony or We
randa, until, as the midnight hour approached
that fulfilled the period of the thrice joyous
anniversary, all were seen to seek the templ
which was to be the scene of its celebration
Behold the vast area of the noble edifice, fillet
with adoring thousands kneeling humbly OH thu
! pavement, as they contemplated the mystery
n which shadowed forth the scene of the Nativity
the Gothic roof trembling with the glad sounds
of angelic hallelujahs, or reverberating to thu
Joyous and life-inspiring strains pealed forth by
that noble organ, thrilling the feelings with un
! told ecstacy, and elevating the soul heavenwart
with holy joy. by strains not unworthy of the
skies. There was no intoxication, save wha
might be found in the delicious transports Of
believers, quckened into sublime enthusiasm
at the advent of the Redeemer.