Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-05-03
MAY DAY AT THE AUGUSTA FEMALE
SEMINARY.

In company with proper guanturn of the Bellies
and BeauX of our town, not TO mention due sprnk-
ling OF the elderly and graver portion of society,"
we attended the celebration of this time honored
Festival on Monday evening last.
Not protesting to be entirely an fat in matters
OF antiquarian research, shall not risk what
little reputation possess by undertaking too mi
mute history of Festival, which first under Pa
gan and then under Papal ordinances mas been OBJ
served from lime inmemorial. We shall not be
misunderstood as casting any reflections On the fair
Misses, and much less on any ecclesiastical regu-
latons when we say for the instruction of our less
favored readers that we owe the observance of
May Day 10 the ancient Romans. Whatever
contrarety OF opinion may exist as to the origin of
May-whether derived from .Maia the mother of
Mercury. to whom the first day of the month was
consecrated, or from the old Latin designation of
the month as "nlensiS maOrum''-month of Sc
niors while June was called 'n,ensis i,tnio,,fra"
month of the juniors, we shall not undertake to
decide. Our Saxon ancestors called the month
"Irmllchi," because they then began to mich
their cows thrice a day. The Romans on this day
held feast called Florida, in ausion to the
springing forth of flowers while the Cells held the
season peculiarly consecraed to the God of the SUM-
that luminary at this period becoming more genial
In his Influence and more proracted in his visits to
our orbit In Ireland and the Highlands of Scot
land the Feastof Belten is still family to be ira
ced.
Our customs are rather derived from the Roman
feast of Florida. In this we observe very stri-
king adaptation to the season. Our more immed
ate forefathers observed the day and the whole dav
with great zest. They began at midnight wishing
each other merry May-so that according to
Shakespeare the people of England could not sleep
on May morning. They then went forth with
music, SC to some wood and employed themselves
IN breaking down branches with which thew adorn-
ed their houses, and by day break the whole vii
| lage looked like bower. Even Mayors and AL
dermen of London did not disdain such sport. and
we read that old bluff Harry VIII, and his Queen
Catharine attended by Lords and Ladies rode from
Greenwich to Shorter's Hill on such an expedition
10 the Mayors fthe towns pertaned the province
of bringing home pole adorned with gariands a
round which the people danced. This led to the
custom Of establishing tall May pole, sometimes
as high as the mast of sloop of SO TONS in the
villages, which was striped black and white, and
became the centre of attraction for all the merry
makers; Robin Hood, Little John and Maia Mari
an, celebrated among the Sherwood outlaws, were
represented by maskers.
The Puritans and King James J, did not think
these May poles and concom ants unworthy O
grave discussion, the former condemninr. the lat
ter advocating in his celebrated ''Book of Shorts :,
Change of Manners has done what neither RELIGION.
principle nor acts of Parliament could effect. Ma,
Day has passed into comparative oblivion, and fol
the HrSt ltre IN our lives nave we been permitted
to witness the present mode ofobservance; and tru
ly, if this be considered specimen we shall hal
the recurrence with joy. While there was no in
temperate gaety and not the least approach to bos
ferrous merrlment or disorder, we were offered ;
scene in which the mingling of sweet faces ant
tasty wTeaths, graceful miens and dignifed compo
sure, spoke WELL at once, for the character of the ri
sing generation Of young Ladies and the faithful
and diligent course of discipline and instruction OBJ
served in this day. The young Ladies acquitted
themselves with modesty and propriety as speaker.
distinct in uttering and yet retiring in demeanour
There is an old superstition ;raceable to the Ro
mans, that May was an unlucky month for mar
rage. Unlucky or not, we give our humble opin
ion that a few more such May Days may add con
sideTably to certain list our third page, which
we believe is never passed over neglgently by any
of our readers. II an unlucky month in which e
marry, 1t may be found peculiarly tempting sea
son 10 -. But we shall say no more.
! We only add that as national Kings and Queen.
are getting below par, we have to express our ar
dent hopes that both our Queen Of MAY and all her
faithful Maids may long rule where the province o.
their sex has assigned them dornnon--over thu
Hearts and manners of an age ennobled by the in
fiuence and adorned by the virtues of woman
We are indebted for our sketch of the History o
May Day to a Book called Conformation for tn,
! People. Friend Cowan has it. /. is worth buy
ing. Yerbum SIP.
@5- Senator ASHLEY, Of Arkansas, we rerret f.
state, died at his lodgings in Washington of ar