The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-05-13
THOUGHTS Amour TIE MONTH
OF MAY.

THOUGHTS AnuU'r TIE MONTH
OF MAY.
Mar. am3ag tee old hedihen Romans,
was sacred to theif gJl Ape..o, VIII, ac.
coslins q their belief, presided over mus
SIC. poetry, aai the hn. aus generally
and IL il said that with them almost every
day 10 llie moHlh was a festival Tic Gus
tom which has descended 10 our owd um s.
II observing the first day Of Tie month, or
May.day. with festive and floral rites, d.
ri least by wandering over bills and dalrs
10 search OF flowers, Is supposed 10 have
been derived from an equally ancient r..
man festival ia honor Of Flora, another OF
their gods, IS no had The especial charge Of
flowers and gardens. Ills hoi dty sea-
son lls,el four days. from the 25sh OF
April to the first Of May.
In tic warmer climates Of Greece and
RoDc, the nurseries Of our poetry aud hi
ctataFe as well Is Uf Our arts u sciences,
May il probably entitled to al lie prOs-
es which have been lNihed upon 1t by
poets, aud BY iheir imilaiors ii our Owl
country, hoat,er inapplicablc much Of
their poelieal descriptions are TO the sea-
son Of May dy With IL.
In those countries. al the commencement
Of this month, We are told that the temper
ature Of the air, the purileblue OF TIC sky,
the soft green Of the leaves the thousand
delicate tnls u The flowers sea tered 50
proflsely oser hili ana valley, with the per-
iume which they cxLa!e, aud Tie music
poured from cvegy grorc--a.l unite 10 I'LL
every sense With enjoyment. / such lat
ilades, the .'elhercal mildness' aud bal ny
sweets" which breathe in song may be a
literal transcript Of tie impressions Of 4,
May day on their inhabitants.
But with Us, the first OF May is TOO ear
ly for the outdoor amusement Of a holiday,
especially by females, and those d scdent.
AIRY habits. The earth IS s,l.l too damp.
the air 100 Chilly for health o. comfort and
besides, The charms Of nature are not de-
yeloped. though scarcely a flower Of tic
hunblest rank can bs ou,tl during a day
rambie, the youth Of Q Il land SC "a dete.-
mined 10 pefpeiualc the observance Of
festival which belongs 10 more southern
cline. Occasionally, indeed, the first oil
May is sufficiently warm, dry and com
l0rlable for lt-duor exercise and amuse-
ment. bul often the weather Is quite unia-
yorable. Storms OF rHih and sieet, some.
times Of snoS even, are common, cspec-
tally IN the more elevated portions Of Aes
England, during the first week III Nh. -
So thai, in our climate. the young people
who decide on Nay day rdmb.c, mi,i uc
uncertain Oh 10 the very time Of sallyiag
forth AT peep Of day. whether 10 dress
themselves Tor The heat Of simmer, or 10,
the chill ot Winler--tor soft southern
wind, OF for piercing northeastern Aud
how often has sore throat o. a hearsc
cough the reAt day reminded a Io4d moth
er that she was wrong il pcr,ni,tlp. Ter
daughter 10 go Mlyins 50 tli.hly clad
aud in so cold a winl.
We fear that tie life Of many a youth
is yearly sacrificed TO the celebration OF
this holiday in New England. In Eng
land. where the season Of spring Is several
degrees warmer than wilh Us, the observ-
ance Of May-day seems 10 be falling into
disuse, although II VIZ, IN obi times oae Of
the iayoriie holidays Of the people Mil
ton, Shakespeare, and most OF tie old poets,
have spoken Of its festivities. Old Chau-
Ger says that on May morning,
eFossh eth IN the Court, both mo.te and es,e,
10 ietche tie aoures, and sfaaach AMI boone
Probably, the change on.eqlcnt On The
adoption Of the New Style, by which tie
mouth commences about dozen day ear.
licr than il did in the times OF those x OIL
old English gentlemen is one reason Why
its observance Is becoming unpopular. IL
her c alentnr OF the Seasons, Mary lIJw-
IL says. "May-isy, though SIN observed
Is rural festival, has often li,ile pleasure
u bes,ow. except that arising from the
name. In another later Engi-h publ
Cation, a writer referring % the section o.
country N which he resides, says; The
May-day ceremonial has died out among
us.. These fEssisi.ics he regard. as b.
longing rather 10 lhc relationship Of ihe
isudal baron and Ms Tenants, 'aan TO our
own times, aad + joice' that the behevo
lenee Of lie Eagllsh lanl-bo!ders which
once encouraged The observance Of May
day, i as active as ever, though directed
to other aid more worthy oacs. "Ihe
school festival OF p-c-nic, tbs plowiag-maicA
and the Horticultural ID v, Gays he' have .
driven out Msy-po.es and CHRISTMAS mis-
Tuls.-
II this festival is 10 be perpeiuaied II
New England, Us observance ought ~ b
transferred 10 tie laiier palt VI siss month, .
whea the earth il covered s.lA a gasb q
richest green, AID ubco cur orcaAEA4s pro
ss1f