The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-30

Asnext Monday will be the First OF April, and
bv virtue of custom All-Fools' day, whereon
the youth especially exert their cunning for
amusement at others expense, and as it is a
day peculiarly celebrated by all nations, some
account of it may not be uninteresting to our
readers.
1t is not our intention, however, to enter
into long and labored disquisition as to how,
in what manner, and under what peculiar cir
cumstances it originated, since the materials
for such an elaboration are few, and, at best,
merely suppositions. This we know-that
there is such day, that it invariably comes
on the First of April, and that, on that day,
persons innumerable are made unwilling sub
jects for all manner of practical jokes.
On the First of April, 1712, Lord Boiling
broke, at a state banquet remarked that,
notwithstanding the Duke of Marlborough
had not lost single battle in the GLORIOUS
wars of Queen Anne" yet the French had
carried their point, the succession of the
Spanish monarchy, the pretended cause of the
wars. Dean Swift hearing this statement
said it was "a due donation for All-Fools'
day." And although the First of April had
been celebrated long anterior to this time,
yet this remark of the eminent humorist
became the initiative of title which thence
forward was associated with this day, now
known by all nations, and understood by all
Individuals especially after, having uncOn-
sciously committed some ludicrous act they
are sauted by some waggish yOungster with
"Ah You April fool ~
We have reason to believe that the obser-
vance of the First of April as a day whereon to
render everybody ridiculous is of very ancient
origin. From the most antique records of
India, we learn that grand national festival
took place at this time Of the year. 1t was
customary on that day for each individual to
try and excel in creating mirth at the expense
of their less shrewd brethren. And no doubt
it was with extreme satisfaction, mingled with
chucklngs of pleasure, that some strapping
RajhpoOt, or some bouncing Mingapoor, or
some diminutive Hindoo witnessed the depar-
ture of doltish individual whom he had sent
on a fruitless expedition. Plutarch speaks of
fools day" in the early spring, when the
people abstained from labor of every kind, and
engaged in merry sports, using ludicrOus Ian
guage, and dressed in grotesque garbs.
Another reason offered for the origin of this
day is, that the people, having just completed
the Lenten season, and having restrained their
appettes, denying themselves amusements,
etc. during penitential service, would natu-
rally, on the day when their full liberty was
restored, throw Off all restraint-solemnity
beng followed by rejoicing, penetential ser
vices giving way to merry-making, and prayers
and yespers be succeeded by laughter and di-
version 1t Is not improbable that on some
such day ridiculous error might have called
forth the phrase april fool, to be ever used
thereafter as jocular expression. Let that
be as II may, all nations, in greater or less
degree, celebrate the day in peculiar style.
The dull and blundering, the sage and dis
Greet, both young and old, will be caught in
some snare set for them by the cunning.
The people of Scotland celebrate the dav bv
sending the uninitiated off on fruitless and
never-ending journeys, telling them that at
certain stopping-places information will be
given them as to the object of thier search.
OFF would start some unlInowing Beotian, and
after toiling from dawn till dusk afoot through
briers and over stubble, he eventually arrived
at a little out-of-the-way place. and was ther,
infOrmed:-