New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-21
MARDI GRAS.

IN all CatnOllc cOUulIltS, cl Iatucl
in those of Southern Europe, the season
preceding the forty days fast OF Lent Is
kept as a festival The name, Carnival
derived probably from the Latin, c0r2,;
rdle, farewell to meat, indicates sutfi-
GENTLY the spirit OF the custom, which
is to compensate oneself in advance for the
abstinence of Lent, by enjoying to the
fullest extent the worldly and gusta-
tory pleasures forbidden 10y the
church during the penitenti"l season.
As the camel, during a long journey
through tie desert, can sustain itself
on the accumulation Of fat stored
up in better times, so can the calnal
ascetic cheer himself during the gloomy
season OF Lent by the recollection OF the
Caulival-its ieasting and dancing. and
masking and love making. This ide;. Of
preparing for a prolonged fast by an
abundant feast is better shown, however,
by the French name Tor this day aYe5i-
Gr0s, the literal meaning OF which is Fat
Tuesday suggestive Of all sorts Of mar
rovy, toothsome delicacies. Some have
supposed that the name. NGrdi Gl0S. may
have originated from the procession Of the
Joaf' qras (fat OK, which has been cele-
brated for ages past at Paris on the Sun
day and Tuesday before Lent: but We
rather incline to the former explanation,
so perfectly in keeping with the festive,
people The English, on the contrary,
have a name for this day which suggests
a very different sort Of preparation for
the penitential season, namely, a spiritual
| one. Instead of examining the body with
! luxuries, they believed in freeing the soul
from sin, as is shown by the name
| Shrove Tuesday-the day for shri1t, con-
| tession Both Of these methods OF prep
aration for Lent, the feasting and the
STRIVING, are recognized by the mother
church-the latter being recommended
| the former tolerated Some historians
| assert that the compensatory festival OF
the Carnival was simply the Satur-
MALTA Of pagan Rome, modified by
| the early Christians, and tolerated
| by the church as necessary evil
| Whatever its origin, however, it
has been truly said that the custom seems
''best suited to the~genius OF the Italian
people, being kept up by them with I'M
dying spirit, while in other lands it has
frequently languished or fallen into neg
lect.' In this city, in olden times, Nordi-
Gros used to be kept somewhat in the
European style, persons Of good standing
going through the streets masked in open
carriages, and giving themselves up to
mirth and jollity. Such a custom, how
| ever. is not in accordance with the genius
of the American people, and, with the
gradual increase Of the Northern element
among orr citizens, the custom in q
measure faded away, leaving the day
masGuerading to the lower classes,
and simply retaining the evening
festivities-the Iiorlt-G,os balls
Oflate there has been a partial renewal o.
the old professional feature OF the day, bys
mysterious association styling themselves
the Misticl1 krewe Of Comus. Theil
efforts have always been highly success
ful. and while the association lasts GU,
citizens may expect q yearly spectacle @
taste and magnifcence-the last remnant
of the old custom. Let Us enjoy it while
| we NAV.