Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-31
Christmas.
BY GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIs.

But is old, old. good old Christmas
gone? Nothing but the hair OF his good,
gray old head and beard lett We'll. will
have that. seeing | can not have more o!
him" Tnese are the words quoted from
Hue and Cry after Christmas wbicn
Irving preixes 10 his papers upOn the h9li-
day In the S4etca-50ok. Boraes Biuuay
" allace. of Philadeiphia, said. IN tI~ Sc
we're critism upon Irving. that hi. works
furnished the original and model oi Duck
ems descriptive manner. and mentions tie
English Stage cOaehman," IN the Christ
mas series as the preliminary study tor the
elder W eller. Bat j. not ths same series
also the prelude OF the CreaS Christmas re-
vival which came in with the Christmas
Carol and all uf Dickens and Thackeray's
Christmas books? Certainly Irving Iu
sense introduced Christmas 10 u. That l..
he recalled and yiyidIy reproduced the
spirit of hesrtIness, OF universal hilarity
and hospitality and good feeling. which arc
traditiOnally associated with the old, Old,
good old Christmas to which he appeals
rhaekeTay SAYS that there il 20 dOubs
Dicken' 5 holiday stories were tie cause OF
an amazing cJnvIvIalIty ami SOOd-iellOw-
ship, and Irving sunny and CHEEKY de-
scriprIOn of the Christmas games and din
ncr and general festlyity inllneEsely quicken
ed the observance Oi the day Ia this country.
" hen it was objected that his description
was anriqusted and that his story lost prob
ability because the customs we're obsolete,
Irving replied that he hal seen almOs-
everything that he described in the coyntfY
on tie skirts OF Derbyshire ami Yorkshire.
" here he passed the holidays oi one of hts
years in England.
The Puritan element in tLi- country .Ga1
sHL T..
however, and wherever she establishment
was paramount, thufe we're relies uf thu
traditional day Bdt as the Puritan ftgar
relaxed, and the National influence uI ths
great Irish and Gerinnn iiami grafton began
20 be felt, more ie-tai spirit was dtrel0p
ed. a more evident iondaess tor pleasure
and enjoyment appeared. untii nos. Ne"
York, at least. observes tho day not ie,s
than any other Of tho great capitals uf the
world. Even NeN England memories
which are not very long can recall the sean:
honor that was paid 10 the day
Now 1T is a great and universal holiday,
the bsppiest OF the year. It is the least ol
brotberly love, which is the essential doc
triue Of the religion that it conmemorates-
And What eating and Thinking What
i'm mense good cheer That comes IRON
cur Northern blood, from the ancestors
v no did not ngure hsaVeI OF nalpe anu
hymns, but Walhalls OF wassaIl b)wls and
endless qusfing o. mead no sarsapafiiia
runnings, bat liquid fire burning through
Immortal veins Dieken : Christmas has bsen
t=hled gross and sensasl-a tsast made By
toe butcher and baker-thc sInd OF Cnrl-.f 8
mas that Kenny Meadows used to drsw IN
the Illustrated Ne,ss, where ihc bald old
gentlemen pledge in flowing bumpers
sbriysled but still gay DANES in caps. and
the red faced cook brings in smoking
plum-pudding. large enough to Iced city,
and the whols world gUzzles and gorges
But, although Dickens Is syInpatheticaii
lust to the beef and pudding. it Is the kind
and generous heart which the profuse table
svmbolises that is his real text. Tns
spirit Of his Christmas stories gives an sp- Il.
petite for doing good things as well As
toc house the carol that he sings Is peace
and active goodwill to men :; the chimes
that be rings are the accord Of charity. pa,
t;epcc. fidelity, unselfshness. With feeI
bsppiness snd genuine success Ihsfe ~
vise critics Who think thsy havedispos1a !"
Dickens by calling him . sennnen .a5ss: %
What i the sermon on the Mount! "nss
h ~ coal Of I'll religion. what v neseiaV
itsolf bat soetiment