Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-04-09

The London Pullic ldcerfiscr Of April
18th, l7s9, says the c1stom OF making
fools" on the first OF April originated in
''the mistake Of Noah in sending the dove
ut of the ARK before tie water had abated.
on the first day II the month among the
Hebrews, which answers to the first of
| April; and to perpetuaIe the memory OF
this delyerancs it was thoaght proper,
whoever forgot 81 remarkable q circum-
stance, to punish them by sending them
upon some sleeveless erraud similar to that
Intellectual message upon which the bird
was sent by the Patriarch. Others think
the custom arose from some broken memory
or legendary story Of the mockery of the
Saviour before his crlcifxion, or the send
ing him to and fro between Ier1d. Plate
and Caiaphas. Some think it has it, ioun-
datiOn in an early tradition Of the flood,
the folly Of those who did not believe and
escape being therein caricatured. 1t may
cOrToborate this idsa that on New Years
Day festival Was long celebrated in
churches and nonas,aries called Tas Feast
of Fools France especially vas the up
holder of the custom. which probably came
from the Satgrnalia Of ancient Rome. and
has a present ropres ;ntitinn IN the carni-
val. The festival og;s mated there in Il95
but IN li3S. there vas - very mach real
folly Of the bal and yi:i1as kind about 5hi4
festival that after srea; efiJrts-for BAD
custom does not soon yieid even t. good
prineiples-ir WIS pat down.
1t is possible that the Custom of making
fools On TINS day. ike many ocher customs,
Is not from any Onu fact. bat = composition
The Saturnalia gave a part. Miracle plays
founded On the trial Of the Saviour, may
have given u part On ancient monu-
ments April is represented a. dane
ing youth with rattle in his
hand. expressive OF exuberdnt Joy over the
flight of winter and the opening OF buds und
blossoms. How easy for some grotesque
custom to grow up out of these elements,
among populations Intermingling from age
10 age and, like the French, on the alert for
vivacious methods Of declaring and diifus-
ing hilarious sOciAiIty. All these humOrs
grow heavy when they pass into Saxon
hands. and more solemn reading it is dill
| fcult to get outside IEpyer's Properbial
Philosophy, oF the debates in Congress,
than the account 10 Chambers Book of
Days OF the way IN which sUber-mInded
BrltOnS keep up the traditions of the day.
To send rustic to a book store for the HIS
tony Of Ece's GraEdmofier, OF to the drug
gist's for an ounce of pige0Rs' milk, or to
the shoemaker : Tor little strap oil, in the
hope that the strap will b. applied to his
shoulders, Is 50 remarkably nIld practical
humor, that 1t cannot produce any un-
healthy excitement.
Chambers mas one fair clss of practical
joking OF the ponderous Saxon sort ln
March, 1860, great numbers of LondJners
received card, sealed on the corner with a
sixpence, hence oiieial-lOoking. which ran
thus:
''T0wEa or LONDON.
Admit the Bearer anil Friend to view The Annual
Ceremony 0f washia- the .hits Lions, On sunday.
April lst, l3cJ. Aimit;ance only a. the White
Gate. 1t is particularly requested that NJ gratui-
ties be sivent1 the Wirtens or their Assistants"
IL is said that cabs aud foOt-passengcrs
besieged the Tower on that day. looking in
vain Tor the lchite gate.
Can q man catch the spirit of the day on
which he is b)rn2 i'll a boy born ON the
Fourth of July show special patriotism. or
Dcc1ut u pJ at icdSt. mere II
one fact that looks to the affirmative.
Robert Surtees came into English society in
good circumstances. on April lst. l.79, and
grew up to be jealous Antiquarian But
MS great feat lay in "A repeated and public
joke on Sir Waiter Scott. who, as is well
known, collected and published various
specimens of old Border MastreLsy. Sartees
corresponded with Sir Walter, gave him
several pieces Of his own composition, with
learned-lookng notes, assuring him that he
had written the poems down from the lips
Of venerable oetogenarian ladies in humble
life Sir Walter accepted the account and
published them and Surtees was dead,
and, we presume, had received Christian
burial, before the imposture was dstsetsd.
The charitable supposition il. that the trss
Of April had infected him. OF courss. thers
il little use in drawing the obvious moral
don't be born on the first Of April.