Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-12-29

Gus performance, nut Qultt destitute
OF any reference to crackers and
Christmas boxes. To complete my
modification, no index to any one of
the editions of the Spectator contains
single allusion to the festival Of
Christmas and cannot read all the
seven volumes OF my 1913 edition
through while the printers boy is wait
ing in the hall for copy Surely Sir
Roger de Covyrlcy must have had
something to say about Christmas !;
but | have not the late Mr. W. Wells
admirable monograph on Sir Roger by
me and for my life (perhaps my
memory is getting a little shaky) can
not recall any Christmas utterances
either Of the worthy knight or Of viii
Homegrown.
But was not to be bahled. turned
to Swifts Journal to Stella -; and
there, to my qualified delight, 81 struck
ilc,' as they say in Pctroia. The first
Christmas mentioned in the Iournfl is
in i7to and Swift tells Hester John
son that ON Christmas Eve he went to
Court before church, and that in one Of
the rooms, there being but little com
pany, a fellow in a red coat and with
out sword scame up and asked the
Doctor how the ladies were. "What
ladies p asked the Rev. DR. Swift He
said, Mrs. Dngley and Mrs. Johnson.
" Very well, said | the Doctor when
| heard from them last; but, pray,
when came you from thence (6fl,
Sir p The gentleman in the red coat
replied that he was never in Ireland ;
but just then Lord Winchelsea came
up, land the man went of. y After
wards Swift condescended to remember
that the "man was one Nedeau, an
eXshopkeeper, who had left his counter
and trade for the army. After Swift
had been to church he went to court
again. and thence Lady Mountjoy car
ried him to her house to dinner; but
he stayed not long and, coming home
early, went to bed, to save firing. On
the twenty-ffth, "Presto" has actually
| the grace to wish Stella and Dindgley a
Merry Christmas and he. proceeds to
! tell them that he went to church at
eight in the morning, came home at
ten, and went to court at two. 1t was
a collar day ; all the Knights of the
Garter wearing the insignia of the order
"This is likewise adds the journalist,
collar day all over England in every
house at least, where there is Drawn
That is very well" he adds, in admra
ton of his own rather thin joke. The
Doctor dined with his "neighbor Ford
because all people dine at home or
this day" Thus, half contemporary
he dismsses Christmas in its festive
aspect. On the twenty-siXth he writes
that "by the Lord Harry" he shall be
undone with Christmas boxes "Tht
rogues at the cofiee-house have raised
their tax, everyone giving crown anc
| gave mine for sRame besides a grea
many haf-crowns to great men,
porters," &c. Afterwards the doctor
went by water to the city, to dine witt
Alderman Barber, the printer. Not {
very merry Christmas that is why my
admiration for the description of it wa,
qualified Let us turn to the Christ
mas of III. Swift's letter to Stella
on Christmas Eve leaves a bitter taste
in the mouth. After abusing the Wing,
and Lord Somers, and alternately
scolding and petting Stella, he says
"What sort OF Christmas Why,
have had no Christmas at all and has
1t really been Christmas of late ?
never once thought of it." He dined
on Christmas Eve with Secretary ST
John. They sat down at six in the
afternoon and safe talking St Johr
would never allow Swift to look at his
watch till two in the morning, Wha
wondrous talk it must have been The
conversation was moistened, no doubt
| by liberal potations of burgundy
florence, and tokay and yet ! car
scarcely realize the idea of its beins
Christmas Eve talk. The doctor leave.
the proceedings of Christmas Day ;
blank, save the intimation that h,
dincd at Mr.. Stones, in the city, anc
went to bed at ten; and that or
Boxing Day he took pills and some o
the "bitter drink " which Lady Kerr,
had sent him. AT Christmas, I7ra
Swift writes to Stella little move
humanity. He gave his man-servan
Patrick halfa crown for his Christina.
box "on condition he would be good
ana ne 6ame home dyHAk al midnighk.
81 have taken a memorandum of il,
adds the doctor, because | desigi
never to give him a groat more III,
cruel cold. Yes, indeed. Cruell,
cold. II wish NJ. ID. (Stella) Merr,
Christmas, and many a one hut mine
is melancholy" He could not 20 tc
church, it showed so prodigiously bu
he could 90 in the afternoon to dine
10y invitation with Mrs. Nanhomrigh
and her daHshfer IaHeSa ooaS Of M.
dompdhy, All, poor Stella | dom
think your Christmas in Ireland woulc
have been very merry one had you
known where your lover wss dining or
Christmas Day Now | turn to tn,
last Christmas in the Journal Or
Christmas Day he carried" Parnel
to dinner at Lord Bolingbroke's, ano
Parnell behaved himself very we'll
and Lord Bolingbroke was mightil,
pleased with him. On Boxing la,
Swift went to wish the Duke O
Ormond happy Christmas, and pre-
Sented half a crown to his grace's
porter Afterwards he dined with LORD
Treasurer Harley, who "chid him fol
being absent three days" "Les,
civllity and moge interest" snarl,
iarleyS grateful guest to Stella. In tn,
June of the same year he arrived il
Ireland ~ Dean OF ST. palrick's
Dublin, to become more and NOR,
famous as "Gulliyer > and tn,
4" prapler,N but to 20 mad nj last an.