New-York tribune., 1891-12-25


uhis day is welcome in the peoples homes, honored
An their temples greeted in the shops. saluted IN
the fields observed in camps, remembered on SHIPS
waited for in hospitals longed for in prisons, cele
DRAFTED in theatres.
II is with these last that this sketch has 10 do,
wet not chiefly with these. The Christmas season,
both before il received the name of the Christ and
ever since that time, has been a season OF un-
fettered merriment-unfettered, yet for the most
part not exceeding the bounds OF a liberal pro-
priety and generous good feeling and hndllness.
There has always been prevailing spirit of non
sense about IL, though that spirit has not been
ian irreverent one at discord with the religious
Significance of the time People have shown an
Unusual disposition 10 wear masks and ABSURD
.dresses, or TO sec others wear them, to pretend
TO be what they not, or TO see others so pre-
tend; in short to forget the usual cares and con-
ditions and standards of taste. All this has some
thing dramatic about it, or something of the
dramatic instinct, in primitive form, and So to
study the anna of Christmas, il is not necessary
TO STAY within the theatre, though a part OF IT
must be sought there.
theatre though part of it must be sought there.
Far back, then, in past ages, so far back that
stbe schoolboy who loves Christmas can find moth
ing in those ages but dry bones" the Greeks
and the Romans, yes even the Egyptians Kept
this festival And they had-especially the
Ponars. for their influence in this respect has
been more direct upon r>e people Of this time
md this land and their kindted-bands of people
who wore masks and other fantastic dsguises, and
went about making merry and enjoying their own
folly as long az it could'be enjoyed. They drank
n good deal. no doubt, and they must have been
noisy and often disorderly, but they set examples
that have been followed down to this very year,
and even in this very city, as will be shown
presently. There were stage plays, too, In OLD
Rome and old Greece, pantomines, Which 1t Will
be appropriate TO mentlon again hereafter ana
which are introduced only a logical be-
ginning of the seasons masquerades.
After the rule of the Christian Church began
the fortunes Of the drama fell But 1t had be-
come corrupt and offensive. and was self-doomed.
1t was never crushed little companies of strolers
still moved restlessly about, and managed to live
under heavy ban-a ban no less heavy than
accommodation. But the taste for dramatic
entertainment remained and could not be subdued
The priests saw this perhaps they dld not care
10 subdue it, as long it could be gratlhed IN
their own way. AT any rate, they proceeded to
crafty 1t under their own direction, and even
sometimes with themselves as actors. The re-
ligious drama did not spring up all at once III
Its final form. Nothing ever came into being III
perfect shape except the goddess Minerva The
mass itself was dramatic. That was the begin
ming. The placing of the wafer in the chalice
represented the descent into the tomb. IL was
only q step from this to open grave before the
altar and lower cross into il 70 indicate the
entombment More steps would naturally follow
till whole scenes in the life of the Saviour were
acted
Thcse plays were presented before the churches
or within them ON all the great holidays, and on
Christmas they wOul1 surely not be neglected.
The appropriate play for this time would of course
deal with the birth and early life OF the Christ
Not only the New Testament, but also the apocry'
phal books, especially that OF Infancy would
lie drawn ON for incidents. Joseph would be
seen with his young wife. Mary; her visit to
her cousin Elizabeth would be shown; there
would be fine scene in the stable at Bethlehem,
whittier the Magi would bring their gifts to the
aow King Then Herod would rage in anger, and
the slaughter of the innocents would follow, for
those plays were done for still rude people that
liked buster and noise and had no objection ~
seeing blood flow. Then Joseph, in the sight of
the admiring crowds, would place Mary and her
Child on an ass and they wsuld fice into Egypt;
by the way they would be beset by thieves, but
one of them would counsel that they be spared
an dthe Child would speaky and prophesy that
this thief should one day be crucifed beside Him
and should receive His mercy from the The
Christ Child would be seen with His playmatcs,
making birds Of clay by Che river and commanding
them TO fly away, and again at school learning
His letters, and puzzling the master by His
questions. and finally reasoning with the wise
in the Temple and astonishing them by His learn
ing.
With such spectacles these would the simple
people Of the middle age he amused at Christmas.
good example Of such play this is set
forth by Lengfellow, in The Golden Legend.
1t is played at Easter instead Of at Christmas to
suit the poets purpose better. There is nothing
improbable about its being played at Easter, but
more usual drama for that season would be one
dealing with the Passion and the Resurrection that
OF the birth of the Christ being reserved for the
Christmas time LongfeIiow has shown none OF
the hunor ribtdry that used 10
permeate these plays, though he has skilfully
indicated something Of the kind by introducing
devils In the lowest division of the triple stage.
The devils were the clowns, and license was
allowed TO them and 10 some other characters
who were made the butt OF the fun that would
be offensive TO modern eyes and ears i
When Sir Walter Scott introduced, In The