Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23

- NAMING then mad Its influence upon
the carols which developed into two
classes, one made up of joyous exures-
sions of the Savior's birth. and the other
singing of wassail and
hegh-ho the hollyt
This life is most Jolly
though carols are said 10 have boen sung
in the primitive church, there is none eT.
'ant and the earliest one known is Of the
M, century. II is contained in
manuscript In the British Museum, and is
written IN Anglo-Norman, the first verse
being:
Seignors. ore entendez nus.
DE loinz sumes yenez a wous
lur qucre Noel;
Gar lem nus dit que on cest boosted
'pleIl tenn 81 feste snuel
Ali. cest Jur.
Den doint tuz feels joIe d'amurs.
oui DAM Noel ferunt honors
This verse has been rendered In a trans
iauon' which, it will be noted Is far from
being literal as follows:
Now, Lordngs. listen to our ditty
Strangers coming from afar:
Let poor minstels move your pity.
1ke US welcome, soOthe our care:
IN tnls mansion, they tell us
ohr1stmas wassau keeps to-day.
And as the king Of all good feIiowa
helghs with uncontrolled sway
(Chorus)
Han Father Christmas! Hail to thee
HGnourd ever shalt thou be,
All the sweets that love hestows
Who, like vassals brave aud true
blNe TO Christmas homage due.
By the beginning of the fifteenth century,
me custom of singing carols seems to have
become popular feature of the Christmas
season. but the first printed edition Of this
class OF songs did not appear until 1l2l 1t
bears the imprint of Wynkin de Worie, the
successor OF CaXton. The chansnnS CON
tanned are of the festive class. perhaps the
most celebrated one in the collection being
A carol, bringing in the bores head
Caput apri dTero,
Reddeus laudcs Domino
Inc bores heed in handle bring |,
With garlands gay and rosemary;
praye You all synge merely,
Qui estis in couririo.
The iores heed. underestimate
Is the chefe servyce Of this lande;
loke where ever il he fande,
ScrTite cum cantico-
BE glade lordes. both more and lssse.
NJ or THIS hath ordeyned owe stewsrde
Tie bores heed with mus,arIe
What these lines lack in finish the singers
form of the carol was used up TO a COM
oxford.
Another carol in use at the beginning OF
the sixteenth century and Of The class .
showing true religious feeling may DO J
cited as follows:
When Chryst horn Of Mary fre
In REDEEM in that fayre cyte,
Angellis song Their with myrth and gle,
In ENcelsis Gloria.
Herdnen beheld thcs ANGELES bright.
To hem appcryd with grrt light
Aud scyd ''GOddys is born This night"
in ENcelsis Gloria.
Iheys konG Us comyn to save imam kynde.
As yn scriptures we fynde
Therefore this song have We in mynde,
In EAcclsis Gloria.
Then Lord. for thy grer grace
Grauut US the blys To- thy face
Where We may syng TO thy sofas.
Ia ENcelsis Gloria.
Carol writing was not without its ma,
terial returns. though these were NOS
great. William Comyshe, a composer IN
the days of Elizabeth, is recorded as hav-
ing received 13s. 4d. for setting of carroll
upon Christmas day in reward"
Carol writing prospered, however, despita
the small returns in a financial way, and a
complete collection Of these old Christmas
songs, 10 say nothing of the new ones,
would fill many volumes. or the old
favorites, none is better known at this eax
than the one beginning:
God rest You merry, gentlemen,
Let noJhiug you dlslnay,
For Jesus Christ. Our Saviour,
To save Us ali from Satan's power.
When We are gone astray.
On; udings Of comfort and joy,
Christmas day.
An early song which has a special sig
niiicance TO us in this year of grace 1893
proclaims that if Christmas day falls on a
MONDAY there Will be a great winter, full
OF high winds, which will continue even in
the summer. Nor is this the whole of the
sad outlook, for battles will multiply, and,
IN the animal kingdom. too, many deaths
pense is to be found. for the concluding
lines of the song go on to say;
They that be borne that day, ween
They shall be strong each and keen;
He shall be found that stealeth aught;
Tho thou be sick, thou diest not.
Among the many carols that have been,
sweetness and purity. Dear to the hearts
of all Christian people are Nahum Tate's
while Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
by Night" Henry Vaughan's My Soul,
bora -T.r--F
the World, the Lord is Come" Charles
Wesiey's 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
Reginal Heber's Brightest and Best or
the Sons of the Morning. and the many
others to be found in the hymnals in COM
mon use. Christina Rossetti has written
several charming carols, and Phillips
Brooks ''Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem"
Is also justly well known. Belonging to
another age are the Christmas verses OF
Roland Herrick, of which the following
may be repeated:
Tell u.s. thou clear aud heavenly tongue,
Where Is the Babe that lately sprungi
Lies he the hly-banls among?
Or say, IL this new Birth of ours
Ieersi ia1 1,, Mlte INN , sGe ARK Of no|eIs
All doubts, aud manifest the where.
Declare 70 US, bright star. If we shall seek
Him in the mornings hlushiug cheek,
Or search the beds Of spices through,
To fbd him outI
1t is Milton. though, who with heart in,
Spired tells of the manger-bIrth, and surely
the term carol is not too loosely used when
Il is made to include the celebrated Hymn
on the Nativity" Many other Christmas
carols might be quoted from the rich
pages of our English literature, were 81 in
the province of this review To do So The
jollIty of the Christmas season was al
ways productive of merry songs, while the
Gloria In EXcelsis' of the angels win ever
continue to be the subimest theme for
hymns of praise while hearts beat or pens
write,
Chance to Get Even.
from the Chicago Tribune.
Young Bridegroom-'Darling. l think