Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-20
Books | and christmas.

o. s-ta n W " ~
1t isn't very much of a newspaper
which doesn't nave an article at this
season Of the year setting forth the su-
periority of books as Christmas pres
ents. And this is not because the ed
itors are in league with the authors
and publishers who fill the shelves and
books in the late fall and early winter.
II is simply because in some way
books and Christmas have become one
and inseparable. New books and new
editions of old books, whose worth has
long since been proved, flood the mar
kets, and to them the shopper can turn
with the serene consciousness that
there holiday gift can be selected
which will be a credit to the taste of
the donor and most acceptable to the
recipient.
g What dreary Christmas it would
be without books coming through the
Christmas mail, hanging from the
Christmas tree, and lying on the man.
teI below which hangs the Christmas
stocking. For we all like books, or, at
least. want to be credited with liking
Them And books are such safe pres
ents to give, too. If they are dupli-
Gated, they are the easiest thing in the
world to exchange. And SO each year
the books are piled higher and higher
in the stores. old friends in gay holiday
attire and new books seeking public ia
yor through bright covers or the CLAM
our of well known name.
In an article in the New York Times
Saturday Review, writer recalls that
the association of books and Christ
mas is a natural one, as it was through
books that the Christmas festival,
largely abandoned by English-speak-
ing people during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries, was revived. The
Christmas revival is placed at 1908,
when Scott published his Marmion,
containing an introduction Gliding the
English for their neglect of Christmas.
The introduction was in the form of "a
poetical letter to a friend. at whose
house Scott had been spending Christ
mas, and read:
England was merry England. when
Old Christmas brought his sports again.
Twas Christmas preached the mightiest
ale;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor mans heart through half the
year.
Still iinger, in our Northern cline,
Some remnants of the good old time;
And still within our valleys here,
We hold the kindred title dear.
Times Review that these lines of
Scotts were the beginning of a Christ
mas revival in England, church festi-
val which, during the austere days of
the commonwealth, had become, not
only neglected. but almost placed I'M
der the ban along with other masses"
The attitude of the Puritans in Eng
land toward Christmas was reflected in
the action of the Puritans in America,
who not only prescribed all observance
Of the day and merrymaking, but pro-
hibited the making and consumption
of minced pies" at the Christmas sea-
son as a mark of superstition. In
Boswelrs life, supposed to be the best
and 70 Mic M English
life in the eighteenth century, there is
not u single allusion to Christmas. The
great mans celebration of all other
festivals-Easter and Good Friday
with 'sugarless tea and BUTTERFLIES
buns"-is carefully recorded, but no
mention is made of Christmas.
With SCOTS poetical rebuke to the
English people in 1908, however. a re-
Vival of Christmas was clearly begun,
in no way more marked than in the
Christmas literary publications. Wash
ington Irving followed up in prose
mas "annuals"-and hideous things
they were for the most part-began to
be published. Dickens wrote his I'M
rivalled Christmas stories, and Thack-
cray made less successful attempts.
The Christmas spirit was revived,
and thrugh literature, until now the
season would never be complete with
oIt it's Christmas books and Christmas
editions. The best writer's seem to re-
serve their best for this season, and the
best of many writer's from Dickens
down to the present is often that in
spired by the year'sypcst S0vfnl Is
tival If there are anwhs&asdtao
get into the proper franie - Christmas
mind. they can do no better than to
read some Of the eAfM Akas a cries al
if everyone wusrd read Slevensonsa
Christmas Sermon" the day would
dawn OF brighter and happier world
The annual attack on Santa Claus Is
being made by people who forget thai