old christmas-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


sages　of　the　Church；　and　enforcing　them　by　the　authorities　of　Theophilus　of　Cesarea；　St。　Cyprian；　St。　Chrysostom；　St。　Augustine；　and　a　cloud　more　of　Saints　and　Fathers；　from　whom　he　made　copious　quotations。　　I　was　a　little　at　a　loss　to　perceive　the　necessity　of　such　a　mighty　array　of　forces　to　maintain　a　point　which　no　one　present　seemed　inclined　to　dispute；　but　I　soon　found　that　the　good　man　had　a　legion　of　ideal　adversaries　to　contend　with；　having；　in　the　course　of　his　researches　on　the　subject　of　Christmas；　got　completely　embroiled　in　the　sectarian　controversies　of　the　Revolution；　when　the　Puritans　made　such　a　fierce　assault　upon　the　ceremonies　of　the　Church；　and　poor　old　Christmas　was　driven　out　of　the　land　by　proclamation　of　Parliament。*　　The　worthy　parson　lived　but　with　times　past；　and　knew　but　a　little　of　the　present。


*　See　Note　C。


Shut　up　among　worm…eaten　tomes　in　the　retirement　of　his　antiquated　little　study；　the　pages　of　old　times　were　to　him　as　the　gazettes　of　the　day；　while　the　era　of　the　Revolution　was　mere　modern　history。　He　forgot　that　nearly　two　centuries　had　elapsed　since　the　fiery　persecution　of　poor　mince…pie　throughout　the　land；　when　plum…　porridge　was　denounced　as　〃mere　popery；〃　and　roast　beef　as　antichristian；　and　that　Christmas　had　been　brought　in　again　triumphantly　with　the　merry　court　of　King　Charles　at　the　Restoration。　　He　kindled　into　warmth　with　the　ardour　of　his　contest；　and　the　host　of　imaginary　foes　with　whom　he　had　to　combat；　had　a　stubborn　conflict　with　old　Prynne　and　two　or　three　other　forgotten　champions　of　the　Round…heads；　on　the　subject　of　Christmas　festivity；　and　concluded　by　urging　his　hearers；　in　the　most　solemn　and　affecting　manner；　to　stand　to　the　traditionary　customs　of　their　fathers；　and　feast　and　make　merry　on　this　joyful　anniversary　of　the　Church。

I　have　seldom　known　a　sermon　attended　apparently　with　more　immediate　effects；　for；　on　leaving　the　church；　the　congregation　seemed　one　and　all　possessed　with　the　gaiety　of　spirit　so　earnestly　enjoined　by　their　pastor。　　The　elder　folks　gathered　in　knots　in　the　churchyard；　greeting　and　shaking　hands；　and　the　children　ran　about　crying；　Ule！　Ule！　and　repeating　some　uncouth　rhymes；*　which　the　parson；　who　had　joined　us；　informed　me　had　been　handed　down　from　days　of　yore。　　The　villagers　doffed　their　hats　to　the　Squire　as　he　passed；　giving　him　the　good　wishes　of　the　season　with　every　appearance　of　heartfelt　sincerity；　and　were　invited　by　him　to　the　Hall；　to　take　something　to　keep　out　the　cold　of　the　weather；　and　I　heard　blessings　uttered　by　several　of　the　poor；　which　convinced　me　that；　in　the　midst　of　his　enjoyments；　the　worthy　old　cavalier　had　not　forgotten　the　true　Christmas　virtue　of　charity。


*　〃Ule！　Ule！　　　　Three　puddings　in　a　pule；　　　　Crack　nuts　and　cry　ule！〃


On　our　way　homeward　his　heart　seemed　overflowing　with　generous　and　happy　feelings。　　As　we　passed　over　a　rising　ground　which　commanded　something　of　a　prospect；　the　sounds　of　rustic　merriment　now　and　then　reached　our　ears；　the　Squire　paused　for　a　few　moments；　and　looked　around　with　an　air　of　inexpressible　benignity。　　The　beauty　of　the　day　was　of　itself　sufficient　to　inspire　philanthropy。　Notwithstanding　the　frostiness　of　the　morning；　the　sun　in　his　cloudless　journey　had　acquired　sufficient　power　to　melt　away　the　thin　covering　of　snow　from　every　southern　declivity；　and　to　bring　out　the　living　green　which　adorns　an　English　landscape　even　in　midwinter。　　Large　tracts　of　smiling　verdure　contrasted　with　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　the　shaded　slopes　and　hollows。　　Every　sheltered　bank　on　which　the　broad　rays　rested　yielded　its　silver　rill　of　cold　and　limpid　water；　glittering　through　the　dripping　grass；　and　sent　up　slight　exhalations　to　contribute　to　the　thin　haze　that　hung　just　above　the　surface　of　the　earth。　　There　was　something　truly　cheering　in　this　triumph　of　warmth　and　verdure　over　the　frosty　thraldom　of　winter；　it　was；　as　the　Squire　observed；　an　emblem　of　Christmas　hospitality；　breaking　through　the　chills　of　ceremony　and　selfishness；　and　thawing　every　heart　into　a　flow。　　He　pointed　with　pleasure　to　the　indications　of　good　cheer　reeking　from　the　chimneys　of　the　comfortable　farmhouses　and　low；　thatched　cottages。　　〃I　love；〃　said　he；　〃to　see　this　day　well　kept　by　rich　and　poor；　it　is　a　great　thing　to　have　one　day　in　the　year；　at　least；　when　you　are　sure　of　being　welcome　wherever　you　go；　and　of　having；　as　it　were；　the　world　all　thrown　open　to　you；　and　I　am　almost　disposed　to　join　with　Poor　Robin；　in　his　malediction　of　every　churlish　enemy　to　this　honest　festival：


　　　　〃'Those　who　at　Christmas　do　repine；　　　　　　　And　would　fain　hence　despatch　him；　　　　　　　May　they　with　old　Duke　Humphry　dine；　　　　　　　Or　else　may　Squire　Ketch　catch　'em。'〃


The　Squire　went　on　to　lament　the　deplorable　decay　of　the　games　and　amusements　which　were　once　prevalent　at　this　season　among　the　lower　orders；　and　countenanced　by　the　higher：　when　the　old　halls　of　castles　and　manor…houses　were　thrown　open　at　daylight；　when　the　tables　were　covered　with　brawn；　and　beef；　and　humming　ale；　when　the　harp　and　the　carol　resounded　all　day　long；　and　when　rich　and　poor　were　alike　welcome　to　enter　and　make　merry。*　　〃Our　old　games　and　local　customs；〃　said　he；　〃had　a　great　effect　in　making　the　peasant　fond　of　his　home；　and　the　promotion　of　them；　by　the　gentry　made　him　fond　of　his　lord。　　They　made　the　times　merrier；　and　kinder；　and　better；　and　I　can　truly　say；　with　one　of　our　old　poets：


　　　　〃'I　like　them　wellthe　curious　preciseness　　　　　　　And　all…pretended　gravity　of　those　　　　　　　That　seek　to　banish　hence　these　harmless　sports；　　　　　　　Have　thrust　away　much　ancient　honesty。'


*　See　Note　D。


〃The　nation；〃　continued　he；　〃is　altered；　we　have　almost　lost　our　simple；　true…hearted　peasantry。　　They　have　broken　asunder　from　the　higher　classes；　and　seem　to　think　their　interests　are　separate。　They　have　become　too　knowing；　and　begin　to　read　newspapers；　listen　to　alehouse　politicians；　and　talk　of　reform。　　I　think　one　mode　to　keep　them　in　good　humour　in　these　hard　times　would　be　for　the　nobility　and　gentry　to　pass　more　time　on　their　estates；　mingle　more　among　the　country　people；　and　set　the　merry　old　English　games　going　again。〃

Such　was　the　good　Squire's　project　for　mitigating　public　discontent；　and；　indeed；　he　had　once　attempted　to　put　his　doctrine　in　practice；　and　a　few　years　before　had　kept　open　house　during　the　holidays　in　the　old　style。　　The　country　people；　however；　did　not　understand　how　to　play　their　parts　in　the　scene　of　hospitality；　many　uncouth　circumstances　occurred；　the　manor　was　overrun　by　all　the　vagrants　of　the　country；　and　more　beggars　drawn　into　the　neighbourhood　in　one　week　than　the　parish　officers　could　get　rid　of　in　a　year。　　Since　then；　he　had　contented　himself　with　inviting　the　decent　part　of　the　neighbouring　peasantry　to　call　at　the　Hall　on　Christmas　Day；　and　distributing　beef；　and　bread；　and　ale；　among　the　poor；　that　they　might　make　merry　in　their　own　dwellings。

We　had　not　been　long　home　when　the　sound　of　music　was　heard　from　a　distance。　　A　band　of　country　lads；　without　coats；　their　shirt…　sleeves　fancifully　tied　with　ribands；　their　hats　decorated　with　greens；　and　clubs　in　their　hands；　were　seen　advancing　up　the　avenue；　followed　by　a　large　number　of　villagers　and　peasantry。　They　stopped　before　the　hall　door；　where　the　music　struck　up　a　peculiar　air；　and　the　lads　performed　a　curious　and　intricate　dance；　advancing；　retreating；　and　striking　their　clubs　together；　keeping　exact　time　to　the　music；　while　one；　whimsically　crowned　with　a　fox's　skin；　the　tail　of　which　flaunted　down　his　back；　kept　capering　around　the　skirts　of　the　dance；　and　rattling　a　Christmas…box　with　many　antic　gesticulations。

The　Squire　eyed　this　fanciful　exhibition　with　great　interest　and　delight；　and　gave　me　a　full　account　of　its　origin；　which　he　traced　to　the　times　when　the　Romans　held　possession　of　the　island；　plainly　proving　that　this　was　a　lineal　descendant　of　the　sword…dance　of　the　ancients。　　〃It　was　now；〃　he　said；　〃nearly　extinct；　but　he　had　accidentally　met　with　traces　of　it　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　had　encouraged　its　revival；　though；　to　tell　the　truth；　it　was　too　apt　to　be　followed　up　by　rough　cudgel…play　and　broken　heads　in　the　evening。〃

After　the　dance　was　concluded；　the　whole　party　was　entertained　with　brawn　and　beef；　and　stout　home…brewed。　　The　Squire　himself　mingled　among　the　rustics；　and　was　received　with　awkward　demonstrations　of　deference　and　regard。

It　is　true；　I　perceived　two　or　three　of　the　younger　peasants；　as　they　were　raising　their　tankards　to　their　mouths　when　the　Squire's　back　was　turned；　making　something　of　a　grimace；　and　giving　each　other　the　wink；　but　the　moment　they　caught　my　eye　they　pulled　grave　faces；　and　were　exceedingly　demure。　　With　Master　Simon；　however；　they　all　seemed　more　at　their　ease。

His　varied　occupations　and　amusements　had　made　him　well　known　throughout　the　neighbourhood。　　He　was　a　visitor　at　every　farmhouse　and　cottage；　gossiped　with　the　farmers　and　their　wives；　romped　with　their　daughters；　and；　like　that　type　of　a　vagrant　bachelor；　the　bumblebee；　tolled　the　sweets　from　all　the　rosy　lips　of　the　country　around。

The　bashfulness　of　the　guests　soon　gave　way　before　good　cheer　and　affability。　　T