OME years ago I walked down to Seven Oaks, in Kent, to enjoy the blessed Christmas. This village is one of a few in the vicinity of London uncontaminated by a railway with its crowd of giddy visitors from the great city. I had just returned from abroad, after a long residence there, and even the minor observances and customs of the season possessed a pleasing novelty and charm. As I passed through Bromley I observed the shops, filled with viands for the great yearly feast, decorated with the emblems of the season. The above representation of a Wassail Bowl is from a carving on a chimney-piece of an old mansion formerly existing at Birling, Kent. The terms Wassail and Drinkhail are both from the Anglo-Saxon. The former is equivalent to the modern phrase," Your health; " and the latter means, in plain English," Drink health." See under " Festive Carols," page 161. The little cottage on the road-side had its sprigs of holly in the window, and ruddy children stood at the door with faces that betokened how near was the general holiday. As I drew towards my destination I occasionally passed a peasant carrying the, to him, sumptuous meal for the morrow,-perhaps the bountiful gift of the good lady at the manor-house-or bearing on his shoulder a block to light up his cottage hearth in honour of Christmas-tide. I could not help thinking, as I moved along, that on the eve of this glorious day all nature seemed to sink into repose after the labours and storms of the past year. The quiet village of Seven Oaks exhibited that neat and cleanly aspect so often admired by visitors to this country when passing through our more orderly rural districts. The trimmed hedge-rows, whitened door-steps, and glistening window-panes, with the prim and happy old people passing about making preparations for the morrow, pictured forth a delightful scene of order and contentment. Fatigued with my walk, I retired to rest early. A bright moon was shining into my chamber, and through the window I could see lights moving about the apartments of Knowle House,2 a short distance 2 The magnificent seat of the Earl Amherst, formerly the residence of the Sackvilles, Dukes of Dorset. The house covers upwards of five acres of ground, and furnishes speci mens of the architecture of various ages. across the park, indicating that the great people were also preparing for the mirthful time. I had not been in the room very long before my ears were saluted by a sweet music of youthful voices. Opening the casement I found some young villagers singing a Carol. The tune was plaintive, and simple in the extreme, and appeared to harmonize exactly with the scene and the occasion. It was the old Carol of "God rest you Merry Gentlemen," and if a critic should aver that the piece was more appropriate for the following day, I can only say that the melody sounded very delightful on that still and frosty night. After a time the little folks withdrew, and I heard their voices in the distance, apparently not far from a neighbouring farm house. As Irving remarked on a similar occasion, the notes of the Carolists as they receded became more soft and aërial, and seemed to accord with quiet and moonlight. I listened and listened; they became more and more tender and remote; and, as they gradually died away, my head sunk upon my pillow, and I fell asleep. In the early morning my window was again saluted by a joyous song, and going to it I discovered two young men and three girls welcoming with sweet music the blessed morn." Such is a brief narrative of Christmas associations that I always remember with pleasure. Although personal, I trust these reminiscences will be considered a not inappropriate introduction to our subject. Christmas Carols doubtless had their origin in that celestial music which Milton describes in his " Hymn to the Nativity:" "Such music (as 'tis said) Before was never made But when of old the sons of morning sung, His constellations set." The oldest religious hymns, sung by the early Christians in the centuries immediately following Christ's death, have not been handed down to us. The most ancient Carols that we now possess date from the Middle Ages, and consist generally of portions of miracle plays, religious spectacles, and old religious legends. Thus one miracle play, the most popular, perhaps, of any of these biblical representations, "The Creation of the World," has supplied several Carols. It was acted in London so late as the reign of Queen Anne. The introduction in the same performance of Adam and Eve, Herod, and the Duke of Marlborough, cannot be considered as good taste, however much the blending of antediluvian with current history may have contributed to fill Mr. Heatly's purse. The handbill to the performance reads thus ;-I have italicised those scenes which now form the subject of Carols: BY HER MAJESTIE'S PERMISSION. AT HEATLY'S BOOTH, Over against the Cross Daggers, next to Mr. Miller's Booth: During the time of Bartholomew fair, will be presented a little Opera, call'd The Old Creation of the World, newly reviv'd, with the addition of the Glorious Battle obtained over the French and Spaniards by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough. THE CONTENTS ARE THESE. 1. The Creation of Adam and Eve. 2. The intreagues of Lucifer in the Garden of Eden. 3. Adam and Eve driven out of Paradise. 4. Cain going to plow, Abel driving sheep. 5. Cain killeth his brother Abel. 6. Abraham offering his son Isaac. 7. Three Wisemen of the East guided by a Star, who worship him. 8. Joseph and Mary flee away by night upon an ass. 9. King Herod's cruelty, his men's spears laden with children. 10. Rich Dives invites his friends, and orders his porter to keep the beggars from his gate. 11. Poor Lazarus comes a begging at rich Dives' gate, the dogs lick his sores. 12. The good angel and death contend for Lazarus' life. 13. Rich Dives is taken sick and dieth, he is buried in great solemnity. 14. Rich Dives in Hell, and Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, seen in a most glorious object, all in machines, descending in a throne, guarded with multitudes of angels, with the breaking of the clouds, discovering the palace of the Sun, in double and treble prospects, to the admiration of the spectators. In the early ages the bishops were accustomed on Christmas Day to sing Carols among the clergy. Some of the Legendary Carols are very beautiful, and shadow forth the true spirit of our most admired ballad poetry. That entitled the "Holy Well" I |