But is old, old, good old Christmas gone? Nothing but the hair of his good, grey, old head and beard left? Well, I will have that, seeing I cannot have more of him.

Hue and Cry after Christmas.1

A man might then behold
At Christmas, in each hall,
Good fires to curb the cold,

And meat for great and small.

The neighbours were friendly bidden,

And all had welcome true,

The poor from the gates were not chidden,
When this old cap was new.

3

Old Song 2

THERE is nothing in England that exercises a more delightful spell over my imagination, than the lingerings of the holiday customs and rural games of former times. They recall the pictures my fancy used to draw in the May morning of life, when as yet I only knew the world through books, and believed it to

1) Hue (Schrei, Geschrei vom altfr. huee, hu, huz, wozu neufr. huer, huée, von einer Interjection hu, die Naturausdruck zu sein scheint, vergl. das deutsche hü zum Antreiben der Pferde) and cry: eigentl. das mit Geschrei verbundene Verfolgen eines Verbrechers, im deutschen Recht: Gerüfte. Es war ein bestimmter Ruf, den man bei begangenem felony, bei Angriff und Verwundung, oder bei versuchtem Raube ertönen liefs, und den jeder weiter geben musste wer dies unterliefs, sollte nach Canuts Gesetz dem felon gleich gestraft werden. Späterer Parlamentsbeschlufs sanktionierte dies. In weiterem Gebrauch ist es dann ein bei Entweichung eines felon erlassenes Schriftstück, das Jedermann aufforderte, denselben wieder einzubringen, ein Steckbrief; so hier im übertragenen Sinne. Vgl. dazu to raise the hue and cry (Cowper, John Gilpin), den Ruf erheben. (Vergl. Hoppe, Engl.deutsch. Supplement-Lexikon.)

2) Old Song aus der Zeit von 1558-1625 mit der Ueberschrift: Time's Alteration, 7. Strophe. Jede Strophe schliefst mit dem Refrain: When this old cap was new.

3) the lingerings

die Ueberbleibsel.

5

be all that poets had painted it; and they bring with them the flavour of those honest days of yore, in which, perhaps with equal fallacy, I am apt to think the world was more homebred®, social, and joyous than at present. I regret to say that they are daily growing more and more faint, being gradually worn away by time, but still more obliterated by modern fashion. They resemble those picturesque morsels of Gothic architecture, which we see crumbling in various parts of the country, partly dilapidated by the waste of ages, and partly lost in the additions and alterations of latter days. Poetry, however, clings with cherishing fondness about the rural game and holiday revel, from which it has derived so many of its themes as the ivy winds its rich foliage about the Gothic arch and mouldering tower, gratefully repaying their support, by clasping together their tottering remains, and, as it were', embalming them in verdure.

Of all the old festivals, however, that of Christmas awakens the strongest and most heartfelt associations. There is a tone of solemn and sacred feeling that blends with our conviviality, and lifts the spirits to a state of hallowed and elevated enjoyment. The services of the church about this season are extremely tender and inspiring. They dwell on the beautiful story of the origin of our faith, and the pastoral scenes that accompanied its announcement. They gradually increase in fervour and pathos during the season of Advent, until they break forth in full jubilee on the morning that brought peace and good-will

4) Vergl. zu dem Gedanken der guten alten Zeit die 1. Strophe des vorher erwähnten Gedichts:

5) to be apt

When this old cap was new,

'Tis since two hundred year;

No malice then we knew,
But all things plenty were:
All friendship now decays
(Believe me, this is true);
Which was not in those days

When this old cap was new.

geneigt sein. Apt (lat. aptus) geeignet, passend; dann subjektiv, weil man das, für das man geeignet ist, vorzieht geneigt.

6) homebred

= häuslich.

7) In as it were gleichsam steht as im Sinne von as if, as though, indem eine Handlung hinsichtlich der Art ihrer Vollziehung oder Wirkung mit einer angenommenen (als ihrer Bedingung) verglichen wird. (Vergl. Mätzner, Englische Grammatik III, S. 519, yr). 8) heartfelt wörtl. im Herzen gefühlt 9) associations viz. of ideas:

=

=

innig. Gedankenverbindungen.

to men.10 I do not know a grander effect of music on the moral feelings, than to hear the full choir and the pealing organ performing a Christmas anthem in a cathedral, and filling every part of the vast pile with triumphant harmony.

It is a beautiful arrangement, also, derived from days of yore, that this festival, which commemorates the announcement of the religion of peace and love, has been made the season for gathering together of family connexions, and drawing closer again those bands of kindred hearts which the cares and pleasures and sorrows of the world are continually operating to cast loose 12; of calling back the children of a family, who have launched forth in life, and wandered widely asunder, once more to assemble about the paternal hearth, that rallying-place of the affections 18, there to grow young and loving again among the endearing mementoes of childhood.

There is something in the very season of the year11 that gives a charm to the festivity of Christmas. At other times we derive a great portion of our pleasures from the mere beauties of nature. Our feelings sally forth and dissipate themselves over the sunny landscape, and we live abroad and everywhere." The song of the bird, the murmur of the stream, the breathing 15 fragrance of spring, the soft voluptuousness of summer, the golden pomp of autumn; earth with its mantle of refreshing green, and heaven with its deep delicious blue and its cloudy magnificence, all fill us with mute but exquisite delight, and we revel in the luxury of mere sensation.16 But in the depth of winter, when nature lies despoiled of every charm, and wrapped

10) Vergl. Luc. cap. II, v. 14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men an den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen.

=

11) anthem Kirchengesang, altfr. anthaine, neufr. antienne; aus mlat. antiphōna Gegen-, Wechselgesang, gr. άvtípovα v. avτiqovos, aus avτí gegen, yový Stimme; auf den Eintritt des th an Stelle des t'hat jedenfalls die falsche Vorstellung mit eingewirkt, das Wort stamme aus gr. avtí und vμvos Gesang, zumal bei der Aussprache des engl. hymn, das wie him lautet.

12) to cast loose (mit scharf. s) wörtlich loswerfen lösen, nach der Analogie von let loose, break loose, welches letztere jedoch nur intrans. gebraucht wird, gebildet.

die Liebe, Herzlichkeit; songs of the affect

14) in the very season of the year

= in der Jahreszeit selbst.

15) breathing wörtl. athmend = wehend, ausströmend.
16) sensation

Sinnesempfindung.

in her shroud of sheeted 17 snow, we turn for our gratifications to moral sources. The dreariness and desolation of the landscape, the short gloomy days and darksome nights, while they circumscribe our wanderings, shut in our feelings also from rambling abroad, and make us more keenly disposed for the pleasures of the social circle. Our thoughts are more concentrated; our friendly sympathies more aroused. We feel more sensibly the charm of each other's society, and are brought more closely together by dependence on each other for enjoyment. Heart calleth unto heart 18, and we draw our pleasures from the deep wells of living kindness, which lie in the quiet recesses of our bosoms; and which, when resorted to, furnish forth the pure element of domestic felicity.

19

The pitchy gloom 20 without makes the heart dilate on entering the room filled with the glow and warmth of the evening fire. The ruddy blaze diffuses an artificial summer and sunshine through the room, and lights up each countenance into a kindlier welcome. Where does the honest face of hospitality expand into a broader 21 and more cordial smile - where is the shy glance of love more sweetly eloquent than by the winter fireside? and as the hollow blast of wintry wind rushes through the hall, claps the distant door, whistles about the casement, and rumbles down the chimney, what can be more grateful than that feeling of sober22 and sheltered security, with wich we look round upon the comfortable chamber, and the scene of domestic hilarity?

The English, from the great prevalence of rural habits throughout every class of society, have always been fond of those festivals and holidays which agreeably interrupt the stillness of country life; and they were, in former days, particularly observ

17) to sheet (hier) to draw or expand, as a sheet ausbreiten; sheeted snow dtsch. etwa mit anderer Anschauung = gehäufter

Schnee.

18) heart calleth unto heart = das Herz spricht zum Herzen; nach Psalm 42,7: Deep calleth unto deep.

19) recéss (v. lat. recessus v. recedere) hier etwa durch,,Tiefe" zu übersetzen.

20) pitchy (von pitch v. lat. pix, von dem auch d. franz. poix, das dtsch. Pech) wörtl. pechig, pechartig, dann übertragen pechschwarz, dunkel, vergl. zu der Begriffsentwickelung das lat. piceus von derselben Bedeutung. The pitchy gloom without, dtsch. etwa die tiefe Dunkelheit draufsen.

21) broad wörtl. breit, dann übertragen gemütlich.

22) sober (v. lat. sobrius aus so (Wurzel sa heil sein) und ebrius (Wurzel abh schwellen, träufeln, trunken sein) nüchtern; vernünftig; regelmässig, ruhig; ernst.