But is old, old, good old Cmas gone? Not t? ell, I have more of him.
NOtful spell over my imagination toms and rural games of former times. tures my fancy used to dra I only kne to be all t poets ed it; and t days of yore, in o t present. I regret to say t t, being gradually ime, but still more obliterated by modern fasuresque morsels of Gotecture ry, partly dilapidated by te of ages and partly lost in tions and alterations of latter days.
Poetry, t s ts ric toefully repaying t by clasping togetottering remains, and, as it hem in verdure.
Of all tivals, of Cmas arongest and most felt associations. tone of solemn and sacred feeling t blends y and lifts t to a state of ed enjoyment.
t tremely tender and inspiring. tiful story of toral scenes t accompanied its announcement. t, until t brougo men. I do not kno of music on to mas ant of t pile riump harmony.
It is a beautiful arrangement, also, derived from days of yore, t tival, of togetions, and dras ing to cast loose; of calling back to assemble about ternal rallying-place of tions, to groos of childhood.
t gives a co tivity of Cmas. At otimes portion of our pleasures from ties of Nature.
Our feelings sally forte t;live abroad and everyream, t voluptuousness of summer, tumn, earts mantle of refres deep delicious blue and its cloudy magni?cence,--all ?ll us e but exquisite deligion. But in ter, urn for our grati?cations to moral sources.
tion of t gloomy days and darksome nig in our feelings also from rambling abroad, and make us more keenly disposed for ts are more concentrated; our friendly sympaty, and are brougoget. calleto , and recesses of our bosoms, and o, furnis of domestic felicity.
tc makes t dilate on entering ti?cial summer and sunss up eacenance in a kindlier welcome.
face of ality expand into a broader and more cordial smile, , ter ?reside? and as t of ry door, t, and rumbles do can be more grateful t feeling of sober and sered security able cic y?
t prevalence of rural t every class of society, ivals and errupt tillness of country life, and ticularly observant of tes of Cmas. It is inspiring to read even tails e abandonment to mirtival ed. It seemed to t. It broug and together, and blended all ranks in one warm, generous ?ow of joy and kindness.
tles and manor-mas carol, and t of ality. Even t cottage ive season ions of bay and s rays ttice, inviting to raise tc -told Cmas tales.
One of t pleasing effects of modern re?nement is t y old oms. It ely taken off touced reliefs of ts of life, and y into a more smoot certainly a less ceristic, surface. Many of tmas irely disappeared, and, like taff, are become matters of speculation and dispute among commentators.
times full of spirit and lusti ily and vigorously--times uresque, s ric materials and ts most attractive variety of cers and manners. tion, and less of enjoyment. Pleasure o a broader, but a sream, and c ?oly tic life. Society ened and elegant tone, but it many of its strong local peculiarities, its s ?reside deligraditionary customs of golden-ed antiquity, its feudal alities, and lordly ately manor-ed. ted oaken gallery, and tapestried parlor, but are un?tted to t she modern villa.
S is, of its ancient and festive mas is still a period of deligement in England.
It is gratifying to see t ely aroused is again to unite friends and kindred; ts of good cokens of regard and quickeners of kind feelings; tributed about pleasing effect in producing fond associations and kindling benevolent sympats, rude as may be trelsy, breaks upon tcer nig of perfect still and solemn ;, and, connecting t fancied to anotial co mankind.
fully tion, urns everyto melody and beauty! times in try, quot;telling t-co ;
by to announce tival.
<span style="color:grey">quot;Some say t ever gainst t season comes
<span style="color:grey">ed,
<span style="color:grey">t long;
<span style="color:grey">And t dares stir abroad,
<span style="color:grey">ts are rike,
<span style="color:grey">No fairy takes, no co charm,
<span style="color:grey">So ime.quot;
Amidst to le of ts, and stir of tions bosom can remain insensible? It is, indeed, ted feeling--t merely tality in t ty in t.
to memory beyond terile e of years; and t es t, as times tant ?elds to t.
Stranger and sojourner as I am in table roof ts doors, nor t t I feel to my soul from tive, like t of enance, brig enjoyment, is a mirror transmitting to oturn cemplating ty of dorong excitement and sel?si?cation, but s titute tmas.