THE EVENING TELEGRAPH. PHILADELPHIA, SATU11D AT, DECEMBER 29. 1866, 8 ITEW-YEA1VS DAY. Its Celebration in Ancient and Modern Times. " How II was Observed by IhQ Ancient Saxons ami Romans, How it Is Obsiertfcd in England, Scotland, Trance, and tire United States. Kew-Ycar's Gifts -Tbe Wassail-Bwl-Hogmanay The Gui-scrs-New-Year's Calls. Binging Out the Old Year, and Ringing in the New. Etc. Etc. Ktc., Ktc, Etc., Ktct The month of January was, by the ancient Baxons, Bometimes termed Woif-monat, or "Wolf Month," because at this season of the year the wives were impelled hy hunger to leave their haunts In the wilderness, and prey upon man himself, and the animals which he had domes ticated for his own use. It was likewise styled by them "AtfUr- Fute,"or "After-Christmas," the derivation of which term is very obvious. But by the Romans it was denominated Januarius, which name it still retains throughout the civilized world. This word, according to some philologists, is derived from janua, a door, January beine the door or gateway of the year; 'while by others i:s derivation is traced to Janus, the god of the year, who was sometimes repre sented with four head, typical of the four seasons, and placed in a temple of four sides, on each of wh'ch thtre were a door and three windows, the latter representing the twelve month, over which it was his particular busi ness to preside. By Numa Pompilius, whoe reign as the second Kin? of Rome terminated in 672 R. C., two months were adtei to the ten into which the year had previously been divided, and the first oi January was made First Day of the New Year. Aocordingto the present method of computing time, this system still prevails. But in the old calendars of the Jews, Egyptians, and Greeks, Bnch waq not the case. The Jewish year began on the 25th of March, a custom which was re tained for many centuries, in all matters ol a legal character, by raostot the Christian nations. Popularly, however; the year was held to com mence with the first of January, Ion? before It received the sanction of law. It was for this reason that the dttes between the 1st of January and the 24th of March were formerly written a If belonging indefinitely to two succeeding years. Thus, February 12, 1671-2, signified the twelfth day of February, in the legal year 1671, or the popular year 1672. In 1600, by decree of King James VI, of Scotland, the legal year was made to coincide with the popular year. A similar change was effected in the French calendar, as early as 1564; and in that of Russia, Holland, and Protestant Germany in 1700. It was net until 1752 that the change, so very desirable, was made in England, and in the following yeur Sweden followed the example. In the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church the first day of .January is celebrated as the feast of the ' "Clrcumclslo Domlul," r the Circumcision of our Lord; which, accord ing to the customs of the Jews, must have taken -place on the eighth day after Ills birth. This festival is said to have been Instituted about the year 487.- The Church of England has retained It, first giving it place in the Liturgy in the year 1660. New Year's Day Among the Romans was an occasion of considerable rejoicing, which was manifested in the congratulations, visits and presents which were then made. The origin of these customs is ascribed to Romulus and Tatiusj but it would seem that the former could not have had much to do with It, as during bis time the year did not begin with the first ot January. The presents were usually figs and dates, covered with gold lea'. They passed generally from clients or retainers to their patrons, and were accompanied by a piece of money, which was to be expended in purchasing statues of the gods. Specimens of Roman pat terns are still in eihJ tence, bearing Inscriptions, euch as the following:-r-'"A happy New Vear to yon," "A happy New Year to myself and son.'' On an old Roman medallion thete is a repre sentation ot Janus standing in a temple, with au inscription wishing a "Happy New Year" to the Emperor, Such was the undoubted origin of the present custom of making presents to one's relatives and friends on the first day of the New Year. It was very popular among the ancient Romans, and was even encouraged by some of the curly Christian Emperors. The practice was finally prohibited by Claudius, and strongly condemned by the councils of the Church, on account of the heathenish ceremonies attending 1t. But despite the fiat of Emperor and Church, the custom was so popular that it was never wholly abandoned. New Year's Day In England is not at preset honored with much upoclal observation. The harty demonstrations of joy which there mark the Christmas season appear to exhaust the time and reources of a majority a the people who by this ay have betaken tlwaveel ves to their wstomary avocations. This idea is quaintly expressed in the following Bcottibh unza, which, belongs to a period ante rior to tU4; Reformation, when Christmas was the great holiday of Scotland as well m of Englacd: , , "Tole's corns' and Yale's ran, " ' , ' And we liave toasted weelj - ' '- Sae Jock maun to his flail tln, -'- , And Jenny to ber wheel." 64in; as tflfi festtYiUee ot tte Chris tiaas 6eason do not properly terminate tintU ' 'Twelfth-day," or toe 6th of January, the first day of the year is not wholly neglected. In the northern coun ties, ecpeclally, this is the cas; and there both New Year's-eve and New Year's-day are enlivened by great deal of merry-making. In London there is at present no general public festivity, the enjoyment of the ocoasion being restricted to dinner-parties among friend", or at some hostelry, --- New Vear'-day Among me Ancien Saxons 1 of the northern section of the country, however, was (he occasion f more than ordinary Jollity and feasting. The Roman practice of making presents on that day, in particular, was kept up with much vigor all through the middle aires. New Year's Olfte in Olden Time. The giving and receiving of these little memen toes of friendship were accompanied by hearty expressions of good-will, generally couched in the siill-popular iorm of wishing "a happy New Year." The custom is thus touched upon in the old Latin poem entitled "The Popish Kingdome," which was written by Thomas Macgeorgas in 1653, and translated by Barnabe Goo,,'e: "The next to this is Ncwo yeares day W hereon to every Ireudo, They costly vresentsin do orlng. And Newe vearo gittos do s 'Bdo ; These gifti-s the husband gives his wife, And lather eko I ho child, And maister on his men ocitowcs The lixo, with lavour milde." It was sometimes the cutom ta pay these compliments at the door of the recipient, in the form of the ong. But it was more usual for the house to be entered early iu the morn ing by the younger of the neighbors, bearing the spiced-bowl, and addressing their hosts with the salutations of the season. The gifts were not ncessarilyof much intrinsic value. In the sixteenth century, It seems that the New Year's gift of a tenant to his landlord was usually in the shape of a capon. Another common present in these days was that of an orange stuck lull of cloves. Thin, when sus pended in a vessel of wine, but without touch ing the liquor, was supposed to improve its flavor, and likewise to be a sure preventive of mold. Old Ben Jonson, in his Masque of Christmas, among other characters, introduces "New Year's Gift iu a blue coat, sewing-man like, with an orange, and a sprig of rosemary on his head, his hat lull of brooches, witfi a collar of gingerbread, his torchbearer carrying a marchpane, with a bottle of wine on either arm." One of the most valuable presents made In those days was in the form of gloves, which were then much more costly than at present. Sometimes money, where vith to purchase the article, was given in its stead, and this was called glove-money. Occasionally the money and the glove were both sent. A lady, in whoe favor Sir Thomas More had decided a vexatious suit, thought to gratify him by presenting him on. the ensuing New-Year's Day with a pair of gloves, containing foity golden coins termed "angels." The "angels" Sir Thomas returned, with the following note: "Mistress, since it were against good manners to refuse your New Year's gift, I am content to take your gloves, v- - - lininq. 1 utterly refiwo ' In the beginning of the sixteenth century, metallic pins were first brought into general use; and so novel and convenient were they, that they soon came to be in great demand us New Year's gifts for ladies. Sometimes money for their purchase was presented Instead of the pins. This was called "pin-money, a term which has since been applied to the amount settled upon a wife at the time of her marriage, to be devoted to her own exclusive and unques tioned use. In Scotland, it was the custom in oil times for persons to send presents to their friends on New Year's Eve; but on the following day, when the donors called upon the recipients to wish them "A happy New Year," they would ask for gilts in return. New Year's Gifts to the English and Queens. Kings In the way of receiving gifts at New Year's, the English sovereigns appear to have been par ticularly fortunate. The custom can be traced back to the reign of Henry VI, and Matthew Palis has even accused Henry III of extorting them openly from his subjects. There is still preserved .a mauuscript roll, which shows that, in the reign of Philip and Mary, Cardinal Pole presented' his sovereigns with a "saultc," having a cover of silver and gilt, and a representation, in enamel, of the story of Job. In return for this, the Cardinal received two pots of silver and gilt, weighing 143 i ounces. Tie present made by the Lady Elizabeth, subse quently queen, was the fore part of a kyrtell, with sleeves of silver cloth, richly embroidered. It has been said that the magnificent ward robe ot Queen Elizabeth was kept up by these New Year's contributions from her subjects. It is certain that during her reign the practice was carried to its greatest height. The presents received every year by the Queen were inscribed on a roll, which was signed by herself, and duly altetted by the proper ofliccrs. The list of donors embraces men and women of every rauk, from the great officers of state down to ber Majesty's dustman. Among the presents were sums ot money, ornaments for the person and apartments of the Queen some of them being of great value embroidered gowns and mantle's, smocks, petticoats, silk stockings, caskets glaring with precious gems, necklaces, brace lets, fans, and looking-glasse?. In the year 15G1-2, the money gifts alone amounted to 1262 lis. fed. Iu all cases the Queen preseuted her generous subject with a certila amount of plate in return, proportional in weight to the value of the gifts received by ber. The exact weight of the plate received by each person was entered on the roll that of the year 1577- showing a total of 35K2 ounces. But, as niLrQt have been supposed, ber Majesty always took good care that there should be something in her own favor when the balance between the valuo of the gifts received and presented came to be ftruck. , James I, like bis predecessor, received many girts of money of considerable amount, but there was a great falling off in the num ber and value of the ornamental articles. Oue year King James received from the dignitaries of the Church and State the total of 12 )3 13s. id. in gold coin. No Tccoidsof the gilts received and presented by Chariot I have been preserved, although it is not probable that the custom ceased entirely nnrll during the Commonwealth. It was one of the customs that was cot revived on the restoration of the Stuarts, i The Wassail-Bowl In Olden Time. Among the ancient popular customs of the New Year season was the assembling of the family around a bowl of spiced ale, which was termed "lamb's wool." From this the master of the bouse would drink the healths of the others, and then pass it to them in turn. The expression " Wast tiaeC' which signifies, "To your health" was uttered at each potntiou; and from this circumstance the vowel contaiulng !i? !"?T ?an2 1? V? known as the Wassail, oc Wassk Bowl. The poor, to enable themselves to enjoy this sort of merry-making, were accus tomed to go the rounds of the neighborhood, carrying a bowl decorated with ribbons, and begging something wherewith to fill it. The following stanza will serve as a specimen of the songs which were sunr over thc.Wassall Bowl: "Wassail! wassaill over the town, Our toat it m white, our ale it Is brown I our Don I it is made ot tns mapun tree, We be gcod lolious all; I drink to thee." It is not surprising that the jolly monks opened the doors of their monasteries to the Wasail-Bowl, which, in their language, was Btyled JPocu'um Caritatis The aibot placed himself at the head of the table, and drank from the mighty bowl to tho health of all present, and each of them, in turn, then drank to the health ot the others. "Hogmanay," or New Year's Eve in Scotland. Although the old-iashlouc 1 Washail-Bo vl has long been a stranger to England, it was still in vogue in Scotland to within a recent period. Just as the clock announced the departure ot the old year, the members of Ihe family would each take a sip from the mixture ot hot ale, spiced and sweetened, wishing the rest "A cood health and a happy New Year, and many of them I" Then there was a general hand-shaking, and sometimes a dance around the Ublo, the party meanwhile singing: "Weel may we a' be. Ill may we never fee, Here's to the king And the gude companie." After this ceremony was concluded, the elder members of the family would sally forth, armed with a kettle of hot ale and an assortment of buns and cheese, making exchanges with simi lar parlies whom they enco intere 1, and rush ing into the houses 0f their friends with loud and hearty wishes lor future happiness. The party that arrived first at each houe obtained what was called the "nrst-footinsr," and the gocd luck which btided the family in conse quence was duly proportioned to the amount of buns and cheese which the visitors still retained. New Year's Eve in Scotland is known as Hogmanay, a term which has puzzled anti quarians and philologists not a little. It is still the custom in the country districts, and in the more tetired towns, for the children of the poor to have themselves arrayed in a monstroas sheet, arraneed in front in the form of a deep pocket. Thus attired, they go forth ou the morning of Hogmanay to gather up the i akes which, as tbey well know, the housewives have been preparing for several days, in expectation of their coming, Arriving at the door, they cry out "llogmauay," or sometimes a sort ol doggerel rhyme, of which there are many versions, the following being the most popular: Gie's my cake, and let me nu." By the time the children have made the rounds, they are usually we'ghed down with such a burden of oaten delicacies for their New Year's feast that tbey can scarcely waddle on their way. The "Gulsem,'' or Mumming In Scot laua. The favorite n ght for the operations of the guistrs or guiiaras, as the "mummers" are called in Scotland, is New Year's Eve. The boys who take part in the ceremony array themselves in the old fchirts of their fathers, and in fanci ful head-rigs ot brown paper. To these last is attached a sheet of paper, which falls down over the face and serves to conceal the features. Perforations are made at the proper places, to permit the eyes, note, and month to perform their functions. Each guiser is attended by a squire, in the dress of a girt, with an old woman's cap upon his head and a broomstick in his hand. The squire is always known as "Bessie." H1b functions or her'?, if you like, as the doubtful gender troubles us not a little are to walk before his principal for the purpose of opening such doors and gates as may stand in his way. During the singing, the squire is busy with sweeping the floor, and playing such other antics as are calculated to amuse the spectators. Singing is the principal occupation of these strolling masqueradeis; but in some places they are of a theatrical turn of mind, and put themselves through all the agony of a loug-wlnded and high-strung tragedy, In which dragons and other mysterious person ages take a prominent part. Leaving the British Isles, we will now cross the Channel, and take a glance at New-Year's Gifts In France. The passage of Now-Year's gifts between rela tives and friends has fallen into decline in Eng land; but in France the practice is still kept up. In Paris, especially, it is held in such high favor that the day has acquired the title of "JU our P ttrennts." Parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, are then accustomed to dispose oi the question of settlements in a very satisfactory manner. An immense business Is done by the confectioners; the Rue des Lombards, in which they are prin cipally located, being fairly blockaded for the last few days of the year by the wagons which arc to bear the sweet things off to the pro vinces. Jewelry and fancy articles of all kinds are likewise in great demand, both for the homo and foreign consumption. . Duiing the bourbon days of the present cen tury, it was customary for every member ol the royal family to make a present to the king, and sometimes the offerings received at tho Tuile rles could be measlued by the cart load. Tho people in these times would start forth early in the morning to pay their New Year's calls, visiting their relatives in the order of their relationship, and after them their ac quaintances, according to the strength of tbeir friendship, and interchatging with fell their bonbons and other swettmea'.e.x The great point made was to anticipate .each other's culls. In this employment parsed the morning, followed by a dinner glveu to the entire family by ome one of iwiueuibertt; t iio day being wound up with dancing, cards, and games of various kinds. f i t t ' ' New Year's Day In the United States. A fiance at the New Year customs of our own country will show them, to b greatly diversified, according to locality; - and even entirely lacking in many sections Of the country. As a general thing Christmas-Day is celebrated so zealously, that for the first day of the New Year there is but little left in the way of especial social enjoy ments, Iu Ihe New England States, where the old Puritanical prejudices against Christmas still linger, the pent-up joy of the year finds a free and full expression ou Thanksgiving-Day, so that Christmas and New Year's Day fare about the seme, neither of them taking a very high rank as holidays in the etimation of the people. Tet the day is a legal holiday In most of the Mates; and la all of them, we believe, it Is cus tomary for the family to observe the occasion, if in no other way, at least by sitting down to a dinner prepared with more than the usual care and at more than the usual expense. In the Southern States, during the dominion of the pro-eia?ery oligarchy, the Christmas holiday season never ended, in the estimation of the pleasure-loving negroes, until the day after New Year's; but In this week of lubifee, no one par ticular day was esteemed much above another. New Year's Calls In the United States. In those localities in which the first day of the New Year is considered worthy of a special observance, the favorite method of complying with the demands of the occasion is by a series of New Year's calls. Judging from the little favor with which this custom has ben received by the good people of our own city, we bhould infer that they consider it about the most ridiculous and distressing custom that was ever invented for the amusement of mortal men and women and we think they are about right. But such is not the opinion of tbe worthy metropolitans who draw their fashionable in spirations from Filth Avenue and . Madison Square. With them the ceremony of making New Year's calls is a veritable mania, and on New Year's Day tbey themselves are monoma niacssomething more, perhaps; out, of a surety, nothing less. The person who never beheld a young gentleman of New York City or Brooklyn, when duly fitted out for his New Year's calls, has missel seeing something well worth the trouble of taking a look at pro vided, always, however, that the aforesaid young gentleman is fashionable enough to be tolerated in the fashionable circles. Under these circumstances, he is an exquisite, an im mensity. And when he has fairly entered upon the round of his calls, he becomes a martyr. It he can boast of the acquaintance of one bun dred ladies whose figures financial, as well as physical are of an interesting type, he makes precisely one hundred calls. If the inte resting creatures number five hundred, the calls number five hundred, but it the legion approximates a thousand, the poor fellow goes as far as be can; bat before he reaches the end of bis list darkness overtakes him, and this calamity, added to a certain confusion of the head, resulting from his imprudence in eending a beavy wine down tho road a moment before travelled by a light wine, obliges bim reluc tantly to omit a hundred or two of his projected adventures. - ; - - - Although the science of making New Year's calls has been elaborated to the greatest possv ble extent in New York, it is highly favored in own sensioie ciiy, iu in, eg is considered a nuisance, and very generally treated as such.; Watch-Meetings In the United States. The denomination of Methodists in this coun try have long been accustomed to gather to gether for conference aud prayer, just as the old year is waning. These meetings are termed "watch-meetings," and the purposes for which I they are held are certainly most appropriate to the occasion. The other Christian sects are beginning to appreciate this fact, and to follow the example; and we trusc that the time is not far distant when tl.e Vthole Christian world wil1 I watch the Old 1 ear out and the New Year in, on bended knees, humbly and earnestly return- I ing thanks to God for the mercies of the past, i and Imploring their continuance throughout the future. Ringing Out the Old Year and RInghng Bui in the estimation of the world at large tbe New Year Is moet appropriately ushered in by a carnival of noise. It is almost as great a nuisance as the distracting uproar of tin horns on Christmas Eve; but there is some sense and great appropriateness in it, nevertheless. The monitor of the town clocks has scarcely tolled out the last stroke of "twelve," when the re frain Is taken up by every bell within reach of your two ears, and rlngle-)JuKle-rattle-de-dlng- dinp-dong they go along, in the most melodious discord and the most exuberant joy. This is all well enough, as nearly every one Is still up and drebsed, to pay his or her respects in becoming manner to the vouugest-born of Time. Bu'; to tbe uproar of the bells is added the clatter of pistols and muskets, and the booming of great guns; and taking them alto gether, a man with a sensitive ear might reason ably be excused for wlshinghlmself, for the time being, an attendant upon Calypso and her silent nymphs. The spirit which underlies this ceremony of ringing In the New Year has been beautifully expressed by Tennyson, in tbe following lines, with which we bring our New Year's Greeting toaclobe: 'Kins out, wild lei's, to the wild skr, ftio tlyinn cloud, the lrostv light; 1 he year n dyioc in the night; King out, wild bells, and let him die. "Ring out the old, ring in the new, i Kins', happy hells, sero-s the snow; Th year is (roinj, let bim koj King out the false, ring in the true. "Ein out the grief that sps the mind, i or those tost here we see no mor ; limp out the leuC of rich and pour, lull a in rearcM w mil nuiDKina, " Jiisg out a slowly dying cause, And ancient loruis ol party otrlfe ; Ring in the nobler modes ot hie, With tweeter manners, purer laws. ' "Ring out tbe want the care, tbe sin, IhelaithleM eoldueei ot the times; Rids out, rln out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel id. "Ring out false prido Id place and blood. The civio slander aud the spite ; King in the love of troth and right, Ring iu tbe common love of good. "Rids out old shapes of foul disease, Ring ont tbe narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wsm of old, , Ring in the thousand years of pease. - "Bin in the valiant man and free, ' Tho larger heart, the kindlier band ; ' Ring out the larkueiw of the land, Ring iu the Chnm that h to bo." DRY GOODS. J, (1 ! STIMYimiDGE & CO. COTTON GOODS. THE VERY LOW FBJCB OF COTTON GO0D8 SnOULD IKSX1CB CAESITTL : HOUSE KEEPERS AT ONCX TO LAY ; IN A STOCK. YARD-WIDE SHIRTING MUSLINS, HI CENTS. v 9-4 WIDE HEAVY SHEETING MUSLINS, 65 CENTS. 5-4 WIDE PILLOW MUSLINS, 33 CENTS. WIDE SHEETINGS AT GREAT REDUCTION, 10- 4 WALTIUM SHEETINGS. 11- 4 UTIC A SHEETINGS. 114 HUGUENOT SHEETINGS, ia-4 HUGUENOT SHEETINGS. 9-4 WALT II AM SHEETINGS. 8-4 WALTII IM SHEETINGS. WE BAVE NOW IN STOCK, AT THE REDUCED RATES, NEW YORK MILLS, WAMSUTTA, WILLIAMSVILLB, FORESTDALE, WHITNEY, AMOSKEAG A, HOUSEKEEPER, 13Y THE PIECE, AT WHOLESALE RATES. Pillow Muslins at the Lowest Prices. 5-4 WALTHAM PILLOW MUSLINS. 5-4 UTICA PILLOW MUSLINS. 0-4 WAMSUTTA PILLOW MUSLINS. 10 Bales iDbleacliCil Muslins. FINE YARD-WARD UNBLEACHED MUS LINS, it!) CENTS. EXTH A HEAVY YARD-WIDE MUSLINS, i3 CENT. HEAVY WIDE UNBLEACHED SHEET ING MUSLINS. '. MUSLINS BY THE PIECE AT WHOLESALE RATES. J, C. 8TRAWBRIDGE & CO. XOhlHWlM CORN EH. EIGHTH AND MARKET STS. 12 ?) imwStrp i ' DF1Y GOODS. i 1 1. I., ..4i . . J ,: : r.i . -' V " : ': i ' ? '-, . r f . r I U A U G U R AT ION ' . " ' ' ' , ' .j . . ' A CHEAP DEPARTMENT LADIES' OJL.0-A.KSo ONE THOUSAND GARMENTS, From $5 00 to $25 00, BEING IN MANY CASES ABOUT. r ONE HALF J THE CURRENCY VALUE:. J. W. PROCTOR & CO., NO. 920 CTIESNUT ST. J L L OUR PARIS CLOAKS, A3 WELL AS FINE GARMENTS Oi Oar Own . Manufacture, ABE THIS DAY REDUCED 25 PER CENT. BELOW FORMER PRICES. J. W. PROCTOR 6c CO., No. 10 CHESNUT 8t O u n g t o c ic OF LADIES DRESS FUBS IS THIS SEASON THE LARGEST AND CHOICEST WE HAVE EVER EXHIBITED. It comprises 1 RUSSIAN. SABLE, Tte most valuable of all Furs. HUDSON BAY SABLE, Which ranks next in elegance and variety to the Russian.. EASTERN AMERICAN SABLE. A popular and durable Fur. ERMINE, A8TRACHAN, RUSSIAN SQUIRREL. GREY CRIMEAN, PERSIANNE, FINE CHINCHILLA Besides many other varieties. EVERY CARMENT Has been critioally examined, and nous allowed to be displayed for sale unlosa perfect in every respeet All JTJRS sold by us ate warranted NATURAL. COLOR. IURS cleaned, altered, aud repaired. , smrriKu fcrs bought. J. W. PROCTOR & CO. No. DUO CIIESNUT Street.
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