X Custom-Rhymes
Christmas
It is greatly to be feared that, notwithstanding the efforts made within the last few years by individuals who have desired to see the resuscitation of the merry sports and customs of old England, the spirit which formerly characterised them is not to be recovered. The mechanical spirit of the age has thrown a degree of ridicule over observances which have not been without use in their day; and might even now be rendered beneficial to the public, were it possible to exclude the influence which tells the humbler subject such matters are below his regard. Yet it must be confessed that most of our ancient customs are only suited to the thinly-populated rural districts, where charity, goodwill, and friendship may be delicately cultivated under the plea of their observance.
Christmas
Ha wish ye a merry Chresamas,
An a happy new year,
A pantry full a’ good rost beef,
An a barril full a’ beer.
To these lines we may add the following north-country nursery song:
Now Christmas is come, and now Pappy’s come home,
Wi’ a pegtop for Tammie, a hussif for Sue;
A new bag o’ marbles for Dick; and for Joan,
A workbox; for Phoebe a bow for her shoe:
For Cecily singing a humming-top comes,
For dull drowsie Marie a sleeping-top meet;
For Ben, Ned, and Harry, a fife and two drums,
For Jennie a box of nice sugar-plums sweet.