Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

CHRISTMAS DAY .

The festival of Christmas Is regarded as the greatest celebration throughout the ecclesiastical year , and so important and joyous a solemnity is it deemed that a special exception is made in its favour whereby , in the event of the anniversary falling on a Friday , that day of the week , under all other circumstances a fast , is . transformed to a festival . That the birth of Jesus Christ ,, the deliverer of the human race ; and the mysterious link

connecting the transcended and incomprehensible attributes of Deity , with human sympathies , and affections , should be considered as thn most glorious event that ever happened , and the most worthy of being reverently and joyously commemorated , is a proposition which must commend itself to the heart and reason of every one of His followers who aspire to walk in His footsteps , and share in the ineffable benefits which His death has

secured to mankind . And so , though at one period denounced by the Puritans as superstitious , and tothe present day disregarded by Calvinist Protestants as unwarranted by Scripture , there are few who will seriously dispute the propriety of observing the anniversary of Christ ' s birth by a religious service . A question , however , has long been eagerly agitated . Is the 25 th of December really the day on which our Saviour first showed

himself , in human form , in the manger at Bethlehem ? -The evidence which we possess regarding the date is not only traditional , but likewise conflicting and confused . In the earliest periods , at which we have any record of the observance of Christmas , we find that some communities of Christians celebrated the festival on the ist or 6 th of January ; others on the 29 th of March , the time of the Jewish Pasover ;

while others , it is said , observed it on the 29 th of September , or Feast of Tabernacles . There can be no doubt , however , that long before the reign of Constantine , in the fourth century , the season of the New Year had been adopted as the period for celebrating the Nativity , though a difference in this respect existed in the practice of the Eastern and Western churches , the former observing the 6 th of January , and the latter the 25 th of December

The custom of the Western Church at last prevailed , and both of the ecclesiastical bodies agreed to hold the anniversary on the same day . Though Christian nations have thus , from an early period in the Church , celebrated Christmas about the period of the winter solstice , or the shortest day , it is well _ known that many , and , indeed , the greater number of the popular festive observances by which it is characterised are referable to a much

more ancient origin . Amid all the pagan nations of antiquity there seems to have been a universal tendency to worship the sun , as the giver of life and light , and the visible manifestation of the Deity . Various as were the names bestowed by different peoples on this object of their worship , he was still the same divinity . Thus , at Rome , he appears to have been worshipped under one of the characters attributed to Saturn , the father of the gods ;

among the Scandinavian nations he was known under the epithet of Odin or Woden , the father of Thor , who seems afterwards to have shared with his parent the adoration bestowed on tbe latter as the divinity of which the sun was the visible manifestation ; whilst with the ancient Persians , the appellation for the god of light was Mithras , apparently the same as the Irish Mithr , and with the Phoenicians , or Carthaginians , it was Baal or Bel , an epithet familiar to all students of the Bible . Concurring thus as regards the

object of worship , there was a no less remarkable uniformity in the period of the year , at which these different nations celebrated a grand festival in his honour . The time chosen , appears to have been universally the season of the winter solstice , from which the New Year was frequently reckoned . This unanimity in the celebration of the festival in question , is to ascribe the general feeling of joy , which all of us experience , when the

gradual shortening of the day reaches its utmost limit on the 21 st of December , and the sun , recommencing his upward course , announces that mid-winter is past and spring and summer are approaching . On similar grounds , and with similar demonstrations , the ancient pagan nations observed a festival at mid-summer , or the summer solstice , when the sun arrives at the culminating point of his ascent , on the 21 st June , or the longest day .

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS .

The decking of churches , houses , and shops with evergreens at Christmas , springs from a period far anterior to the revelation of Christianity , and seems proximately to be derived from the custom prevalent during the Saturnalia , of the inhabitants of Rome ornamenting their temples and dwellings with green boughs . From this latter circumstance , we find several early ecclesiastical councils prohibiting the members of the church to imitate

the pagans in thus ornamenting their houses . But in process of time , the pagan custom was like others of a similar origin , introduced into , and incorporated with the ceremonies of the church itself . The sanction of our Saviour , likewise came to be pleaded for the practice , He having entered Jerusalem in triumph , amid the shouts of the people , who strewed palm branches in his way . It is evident that the use of flowers and

green boughs as a means of decoration , is almost instinctive in human nature ; and we accordingly find scarcely any nation , civilised or savage , with which it has not become more or less familiar . The Jews employed it in their Feast of Tabernacles , in the month of September , * the ancient Druids and other Celtic nations hung up the mistletoe and green branches of different kinds over their doors to propitiate the

woodland sprites ; and a similar usage prevailed , as we have seen , in Rome . In short , the feeling thus so universally exhibited , is one of natural religion , and , therefore , not to be traced exclusively to any particular creed or form of worship . Stow— that inval-jable chronicler—informs us , in his " Survey of London , " that " against the feast of Christmas , every man's house , as also their parish churches , were decked with holme ( the evergreen oak ); ivy

, bay ' es , and whatsoever the season of the year afforded to be green . The conduits and standard in the streets were likewise garnished ; among the which I , read that in the year 1444 ., by tempest of thunder and lightning , towards the morning of Candlemas Day , at the Leadenhall , in Cornhill , a standard of tree , being set up in the midst of the pavement , fast in the ground , nailed

full p ' f holme and ivie , for disport of Christmass to the people , was torne up and cast downe hy the malignant spirit ( as was thought ) , and the stones of the pavement all about were cast in the streets , and into divers houses , so that the people were sore aghast at the great tempest . " The favourite plants for church decoration at Christmas are holly , bay , rosemary , and

Science, Art, And The Drama.

laurel . Ivy is rather objectionable from its associations , having anciently been sacred to Bacchus , and employed largely in the orgies celebrated in honour of the god of wine . Cypress , we are informed , has been sometimes used , but its funereal relations render it rather out of place at a festive season like Christmas . One plant , in special , is excluded—the mystic mistletoe—which , from its antecedents , would be regarded as about as

inappropriate to theinteriorof a church as thecelebration of the old Druidical rites within the sacred building . A solitary exception to this universal exclusion is mentioned by Dr . Stukeley , who says it was one time customary to carry a branch of mistletoe in procession to the high altar of York Cathedral , and thereafter proclaim a general indulgence and pardon of sins at the gates of the city . We cannot help suspecting that this instance recorded by

Stukeley is to be referred to one of the burlesques on the services of the Church , which , under the leadership of the Boy-bishop , or the Lord of Misrule , formed so favourite a Christmas-pastime of the populace in bygone times . A quaint old writer thus spiritualises the practice of Christmas decorations : " To our churches and houses decked with bayes and rosemary , holly , and ivy , and other plants which are always green , winter and summer , signify and put us in mind of His Deity , that the child that now

was born was God and man , who should spring up like a tender plant , should always be green and flourishing , and live for evermore . " Festive carols , we are informed , used to be chanted at Christmas in praise of the evergreens , so extensively used at that season . The decorations remain in the churches from Christmas till the end of January , but in accordance with the ecclesiastical canons , they must all be cleared away before the 2 nd of February , or Candlemas Day . The same Holds good as a custom with

regard to private dwellings , superstition in both cases rendering it a fatal presage if any of these sylvan ornaments are retained beyond the period just indicated . Aubrey informs us that , in several parts of Oxfordshire , it was the custom for the maidservant to ask the man for ivy to decorate the house , and if he refused or neglected to fetch in a supply , the maids stole some article of his dress , and nailed it up to the gate in the yard or highway . A similar usage prevailed in other places , when the refusal to comply with such a request incurred the penalty of being debarred from the wellknown privileges of the mistletoe .

GENERAL NOTES . It is difficult to realise that the professional services of Mr . Edward Lloyd are , henceforth , lost to the musical public , almost as completely as those of the three great artists , Sims Reeves , Sir Arthur Sullivan , and Henry Russell , who have quitted this world during the last two months . But while there is life there is hope , and it is possible that , without a return

to active professional life , Mr . Lloyd may be occasionally induced to emerge from his self-sought retirement to delight his countless admirers with his matchless voice and singing . While reluctant to part with our great English tenor from the concert and oratorio platform , it is impossible to quarrel with his determination to retire while still in full possession ofhis powers

Mr . Lloyd s voice is as beautiful and mellow as ever , and shows no sign of fatigue or wear , although he has used it ; almost incessantly , since he was a choir-boy of 11 , at Westminster Abbey , some 45 years ago . The many thousands to whom his singing has been a- source of pleasure and delight will ever remember him in his prime , and their good wishes will always be with him .

Siegfrtd Wagner s new opera , " Herzog W olfang , is now completed , and its production will take place at the Royal Opera House , Munich , on 15 th February . The libretto , written by the composer , is founded on an old German legend , in which the scapegrace duke of the title is the principal personage . The opera is a mixture of the comic and serious elements . Arrangements are being made for the work to be produced in London in the course of next autumn .

Steps are being taken to raise funds for a suitable memorial of the late Sir Arthur Sullivan , to be erected in London , and most of the heads of the musical profession will be associated in ths scheme . Sir Arthur had much at heart the foundation of an orphanage for the children of deceased British

musicians , and it is probable that his memory will be perpetuated in this manner , or in musical scholarships . Of course , the amount of the funds raised will decide the matter . Meanwhile , the British Colony , in Nice , have already subscribed for a tablet to be fixed in the English church , where the deceased composer was such a constant worshipper .

Ere long , " Twelfth Night " will be produced at her Majesty ' s Theatre , with Mr . Lionel Brough as Sir Toby , Mr . Norman Forbes as Sir Andrew Agnecheek , and Mr . Courtice Pound as the singing clown . These are all

excellent engagements , and to the Malvolio of Mr . Tree , we can all look forward with pleasurable anticipation . As to the ladies , Olivia should be assigned to Mrs . Tree , who would , however , make a charming Viola , if that part has not already been allotted to Miss Lily Brayton .

The New Year.

THE NEW YEAR .

Now , when glad Yule-tide fades into the past We ne ' er forget its teachings nor its ways ; . ' And still Heaven's Architect Divine we praise—Still at His feet our worldly burdens cast . Masonic deeds can never be surpassed , If we in prayer our humble voices raise , And in the thraldom of our heartfelt lays Ask Him to guide and guard us to the last .

Ask Him that we may be for e'er imbued With Prudence , Justice , Temperance , Fortitude ; And through the Year , fast coming to our Earth , Instil us with a sense of truest might , That when our Year dies out into the night , It dying , gives to us Eternal Birth . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D . Bradford .