第11章 THE SKETCH BOOK(5)

'I like them well- the curious precisenessAnd all-pretended gravity of those

That seek to banish hence these harmless sports,Have thrust away much ancient honesty.'

* "An English gentleman, at the opening of the great day, i. e. onChristmas day in the morning, had all his tenants and neighborsenter his hall by daybreak. The strong beer was broached, and theblackjacks went plentifully about with toast, sugar and nutmeg, andgood Cheshire cheese. The Hackin (the great sausage) must be boiled bydaybreak, or else two young men must take the maiden (i. e. thecook) by the arms, and run her round the market-place till she isshamed of her laziness."- Round about our Sea-Coal Fire.

"The nation," continued he, "is altered; we have almost lost oursimple true-hearted peasantry. They have broken asunder from thehigher classes, and seem to think their interests are separate. Theyhave become too knowing, and begin to read newspapers, listen toale-house politicians, and talk of reform. I think one mode to keepthem in good humor in these hard times would be for the nobility andgentry to pass more time on their estates, mingle more among thecountry people, and set the merry old English games going again."Such was the good squire's project for mitigating public discontent:

and, indeed, he had once attempted to put his doctrine in practice,and a few years before had kept open house during the holidays inthe old style. The country people, however, did not understand howto play their parts in the scene of hospitality; many uncouthcircumstances occurred; the manor was overrun by all the vagrants ofthe country, and more beggars drawn into the neighborhood in oneweek than the parish officers could get rid of in a year. Sincethen, he had contented himself with inviting the decent part of theneighboring peasantry to call at the hall on Christmas day, and withdistributing beef, and bread, and ale, among the poor, that they mightmake merry in their own dwellings.

We had not been long home when the sound of music was heard from adistance. A band of country lads, without coats, their shirt sleevesfancifully tied with ribbons, their hats decorated with greens, andclubs in their hands, was seen advancing up the avenue, followed bya large number of villagers and peasantry. They stopped before thehall door, where the music struck up a peculiar air, and the ladsperformed a curious and intricate dance, advancing, retreating, andstriking their clubs together, keeping exact time to the music;while one, whimsically crowned with a fox's skin, the tail of whichflaunted down his back, kept capering round the skirts of the dance,and rattling a Christmas box with many antic gesticulations.

The squire eyed this fanciful exhibition with great interest anddelight, and gave me a full account of its origin, which he tracedto the times when the Romans held possession of the island; plainlyproving that this was a lineal descendant of the sword dance of theancients. "It was now," he said, "nearly extinct, but he hadaccidentally met with traces of it in the neighborhood, and hadencouraged its revival; though, to tell the truth, it was too apt tobe followed up by the rough cudgel play, and broken heads in theevening."After the dance was concluded, the whole party was entertainedwith brawn and beef, and stout home-brewed. The squire himself mingledamong the rustics, and was received with awkward demonstrations ofdeference and regard. It is true I perceived two or three of theyounger peasants, as they were raising their tankards to their mouths,when the squire's back was turned, making something of a grimace,and giving each other the wink; but the moment they caught my eye theypulled grave faces, and were exceedingly demure. With Master Simon,however, they all seemed more at their ease. His varied occupationsand amusements had made him well known throughout the neighborhood. Hewas a visitor at every farmhouse and cottage; gossiped with thefarmers and their wives; romped with their daughters; and, like thattype of a vagrant bachelor, the humblebee, tolled the sweets fromall the rosy lips of the country round.

The bashfulness of the guests soon gave way before good cheer andaffability. There is something genuine and affectionate in thegayety of the lower orders, when it is excited by the bounty andfamiliarity of those above them; the warm glow of gratitude entersinto their mirth, and a kind word or a small pleasantry franklyuttered by a patron, gladdens the heart of the dependent more than oiland wine. When the squire had retired, the merriment increased, andthere was much joking and laughter, particularly between MasterSimon and a hale, ruddy-faced, white-headed farmer, who appeared to bethe wit of the village; for I observed all his companions to wait withopen mouths for his retorts, and burst into a gratuitous laughbefore they could well understand them.

The whole house indeed seemed abandoned to merriment: as I passed tomy room to dress for dinner, I heard the sound of music in a smallcourt, and looking through a window that commanded it, I perceived aband of wandering musicians, with pandean pipes and tambourine; apretty coquettish housemaid was dancing a jig with a smart countrylad, while several of the other servants were looking on. In the midstof her sport the girl caught a glimpse of my face at the window,and, coloring up, ran off with an air of roguish affected confusion.

THE END

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1819-20