NEW YEAR'S DAY IN MANY LANDS.

authors, to have been a popular New Year's gift. Mr. Ellis suggests that the use of this present may be ascertained from a remark by old Lupton, that the flavour of wine is improved, and the wine itself preserved from mouldiness, by an orange or lemon stuck with cloves being hung within the vessel so as not to touch the liquor.

Thomas Naogeorgus, in The Popish Kingdome,' a Latin poem written in 1553, and Englished by Barnabe Googe, after remarking on days of the Old Year, urges this recollection:

Honest old Latimer, instead of presenting Henry the Eighth with a purse of gold, as was customary, for a New Year's gift, put into the king's hand a New Testament, with a leaf conspicuously doubled down, at Hebrews xiii. 4, which, on reference, will be found to have been worthy of all acceptation, though not perhaps well accepted. Dr. Drake is of opinion that the wardrobe and jewellery of Queen Elizabeth were principally supported by these annual contributions on New Year's Day. He cites lists of the New Year's gifts presented to her from the original rolls published in her Progresses' by Mr. Nichols; and from these it appears that the greatest part, if not all the peers and peeresses of the realm, all the bishops, the chief officers of state, and several of the queen's household servants, even down to her apothecaries, master cook, serjeant of the pantry, etc., gave New Year's gifts to her Majesty; consisting, in general, either of a sum of money, or jewels, trinkets, or wearing apparel. Dr. Drake says, that though Elizabeth made returns to the New Year's gifts, in plate and other articles, yet she took sufficient care that the balance should be in her own favour.

"A record exists containing the New Year's gifts from King James the First to the persons whose names are therein mentioned on the First of January, 1605, with the New Year's gifts that his Majesty

received the same day; the roll is signed by James himself and certain officers of his household.

"Pins were acceptable New Year's gifts to the ladies, instead of the wooden skewers which they used till the end of the fifteenth century. Sometimes they received a composition in money; and hence allowances for their separate use are still denominated 'pin-money.' "Gloves were customary New Year's gifts. They were more expensive than in our times, and occasionally a money present was tendered instead: this was called 'glove-money.' Sir Thomas More, as lord chancellor, decreed in favour of a Mrs. Croaker against the Lord Arundel. On the following New Year's Day, in token of her gratitude, she presented Sir Thomas with a pair of gloves, containing forty angels. 'It would be against good manners,' said the chancellor, 'to foresake a gentlewoman's New Year's gift, and I accept the gloves; their lining you will be pleased otherwise to bestow.'

"Mr. Brand relates from a curious MS. in the British Museum, of the date of 1560, that the boys of Eton School used on this day to play for little New Year's gifts before and after supper; and also to make verses, which they presented to the provost and masters, and to each other: New Year's gifts of verses, however, were not peculiar to schoolboys. Mr. Ellis, in a note on Brand, introduces a poetical New Year's gift in Latin, from the stern Buchanan to the unhappy Mary of Scotland.

"New Year's gifts,' says Dr. Drake, 'were given and received, with the mutual expression of good wishes, and particularly that of a happy New Year. The compliment was sometimes paid at each other's doors in the form of a song; but more generally, especially in the North of England and in Scotland, the house was entered very early in the morning, by some young men and maidens selected for the purpose, who presented the spiced bowl, and hailed you with the gratulations of the season." To this may be added, that it was formerly the custom in Scotland to send New Year's gifts on New Year's Eve; and on New Year's Day to wish each other a happy New Year, and ask for a New Year's gift-this being due to the one who salutes the other first.

"On New Year's Day the man of business opens new account books. 'A good beginning makes a good ending.' Let every man open an account to himself; and so begin the New Year that he may expect to say at its termination-in the best meaning of the word—it has been a good year."

WINTER IN THE COUNTRY.

HESE cogitations have brought us up the hill, half-way across the fight and airy common, with its bright expanse of snow and its clusters of cottages, whose turf-fires send such wreaths of smoke sailing up the air, and diffuse such aromatic fragrance around.

And now comes the delightful sound of childish voices, ringing with glee and merriment almost from beneath our feet. There is a shouting from the deep, irregular pool-all glass now-where, on two long, .smooth slides, half-a-dozen ragged urchins are slipping along in tottering triumph. Half-a-dozen steps brings us to the bank just above them. May can hardly resist the temptation of joining her friends, for most of the varlets are of her acquaintance. "Come, May!" and up she springs, as light as a bird.

The road is gay now; carts and post-chaises, and girls in red cloaks, and afar off, looking almost like a toy, the coach. It meets

us fast and soon. How

much happier the

walkers look than the riders, especially the frost-bitten gentleman,

and the shivering lady with the invisible face, sole passengers of that commodious machine! Hooded, veiled, and bonneted as she is, one sces from her attitude how miserable she would look uncovered.

MISS MITFORD.