r, I have been accustomed in my own country to
what may very well be called good housekeeping, yet I assure you I
should have taken this dinner to have been provided for a whole
parish, rather than for about a dozen gentlemen: 'Tis impossible for
me to give you half our bill of fare, so you must be content to know
that we had turkies, geese, capons, puddings of a dozen sorts more
than I had ever seen in my life, besides brawn, roast beef, and many
things of which I know not the names, minc'd pyes in abundance, and a
thing they call plumb pottage, which may be good for ought I know,
though it seems to me to have 50 different tastes. Our wines were of
the best, as were all the rest of our liquors; in short, the God of
plenty seemed to reign here, and to make everything perfect, our
company was polite and every way agreeable; nothing but mirth and
loyal healths went round. If a stranger were to have made an estimate
of London from this place, he would imagine it not only the most rich
but the most happy city in the world."

Another interesting item of this period is the following--

CURIOUS CHRISTMAS ADVERTISEMENT,

which has been cut from some publication and (by the late Mr. Joseph
Haslewood) inserted between pages 358 and 359 of the British Museum
large paper copy of Brand's "Antiquities," and dated December, 1739:--

"This day is published, Price 6d.

"THE TRIAL OF OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS for encouraging his Majesty's
subjects in Idleness, Drunkenness, Gaming, Rioting, and all manner of
Extravagance and Debauchery, at the Assizes held in the city of
Profusion before the Lord Chief Justice Churchman, Mr. Justice Feast,
Mr. Justice Gambol, and several other his Majesty's Justices of Oyer
and Terminer, and Gaol-Delivery.

"To which is added a Diary found in the Pocket of Old Father
Christmas, with Directions to all Lovers of him how to welcome their
neighbours; likewise the Judge's sentence and Opinion how Christmas
ought to be kept; and further Witty Tales and Merry Stories designed
for Christmas Evenings Diversion, when round about our Coal Fire.

By Josiah King,

Printer for T. Cooper, at the Globe in Pater-noster Row; and sold by
the Pamphlet-shops of London and Westminster."

Now we come to a quaintly interesting account of

CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT IN THE OLDEN TIME.

The manner of observing the Christmas festival in the time of George
the Second is described in an amusing little book entitled "Round
a