dress, as "Maid Marian." The rest of the
train had been metamorphosed in various ways; the girls trussed up in
the finery of the ancient belles of the Bracebridge line, and the
striplings be-whiskered with burnt cork, and gravely clad in broad
skirts, hanging sleeves, and full-bottomed wigs, to represent the
characters of Roast Beef, Plum Pudding, and other worthies celebrated
in ancient maskings. The whole was under the control of the Oxonian, in
the appropriate character of Misrule; and I observed that he exercised
rather a mischievous sway with his wand over the smaller personages of
the pageant. [Illustration]

[Illustration: "The rest of the train had been metamorphosed in various
ways."--PAGE 153.]

[Illustration]

The irruption of this motley crew, with beat of drum, according to
ancient custom, was the consummation of uproar and merriment. Master
Simon covered himself with glory by the stateliness with which, as
Ancient Christmas, he walked a minuet with the peerless, though
giggling, Dame Mince-Pie. It was followed by a dance of all the
characters, which, from its medley of costumes, seemed as though the old
family portraits had skipped down from their frames to join in the
sport. Different centuries were figuring at cross hands and right and
left; the dark ages were cutting pirouettes and rigadoons; and the days
of Queen Bess jigging merrily down the middle, through a line of
succeeding generations.

[Illustration]

The worthy Squire contemplated these fantastic sports, and this
resurrection of his old wardrobe, with the simple relish of childish
delight. He stood chuckling and rubbing his hands, and scarcely hearing
a word the parson said, notwithstanding that the latter was discoursing
most authentically on the ancient and stately dance at the Paon, or
Peacock, from which he conceived the minuet to be derived.[P] For my
part, I was in a continual excitement, from the varied scenes of whim
and innocent gaiety passing before me. It was inspiring to see wild-eyed
frolic and warmhearted hospitality breaking out from among the chills
and glooms of winter, and old age throwing off his apathy, and catching
once more the freshness of youthful enjoyment. I felt also an interest
in the scene, from the consideration that these fleeting customs were
posting fast into oblivion, and that this was, perhaps, the only family
in England in which the whole of them were still punctiliously observed.
There was a quaintnes