ON NEW YEAR'S GIFTS, It is always pleasant to contemplate those little acts of kindness, which occasionally show that mankind are brothers, born of the same great Father, and formed to assist each other during their sojourn on earth. One of these manifestations of feeling, though trifling in itself, is not contemptible, when considered as a symbol of good wishes: we allude to the pre sentation of New Year's Gifts. An The origin of this custom seems to have been, that the giving of some trifle on the commencement of the year shall be deemed as a mode of expressing good wishes for the receiver during the year. It is even probable that superstition had its share in the growth of the custom, for we find that it was prevalent among the Romans. Whether it can be traced still farther back we do not know, but there are many records of its existence among that enterprising but superstitious people. The usual presents made were figs and dates, covered with leaf-gold, and sent by clients | to patrons, accompanied with a piece of money, which was spent in purchasing the statues of deities. amphora, or ancient Roman jar, has been described by Fosbrooke, on which was an inscription, denoting that it was a New Year's Gift from the potters to their patroness. Caylus has described a piece of pottery with an inscription, wishing "A happy new year to you;" another, where a person wishes it to himself and his son; and three medallions with the laurel-leaf, fig, and date, and an inscription wishing a happy new year to the Emperor. New Year's Gifts were continued under the Roman Emperors till the time of Claudius; but when the Christian religion spread through the different countries of Europe, certain pagan ceremonies which often accompanied the presentation of the Gifts were dispensed with. But although ceremonies inconsistent with Christianity were banished from the custom, the Gifts themselves, as tokens of good will, still continued; and there are abundant proofs of the prevalence of the custom in past ages as well as the present. In a poem nearly three centuries old, are the following lines : The next to this is New Yeare's Day, whereon to every frende, sende. These Giftes the husband gives his wite, and father eke the childe, They rowte and revell, feede and feaste, as merry all as pyes: the Archbishop of York thirty pounds, and the other spiritual lords twenty or ten pounds each. Many of the temporal lords and great officers, and most of the received. Mrs. Blanch Parry gave While speaking of New Year's Gifts to royalty, we stated that presents are always given by the different may mention that a journalist about fifteen years ago, members of the royal family of France, to each other, on New Year's Day. It was stated: "For the six months preceding January, 1824, the female branches of the royal family were busily occupied in preparing presents of their own manufacture, which would fill de Berri painted an entire room of japanned panels, at least two common-sized wagons. The Duchess Orleans prepared an elegant screen. to be set up in the palace; and the Duchess of An English gentleman who was admitted suddenly into the presence of the Duchess de Berri two months before, found her, and three of her maids of honour, lying which were intended for the king." on the carpet, painting the legs of a set of chairs, To descend from royalty to the humbler classes of society, we find the custom showing itself in various ways. Bourne says, " If I send a New Year's Gift to my friend, it shall be a token of my friendship; if to my benefactor, a token of my gratitude; if to the poor, which at this season must never be forgot, it shall be to make their hearts sing with joy, and give praise and adoration to the Giver." This truly amiwhich induce this custom. The form in which a preable sentiment may represent the motives of kindness sent is given is a trifle: the kindly feeling which it is the shell. Sometimes an orange stuck with cloves meant to convey is the real kernel; the other is but used to form the gift; at other times gloves; metal pins (when wooden skewers were commonly used in lieu of them,) were an acceptable present to females. The presentation of almost any trifle was, and even now is, considered a memento of good feeling at this In an oid poem, cited in Poole's English Parnassus, are these lines: season. -- The King of Light, father of aged Time, And every hand is ready to present Whilst some in golden letters write their love, As the brisk courtly Sir,) and thinks that he Be this day frugal, and not spare his friend A copy of verses was often used as a New Year's Gift. Buchanan presented a copy of verses to the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots, on New Year's Day. An old manuscript in the British Museum, states, that the boys of Eton school used on this day to play for 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. In some districts of Scotland it was formerly the custom for servant-maids to present a New Year's Gift to their masters. It was also customary there, as well as in the North of England, for a house to be entered very early on the morning of New Year's Day, by some young men and maidens, selected for the purpose, who presented a spiced bowl, and expressed It was likewise a good wishes to the inhabitants. custom 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. In France the presentation of trinkets on New Year's Day is carried to a very great extent. The prevailing present is a little case, made of sweetmeats, in which is contained some little trinket or other. The making of these sweetmeat-cases is carried on to an enormous extent at Paris, just before the New Year. There is one street, the Rue des Lombards, where the wholesale confectioners reside, which is said at this period to be almost blocked up with wagons and carts, laden with cases of sweetmeats for the provinces. These little sweetmeats assume almost every imaginable form, such as bunches of carrots, green peas, boots and shoes, lobsters and crabs, hats, books, musical instruments, gridirons, frying-pans, saucepaus, &c.,-all made of sugar, and coloured to imitate the real object, and all being made hollow within, to contain some trinket, or bon-bon. Pastry-cooks may THE PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT. IMPROVEMENT in every possible direction of our external conditions appears to be the ruling tendency of these latter days. The proximate, the mediate, and the remote-each exhibits the superior and prevailing influences of this beneficial and ever-busy impulse. Turn our eyes wheresoever we may, we meet everywhere some proof of its agency, or some result of its action, in the trivial as well as important matters of our temporary existence. Every newspaper teems with some desideratum, enlarging our wants by the admirable ingenuity of the supply. To consider even some of the immediate objects of its energy,-Morison's pills, the universal internal panacea,-Macintosh s capes, the universal external preservative, our unrivalled hair-dyes, our surpassing-excellent patent spring wigs, the thousands of infallible cures, mocking Death himself in all his favourite points of assault,our very doors swung upon patent spherical hinges, moving more after the manner of ghosts in old romances, than the real creaking doors of other days, -and the graver and greater boast of this the nineteenth century, steam itself: power in the very abstract and essence, susceptible of infinite uses and application, small and magnificent. What more need we enumerate, from the patent damp-expelling respirator, to the puddle-resisting Indian-rubber clog? Rise and reverence, ye ancient men of less favoured times, and more barbarous paraphernalia. So far this is satisfying; nay more, a matter of no little exultation and delight. But amidst this hubbub of luxuries, convenience, and accommodation, the still small voice within us pushes forward an inquiry How have things of far more interest and concern. gone on in the internal sphere of man's nature—the world of character? Is the same busy progress traceable here also? Has vice, in any one of her hideous aspects, disappeared from amongst us? virtue improved in quality, or increased in degree? Are kind hearts and noble deeds more plentiful, and their opposites less common? Are men better neighhours, better citizens, and, all in all, better Christians than formerly? This is the anxious investigation of a reflection which teaches us; that however splendid in discoveries, and however far progressing the tempo Has also be seen traversing the streets, carrying boards, on which are miniature temples, churches, pagodas, theatres, &c., all made of flour and sugar, and taste-rary conditions of our kind may be, they are little to fully embellished. The value of the sweetmeats alone presented or bought in Paris on this day is said to amount to half a million francs. The value of the jewellery presented is very large. Friends visit each other on the morning of the day, and interchange presents. No person pays a visit empty-handed: each one gives according to his or her means, and thing is accepted when offered. The ladies come in for a large share of these presents, in the form of dresses, jewellery, gloves, artificial flowers, &c. every One feature which has distinguished New Year's Gifts among the higher classes in England, within the last few years, is the presentation of the splendid Annuals, published for that express purpose. The number of copies of these rather costly volumes sold is very large; and they are distinguished by elegance and lightness, rather than by sterling literary merit. It was also an old custom for the Poet Laureate to compose an ode on the new year, which every New Year's Day was presented to the reigning sovereign; but this practice is now discontinued, probably on account of the bad taste usually connected with hired encomiums, and from the feeling that the spontaneous prayers and good wishes of a great nation for the welfare of the sovereign are far more acceptable than the inflated applause of the Laureate odes boast of, without a corresponding advance of our moral value, and consequently of our relative dignity. In vain we boast of inventions and improvements, which, however valuable and remarkable they may be, leave us all on the extreme of this world; for naked we came into this world, and naked we go out of it. For our soul alone we take with us, and, so to say, at a moment's call. Then say, Sense, and answer, Philosophy, how does it behove us to cultivate and improve, to ornament with all goodly virtues and qualities, to frame and form in the furnace of trial in this world, the sole thing we carry out of it, to meet the graces of a better. Let us not therefore boast too much of our present state of cultivation and advancement, nor estimate at too great an importance the spirit of a partial and temporary improvement in our external and contingent condition, as mortal men, while in the higher and eternal matters of our mind and character, its impulses are faint, or altogether wanting. LONDON: JOHN WILLIAM PARKER, WEST STRAND. PUBLISHED IN WEEKLY NUMBERS, PRICE ONE PENNY, AND IN MONTHLY PARTE, PRICE SIXPENCE. Sold by all Booksellers and Newsvenders in the Kingdom. ST. OMER is a town of much importance in the de- and is bounded by French Flanders on the northpartment of the Pas-de-Calais, in France. This de- east, and by the department of Somme on the south, partment comprises a tract of country which was and is divided by a chain of hills into two regions, the formerly included in the province of Artois. The southern and the northern. The former slopes gently reader is probably aware, that during the first French towards the banks of the river Authie, and is trarevolution, the mode of dividing the country, for politi- versed by numerous small valleys; the latter perceptcal and legal purposes, was changed: France was, ibly inclines towards the north. The face of the before that time, divided into a moderate number of country much resembles that of Belgium, and has a provinces, or military governments, each of which climate rather humid and variable, which is the cause gave a title to some prince or nobleman. But the of frequent intermitting fevers. The soil is, generally modern mode of division is into departments, which speaking, productive, and a considerable amount of are much smaller than the ancient provinces, and of sandy beach has been gained from the sea, and which there are altogether about eighty. Pas-de- brought into cultivation. The produce is generally Calais (derived from the French name for the Straits corn, hemp, flax, tobacco, coleseed, rapeseed, &c. of Dover, which are adjoining to the coast) is, then, There is not much wood, but the deficiency is comthe district formerly known as Artois. pensated by an abundance of turf and coal. The fisheries along the coast are considerable, but the Pas-de-Calais lies on the north-east coast of France, 484 chief part of the revenue of the department is drawn from its manufactures of woollen, cotton, linen, lace, leather, pottery, and oil. Numerous small streams flow through the department, such as the Aa, the Lys, the Scarfe, the Canche, and the Authie. There are also several canals, such as that of Ardres, that of Marq, that from Calais to St. Omer, and that from Calais to Guisnes. The whole department contains a superficial area of about 338 square leagues, and a population of about six hundred and fifty thousand. Such is the general nature of the department in which St. Omer is situated. The other principal places in it besides the last mentioned town are Calais, Boulogne Arras, Bethune, Montreuil, Guisnes, and Ardres. It was between the two last-named towns that the cele brated interview took place between Henry the Eighth and Francis the First, and which has attained the appellation of Le Champ du Drap d'Or (The Field of the Cloth of Gold). The only town of the department to which we shall on the present occasion direct our notice, is St. Omer. St. Omer formerly gave its name to a noble family which distinguished itself during the time of the Crusades. Galfred, Castellan of St. Omer, one of the companions of Godfrey of Bouillon, was one of the first commanders of the Knights Templars; and for some centuries after that period, his descendants distinguished themselves greatly in the events of the times. The town from which they derived their title was, in 626, only a small hamlet. This hamlet had been gradually built in the vicinity of the castle belonging to the family to whom we allude: this castle was built on Mount Sithon, and the name of Sithon was borne by St. Omer, for a long period. The Castellan Adroald gave the hamlet to St. Omer, bishop of Therouenne, in 645. This possessor afterwards built the cathedral and the monastery of the Bernardines: this monastery was, a few years afterwards, under the rule of St. Bertin, from whom it obtains its name. During the eighth and ninth centuries, the town was by degrees surrounded with walls, and it began to assume the appearance of a fortified place: it also now lost its name of Sithon, and acquired that of St. Omer. A portion of the town was destroyed by fire in the twelfth century. The town was in possession of the Earls of Flanders for many generations; but about the year 1500 there commenced a series of contests in France and the Low Countries which frequently affected St. Omer:-first the French king besieged it; then the Burgundians gained possession of it ;from them it was taken by the King of France; and from him again, it passed into the hands of the Archduke Maximilian. Again it was attacked by the French on two different occasions in the seventeenth century, and lastly, at the peace of Nimeguen, in 1678, it was finally ceded to the crown of France, to which it has ever since belonged. According to a French writer of the end of last century, the following was the general nature of the town of St. Omer at that period. It contained six parishes; four convents for men, Capuchins, Recollects, Carmelites, and Dominicans; six monasteries, or religious houses for females; a seminary; and two colleges. There were two hospitals for women, a general hospital, two orphan asylums, one for each sex, and another asylum always occupied by twelve poor and aged men, in memory of the twelve apostles. The chapter of the cathedral was composed of a dean, two archdeacons, a penitentiare, two other dignitaries, thirty canons, and twenty-four chaplains. The same writer states, that "Pope Paul IV. erected St. Omer into a bishopric in 1553. In the later times of the A monarchy (meaning before the French revolution) the bishop, a suffragan of Cambray, received fifty thousand livres of rent. But this is little in comparison with the produce of the Abbey of St. Bertin, of which the revenues reach the extent of one hundred and fifty thousand livres. It was composed of fifty religious inmates, who had the choosing of their abbot. The Faubourg of Saint-Pont is beautiful; the number of its houses is very considerable, many of which are inhabited by families originally from Flanders. These families have retained among them their ancient idiom, which is not very different from that spoken in Flanders. They preserve the ancient simplicity of their nation, and in order the better to effect this, they intermarried only among themselves, for which purpose the Pope allowed them certain dispensations on the subject of consanguinity. The priests belonging to them were also allied to them by blood." So much for St. Omer forty years ago: we must now describe it in its more recent state. The entrance to St. Omer, by way of Calais, is through an avenue of trees. The trees themselves have a cheerful aspect, as such natural objects always have: but the objects seen in the vista beyond them have a heavy and gloomy effect, consisting of embattled walls, lines of fortification, a gate of enormous strength, a moat with a long bridge over it, barriers, portcullises, &c., all of which indicate that St. Omer must be ranked among the fortified towns with which Flanders was so plentifully supplied in past ages. The passport system is rigorously enforced. In another article we will briefly describe the principal objects of attraction in St. Omer at the present day. ON MILITARY DRILLING. I. It has been said, with much truth, that the best mode by which a nation can enjoy peace, is to be constantly prepared for war. It is melancholy to reflect upon the misery and vice which war has occasioned in all ages; but still, so long as ambition, avarice, and tyranny continue to influence mankind, war, or at least a state of active preparation for war, will be necessary to insure the independence of the nation, and the liberty of the subject. Such then being the case, it follows that that nation which most diligently cultivates war as an art, and brings the refinements of science to bear upon its theory and practice, is more likely to be respected, and to remain unmolested, than another nation which ceases to cultivate the military art, and offers no encouragement to its professors. Considering, therefore, that man is constituted a frail and erring being, whose greatest enemy is himself, we assume that war, or at least a state of active preparation for it, is necessary to the preservation of peace. It becomes then of first-rate importance to consider the best means for practising the military art; and we propose to call the attention of the reader to one department of it, which consists in training numbers of men to act in concert on foot, so as to form a vast moving machine, under the direction and command of skilful leaders. It is almost needless to expatiate on the wonderful superiority of disciplined troops, though few in number, over savage hordes, which have great animal strength, without the skill to combine and direct it. Hence it has always been found that the most civilized nations have been the most successful in war, because their soldiers are made to understand so perfectly, and to pay so strict an obedience to the example and words of their commanders, that all their movements are performed in unison; and the army thus resembles one vast animal, the motions of whose various members are subservient to one object, and are governed and directed by one mind. On the contrary, in an army (if such it can be called) of undisciplined savages, each man is the creature of his own impulses; he follows his own ideas, and adopts that course which seems to him most likely to reward him with success. Thus the whole number of fighting men can seldom be brought to act in unison; and though they may have one common object, they can seldom be brought to agree in following one common mode of effecting that object. As, therefore, the different parts of such a collected multitude are quite independent of each other, so far from augmenting, they sometimes counteract, or, at least, diminish each other's effective force; and as to which of these results shall ensue is entirely dependent on chance. No wonder, then, that a body, acting so promiscuously, should soon be confused, dispersed, or destroyed by a mere handful of men, who understand instantly, and obey at once, the orders of one or of a few commanders; and thus not only direct all their efforts to the same point, but through the same channel. Discipline and subordination, therefore, constitute one of the chief characteristics of the army of a civilized nation. Different nations employ different kinds and degrees of discipline, but that of Europeans is the most perfect and effective. We will illustrate the sentiments here expressed by giving, in part, the method used in the English army for DRILLING hat is, changing the clumsy rustic into the finished and disciplined soldier, by giving to the body that position and gait, which, when habitually persevered in, is most conducive to health, strength, and all the other qualities of a good and ready soldier, as well as making him understand the peculiar and concise language used in the words of command; so that he may be always ready to obey instantly and correctly any order that can possibly be given. In the apprenticeship of men to soldiership, each recruit is first drilled singly, or in squads, or small companies of three or four. This is to improve the personal appearance, gestures, and carriage of each individual recruit with reference to himself, so that, when combined in larger numbers, they may all act in unison: then they are taught those other motions and manoeuvres, which necessarily require a considerable number of men together for their proper performance. If any of the recruits have not, however, been thoroughly broken in, as it were, during the first process, this will soon be discovered when they are associated in large numbers; for the incorrect movement of a single man may sometimes throw a whole line into disorder. Such is the importance of habitually maintaining that steadiness and correctness of behaviour which has once been acquired by drilling, that even the best soldier, after returning from a long absence, must be re-drilled, like a recruit, before he can safely rejoin his company. When standing in line without arms, and ready to receive the word of command, the position required is as follows:-The heels must touch each other; but the toes must be separated, so that the two feet may form an angle of about 60°. Both knees must be straight, but not stiff; so that the weight of the body may rest equally on both the feet. The body must not incline to one side more than to the other; but yet it must not be strictly upright, but leaning a little forwards, so that its weight may be thrown on the balls of the feet. This is evidently the firmest position for resisting blows, &c. in front; because if there be any tendency to fall it is forwards, and not backwards; which would be the case, if the principal weight rested on the heels. The axis of the body must therefore be straight, though not perfectly upright. The belly must be rather drawn in, but the breast advanced. The shoulders must be kept back equally, and of equal height, and perfectly square. The arms must hang straight but loosely; and the palms of the hands must touch the thighs. The thumb, which is the foremost part of the hand, must be as far back as the seam of the trowsers. The head must be erect; the eyes directed straight forward towards a point of equal height with themselves; and such is the rigour of military discipline, that no part of the body, not even the eyes, is allowed to move unless in obedience to the word of command. Every command must be instantly obeyed, as soon as the last syllable of command is uttered; for all the former syllables are to be considered only in the light of cautions; and as soon as the required movement has been made, the whole body must remain as steady and immoveable in its new position, as it was before. Whenever the word of command " as you were" is given, the body returns exactly to the same position, which it had before this last word of command was given. As it would be very irksome to continue for a long time in the posture just described, without moving, when long standing is expected to be the case, the word "stand at ease" is given; on which the right foot is drawn back three or four inches, and the left knee is bent, so as to throw the weight of the body on the right leg only, which is kept straight. At the same time, the hands are brought together and allowed to fall down in front of the body in a clasped state. Care must be taken that this motion of the arm proceeds from the elbow only, and not from the shoulder. When When the rank is to resume the proper attitude of soldiers, the word "attention" is given, at which the hands are instantly let fall to the sides, the body springs up, the left leg is straightened, and the heels closed. This is the only order, or word of command, that can ever be given while standing at ease. standing at ease, the head and eyes are allowed to move; but the rest of the body is to be kept as steady as when standing at attention. It is very desirable, therefore, that sometimes, (especially in cold weather,) the soldiers should be allowed to move their limbs and bodies without quitting the rank. In such cases the words "stand easy" is given; after which they are at liberty to move their limbs in any direction till again called to attention. The left foot, however, must never be lifted or moved from the spot it originally occupied; so that the body is thus confined to a certain space of ground; it cannot move out of the rank; and, when called back to attention, it cannot fail to resume its proper place, which is kept by the left foot. OH, Charity! our helpless nature's pride, Thou friend to him, who knows no friend beside, -DowLES. |