the pope's voltigeurs, all feathers and feebleness, gold and glitter; generals of the British army, colonels and subalterns of every possible yeomanry, with captains and admirals of the navy, and a host of nondescripts, laymen, and protestant clergymen, who for the nonce' take shelter under any thing resembling an uniform, that may serve as a passe-partout, where none are courteously received but such as wear the livery of church or state militant;-all move towards the portals of the Sistine chapel, which, with their double guards, resemble the mouth of a military pass, dangerous to approach, and difficult to storm. The ladies press with an imprudent impetuosity upon the guards, who, with bayonets fixed and elbows squared, repress them with a resistance, such as none but female assailants would dare to encounter a second time. Thousands of tickets of admission are shown aloft by upraised hands, and seconded by high-raised voices; while the officer of the guard, who can read and tear but one at a time, leaves the task of repulsion to the Swiss, who manfully second their 'allez fous en' with a physical force, that in one or two instances incapacitated the eager candidates for further application. A few English favoured by the minister, and all the princes and diplomatists resident at Rome, pioneered by their guards of honour, make their way without let or molestation. One side of the space, separated from the choir by a screen, is fitted up for them apart; the other is for the whole female congregation, who are crushed in, like sheep in a fold. The men, if in uniform or full court dresses, are admitted to a tribune within the choir; while the inferior crowd, left to shift for themselves, rush in with an impetuosity none can resist; for though none are admitted at all to the chapel without tickets, yet the number of applicants (almost exclusively foreign) is much too great for the limited capacity of the place. A scene of indescribable confusion ensues. The guards get mingled with the multitude English peers are overturned by Roman canons. Irish friars batter the old armour of the mailed halberdiers with fists more formidable than the iron they attack. Italian priests tumble over tight-laced dandies; and the Via via' of the Roman guard, and the 'Fous ne restez pas issi' of the Swiss mingle with screams, supplications and reproofs, long after the solemn service of

the church has begun. The procession of the sacrament to the Paoline chapei succeeds; its gates are thrown open, and its dusky walls appear illuminated with thousands of tapers, twinkling in the rays of the noonday sun, through an atmosphere of smoke. Few are able to enter the illuminated chapel, or to behold the deposition of the sacrament; and many who are informed of the progme of the day, by endeavouring to cat...h at all the ceremonies, scarcely attain to any."

Easter Eve in Spain.

Mr. Blanco White says, that the service in the cathedral of Seville begins this morning without either the sound of bells or of musical instruments. The paschal chandle is seen by the north side of the altar. It is, in fact, a pillar of wax, nine yards in height, and thick in proportion, standing on a regular marble pedestal. It weighs eighty arrobas, or two thousand pounds, of twelve ounces. This candle is cast and painted new every year, the old one being broken into pieces on the Saturday preceding Whitsunday, the day when part of it is used for the consecration of the baptismal font. The sacred torch is lighted with the new fire, which this morning the priest strikes out of a flint, and it burns during service till Ascension-day. A chorister in his surplice climbs up a gilt-iron rod, furnished with steps like a flag-staff, and having the top railed in, so as to admit of a seat on a level with the end of the candle. From this crow's nest, the young man lights up and trims the wax pillar, drawing off the melted wax with a large iron ladle.

High mass begins this day behind the great veil, which for the two last weeks in Lent covers the altar. After some prehymn Gloria in excelsis Deo. paratory prayers, the priest strikes up the At this moment the veil flies off, the explosion of fireworks in the upper galleries reverbe

rates in a thousand echoes from the vaults of the church, and the four-and-twenty large bells of its tower awake, with their discordant though gladdening sounds, those of the one hundred and forty-six steeples which this religious town boasts of. A brisk firing of musketry, accompanied by the howling of the innumerable dogs, which, unclaimed by any master live and multiply in the streets, adds strength and variety to this universal din The firing is directed against several stuffed

Lady Morgan's Italy.

figures, not unlike Guy Fawkes of the fifth of November, which are seen hanging by the neck on a rope, extended across the least frequented streets. It is then that the pious rage of the people of Seville is vented against the arch-traitor Judas, whom they annually hang, shoot, draw, and quarter in effigy.

The church service ends in a procession about the aisles. The priest bears the host in his hands, visible through glass as a picture within a medallion. The sudden change from the gloomy appearance of the church and its ministers, to the simple and joyous character of this procession, the very name of pasqua florida, the flowery passover, and, more than the name, the flowers themselves, which welldressed children, mixed with the censerbearers, scatter on the ground, crowd the mind and heart with the ideas, hopes, and feelings of renovated life, and give to this ceremony, even for those who disbelieve the personal presence of a Deity triumphant over death, a character of inexpressible tenderness *

Papal Conversion of the Jews. The day before Easter Sunday at Rome, two or more Jews are procured to be baptized. An eye-witness of a couple of these converts, says, "The two devoted Israelites prepared for this occasion, attired in dirty yellow silk gowns, were seated on a bench within the marble front of the baptistery, which resembles a large bath, both in form and shape, conning their prayers out of a book, with most rueful visages. Fast to their sides stuck their destined godfathers, two blackrobed doctors of divinity, as if to guard and secure their spiritual captives. The ancient vase at the bottom of the font, in which, according to an absurd legend, Constantine was healed of his leprosy by St. Sylvester, stood before them filled with water, and its margin adorned with flowers. The cardinal bishop, who had been employed ever since six o'clock in the benediction of fire, water, oil, wax, and flowers, now appeared, followed by a long procession of priests and crucinxes He descended into the font, repeated a great many prayers in Latin over the water, occasionally dipping his hand into it. Then a huge flaming wax taper, about six feet high, and of proportionate thick

• Doblado's Letters.

ness, painted with images of the virgin and Christ, which had previously been blessed, was set upright in the vase; more Latin prayers were mumbled-one of the Jews was brought, the bishop cut the sign of the cross in the hair, at the crown of his head, then, with a silver ladle, poured some of the water upon the part, baptizing him in the usual forms, both the godfathers and he having agreed to all that was required of them. The second Jew was then brought, upon whom the same ceremonies were performed; this poor little fellow wore a wig, and, when the cold water was poured on his bare skull, he winced exceedingly, and made many wry faces. They were then conveyed to the altar of the neighbouring chapel, where they were confirmed, and repeated the creed The bishop then made the sign of the cross upon their foreheads, with holy oil, over which white fillets were immediately tied to secure it; he then pronounced a long exhortation, in the course of which he frightened them so that the little Jew with a wig began to cry most bitterly, and would not be comforted. This being over, the Jews were conducted, with

eat ceremony, from the baptistery to the door of the church, where they stopped, and, after some chanting by the bishop, they were allowed to pass the threshold; they were then seated within the very pale of the altar, in order that they might witness a succession of various

ceremonies."

· Greek Preparation for Easter. The Rev. J. Conner describes the ceremonies of the Greek church at Jerusalem on Easter-eve. "I went to the church to spend the night there, that I might view all the different observances. It is a general belief among the Greeks and Armenians, that, on Easter-eve, a fire descends from heaven into the sepulchre. The eagerness of the Greeks, Armenians, and others, to light their candles at this holy fire, carried an immense crowd to the church, notwithstanding the sum which they were obliged to pay. About nine at night, I retired to rest, in a small apartment in the church. A little before midnight, the servant roused me to see the Greek procession. I hastened to the gallery of

Rome in the Nineteenth Century.

1

It is affirmed, that at Queen's-college, Oxford, the first dish brought to the table on Easter-day, is a red herring, riding away on horseback, that is to say, a herring placed by the cook, something after the likeness of a man on horseback, set on a corn sallad. This is the only vestige of the pageants which formerly were publicly exhibited by way of popular rejoicing for the departure of the forty days Lent fast, and the return to solid eating with the Easter festival.

The custom of eating a gammon of bacon at Easter, still maintained in some parts of England, is founded on the abhorrence our forefathers thought proper to express, in that way, towards the Jews at the season of commemorating the resurrection.t

Lifting at Easter, and pace or paste eggs, with other usages derived from catholic customs, are described and traced in vol. i. p. 421.

Since these "Caps well fit; by Titus in Sandgate and Titus every where," a curious little duodecimo, printed at Newcastle in 1785, has come into the editor's hands, from whence is extracted the 'ollowing

Paste Egg

Once-yes once, upon a user-Egg-Day,
bome lords and ladies met to play;
For then such pastimes bore the bell.
Like old Olympicks-full as well;

Antiquarian Repertory.

• Drake's Shakespeare and his Times.

And now, our gentry on the green,
Throng'd forth, to see, and to be seen.
Moment this, for assignation,
And all the courtesy of fashion

A poor old woman, passing by,
Gaz'd at the ring with curious eye
Sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling.
In thought approving-or reviling.
Not yet quite froze, by want or age,
Her fancy could at times engage;
Her age might reckon eighty-five
But curiosity alive,

She fix'd her barnacles to nose
The better to observe the shows.

Discover'd soon-some wags stept forth,
And ask'd her, what such sights were worth,
What did she think of genteel modes,
Where half believ'd themselves half-Gods
And t'other half, so wondrous wise,
Believe that bliss-in trifling lies?
They begg'd that she would frank declare
What she thought such people were !

The grey-hair'd matron rubb'd her eyes,
Then turn'd her glasses to the skies;
To give them truth and laughter too.
As if to catch some thought in cue,
Next, humbly beg'd for some Paste Eggs,
Then down she squats, and round they throng,
With leave to sit,-to rest her legs.
Impatient for some jokelike song ;

Of eggs they brought her number nine,
One, was blacker than the slɔe,
All nicely mark'd, and colour'd fine,
Another, white as driven snow.
Red, crimson, purple, azure, blue,
Green, pink, and yellow, rose to view
She closely peel'd them, one by one,
Broke this, and that, till all were done.
Then shrugg'd her shoulders,-wav'd her head
But not one syllable she said.

Amaz'd, at silence so profound;
The quality press closer round;
And gently urg'd her, more and more,
To answer what they ask'd before?
And how did one so ripe in years,
Estimate a life like theirs?
What semblance, worthy observation,
Suited the heirs of dissipation?
Whilst she, kept pressing up and down
As seeking how their wish to crown.
What had she apropos to say
Of persons so superbly gay?

In throth—quo' she, I'm short and plain
Long speaking only gives me pain;
And faith I have ye, gentlefolks,
As clear in view, as whites or yokes,
So like those eggs-I can but smile,
In every cast of light and style.

Your transient colours, fleet as theirs,
Your Aimsiness, in spite of a rs;
In substance, scarce more rare or new,
Some parboil'd-some par-rotten too
Of little worth, in wisdom's eye,
And thrown, at last, like egg-shells by

They heard-they frown'd-but fled the green,

As if a thunderbolt had been.

Lostwithiel Custom.

A very singular custom formerly prevailed at Lostwithiel, in Cornwall, on Easter Sunday. The freeholders of the town and manor having assembled toge ther, either in person or by their deputies, one among them, each in his turn, gaily attired and gallantly mounted, with a sceptre in his hand, a crown on his head, and a sword borne before him, and respectfully attended by all the rest on horseback, rode through the principal street in solemn state to the church. At the churchyard stile, the curate, or other minister, approached to meet him in reverential pomp, and then conducted him to church to hear divine service. On leaving the church, he repaired, with the same pomp and retinue, to a house previously prepared for his reception. Here a feast, suited to the dignity he had assumed, awaited him and his suite; and, being placed at the head of the table, he was served, kneeling, with all the rites and ceremonies that a real prince might expect. This ceremony ended with the dinner; the prince being voluntarily disrobed, and descending from his momentary exaltation, to mix with common mortals. On the origin of this custom, but one opinion can be reasonably enter tained, though it may be difficult to trace the precise period of its commencement. It seems to have originated in the actual appearance of the prince, who resided at Restormel castle in former ages; but on the removal of royalty, this mimic grandeur stepped forth as its shadowy representative, and continued for many generations as a memorial to posterity of the princely magnificence with which Lostw.thiel had formerly been honoured.*

Hitchins's Cornwall

THE BIDDENDEN MAIDS.

To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Tenterden, February, 1826 Sir, I beg to enclose you a specimen of a Biddenden cake, and a printed account, which you may perhaps think worth insertion in the Every-Day Book.

The small town of Biddenden is about four miles from Tenterden, on the right of the road. It is at present populous, though the clothing manufacture, which first occasioned the increase of the population of this part of the county, in the reign of Edward III. when the Flemings first introduced it, has for many years failed here: several good houses, still remaining, discover the prosperity of the handsome regular building, and its tower former inhabitants. The church is a a structure of a considerable height and strength; a portion of the old part is stili remaining. In this there is a free grammar school, endowed with a good house and garden, and a salary of 201. per annum. Two maiden sisters left some land

adjoining the glebe to the parish, of the rent of 201. a year, which is held by the churchwardens, and distributed in bread to the poor on Easter-day. A reprethe leaves, and on the cakes, which were sentation of the donors is impressed on formerly thrown from the roof of the church.

In the high chancel against the north wall is a monument, with a bust in white John Norris, who died in 1749; admiral marble, executed by Scheemaker, of sir of the British fleets, and vice-admiral of England. I am, &c. J J. A. F.

The Biddenden cake," transmitted

through this obliging correspondent, appears to have been made some years ago, and carefully preserved; the "printed account" accompanying it, is "adorned" by a wood cut figure of the founders of the endowment, improved by the encakes. But, altogether setting aside that graver from the impressions on the wood cut, the annexed engraving is an exact representation of the baker's impress on the cake sent to the editor, and is of the exact size of the cake. A verbatim copy of the "printed account" on a half sheet of demy, circulated at this time, is subjoined to the present engraving.