THE　SKETCH　BOOK
  CHRISTMAS　EVE
  by　Washington　Irving
  Saint　Francis　and　Saint　Benedight
  Blesse　this　house　from　wicked　wight；
  From　the　night…mare　and　the　goblin；
  That　is　hight　good　fellow　Robin；
  Keep　it　from　all　evil　spirits；
  Fairies；　weezels；　rats；　and　ferrets：
  From　curfew　time
  To　the　next　prime。
  CARTWRIGHT。
  IT　WAS　a　brilliant　moonlight　night；　but　extremely　cold；　our　chaise
  whirled　rapidly　over　the　frozen　ground；　the　postboy　smacked　his　whip
  incessantly；　and　a　part　of　the　time　his　horses　were　on　a　gallop。　〃He
  knows　where　he　is　going；〃　said　my　companion；　laughing；　〃and　is　eager
  to　arrive　in　time　for　some　of　the　merriment　and　good　cheer　of　the
  servants'　hall。　My　father；　you　must　know；　is　a　bigoted　devotee　of
  the　old　school；　and　prides　himself　upon　keeping　up　something　of　old
  English　hospitality。　He　is　a　tolerable　specimen　of　what　you　will
  rarely　meet　with　nowadays　in　its　purity；　the　old　English　country
  gentleman；　for　our　men　of　fortune　spend　so　much　of　their　time　in　town；
  and　fashion　is　carried　so　much　into　the　country；　that　the　strong
  rich　peculiarities　of　ancient　rural　life　are　almost　polished　away。
  My　father；　however；　from　early　years；　took　honest　Peacham*　for　his
  text…book；　instead　of　Chesterfield；　he　determined　in　his　own　mind；
  that　there　was　no　condition　more　truly　honorable　and　enviable　than
  that　of　a　country　gentleman　on　his　paternal　lands；　and　therefore
  passes　the　whole　of　his　time　on　his　estate。　He　is　a　strenuous　advocate
  for　the　revival　of　the　old　rural　games　and　holiday　observances；　and　is
  deeply　read　in　the　writers；　ancient　and　modern；　who　have　treated　on
  the　subject。　Indeed　his　favorite　range　of　reading　is　among　the　authors
  who　flourished　at　least　two　centuries　since；　who；　he　insists；　wrote
  and　thought　more　like　true　Englishmen　than　any　of　their　successors。　He
  even　regrets　sometimes　that　he　had　not　been　born　a　few　centuries
  earlier；　when　England　was　itself；　and　had　its　peculiar　manners　and
  customs。　As　he　lives　at　some　distance　from　the　main　road；　in　rather
  a　lonely　part　of　the　country；　without　any　rival　gentry　near　him；　he
  has　that　most　enviable　of　all　blessings　to　an　Englishman；　an
  opportunity　of　indulging　the　bent　of　his　own　humor　without
  molestation。　Being　representative　of　the　oldest　family　in　the
  neighborhood；　and　a　great　part　of　the　peasantry　being　his　tenants；
  he　is　much　looked　up　to；　and；　in　general；　is　known　simply　by　the
  appellation　of　'The　Squire；'　a　title　which　has　been　accorded　to　the
  head　of　the　family　since　time　immemorial。　I　think　it　best　to　give
  you　these　hints　about　my　worthy　old　father；　to　prepare　you　for　any
  eccentricities　that　might　otherwise　appear　absurd。〃
  *　Peacham's　complete　Gentleman；　1622。
  We　had　passed　for　some　time　along　the　wall　of　a　park；　and　at
  length　the　chaise　stopped　at　the　gate。　It　was　in　a　heavy　magnificent
  old　style；　of　iron　bars；　fancifully　wrought　at　top　into　flourishes　and
  flowers。　The　huge　square　columns　that　supported　the　gate　were
  surmounted　by　the　family　crest。　Close　adjoining　was　the　porter's
  lodge；　sheltered　under　dark　fir…trees；　and　almost　buried　in　shrubbery。
  The　postboy　rang　a　large　porter's　bell；　which　resounded　through
  the　still　frosty　air；　and　was　answered　by　the　distant　barking　of　dogs；
  with　which　the　mansion…house　seemed　garrisoned。　An　old　woman
  immediately　appeared　at　the　gate。　As　the　moonlight　fell　strongly
  upon　her；　I　had　a　full　view　of　a　little　primitive　dame；　dressed　very
  much　in　the　antique　taste；　with　a　neat　kerchief　and　stomacher；　and　her
  silver　hair　peeping　from　under　a　cap　of　snowy　whiteness。　She　came
  courtesying　forth；　with　many　expressions　of　simple　joy　at　seeing　her
  young　master。　Her　husband；　it　seemed；　was　up　at　the　house　keeping
  Christmas　eve　in　the　servants'　hall；　they　could　not　do　without　him；　as
  he　was　the　best　hand　at　a　song　and　story　in　the　household。
  My　friend　proposed　that　we　should　alight　and　walk　through　the　park
  to　the　hall；　which　was　at　no　great　distance；　while　the　chaise　should
  follow　on。　Our　road　wound　through　a　noble　avenue　of　trees；　among　the
  naked　branches　of　which　the　moon　glittered；　as　she　rolled　through
  the　deep　vault　of　a　cloudless　sky。　The　lawn　beyond　was　sheeted　with
  a　slight　covering　of　snow；　which　here　and　there　sparkled　as　the
  moonbeams　caught　a　frosty　crystal；　and　at　a　distance　might　be　seen　a
  thin　transparent　vapor；　stealing　up　from　the　low　grounds　and
  threatening　gradually　to　shroud　the　landscape。
  My　companion　looked　around　him　with　transport：…　〃How　often；〃　said
  he；　〃have　I　scampered　up　this　avenue；　on　returning　home　on　school
  vacations！　How　often　have　I　played　under　these　trees　when　a　boy！　I
  feel　a　degree　of　filial　reverence　for　them；　as　we　look　up　to　those　who
  have　cherished　us　in　childhood。　My　father　was　always　scrupulous　in
  exacting　our　holidays；　and　having　us　around　him　on　family　festivals。
  He　used　to　direct　and　superintend　our　games　with　the　strictness　that
  some　parents　do　the　studies　of　their　children。　He　was　very
  particular　that　we　should　play　the　old　English　games　according　to
  their　original　form；　and　consulted　old　books　for　precedent　and
  authority　for　every　'merrie　disport；'　yet　I　assure　you　there　never　was
  pedantry　so　delightful。　It　was　the　policy　of　the　good　old　gentleman　to
  make　his　children　feel　that　home　was　the　happiest　place　in　the
  world；　and　I　value　this　delicious　home…feeling　as　one　of　the
  choicest　gifts　a　parent　could　bestow。〃
  We　were　interrupted　by　the　clamor　of　a　troop　of　dogs　of　all　sorts
  and　sizes；　〃mongrel；　puppy；　whelp　and　hound；　and　curs　of　low
  degree；〃　that；　disturbed　by　the　ring　of　the　porter's　bell　and　the
  rattling　of　the　chaise；　came　bounding；　open…mouthed；　across　the　lawn。
  〃…　The　little　dogs　and　all；
  Tray；　Blanch；　and　Sweetheart；　see；　they　bark　at　me！〃
  cried　Bracebridge；　laughing。　At　the　sound　of　his　voice；　the　bark　was
  changed　into　a　yelp　of　delight；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　surrounded
  and　almost　overpowered　by　the　caresses　of　the　faithful　animals。
  We　had　now　come　in　full　view　of　the　old　family　mansion；　partly
  thrown　in　deep　shadow；　and　partly　lit　up　by　the　cold　moonshine。　It　was
  an　irregular　building；　of　some　magnitude；　and　seemed　to　be　of　the
  architecture　of　different　periods。　One　wing　was　evidently　very
  ancient；　with　heavy　stone…shafted　bow　windows　jutting　out　and
  overrun　with　ivy；　from　among　the　foliage　of　which　the　small
  diamond…shaped　panes　of　glass　glittered　with　the　moonbeams。　The　rest
  of　the　house　was　in　the　French　taste　of　Charles　the　Second's　time；
  having　been　repaired　and　altered；　as　my　friend　told　me；　by　one　of
  his　ancestors；　who　returned　with　that　monarch　at　the　Restoration。
  The　grounds　about　the　house　were　laid　out　in　the　old　formal　manner
  of　artificial　flower…beds；　clipped　shrubberies；　raised　terraces；　and
  heavy　stone　balustrades；　ornamented　with　urns；　a　leaden　statue　or　two；
  and　a　jet　of　water。　The　old　gentleman；　I　was　told；　was　extremely
  careful　to　preserve　this　obsolete　finery　in　all　its　original　state。　He
  admired　this　fashion　in　gardening；　it　had　an　air　of　magnificence；
  was　courtly　and　noble；　and　befitting　good　old　family　style。　The
  boasted　imitation　of　nature　in　modern　gardening　had　sprung　up　with
  modern　republican　notions；　but　did　not　suit　a　monarchical
  government；　it　smacked　of　the　levelling　system…　I　could　not　help
  smiling　at　this　introduction　of　politics　into　gardening；　though　I
  expressed　some　apprehension　that　I　should　find　the　old　gentleman
  rather　intolerant　in　his　creed。…　Frank　assured　me；　however；　that　it
  was　almost　the　only　instance　in　which　he　had　ever　heard　his　father
  meddle　with　politics；　and　he　believed　that　he　had　got　this　notion　from
  a　member　of　parliament　who　once　passed　a　few　weeks　with　him。　The
  squire　was　glad　of　any　argument　to　defend　his　clipped　yew…trees　and
  formal　terraces；　which　had　been　occasionally　attacked　by　modern
  landscape　gardeners。
  As　we　approached　the　house；　we　heard　the　sound　of　music；　and　now　and
  then　a　burst　of　laughter；　from　one　end　of　the　building。　This；
  Bracebridge　said；　must　proceed　from　the　servants'　hall；　where　a
  great　deal　of　revelry　was　permitted；　and　even　encouraged　by　the
  squire；　throughout　the　twelve　days　of　Christmas；　provided　every
  thing　was　done　conformably　to　ancient　usage。　Here　were　kept　up　the　old
  games　of　hoodman　blind；　shoe　the　wild　mare；　hot　cockles；　steal　the
  white　loaf；　bob　apple；　and　snap　dragon：　the　Yule　clog　and　Christmas
  candle　were　regularly　burnt；　and　the　mistletoe；　with　its　white
  berries；　hung　up；　to　the　imminent　peril　of　all　the　pretty　housemaids。*
  *　The　mistletoe　is　still　hung　up　in　farmhouses　and　kitchens　at
  Christmas；　and　the　young　men　have　the　privilege　of　kissing　the　girls
  under　it；　plucking　each　time　a　berry　from　the　bush。　When　the　berries
  are　all　plucked；　the　privilege　ceases。
  So　intent　were　the　servants　upon　their　sports　that　we　h