age.

For numberless were the customs and observances that had been instituted by his spring-loving countrymen in honor of May; or that perhaps had been suggested to them by reason of its fresh and balmy days, which offered immunity from toil, and from the rigorous cold that had just passed away. Prominent amid these customs, and universally diffused throughout England, were the sports and pastimes which ushered in and attended May-Day. This was, in an especial manner, the festival of the young, and, with many others, had its origin in that mysterious and instinctive appreciation of the fit and the beautiful impregnated by the spirit of poetry which characterizes the fresh and simple ages of society. The terms mysterious and instinctive are used, because the real poetry which invests and hallows the customs, and even superstitions, of the peasantry of every country, will allow no origin for them in cold-blooded design or studied invention. Year by year, upon the simple custom or observance are grafted the grotesque imaginings or subtle fancies of poetical spirits. And thus they progress, and by the aid of tradition become indelibly impressed upon the minds of an unlettered people, till at last their origin, and also that of the nucleus round which they cluster, is lost in the "palpable obscure" of antiquity.

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Most appropriate to this fresh and balmy season was the favorite idea of Chaucer, that then such of the passions of man as are founded upon the affections developed themselves: that then the sexes were impelled together by a mutual and irresistible attraction that then Love reigned predominant, causing even the birds to choose their mates, and possessing the beasts of the field with frisky wantonness. For the year was new, and "everythyng was in its myght." The skies looked smilingly upon the bursting buds and blossoms, and (as a most poetical writer says) "it seemed just the chosen period for heaven, and earth, and youth, to mingle their gladness together."

Nor was Chaucer the only one who considered this month the peculiar season for youthful pleasures, and of sexual attrition. Herrick, in his "Hesperides," has a noble hymn in honor of May-Day, in which he describes felicitously and in detail the customs that obtained in his time; most of which were identical with those participated in by Chaucer, and so fondly loved by him. As I should otherwise still more unduly transgress the legitimate limits of a note, this little poem, so illustrative of an almost forgotten but Arcadian custom, is given in the Appendix.

In some of the old calendars, also, the utmost vigor of youth and the delights of love are symbolized by the month of May. In these the young are represented as sitting upon the grass, the men ornamenting the heads of the girls with flowers, and enjoying the pleasures of dalliance and courtship. Everything, animate or inanimate, was now supposed to have reached perfection, nor were any signs of decay yet visible.'

Other more modern poets have perpetuated the frequent allusions of Chaucer, his predecessors, and contemporaries, to the influences, the sports and observances peculiar to this month. Spenser, in his magnificent poem of "Mutabilitie," thus takes up the burden in honor of May.

"Then came fair May, the fairest maid on ground,
Deck'd all with dainties of her season's pride,
And throwing flowers out of her lap around:
Upon two brethren's shoulders she did ride,
The twins of Leda; which, on either side,
Supported her like to their sovereign queen.
Lord! how all creatures laugh'd when her they spied,
And leap'd, and danc'd, as they had ravished been ;
And Cupid's self about her flutter'd all in green."

1 See Douce's Illus. Shaks., pp. 45 and 424.

And again, in his Shepherd's Calendar :

66

Young folk now flocken in everywhere

To gather May buskets,' and smelling brere;'
And home they hasten the posts to dight,
And all the kirk pillars ere daylight:
With hawthorne buds, and sweet eglantine,
And garlands of roses, and sops-in-wine.
Then to the greene-wood they speeden hem all,
To fetchen home May and their musicall,
And home they bringen, in a royal throne,
Crouned as king, and his queen attone,
Was Lady Flora, on whome did attend
A faire flock of fairies, and a fresh band
Of lovely nymphs. O that I were there

To helpen the ladies their May-bush beer."

Milton also frequently glances at this delightful time, and the following would seem to have been composed by him, Spenser in hand:

"Now the bright morning star, day's harbinger,
Comes dancing in the east, and leads with her
The flowery May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip, and the pale primrose.

Hail, bounteous May, that doth inspire
Mirth, and youth, and young desire;
Woods and groves are of thy dressing,
Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song,
And welcome thee, and wish thee long."

1 Bushes.

2 Sweet Briar.

3 Bear.

II.

PAINTINGS.-FEMALE CHARACTERS,

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1 Joyful.

I.

BEAUTY. AN IMPERSONATION.

THE god of love jolife' and light,
Led on his honde a lady bright,

2

Of high prise, and of gret degre,

This ladie called was BEAUTE;

Ne she was derke,' ne browne, but bright

And cleare as the moone light;

Againe' whom all the starres seemen
But small candles as we demen :

Her flesh was tender as dewe of flower,

Her cheare was simple as bird in bower,
As white as lilly or rose in rise :"

Her tresses yellow, and long straughten,

2 Praise or value.

• Against, or in contrast with whom.

3 Dark.

5 Judge.

Appearance or demeanor 7 The rose bursting its bud.

• Stretching.

Unto her heeles down they raughten :'
Her nose, her mouth, and eye and cheke
Wel wrought, and all the remnaunt eke.
A full gret savour and a swote;
Me thoughte in mine herte rote,
As helpe me God, when I remember
Of the fashion of every member,
In world is none so faire a wight:
For yong she was, and hewed bright
Sore plesant and fetis2 with all,

Gentle and in her middle small.

Romaunt of the Rose.

II.

CRESEIDE.

CRESEIDE was this ladies name aright,
As to my dome3 in all Troies city
Most fairest ladie, passing every wight
So angelike shone her native beaute,
That no mortal thing seemed she:
And therewith was she so perfect a creature,
As she had be made in scorning of Nature.

And so befell, whan comen was the time

Of Aprill, whan clothed is the mede,
With new greene, of lustie veer* the prime,
And with sweet smelling floures white and rede
In sundry wise shewed, as I rede,

The folke of Troie, their observances old,
Palladion's feste went for to hold.

1 Reaching. 2 Well made. Judgment.

♦ Spring. 5 Feast in honor of Pallas, the tutelar deity of the Trojans.