Gebelin, before cited, in his Allegories Orientales, accounts in the following Manner for the Custom of making on Fires on Midfummer Eve, "can one, fays he, overlook here the St. John Fires, those facred Fires kindled about Midnight, on the very Moment of the Solstice by the greatest Part both of antient and modern Nations? A religious Ceremony, which goes backwards thus to the most remote Antiquity, and which was obferved for the Prosperity of States and People, and to dispel every Kind of Evil. The Origin of this Fire, ftill retained by fo many Nations, and which loses itself in Antiquity, is very fimple. It was a Feu de joie, (Fire of Joy) "Peut-on méconnoître ici les Feux de la S. Jean, ces Feux "facrés allumés à minuit au moment du Solstice chez la plûpart "des Nations anciennes & modernes? Cérémonie religieufe, qui remonte ainfi à la plus haute Antiquité, & qu'on observoit pour la prospérité des Etats & des peuples, & pour écarter tous les maux. "L'origine de ce Feu que tant de Nations confervent encore, & qui fe perd dans l'antiquité, eft tres fimple. C'étoit un Feu de joie "allumé au moment où l'année commençoit; car la premiere de toutes les Années, la plus ancienne donc on ait quelque connoif"fance, s'ouvroit au mois de Juin. De-là le nom même de ce "mois, Junior, le plus jeune, qui fe renouvelle; tandis que celui qui le précéde eft le mois de Mai, ou Major, l'ancien auffi l'un "étoit le mois des Jeunes Gens, & l'autre celui des Vieillards. "Ces Feux-de-joie étoient accompagnés en même tems de Vœux " & de Sacrifices pour la profpérité des Peuples & des biens de la "Terre: on dansoit auff autour de ce Feu; car y a-t-il quelque "Fête fans danfe? & les plus agiles fautoient par-deffus. En fe 66 retirant, chacun emportoit un tifon plus on moins grand, et le "reite étoit jetté au vent, afin qu'il emportât tout malheur comme "il emportoit ces cendres. Lorfqu'après une longue fuite d'années, le Solstice n'en fit plus "l'ouverture, on continua cependant également l'ufage des feux "dans le même tems, par une fuite de l'habitude, & des idées fuperftitieufes qu'on y avoit attachées ; d'ailleurs, il eût été triste "d'anéantir un jour de joie, dans des tems où il y en avoit peu; "auffi cet ufage s'eft-il maintenu jusqu' à nous.” Hift. d'Hercule. p. 203. kindled the very Moment the Year began; for the firft of all Years, and the moft antient that we know of, began at the Month of June. Thence the very Name of this Month, Junior, the youngest, which is renewed; while that of the preceding one is May, Major, the antient: Thus the one was the Month of young People, the other that of old Men. Thefe Feux de joie were accompanied at the fame Time with Vows and Sacrifices for the Profperity of the People and the Fruits of the Earth; they danced alfo round this Fire, for what Feaft is there without a Dance? And the most active leap ed over it. Each at their Departure took away a greater or lefs Firebrand, and the Remains were fcattered to the Wind, which was to drive away every Evil as it difperfed the Afshes. When after a long Train of Years, the Solftice ceased to be the Beginning of them, the Cuftom of making these Fires was still continued at the fame Time, through a Train of Use and of fuperstitious Ideas, which were annexed to it. Befides it would have been a fad Thing to annihilate a Day of Joy in Times when there were but few of them: Thus has the Cuftom been continued and handed down to us." So far our learned and ingenious Foreigner.But I by no means acquiefce with him in thinking that the leaping over thefe Fires, was only a Trial of Agility. A great deal of Learning might be produced here, further to fhew that this was as much a religious Act as the making them on. * Leaping over the Fires is mentioned among the fuperftitious Rites ufed at the Palilia in Ovid's Fafti: Moxque per ardentes ftipula crepitantis acervos Lib. 4. 1. 781. I have I have nothing to obferve here concerning Mr. Bourne's luftful Dragons, their Spermatizing in the Wells or Fountains, as they flew through the Air, &c! I find in J. Boëmus Aubanus' Description of the Ceremonies of this Eve in Germany, that a Species of Fireworks was played off, which they, who had never feen it before, he fays, "would take to be a Dragon of Fire flying." This must have had fome Meaning. The Dragon is one of those Shapes, which "Fear has created to "itfelf:" They who gave it Life, have, it seems, furnished it also with the Feelings of animated Nature; but our modern Philofophers are wiser than to attribute any noxious Qualities in Water to Dragon's Sperm. N. B. Stow tells us, that the Rites above described were used alfo on the Eve of St. Peter and St. Paul the Apoftles (the 29th of June). Dr. Morefin informs us, that in Scotland they ufed on this Night to run about on the Mountains and higher Grounds with lighted Torches, like the Sicilian Women of old in Search of Proferpine. I have been informed that fomething fimilar to this was practised about half a Century ago in Northumberland on this Night; they carried fome Kind of Firebrands about the Fields of their refpective Villages: They made Encroachments on these Occafions upon the Bonefires of the neighbouring Towns, of which they took forcibly some of the Afbes; this they called "carrying off the Flower (probably "the Flour) of the Wake." Morefin thinks this a Veftige of the antient Cerealia. P. 56, 72. "Ignis fit, cui Orbiculi quidam lignei perforati imponuntur, qui quum inflammantur, flexilibus virgis præfixi, arte et vi in aerem fupra Moganum amnem excutiuntur: Draconem igneum "volare putant, qui priùs non viderunt." P. 270. t CHAP. Of the Feast of Sheep-fhearing, an ancient Cuftom. HE Feaft of Sheep-fheering, is generally TH a Time of Mirth and Joy, and more than ordinary Hospitality; indeed it is but little obferved in these Northern Parts, but in the Southern it is pretty common. For on the Day they begin to fheer their Sheep, they provide a plentiful Dinner for the Sheerers, and for their Friends who come to vifit them on that Occafion; a Table also, if the Weather permit, is spread in the open Village, for the young People and Children. After what Manner foever this Custom reach'd us, it is certain it may boast of great Antiquity. It is mention'd in the Second Book of Samuel, as a Feaft of great Magnificence, both for Grandeur of Entertainment and Greatness of Company. No less a Person than Abfalom the King's Son was the Mafter of this Feast, and no lefs Perfons were the Guests than the King's Sons, the Brethren of Abfalom; nay it was a Feaft that might entertain the King himself, or furely the King would never have been fo importun'd, never would have receiv'd the Compliment so kindly. For 'tis faid, It came to pass after two full Years, Years, that Abfalom had Sheep-fheerers in Baalhazor, which is befide Ephraim, and Abfalom invited all the King's Sons. And Abfalom came to the King, and faid, Behold, now thy Servant hath Sheep-fheerers, let the King, I beseech thee, and his Servants, go with thy Servant. And the King faid, Nay, my Son, let us not all go, left we be chargeable unto thee. Of this kind alfo was the Feaft which Nabal made for his Sheerers, when David was driven to ftraits in the Wilderness, and fent his Servants to afk a Present of him. He calls the Day it was held on, a good Day; that is, a Day of plentiful Eating and Drinking. And therefore Nabal anfwer'd the Servants of David, fhall I then take my Bread and my Water, and my flesh that I have killed for my Sheerers, and give it unto Men, whom I know not whence they be? And further, it is said in the fame Chapter, that fo grand and magnificent was this Feaft, that he had a Feaft in his Houfe, like the Feast of a King. We find also in the Book of Genefis, that Laban went to fheer his Sheep, in which Time Jacob made his Escape, which Laban heard not of till the third Day. Of fuch great Antiquity then is this Custom, and tho' its Antiquity is not of fuch force as to palliate Luxury and Profufenefs in these Entertainments; yet no doubt it will vindicate the Harmlefnefs of a moderate Feast upon this Occafion. OB |
