Volume 1

The year book of daily recreation and information ... on the plan of the 'Every-day book and table book.' / [William Hone].

  • William Hone
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The year book of daily recreation and information ... on the plan of the 'Every-day book and table book.' / [William Hone]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    confectioners’ shops, which are the great lounge for the occasion, the morning of New-year’s day is passed. A dinner is given by some member of the family to all the rest, and the evening concludes with cards, dancing, or any other amuse- ment that may be preferred. - The decorations of the confectioners’ shops remain till twelfth-day ; when there is a ceremony of drawing twelfth-cake, dif- fering from the mode in England. The cake is very plain in its composition, being not better than a common bun, but large, so as to cut into slices. In one part a bean is introduced ; and the per- son who draws the slice with the bean is king or queen, according to the sex of the drawer.» Every one then drinks to the health of the new sovereign, who re- ceives the general homage of the company for the evening. The rest of the com- pany have no name or title of distinction. Two remarkable lawsuits between a confectioner and a poet arose out of the celebration of New-year’s Day. The poet had been employed by the con- fectioner to write some mottoes in verse for his New-year’s Day bon-bons; and the agreement was, that he was to have six livres for five hundred couplets. The poet delivered his couplets in manu- script, according to the, agreement as he understood it; to this the confectioner objected, because he understood: they were to be printed, and ready for enclos- ing within his bon-bons. The poet an- swered that not a word had passed on the subject of printing, and that he should not have agreed to furnish the mottoes at so low a price if he had under- stood the printing was to be included. Thereupon the parties joined issue, and a verdict was found for the poet; because, as no mention of printing was made, the confectioner had no claim to expect it; and because six livres was as little as could possibly be given for such a num- ber of lines in manuscript. After this action against the confectioner was settled, the man of bon-bons brought an action against the son of Apollo, for that the poet had sold a copy of the same mottoes to another confectioner, whereas the plaintiff had understood that they were to be exclusively his. The defendant an- swered that not a word had passed indi- cating a transfer of exclusive right; and he maintained that he was at liberty to sell a copy to as many confectioners as chose to purchase one. Issue hereupon was again; joined, and another verdict in favor of the poet established his right of sell- ing and reselling his mottoes for bon-bons to all the confectioners in the universe. MEMORY GARLANDS. [For the Year Book.] Years may roll on, and manhood’s brow grow cold, And life’s dull winter spread its dark’ning pall O’et cherish’d hopes ; yet time cannot with- hold A precious boon which mem’ry gives to all :— Fond recollection, when the tale is told Which forms the record of life’s festival, Recals the pleasures of youth’s opening scene, And age seems young—rememb’ring what hath been. Even as children in their happiest hours, Gath’ring the blossoms which around them grow, Will sometimes turn and strew the early flowers Over the grave of one—there lying low— Who watched their infancy—so we ; for ours Are kindred feelings: we as gently throw Our mem’ry garlands on the closing grave Of joys we lov’d—yet,loving, could not save. NOTE. Annexed to this, and every day through- out the year, will be found the time of day-break, sun-rise and sun-set, and the end of twilight, derived from a series of tables purposely compiled for the present work. To these daily notices are frequently added the flowering of plants, the arrival and departure of birds,and other indications of the time of the year, according to the ave- rage time of their appearance,as stated inDr. Forster’s “‘ Encyclopedia of Natural Phe- nomena,” upon the authority of a private manuscript journal kept for fifty years. January 1.—Day breaks . tet, Sun rises uh aes: —- sets .. ,» 3 56 Twilight ends . 5 59 The black hellebore, and sweet colts- foot, are in full flower, if the weather be open.