ot my guest whence and whither his way,
'Tis because I would have him here with me to stay."

It is no part of our purpose to enter into details of the events which
led up to the Revolution. Suffice it to say, that during the reign of
Charles II. began the great struggle between the King and the people,
but Charles steadily refused to alter the succession by excluding his
brother James. He died on the 6th of February, 1685, and

JAMES II. CAME TO THE THRONE

in the midst of an unsettled state of affairs. James made a bold, but
unsuccessful, attempt to restore the power of Romanism in England,
and, ultimately, consulted his own safety by fleeing to France,
landing at Ambleteuse, in Brittany, on Christmas Day, 1688,

THE CHRISTMAS OF THE REVOLUTION.

The flight of James put an end to the struggle between Crown and
people, and the offering of the Crown, with constitutional
limitations, to William, Prince of Orange, and his wife Mary, daughter
of King James II. and granddaughter of King Charles I. of England,
speedily followed.

WILLIAM AND MARY

accepted the invitation of the English people, and began their reign
on February 13, 1689. They both took an interest in the sports and
pastimes of the people. Strutt says William patronised horse-racing,
"and established an academy for riding; and his queen not only
continued the bounty of her predecessors, but added several plates to
the former donations." The death of Queen Mary, from small-pox, on the
28th of December, 1694, cast a gloom over the Christmas festivities,
and left King William almost heart-broken at her loss. As to

THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES

Brand says that in "Batt upon Batt," a Poem by a Person of Quality
(1694), speaking of Batt's carving knives and other implements, the
author asks:--

"Without their help, who can good Christmas keep?
Our teeth would chatter and our eyes would weep;
Hunger and dullness would invade our feasts,
Did not Batt find us arms against such guests.
He is the cunning engineer, whose skill
Makes fools to carve the goose, and shape the quill:
Fancy and wit unto our meals supplies:
Carols, and not minc'd-meat, make Christmas pies.
'Tis mirth, not dishes, sets a table off;
Brutes and Phanaticks eat, and never laugh.

* * * * *

When _brawn, with powdred wig_, comes swaggering in,
And mighty serjeant ushers in the Chine,
What ought a wise man first to think upon?
H