apartment, and the flame went sparkling and wreathing up
the wide-mouthed chimney. The great picture of the cru.
sader and his white horse had been profusely decorated with
greens for the occasion; and holly and ivy had likewise been
wreathed round the helmet and weapons on the opposite wall,
which I understood were the arms of the same warrior. I
must own, by the bye, I had strong doubts about the authen-
ticity of the painting and armor as having belonged to the
crusader, they certainly having the stamp of more recent
days; but I was told that the painting had been so considered
time out of mind; and that, as to the armor, it had been
found in a lumber-room, and elevated to its present situation
by the 'Squire, who at once determined it to be the armor
of the family hero; and as he was absolute authority on
all such subjects in his own household, the matter had passed
into current acceptation. A sideboard was set out just under
this chivalric trophy, on which was a display of plate that
might have vied (at least in variety) with Belshazzar's parade
of the vessels of the temple; "flagons, cans, cups, beakers,
goblets, basins, and ewers;" the gorgeous utensils of good
companionship that had gradually accumulated through many
generations of jovial housekeepers. Before these stood the
two yule candles, beaming like two stars of the first magni-
tude; other lights were distributed in branches, and the whole
array glittered like a firmament of silver.

We were ushered into this banqueting scene with the
sound of minstrelsy; the old harper being seated on a stool
beside the fire-place, and twanging his instrument with a vast
deal more power than melody. Never did Christmas board
display a more goodly and gracious assemblage of counte-
nances; those who were not handsome, were, at least, happy;
and happiness is a rare improver of your hard-favored visage.
I always consider an old English family as well worth study
ing as a collection of Holbein's portraits, or Albert Durer's
prints. There is much antiquarian lore to be acquired; much
knowledge of the physiognomies of former times. Perhaps it

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