the Abbot's table, at the upper end of the Refectory or Eating-hall, to be circulated among the community at his discretion, and received the honourable appellation of Poculum Charitatis. This in our Universities is called the Grace-cup. The Poculum Charitatis is well translated by the toast-master of most of the public companies of the city of London by the words "a loving cup-' After dinner the Master and Wardens drink "to their visitors in a loving cup, and bid them all heartily welcome.' The cup then circulates round the table, the person who pledges standing up whilst his neighbour drinks to him.

flinging the glass down upon the pavement, that it may never be used on any other occasion. With loud vivats they echo his good wishes, and march away to pay the same compliment to a few others of their most popular Professors. The scene is wild and peculiar, the troop of students, every one with his torch, forming a train, "headed by the seniors of their clubs, in their respective costumes, joined by as many other students as please, with wild looks, flying hair, and torches flaming in the stormy winds, and followed by a crowd of the miscellanea of the city, marching through the wintry streets at midnight, with shouts and scattered discharges of fire-arms-is strange and picturesque. At a distance you see the light of their torch-train, confined by the narrow streets, stream up into the air like the tail of a comet, while the successive discharges of guns flash across it like lightning.

streets.

In general society the New Year's Eve is principally marked by social parties, which dance the old year out and the new year in, and drink to each other's health and prosperity through the coming year. The Methodists in their "Watch Night" have seized upon a custom of the ancient church, and have engrafted on moWithin doors all is mirth and enjoyment. There are dern life one of its most picturesque and solemn prac-games played peculiar to this eve. New Year's-eve is tices. They crowd into their chapels for a midnight probably acted in a witty and ludicrous charade, which service, and as the hour of twelve approaches they all occasions much merriment. In one party where we kneel down and remain in silence, watching the de- were, the young men made the charade New Year'sparting moments of the year, and the instant the night. They represented the students drinking and clock strikes twelve, they all rise to their feet, and burst singing, from the Burschen Song-book, a New Year'sforth with a hymn of thanksgiving. From the steeples night song. They then acted them, as pretty well and towers of all the churches, the whole land over, primed with punch and glee-wine, they rushed into the peal forth the bells ringing the old year out and the new year in. There is something poetically beautiful in the idea, that at the same moment the bells from the proud towers of gay cities and the humble turrets of rural village churches are all ringing forth the great fact of the end of one and the beginning of another year of our lives. There is something still more solemn in the thought of the many thousands of our fellow creatures who, are at the same moment, listening to these bells either amidst the gay scenes of evening festivities, or awoke from their early slumbers, are reflecting on what the past year has brought them of good or evil, and anticipations of what the coming year shall bring. Happy are they who are prepared to solemnize this ancient custom with the great and beautiful sentiment of our ancestors of leaving all the animosities of the past to perish with the past, and to begin the new year with new heart as well as new hope.

his staff, and blew his horn, and said his rhyme, but in The watchman, against whom they ran, raised vain, being glad to get away from them. Then the scene changed to the room of one of the Professors, who sat at his table waiting for the arrival of the student's torch-train, pretending to be very calm and philosophical, taking up a book to read, but all the while very fidgetty, lest the Burschen should not pay him that compliment, or should go to others before him. At length a volley was discharged before the house. He started up joyfully, exclaiming," Aha! they are there!" threw up the window, made his speech, and pledging the youngsters, flung his glass into the street.

sort of negus, and punch, are brought in after supper, There is plenty of dancing going on. Glee wine, a and just before twelve o'clock. Every one is on the watch to win the new year from the others; that is, to New Year's Day is kept in Germany as a thorough the city bell is heard to commence tolling. announce the New Year first. Accordingly, the instant holiday; there is service at the churches; business is at Neu Jahr!" starts from every one's lips; and happy is "Prosst a stand; and, like Christmas-day, it is far more ob- he who is acknowledged to have made the exclamation served than a Sunday. New-year's eve is perhaps the first, and to have won from all others the New Year. most merry time of the German year. In almost every In every house, at that moment, all over the country, house are parties met to conduct the old year out with is shouted" Prosst Neu Jahr!" prosst being no German dance and sport. About five o'clock in the evening, the word, but a contraction of the Latin prosit. On one occhurch bells ring, and guns are fired off in all direc-casion, having retired to rest, our servants assembled tions. In this respect every town is filled with as much at our room-door, and awoke us, in order to cry noise of firing and smell of gunpowder as the night of the fifth of November used to be in England. The Prosst Neu Jahr!" On the following morning, every practice has been forbidden by the authorities; but, tion. one that meets you salutes you with the same exclamaexcept in the chief cities, the authorities are not over active, and the prohibition is little regarded. The police go about the streets; but in all ordinary towns these are so fat and sleepy, that it is only necessary to be quiet just where they are, and everywhere where they are not are guns and pistols discharging.

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With the glee-wine are brought in, on a waiter, the New Year wishes of the family and its friends. These are written in verse, generally on very ornamental gilt note paper, and sealed up. When the "Prosst Neu Jahr!" has passed, passed" and all have drunk to one another a Happy New Year, with a general touching of glasses, these are opened and read. For the most part they are without signatures, and occasion much guessing and joking. Under cover of these anonymous epistles, good hints and advice are often administered by parents and friends. Numbers of people, who never on The

It is considered a compliment for young men to go and fire a salute in front of the houses of their friends. In the University towns, the students, a little before twelve o'clock, headed by their clubs, proceed with torches to the house of the Prorector, and by a volley of fire-arms, and a loud vivat, announce the termination of the year, and wish him a happy new one. Prorector appears at his window, makes there a short speech in acceptance of their compliments, drinks a happy new year to them, and frequently concludes by

any other occasion write a verse, now try their hands at one; and those who do not find themselves sufficiently inspired, present ornamental cards, which have all kinds of wishes, to suit all kinds of tastes and cir