bearing of the date-palm on the religious and profane history of man. We owe to it two of the finest styles of architecture. In the Temple of Edfoo we have long rows of columns in close imitation of the date-palm, the capitals being the crown of leaves accurately sculptured. The Greeks borrowed this idea, like many others, from the barbarians without acknowledging the obligation. The beech has been supposed to have given the first notion of Gothic architecture; but we do not see that the growth of that tree, either in isolated specimens or in groups, could ever furnish such a prototype, especially to nations which, at the time of Tacitus, had no temples of any sort. The date-palm is much more likely to have supplied the model; in fact, the pointed arch is the meeting of two palmleaves, and in some of the oldest cathedrals the imitation is very elose. From the palm-tree being considered a sign of glory and victory, and having been used on Christ's entry into Jerusalem, its leaves found their way into Christian churches on the Sunday before Easter, and they are exported from Italy in considerable quantities for that purpose. In places where no palm-leaves could be obtained, branches of holly, box, olive, and other trees were substituted; in England, the willow obtained that distinction, together with the name palm. Shakspeare was thought to have committed a slip of the pen when, in "As You Like It," he allowed Rosalind to find a palm in the Forest of Arden. Commentators have been sadly puzzled about it, and suggested every explanation save the most natural one. The country people still call the goat willow, just when the young catkins make their appearance, palm. The carrying of such twigs in churches was one of the customs allowed after the Reformation by a special proclamation of Henry the Eighth; and going a-palming, palmsoning, or pulmsning, is one of the expressions used in the north for the young people going out to collect these flowering willow-branches previous to Palm Sunday.

all

quity as a remedy for various diseases, especially epilepsy; and Hippocrates is loud in its praises. In times when the office of priest and physician were united, it was natural that such a plant should be placed under the special protection of religion, and be deemed worthy of the highest veneration. Its growth, which even modern science has not yet quite comprehended, must have excited great attention among a people who maintained so close an intercourse with nature as our ancestors did. Unlike any other shrub, it did not draw its nourishment direct from the soil, but from the tree upon which it lived parasitically, and on which it seemed to be grafted as it were as a different twig-hence its Anglo-Saxon name: mistiltan, from mist (different) and tan (twig). The facts that its propagation was conducted by birds, sacred in the eyes of the multitude, and could not be accomplished, as was then thought, by human agency; that it remained green the year round; and ripened its snowwhite fruit just at Yule-time, the high festival of the Druids,--all' pointed out the mistletoe as a fit object for sacrifice, and associated it most intimately with Treeworship. The plant was deemed particularly sacred if growing upon the sacred oak. But from what we know of the natural history of the mistletoe, this happens but seldom, trees with softer wood, as the apple and the poplar, being much more frequently afflicted with this parasite. Hence some writers have tried to show that an allied species, the Loranthus Europaus, which is more partial to oaks, must have been the ancient mistletoe. But this Loranthus only grows in the south of Europe; and when we remember that our mistletoe certainly does occasionally occur on the oak, and that our gardeners can make it grow on any tree they like, it is not improbable that the Druidical priests were acquainted with the same process. There is, therefore, no reason for depriving our Christmas mistletoe of its ancient honours. Those who have seen Norma" will remember a scene in the first act, where The mistletoe, or guidhel, as a Pem- the high priestess gathers the sacred plant. brokeshire writer calls it, enjoyed a high The whole is a fair representation of the reputation amongst the nations of anti-way in which the mistletoe was handled.

on the roots of the trees. Dancing ating it altogether. Even at the triumaround or before the object of adoration was and is one of the rites of Treeworship, as it was also of most of the other religions of antiquity, including the Jewish, and would seem to prove that the people, so far from approaching their gods in a gloomy mood, came before them with light and merry hearts. Our May poles must be regarded as the representatives of sacred trees, and the dancing around them a relic of one of the rites paid to them.

The first great blow against the worship of trees and groves was struck by the Jewish legislators; but, as the Bible shows, they did not succeed in obliter

phant entry of our Saviour into Jerusalem the populace cut down palm-branches and strewed them in the streets, which would have been a meaningless ceremony unless the full siguificance of this act was still understood. The Christian Church made strenuous efforts to put down Treeworship; and as late as the ninth century Charlemagne was induced to issue decrees for its suppression. In England, after the Reformation, many relics were swept away, especially by the Puritans, who denounced them as Popish ceremonies, which indeed they had become in some instances by the Church adopting what it felt itself powerless to oppose.

ABOUT SKATING AND SLIDING.

BY CAPTAIN CRAWLEY.

THE weather this winter has been so severe that there has been skating in considerable quantity all over the country during January; and at the moment I write, every pond and river is gay with company. A little gossip about these admirable exercises may not, therefore, be out of place. When the rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, and fields are covered with ice and snow, there is no kind of out-door amusement so excellent and exhilarating as skating; though for young boys, and even girls, an exception may certainly be made in favour of sliding. Or, perhaps, the two sports may be indulged in without favour or affection being shown to either.

Let me give you a few hints which will be useful to you upon the ice, for, in spite of all that may be said, instructions in the art of skating are simply waste of time, without you put them into practice and take your first lesson-and your first fall-with the skates actually buckled on your feet.

First, as to the skates themselves. The simplest form of skate is the best; my own have a rounded toe and very little

strapping. By all means avoid straps across the instep: a double strap round the toes, and another from the heel to the bend of the ankle are all that are necessary in a well-fitting skate. Do not buckle your straps too tightly. If you do, you will find it as difficult to skate gracefully as to dance in tight boots; and everybody knows how comfortable that is. In putting on your skates be careful that the screws are well in the heels of your boots; and, by the way, always let your boots be stout in the sole, and level in the heel. If they are not, you will be unable to properly keep your balance. Tuck the ends of the straps comfortably away, and never allow them to hang loose. It is well to have in your pocket a bit of extra strap, together with a gimblet, a pocket-knife, and a yard or two of twine, in case of breakages. As soon as you have fastened the straps, rise carefully, but boldly, press your foot firmly down, so that the little spikes in the front part of the skate enter well int the sole of your boot, and then strike ou boldly, right foot first, as in dancing: then follow with the left foot, and so on

continuously. Avoid grooved skates. They may be a little advantage to the amateur, but they are dangerous, in consequence of their cutting up the ice in shavings, and being apt to throw their wearer. Don't be afraid of a fall or two, as, unless you come down on the back of your head, you wont hurt yourself. In learning to skate, begin, if you can, without the aid of a stick, and ignore all such newfashioned contrivances as a chair with rollers on the legs, and so on. They are like corks in swimming; they delude you into false confidence, and never teach you to rely upon your own exertions. If you have never before had on a pair of skates, get the assistance of a friend in starting, and then keep your feet well apart. When you have succeeded in doing that, you will have no difficulty in learning the "forward roll," the side roll." the "back roll," the "fgure of three," the "figure of eight," and all the rest of the motions common to the good skater.

your head back, and your arms at liberty, so that if you feel you are going down, you may either recover your centre of gravity, or save yourself from hurt if you fall. Both skating and sliding-to say nothing of snow-balls, which are first-rate fun-are exceedingly favourable to health; they open the chest, give suppleness to the limbs, and invigorate the whole frame. I have skated miles and miles, like a Dutch peasant, day after day, without experiencing any great fatigue; and now that I am-well, what matter how old I ain? say a hundred-and-fifty or so-I love the exercise as well as ever. In fact, my readers, to thoroughly enjoy life you must cultivate the use and exercise of your limbs as well as of your brains. To make good, hardy men and women, it is necessary that in your growing days mind and body should both be set healthily at work. There is an old proverb about all work and no play making Jack a dull boy, in which I put And now as to position in skating. thorough faith. But then you know how Keep the knees straight and bend well easily work and play may be united. forward in making curves. If you find it Change of occupation is itself an amuseimpossible, after a long start, to keep ment. "Now, lads," says the western your balance, don't be afraid of going farmer," you've done work-let's have a down gently; for if you attempt to re-game at chopping wood." So, in winter, cover yourself instantly, you will most a romp upon the ice may be excellently probably come down with a heavy thud. alternated with a game of chess, or an Dress is of importance. Let your hour's reading in the evening; and a good clothes fit nicely, close, but not too tight. steady bout at arithmetic or languages in Have no flying skirts or hanging ends. the evening may be properly followed by Nobody can skate well in a cloak, though acting charades, forfeits, or a merry dance I have seen many attempt to do so. Wear at night: and if in all things you observe flannel next the skin, and an extra waist- the juste milieu, the happy middle course, coat instead of a topcoat; indeed I have you can't well do wrong. found a second shirt an admirable protector. But it is as well, after you come hot from your exercise on the ice, to have a loose top-coat or Inverness wrapper to throw on and walk home in.

Should you be unfortunate enough to get a ducking, don't attempt to dry your self in the field, but run home as fast as you can, slip off your clothes, and jump into bed. A spoonful of good brandy, or a glass of port, and an hour's rest, will make you all right again, and prepare you for the next day's fun.

And now a word or two for the young

sters.

In sliding, keep your feet well together,

LONDON.

THE city now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare-
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples, lie
Open unto the fields and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air,
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:

the very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still. WORDSWORTH.

THE ALEXANDRA RUSTIC JARDINET.