3 1C Caroline Lucrctia, HerscheL [1S40. 



been covered with ice for the last three weeks, which is long 

 enough in conscience; therefore I hope to see a change 

 ever}- morning when I can get my eyes open, which is never 

 the case till near eleven o'clock. 



There have been some English gentlemen with Mrs. 

 Beckedorff on business, who, in conversation, among the 

 rest, were sa}'ing that the keeping Christmas in the Ger- 

 man fashion was coming to be very general in England ; 

 but I hope they will never go such lengths in foolery as 

 they do here. The tradespeople have been for many 

 weeks in full employ framing and mounting the em- 

 broideries of the ladies and girls of all classes, for there 

 exists not a folly or extravagancy among the great but it is 

 imitated by the little. The shops are beautifully lit up by 

 gas, and the last three days before Christmas all that 

 could be tempting was exhibited in the market places in 

 booths lighted up in the evening, where all run to gaze 

 and get a liking to all they see. Cooks and housemaids 

 present one another with knitted bags and purses, the 

 cobbler's daughter embroidered neck-cushions for her friend 

 the butcher's daughter, which are made up by the uphol- 

 sterer at great expense, lined with white satin, the upper 

 part, on which the back is to rest, is worked with gold, 

 silver, and pearls. 



But I find too much difficulty to write in these short 

 days, else I could write a book about the nonsense which 

 is going on in this city. I have for this last month been 

 completely tired out with this Christmas bustle ; but now 

 the balls at the Bourse, given by the shopmen to the 

 slaughters of their masters, will be succeeded by the 

 masquerades in Lent, an amusement which in the good old 

 times was only for the nobility, but from which they are 

 now excluded. 



