UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 77 



lowing days burnt offerings were made, and the 

 latest fruits of the year were presented at the 

 temple ; on the eighth and last day the pro- 

 cession with branches was repeated with still 

 greater solemnity, and the whole feast concluded 

 with what was called the Hosanna Rabbah, or 

 the great Hosanna. This word literally means 

 * Save, I beseech thee ;' it was a common form 

 of religious blessing or salutation ; and thus to 

 that ancient mode of solemnizing the feast of 

 tabernacles you may trace the branches that 

 were cut down, and the acclamations of ' Ho- 

 sanna to the son of David,' with which our 

 Saviour was received on his public entry into 

 Jerusalem." 



May \st. This has been a day of amusement; 

 and the Miss Maudes and their brother, who came 

 here yesterday, have greatly added to our gaiety. 

 Very early this morning we all went out, not 

 exactly to gather May-dew, but to see the 

 numbers of people that went out Maying. Se- 

 veral May-poles and garlands had been erected; 

 but we were most interested by that which the 

 little school children had dressed up opposite to 

 their house. They had also placed an arch of 

 flowers and hawthorn branches over the door ; 

 with a magnificent C in the middle of it, made 

 of daisy flowers strung on thread. 



This was in compliment to Caroline, and 



H 3 



