ciiiiisTMAs-KE;i:pixG. 
an ancient custom to ring the bells for persons about to expire, to 
advertise the people to pray for them ; v^ lience pur passing-bells. 
The passing-bell was anciently rung for two purposes : one, to bespeak 
the |)ra;yers of all good Christians for a soul just departing; the plb^r, 
to drive away the evil spirits, who stand at the bed’s foot, arid abojit, 
the house, ready to seize the prey, or at least to molest and terrify 
the soul in his passage ; but by the ringing of that bell, for (Durand us 
informs us, evil spirits are much afraid of bells,) they were kept aloof: 
and the soul,^ like a hunted hare, gained the start, or had what is by 
sportsmen called law. Hence, perhaps, of the additional labour, was 
occasioned the high price demanded for tolling the greatest bell of the 
church, for that being louder, the evil spirits must go farther oiF to be 
clear of its sound, by which the poor soul got so much the more start 
of them : besides, being heard farther off, it would likewise procure 
the dying man a greater number of prayers.” This dislike of spirits to 
bells is mentioned in the Golden Legend, by W. de Worde. It is 
said the evil spiryts had been in the regijon of thayre, double moch 
when they . here the belles rongen, and this is the cause why, the 
belles ben rongen whan it thondreth, and whan grete tern peste and 
outrages of wether happen, to the end that the fiends aiid 
wicked spirytes should be abashed and flee, and cease of the 
niovynge of tempeste.” Lobineau observes, that the custom of ringing 
bells it the approach of thunder; was to call the people to church, to 
pray that the parish may be preserved from that terrible metor. Tire 
uSi of bells were summed up in the following distich, as well as that 
first above mentioned : 
Laudo Deum verum, plobem voco, 
Conjuga cierura, 
Defunctos ploro, pestem, fugo, festa 
decoro. 
Christmas-Keeping. 
( From the New Monthly Magazine.) 
“ Now^ Hospitality, to cheer the gloom 
Of wdnter, invitation sends abroad : 
The rural housewife lays the annual block 
Of Christmas on the hearth ; and bids a blaze 
Of tenfold brightness glad its sable spot ; 
Of evergreens, triumphant o’er the storms 
; Of fading time, while ever social mirth 
And bois’trous sport and heavy dance resound.”— Year.y^ 
Amidst the wintry desolation of the month of December, remem- 
brance of a season once anticipated in joyous hope by all ranks of 
people^ recurs to the lovers of “ Aiild langsyne” — ^to those who remem- 
bei^ with what |>leasure they once welcomed its chill atmosphere dtid 
snow storms mth the vivid raptures of youth. Even in London,: tb^ 
memory of its festivities is not yet wholly extinguished ; but in the 
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