of the Royal Society, in a volume which he has edited on the subject,
states, that till lately, in the West of England, on Christmas-eve,
about seven or eight o'clock in the evening, festivities were commenced,
and "the singing of carols begun, and continued late into the night.
On Christmas-day, these carols took the place of psalms in all the
churches, especially at afternoon service, the whole congregation
joining; and at the end it was usual for the parish-clerk to declare,
in a loud voice, his wishes for a merry Christmas and a happy new year
to all the parishioners."

Mr. Hone observes, in his work on "Ancient Mysteries," that "the custom
of singing carols at Christmas prevails in Ireland to the present time.
In Scotland, where no church fasts have been kept since the days of John
Knox, the custom is unknown. In Wales it is still preserved to a greater
extent, perhaps, than in England: at a former period, the Welsh had
carols adapted to most of the ecclesiastical festivals, and the four
seasons of the year; but at this time they are limited to that of
Christmas. After the turn of midnight, on Christmas-eve, service is
performed in the churches, followed by singing carols to the harp.
Whilst the Christmas holidays continue, they are sung in like manner in
the houses; and there are carols especially adapted to be sung at the
doors of the houses by visitors before they enter. _Lffyr Carolan_,
or the Book of Carols, contains sixty-six for Christmas, and five summer
carols. _Blodengerdd Cymrii_, or the Anthology of Wales, contains
forty-eight Christmas carols, nine summer carols, three May carols, one
winter carol, one nightingale carol, and a carol to Cupid. On the
Continent, the custom of carolling at Christmas is almost universal.
During the last days of Advent, Calabrian minstrels enter Rome, and are
to be seen in every street, saluting the shrines of the Virgin mother
with their wild music, under the traditional notion of charming her