The holly with its red berries, and the “fond ivy,” still stick about our houses to maintain the recollection of the seasonable festivities. Let us hope that we may congratulate each other on having, while we kept them, kept ourselves within compass. Merriment without discretion is an abuse for which nature is sure to punish us. She may suffer our violence for a while in silence; but she is certain to resume her rights at the expense of our health, and put us to heavy charges to maintain existence. ~January 7.~ _St. Lucian._ _St. Cedd._ _St. Kentigerna._ _St. Aldric._ _St. Thillo._ _St. Canut._ _St. Lucian._ This saint is in the calendar of the church of England on the following day, 8th of January. He was a learned Syrian. According to Butler, he corrected the Hebrew version of the Scriptures for the inhabitants of Palestine, during some years was separated from the Romish church, afterwards conformed to it, and died after nine years imprisonment, either by famine or the sword, on this day, in the year 312. It further appears from Butler, that the Arians affirmed of St. Lucian, that to him Arius was indebted for his distinguishing doctrine, which Butler however denies. ST. DISTAFF’S DAY, OR ROCK-DAY. The day after Twelfth-day was so called because it was celebrated in honour of the _rock_, which is a _distaff_ held in the hand, from whence wool is spun by twirling a ball below. It seems that the burning of the flax and tow belonging to the women, was the men’s diversion in the evening of the first day of labour after the twelve days of Christmas, and that the women repaid the interruption to their industry by sluicing the mischief-makers. Herrick tells us of the custom in his Hesperides:-- _St. Distaff’s day, or the morrow after Twelfth-day._ Partly work, and partly play, Ye must on S. Distaff’s day: From the plough soone free your teame, Then come home and fother them. If the maides a spinning goe, Burne the flax, and fire the tow; * * * * * Bring in pailes of water then, Let the maides bewash the men: Give S. Distaffe all the right, Then bid Christmas sport good-night. And next morrow, every one To his owne vocation. In elder times, when boisterous diversions were better suited to the simplicity of rustic life than to the comparative refinement of our own, this contest between fire and water must have afforded great amusement. CHRONOLOGY.