Long ere the lingering dawn of that blythe morn Which ushers in the year, the roosting cock, Flapping his wings, repeats his larum shrill; But on that morn no busy flail obeys His rousing call; no sounds but sounds of joy Salute the ear--the first-foot’s[5] entering step, That sudden on the floor is welcome heard, Ere blushing maids have braided up their hair; The laugh, the hearty kiss, the _good new year_ Pronounced with honest warmth. In village, grange, And burrow town, the steaming flaggon, borne From house to house, elates the poor man’s heart, And makes him feel that life has still its joys. The aged and the young, man, woman, child, Unite in social glee; even stranger dogs, Meeting with bristling back, soon lay aside Their snarling aspect, and in sportive chace, Excursive scour, or wallow in the snow. With sober cheerfulness, the grandam eyes Her offspring round her, all in health and peace; And, thankful that she’s spared to see this day Return once more, breathes low a secret prayer, That God would shed a blessing on their heads. _Grahame_ [1] In vol. i. p. 2. [2] Sayers. [3] See vol. i. p. 1. [4] Howard on Climate. [5] The first visitant who enters a house on New-year’s day is called the _first-foot_. ~January 1.~ _The Saints of the Roman calendars and martyrologies._ So far as the rev. Alban Butler, in his every-day biography of Roman catholic saints, has written their memoirs, their names have been given, together with notices of some, and especially of those retained in the calendar of the church of England from the Romish calendar. Similar notices of others will be offered in continuation; but, on this high festival in the calendar of nature, particular or further remark on the saints’ festivals would interrupt due attention to the season, and therefore we break from them to observe that day which all enjoy in common, ~New Year’s Day.~