Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variationsin hyphenation and accents have been standardised but all otherspelling and punctuation remains unchanged.
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AChristmas Greeting
By
MARIE CORELLI
NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
1901
Copyright, 1901
Dodd, Mead and Company
All rights reserved
UNIVERSITY PRESS · JOHN WILSON
AND SON · CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
[Pg 3]
“A MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
A Christmas Greeting
“A MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
It is an old, very old, timeworngreeting, this of the friendly“Merry Christmas to you!”and there are some folks amongus in these days who profess tohate the very sound of it. Itcame into use when England was known as“Merrie England,” an appellation which seemsmore than singular to us who have to endurethe inane dullness and melancholy stupidity of“society” as it exists in this present gloriously-progressiveMotor-Era. Looking round on thetired, worn, nervous, querulous faces in the crowdsthat fill the streets and shops at Christmas-time,—hearingthe endless complaints, the new diseases,the troubles, real and fancied, of each personwho can manage to detain a friend for fiveminutes’ hurried and morbid conversation,—readingthe delectable details of suicide, murder,mania and misadventure preciously garneredup as gems of literature for the million by thehalfpenny press—one may reasonably wonder[Pg 4]whether England was ever in truth really “merrie,”as recorded. Her ancient sweet songs andballads, her old-fashioned “Yule games” andpicturesque “country dances” would appear toprove her so,—reports of the “open doors”and generous hospitality of her jolly yeomenand hunting squires in bygone days are stillextant,—and it may be reasonably asked why,if she was so “merrie” once, she cannot beequally “merrie” again.
“It is a farce to wish me ‘A Merry Christmas,’”says the pessimist—“I have no causeto be merry!”
Quite so! But then, my excellent friend, youmust remember that all the world does not wagin your particular way!