Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Notes

Typographical transcription used: text between ~tildes~,
_underscores_, and =equal signs= represents text printed in the
original work in blackletter, italics and bold face, respectively.
Small capitals have been transcribed as ALL CAPITALS. Superscript text
has been transcribed as ^{text}.

More transcriber’s notes (including a list of corrections) may be
found at the end of this text.

IN THE POSSESSION OF MISS EDGEWORTH, PRESENTED TO HER BY A LADY.]

By beauty won from soft Italia’s land,
Here Cupid, Petrarch’s Cupid, takes his stand.
Arch suppliant, welcome to thy fav’rite isle,
Close thy spread wings, and rest thee here awhile;
Still the true heart with kindred strains inspire,
Breathe all a poet’s softness, all his fire;
But if the perjured knight approach this font,
Forbid the words to come as they were wont,
Forbid the ink to flow, the pen to write,
And send the false one baffled from thy sight.

_Miss Edgeworth._

THE
EVERY-DAY BOOK
AND
TABLE BOOK;

OR,

EVERLASTING CALENDAR OF POPULAR AMUSEMENTS,
SPORTS, PASTIMES, CEREMONIES, MANNERS,
CUSTOMS, AND EVENTS,

INCIDENT TO
~Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days,~
IN PAST AND PRESENT TIMES;

FORMING A
COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE YEAR, MONTHS, AND SEASONS,

AND A

PERPETUAL KEY TO THE ALMANAC;

INCLUDING

ACCOUNTS OF THE WEATHER, RULES FOR HEALTH AND CONDUCT, REMARKABLE AND
IMPORTANT ANECDOTES, FACTS, AND NOTICES, IN CHRONOLOGY, ANTIQUITIES,
TOPOGRAPHY, BIOGRAPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, ART, SCIENCE, AND GENERAL
LITERATURE; DERIVED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC SOURCES, AND VALUABLE
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, WITH POETICAL ELUCIDATIONS, FOR DAILY USE AND
DIVERSION.

BY WILLIAM HONE.

I tell of festivals, and fairs, and plays,
Of merriment, and mirth, and bonfire blaze;
I tell of Christmas-mummings, new year’s day,
Of twelfth-night king and queen, and children’s play;
I tell of valentines, and true-love’s-knots,
Of omens, cunning men, and drawing lots:

I tell of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers,
Of April, May, of June, and July-flowers;
I tell of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes,
Of bridegrooms, brides, and of their bridal cakes;
I tell of groves, of twilights, and I sing
The court of Mab, and of the fairy king.

HERRICK.

WITH FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX ENGRAVINGS.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. III.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG,
73, CHEAPSIDE.

J. Haddon, Printer, Castle Street, Finsbury.