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OF THE HINDUS.
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catur. Giuli a conversione solis in auctum diei nomen accepit.”—Beda de Ratione Temporum. Again, Bishop Stillingfleet states, in his Origines Britannicæ, “that the ancient Saxons observed twelve days at this period, and sacrificed to the sun.” And Mallet states, “that all the Celtic nations worshipped the sun, and celebrated his festival at the winter solstice, to testify their joy at his return to the northern sky. This was the greatest solemnity in the year.”—North. Ant. 2, 68. Identifications too palpable to be denied, with the Uttarayana of the Hindus, and the worship by them also of the sun, at the same season, and on the same account. A like analogy may be suspected in the Yule dough, or cakes of flour and water, which, after the introduction of Christianity, were kneaded into little images; but were originally, in all probability, nothing more than the rice cakes of the Hindus. The extension of the period of festivity, so as to include the new year, brings us also to the interchange of presents and good wishes which, amongst the Saxons, as well as the Romans and Hindus, was thought peculiarly appropriate at this season.
Mention is made by Mr. Brand, to whose work on Popular Antiquities * I am indebted for most of the preceding statements, that it was enjoined in the ancient Calendar of the Roman church, to present on
* [ed. Sir II. Ellis, I, 17 ff., 467–78. Compare also: Calendrier Belge." Bruxelles: 1861, I, 3-11. "Fest-Kalender aus Böhmen.” Wien: 1961, p. XI and 2 - 7. Pfeiffer's Germania, II, 228 - 38.]
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