CARNIVAL. The same views which led men to propitiate the higher invisible powers by gifts, sacrifices and purifications, also intro duced fasts, abstinence from pleasure, and pen ances. By fast is meant an abstinence from the usual means of nourishment, in order to mortify the appetites, and thereby to propitiate the Deity. In every nation of importance cus toms of this kind are found. Their historical origin is in the religious customs of the East, where the priests were originally the physicians of the people, and prescribed these fasts as a part of the regimen necessary in this warm region, as well as from religious views. Fasts are observed to this day in the East. The re ligions of the Persians and the Hindus, those of the Mohammedans, and of the worshippers of the Lama, insist much on fasts. Few traces of them are found in the religion of the ancient people of the North. The earliest Christians fasted on the vigils (q.v.). The fasts on the jejuna quattuor temporum, which continued for three days every quarter of the year, were penances, as was that of the period of 40 days (before Easter, or rather before Good Friday, Quadrigesime), which was called, by way of excellence, the fast, and which commemorated the 40 days' fast of Jesus in the wilderness. With regard to the origin of Christian fasts, opinions differ. The most common is, that Telesphorus, bishop of Rome, in the middle of the 2d century, first instituted the 40 days' fast as a rule of the Church. By Pope Greg ory the Great, about 600, Ash Wednesday was made the beginning of the fast, and the day before .was called fast eve, because in the night of this day, at 12 o'clock, the fast began. This fast was preceded by a feast of three days, very obnoxious to the strict zealots. "Christians," it is said, on these days deliver themselves up to voluntary madness, put on masks, exchange sexes,• clothe themselves like spectres, give themselves up to Bacchus and Venus and con sider all pleasure allowable." This is the origin of the present carnival, or Fasching, as it is called in the south of Germany, and which con tinues in that country from Twelfth Day to Ash Wednesday. The name carnival is de rived from the Latin taro, carnis, flesh, and vale, farewell (according to Ducange, from the Latin denomination of the feasts in the Middle Ages, carnis levamen, solace of the flesh), be cause at that time people took leave of flesh. Previously to the commencement of their long abstinence, men devoted themselves to enjoy ment, particularly during the last three days of the carnival. The carnival is nothing but the Lupercalia of the Christian Romans, who could not forget their pagan festivals. At least it greatly resembles the Saturnalia which were celebrated annually in December, with all kinds of mirth, pleasure and freedom, in honor of Saturn, and the golden age when he governed the world, and to preserve the remembrance of the liberty and equality of man in the youth of the world. In Rome, the carnival brought to view, in a lively manner, the old Saturnalia in a new form. During the last days of the carnival, and particularly during the day which preceded the long fast, mummeries, plays, tricks and freedom of every kind abounded. From Italy, the modern Saturnalia passed to the other Christian countries of Europe. The wealthiest class commenced their amusements 8 or 10 days before Ash Wednesday, the middle classes two or three days, the poor only ob served one day (the Fastnacht of the Germans?.
In the amusements of this period the dramatic poetry of Germany had its origin, after the cities had attained a flourishing condition. Its first traces appeared in the 13th century. The mummeries of the carnival produced the idea of adopting some character, and carrying it through. To please the multitude, and make the laugh more certain, the manners of common life were caricatured. There exhibitions after ward became more cultiyated and developed. On fast eve persons in disguise sometimes went from one house to another, to make sport with their friends and acquaintances. A merry so ciety of this kind formed a plan to represent some scene in their disguises, and hold a regular conversation at one of these mummeries. The unknown players received praises, entertain ments or presents. Encouraged by this success, the company grew stronger, their fables and speeches became longer by degrees, until they attained to regular representations of human life. It was in Nuremberg, renowned for its wares and its wit; that the first fast eve's play was produced, coarse and frolicsome, to suit the taste of the citizens. The earliest of these pieces that have come down to us date from 1450-70; they have a near relationship to the masques of the English and the farces of the French, as have the spiritual fast eve's plays, religious burlesques, to the Mysteries and Moralities. In Italy the carnival is now cele brated with the greatest show and spirit at Rome. It lasts for the 10 days preceding Ash Wednesday, certain observances taking place on certain days. Some days, for instance, are devoted to the throwing of comfits, or of small plaster pellets that take their place, these being flung from the balconies of the houses upon the persons in the streets— especially in the Corso — who retaliate in the same way, and in order that they may do this many of them are mounted upon lofty cars or other vehicles, all being masked. On other days the finest equi pages move along in procession, and flowers in stead of comfits are thrown. Races of riderless horses in the Corso are another prominent feature of carnival time. After sunset on Shrove Tuesday everybody carries a lighted taper (these being known as moccoletti), and each tries to extinguish as many others as he can while keeping his own alight. Venice, Turin, Milan, Naples, Florence, etc., also cele brate the carnival with more or less ceremony, and the same can be said of various towns of the south of France, Nice in particular. The carnival at Rome has been excellently de scribed by Goethe. In Germany the carnival is celebrated with brilliancy only in the Cath olic cities of the Rhine Valley, Mayence, Bonn, but above all Cologne. In Protestant countries, generally, the feast is not observed to any ex tent. In the United States the principal observ ance of this nature is that held annually at New Orleans. Various civic organizations take part in a great street pageant, in which are elaborate tableaux, brilliantly illuminated and placed o:i vehicles. Historic, poetic and other scenes are artistically portrayed often' at great expense. In Paris a fat ox (batuf eras? was led in the procession, followed by a child in a triumphal car, who is named "Icing of the butchers?' From this taking place on the Tuesday (Mardi) preceding Ash Wednesday the festival came to be known under the title Mardi Gras, which name is now generally applied to such festivals in America and elsewhere. See PAGEANT.