SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



I crave forbearance for having thought that even the busiest mind might not be a 

 stranger to those moments of repose, when the clock of time clicks drowsily behind the 

 door.'and trifles become the amusement of the wise and great. 



Longfellow. " Outre Mer." 



T is natural to 

 some minds, we 

 would almost be- 

 lieve, to look 

 with horror on 

 the face that can 

 wear a smile, 

 or to shudder at 

 d of a hearty laugh, 

 hope that the tor- 

 enduring Christmas 

 have not driven any such to 

 the extremity of renouncing 

 mankind for ever, and all as- 

 sociation with laughing bi- 

 peds. It is related of two 

 ancient worthies, who flou- 

 rished, we know not how many 

 centuries ago, that one passed 

 his life in smiles and the other 

 in tears. One laughed con- 

 tinually at the follies of his race, the other 

 wept for them, as though their follies were 

 crimes. That was the spectator of a continual 

 comedy, this an actor in a tragedy without end. 

 Each of these had his followers ; perhaps some 

 may be living at this hour, or else we can scarcely 

 account for the fact that the harmless enjoyments of 

 some of the human species can cause sighs and sor- 

 rows in others of the same great family. Not only 

 will a season of festivity plant thorns in the morbid 

 bosoms of such men, but " the trifles which become 

 the amusement of the wise and great " in moments 

 of repose are magnified into monsters that disturb 

 their rest, and inflict upon them an eternal night- 

 mare. It has been whispered abroad that we, in 

 our humble endeavours to " Gossip : ' freely over the 

 little extracts which we collect from the book of 

 Nature are giving offence. Not that we act as 

 " snappers up of unconsidered trifles," but because 

 we give to them an undignified name. On the 

 threshold of the temple of Janus, with our first 

 volume under our arm, we again announce our 

 1. Vol. II. 



name, however undignified it may be, and with it 

 gain admission to the fireside of thousands, whilst 

 the same talisman excludes us, we hope, only from 

 the drawing-rooms of a few. Parents seldom give 

 to their children names which satisfy all their friends, 

 and we cannot hope to be more successful than they. 

 Yet, after all, a name may degenerate, or become 

 dignified, by its associations. We make no great 

 pretensions, our desire being to gossip with our 

 readers, as a man chats to his frieud, of passing 

 events in which we are interested, to ask and 

 answer queries, and pass a pleasant half-hour in 

 talking of scientific subjects in the language of the 

 fireside, and not as sacans. We do not aspire to be 

 an oracle in Natural History, nor to enter deeply into 

 the mysteries of Science, neither do we think it 

 beneath our dignity to confess ourselves Gossipers, 

 or criminal to unbend ourselves and seek amuse- 

 ment, as well as instruction, in trifles. 



There is moreover a charge of frivolity to which 

 we will scarcely advert, since our readers are the 

 best judges of their own feelings, and if any of them 

 should consider a long face and a grim visage the 

 best style of physiognomy for a monthly visitor, who 

 just drops in for a chat, we would not hurt his feel- 

 ings by hinting at doubts of his sanity. Manner, or 

 matter, we imagine our verdict must be, that as to 

 changing the title, we couldn't if we would, and as 

 to the substance, we wouldn't if we could. Not 

 that we are above consulting our friends or taking 

 their advice, but because we believe that in this 

 decision we only represent the feelings of those 

 whom it is our privilege and interest to serve— the 

 supporters, readers, and contributors to our journal. 

 If we were, ever so politely, solicited to commit 

 personal suicide, we think that we should feel 

 bound, as politely, to decline the honour of self- 

 sacrifice at the shrine of friendship. So, when in- 

 vited to perform a similar act figuratively, our im- 

 pulse is strongly in favour of self-preservation. 

 Therefore we trim the quill, poke the fire, dust the 

 glasses, snuff the candle, and settle down for another 

 year of Science-Gossip. 



B 



