247 

 DOMESTIC PETS.— THE COMMON SQUIRREL. 



BY WILLIAM KIDD, ESQ. 



Hard is that heart by nature, and »nflt 



For human fellowship, (as being void 



Of sympathy, and dead alike 



To love and friendship both,) which is not pleased 



With sight of animals enjoying life. 



Nor feels their happiness augment his own.— Cowpeb. 



A MONTHLY gossip with thosG who love God, — and, by a natural conse- 

 quence, his creatvires, — is a treat to me of tlie highest order. I say monthly, 

 because unfortunately^ The Naturalist is published at that needful interval 

 of time ; and is the only existing work that I am acquainted with, which com- 

 bines a love of nature with profound reverence and a child-like filial fear for 

 the great and good Father, by whose liberal hand we are all so bountifully 

 supplied, and our lives rendered happy. The love of God does indeed bring 

 with it that " peace which passeth all human understanding !" 



Imagine me, then, on the morning of last " Magazine-day," presenting 

 myself (soon after eight) at the door of my London bookseller for an early 

 copy of The Naturalist. Still further must your imagination extend. You 

 must behold me, in your mind's eye, hieing off, well pleased with my pur- 

 chase, to the Harrow hills. There, seated in the churchj^ard on an elevated 

 tombstone, which I selected for its sentiment — there was engraven on it 

 " God be merciful to me a sinner !" — did I let my thoughts nestle between 

 your two (ever)-green leaves ; looking round, from time to time, upon seven 

 distinct counties that lay immediately below me. What those thoughts Avere, 

 collectively and individually, you cannot know, — simply because my pen is 

 unable to trace them on paper. Suffice it, that though they are not trans- 

 ferable, yet were they truly delightful. I felt purely happy myself, and 

 yearned to make all the world (if possible) sharers in my happy feelings. 

 This is an enviable frame of mind to be in, and not always to be commanded 

 at will. Alas, for our selfishness ; that too often blinds us to our veiy best 

 interests ! 



The morning was one of great beauty ; the mighty sun had done his part 

 in dispersing early the dews of the previous night. The birds (recently 

 clean moulted) were abroad, singing their anthems sotto voce. The Robins 

 (my special pets) were, of course, my musical body-guard. The air was pure, 

 the landscape " ever changing — always new," the trees slightly bent before 

 the whispering winds ; and ever and anon some simple specimen of Nature's 

 lovely wardrobe (now gradually being laid aside as no longer wanted) fell 

 listlessly at my feet. A holy calm one moment, was broken through the next 

 by a passing breeze, which, gently fanning the cheek, imparted to it the 

 natural glow of health. Here, then, " I and Nature sat." Leaving you to 

 picture the pair of us enjoying The Naturalist in company, let me now 



