8 OUR OPENING SUBJECT. 



regretful more than hopeful, of retrospect rather than of pros- 

 pect, and in the current of mingled thoughts that rushed over 

 it, our lately ruling and uppermost idea (that of our contem- 

 plated book) was completely overwhelmed. Of a sudden, 

 however, it was again brought to the surface : a shrill sound 

 broke upon the stillness; anather chorus, within the house, 

 succeeded to the hushed peal without. The Crickets, from the 

 kitchen below, were uplifting their chirping strains to salute, 

 in full concert, the new-come year. We were at no loss, now, 

 for at least one cheerful subject wherewith to commence our 

 Episodes. Bless their merry voices for the opportune sugges- 

 tion ! Forthwith, we took up, not our pen but our candle, and 

 descended to the lower regions, of which we found our chirpers 

 left in sole possession. The noisy varlets broke off, instanter, 

 in their song, and, each to his hole or cranny, scampered off 

 at our approach ; but we captured a straggler in the very act 

 of draining the milk-pot, and carried him off to our parlour 

 fire-side for the cultivation of a more intimate acquaintance, 

 and with a view to making him as well known to our readers, 

 by sight, as he, or rather his merry fraternity are likely to be 

 already by sound. Finish thy song there, little Master ! and, 

 " with what appetite thou mayest" thy supper too ! said we, as 

 we placed our lean lank-bodied prisoner beneath a tumbler, 

 under which we were so merciful as to insert a few crumbs of 

 bread, one of the Cricket's favourite repasts. Aye, leap as thou 

 wilt, and climb against gravity up the smooth walls of thy crys- 



