KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



Another great cause of disaffection to the 

 pursuits of knowledge, and a love for the 

 social arts, is traceable to the combination of 

 workmen against their employers. This 

 combination is a serious offence both against 

 God and man ; and as it is spreading widely 

 throughout the land, and the men must " hold 

 together," we feel justified in hinting at it. 

 The aiders and abettors of this movement 

 are, of course, men utterly destitute of prin- 

 ciple. All they can do is — to talk, and by 

 means of sophistry to poison the minds of 

 their weak dupes, — thus holding them cap- 

 tive at will, and destroying in them all that 

 sense of moral propriety, and proper self- 

 esteem, which alone could make them feel 

 independent, upright, and worthy members 

 of the community. Fiends are the leaders ; 

 and the "consequences " are daily visible. 



There may be yet another reason for the 

 decline of Mechanics' Institutions. We 

 strongly suspect that many of the individuals 

 of whom we are speaking know little about 

 a comfortable "home." Now, if a man be 

 ill at ease among his " household gods," his 

 mind necessarily becomes cankered ; and he 

 seeks abroad that refuge from trouble which 

 should be afforded him in the bosom of his 

 own family. All these evils it will be our 

 pleasing duty to try and ameliorate. We 

 have already accomplished so much, that now 

 nothing appears to be impossible. Nous 

 verrons. 



All our weapons of warfare against 

 offenders will be, — gentle reasoning and quiet 

 argument. We will show that men may be 

 merry and wise, cheerful and good, com- 

 panionable and happy. These recognised 

 principles of Our Journal are not for the 

 few, — but for the many. 



D E E A M S. 



Dreams are the poet's birthright, 



Dreams are the poet's hope ; 

 Dreams are the poet's spirit-light, 



By which he steers Life's boat. 



Dreams are his fount of knowledge, 

 Dreams are his guide to truth ; 



Dreams are the learned college, 

 In which he passed his youth. 



Dreams were his childhood's dwelling, 

 Dream-land his dearest home ; 



In dreams his heart is swelling, 

 With joys that never come. 



All dreamy is his spirit-bride, 

 Bright dreams his children are ; 



Entranc'd he's wafted o'er life's tide 

 To rise in worlds more fair, — 



And find the glory of his dreams 

 Surpass'd on those blest shores, 



Where radiance from the Godhead streams, 

 And, waking, he adores. 



D. 



DIGNITY AND DUTY. 



True dignity is hers, whose tranquil mind 

 Virtue has raised above the things below ; 

 Who, every hope and fear to Heaven resigned, 

 Shrinks not though Fortune aim her deadliest blow. 



Beattie. 



There can be no Paper so well adapted 

 for the discussion of the position held by 

 Dignity and Duty, as Our Journal. I there- 

 fore ask a small corner for expressing my 

 thoughts thereupon. 



Few will deny the fact, — that where dignity 

 and duty are in question, the latter almost 

 invariably goes to the wall. This perverseness 

 and short-sightedness, so inherent in human 

 nature, is perfectly unaccountable as well as 

 indefensible. Nor can we be blind to the 

 consequences of people's folly, in so leaning 

 towards the wrong side. 



Let us imagine a delicate female entering, 

 a. la chrysalis, into a matrimonial " engage- 

 ment." It is at this period that every friend 

 and every acquaintance feels herself licensed 

 to tender " advice," as to the future bearing 

 of the affiancee towards the object of her 

 choice. Now the greatest misfortune, if she 

 permit herself to listen to her advisers, is — 

 that, in the present artificial state of society, 

 mere acquaintances will most probably pre- 

 ponderate, both in numbers and volubility of 

 language. A true friend, possessing a warm 

 and unselfish regard for the object of her soli- 

 citude, would rest satisfied in knowing that a 

 sincere reciprocity of affection existed between 

 the " contracting parties ;" and would simply 

 endeavor to cultivate that perfect confidence 

 between them that is so essential to the real 

 happiness of the married life. This effected, 

 the parties may be well left to the exercise of 

 their own good feelings as well as good 

 sense. 



But alas ! how different is the result attend- 

 ing the great majority of brides in futuro, 

 who listen to the evil counsels so elaborately 

 poured into their ears by their silly female 

 acquaintance ! 



That sweet sympathy of the affections, — 

 that entire reliance upon each other, — the 

 delights of an unrestrained community of 

 sentiment and thought which exist between 

 parties who really love — are entirely unknown 

 to those who tender the pernicious advice 

 peculiar to such a season. " Do not give 

 way too much," says one. u Do not give 

 way at all," says another. " Oh, insist upon 

 this thing," or " insist upon having or doing 

 another," says a third. Just as if men were 

 a set of tyrants ; devoid of all consideration, 

 or of confiding or affectionate sympathy for 

 a woman ! That there are some such I will 

 not deny; but they are, let us hope, the 

 " exceptions " to manhood ; for no man could 

 be induced to take advantage of the sincere 

 confidence of an affectionate wife, whilst it is 



