KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



133 



THE CHARMS OF EASLY SPRISG. 



BY HELEN HETHERINGTON. 



Come, Dora dear, and let us rove ^ 

 Where merry milkmaids gaily sing, 



And the sweet warblers of the grove 

 Welcome the smiles of lovely spring. 



Is not this charming ? Here the sun, 



Already on his path of duty, 

 Claims a sweet smile from everyone, 



And tips the verdant hills with beauty. 



Nature refreshed awakes from sleep, 



With smiles and tears, with sun and showers ; 



Smiling (ere she has ceased to weep) 

 A hope of brighter, happier hours. 



Then let us share the joy she yields, 

 And in her merry mazes mingle ; 



Chase the wild breeze across the fields, 

 And flow'rets seek in forest dingle. 



Bright daisies gambol at our feet, 



And primroses sweet odors fling 

 Across our path, where vi'lets meet 



To court the smiles of lovely Spring. 



Is not this scene enchanting ? Hark ! 



Melodious voices fill the air ; 

 And soaring Heavenward, the lark 



Warbles his song of praises there! 



Can infidelity exist, 



And dare to press this verdant sod ? 

 Can man, weak sinful man, resist 



The mighty voice of Nature's God ! 



The springing corn, the golden sheaves, 

 Alike His wondrous works display ; 



The early buds and faded leaves 

 Teach us to worship and obey. 



The little birds His mercies hail, 



With every season of the year ; 

 And simple flow'rets of the vale 



Proclaim — " The hand of God is here !" 



Then let us join their hymn of praise, 

 Of boundless mercy we will sing; 



And thank Him in our sweetest lays 

 For all the joys of lovely Spring ! 



NOTES ON PHOTOGRAPHY. 



No. 1— INTRODUCTORY. 



This very interesting subject, in which 

 so many families take delight, is one which 

 I consider peculiarly suited for discussion in 

 your pages ; and if you will allow me, ray 

 dear sir, I will furnish you with a [ew short 

 papers thereon, practical, and easy of com- 

 prehension. They will refer to the Collodion 

 process, a branch of the Photographic art, 

 decidedly the most simple, and attended with 

 the least possible trouble and expense. 



Photography, I hardly need remark, is the 

 art of obtaining pictures on various prepared 

 substances, by the agency of light, or per- 

 haps more correctly speaking, by that of the 



sun. Though the principles of the art were 

 known many years ago, yet the practice of 

 it made little or no advance, till simplified by 

 the constant and arduous labors of Da- 

 guerre, Herschel, Talbot, Hunt, Archer, and 

 many others. The difficulties are now, how- 

 ever, so much lessened, that very many ladies 

 and gentlemen practise it as an interesting, 

 scientific, and healthful amusement. 



From the multiplicity of processes now 

 before the world, the intending beginner is 

 often quite bewildered, and cannot tell which 

 of them to turn to. To obviate this diffi- 

 culty, I propose, therefore, in the pages of 

 our own Journal, to give a simple and 

 succinct account of the Collodion process, 

 and which I have found eminently successful. 

 I hope a perusal of my remarks will induce 

 many to become acquainted with this fasci- 

 nating art. 



Who would not be able to take a friend's 

 portrait — to fix indelibly the lineaments of 

 those who are dear to him ? What could be 

 a more welcome present to relatives far away 

 than an enclosure of such portraits ; calling to 

 remembrance faces they will perhaps never 

 behold or meet again, at least here below ? or 

 a picture of the home of their childhood ? Oh ! 

 happy, happy home, — bringing up with every 

 well remembered nook, those far-off memories 

 of early days,which lie buried in every human 

 heart. Photography for such a purpose is 

 indeed a blessing. 



A complete apparatus, and materials for the 

 the Collodion process, will cost from £5 to 

 £10, according to size. These prices are forthe 

 smaller sets ; some,with expensive lenses, cost 

 as high as £60. After the first equipment the 

 expense, however, is very trifling, and as a 

 very good set for a beginner may be had for 

 £6, 1 would recommend that at least that 

 amount be laid out in the first instance ; 

 as though perhaps no letter pictures are pro- 

 duced than with smaller sets, yet the general 

 results are more satisfactory. Any of the 

 respectable dealers in photographic materials 

 (several of whom, I observe, advertise in our 

 Journal), will furnish the requirements, and 

 will most likely be able to shew the process 

 of taking a Collodion picture. Indeed, it 

 is indispensably necessary that a beginner 

 should see the mode of coating the glass-plate 

 with Collodion ; the dipping the plates in 

 various solutions, exposing them in the cam- 

 era, &c. : for the manipulation of these cannot 

 be properly communicated in words. 



For the greater part of the Collodion pro- 

 cess, a dark room is required ; and perhaps 

 the best way of obtaining this is to stretch 

 three folds of yellow calico over the window, 

 which admits light enough to work by, and 

 yet not of the kind to derange the process. 

 As the reason of this and many other things 

 immediately connected with Photography 



