K FDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



189 



ponent parts, were made in small workshops by 

 persons who each attended to only one part of a 

 flower; while the whole were fitted together in 

 other workshops. P]ven these workshops are 

 frequently limited to one single kind of flower 

 each ; so completely is the division of labor carried 

 out. There were about 50 small manufacturers of 

 petals and stamens, and other component parts, 

 employing about 500 persons; while there were 

 nearly 600 dealers or vendors, who employed 

 nearly 6000 persons in building up the various 

 integers into whole groups of flowers. Of this 

 immense number of persons, about 5000 were 

 women, whose average earnings were estimated 

 at Is. 8d. per day. Several of the manufacturers 

 effect sales to the amount of £10,000 a year each. 

 We must, therefore, regard French flower manu- 

 facturers as commercial men of notable import. — 

 J. W.T. 



["We here see borne out — what we have so long 

 been harping upon — the fact of the " artificial" 

 prevailing over the natural to a fearful extent. 

 Artificial flowers are, by the multitude, preferred 

 before garden flowers ! It is so with everything 

 else. To be natural, is to be "unfashionable;" 

 consequently, it constitutes a crime !] 



Tight Lacing. — The evils of tight lacing have 

 recently been again very properly exposed. 

 Among several cases of severe illness brought on 

 by the pernicious practice, one death has been 

 recorded ; the coroner observing, that he feared 

 the practice would never be out of date. Women's 

 ideas about symmetry and beauty are strangely 

 MHTiatural ! — John C. 



[We have done our duty in warning our fair 

 countrywomen of their folly ; but the coroner is 

 right — the practice of pinching the machinery of 

 the body into an undue space, will never be out of 

 fashion. Health and fashion hate each other. 

 The number of pale, cadaverous faces that pass us 

 daily, fully confirm the truth of what we say. Our 

 women rather exist than live.] 



Tite World! — What an insignificant syllable 

 is this ! and yet how important and imposing 

 in reality ! It is one to which all bow the knee 

 in adoration; subjecting themselves to its influence, 

 and being fearful to violate its rules and regula- 

 tions. It is at once the inciter to good, and to 

 evil ; the giver, and the destroyer. Iu all our 

 transactions, whether relating to business or 

 pleasure, the world is first consulted. Every one 

 stops to consider what the world would think, do, 

 or say ; and each regulates his actions accordingly. 

 The world occupies the chief position in every 

 bosom. Everything is the world, and the world 

 is everything ! Follow the steps of the " Man of 

 Fashion." Deaf to the voice of reason and pru- 

 dence, he makes himself disagreeable, gives utter- 

 ance to vain unmeaning flattery ; in short, passes 

 life in one dull, sickening round of dissipation. 

 And why ? Xot on account of the pleasure it affords 

 him, not because he prefers it to a more sensible and 

 natural mode of life ; but because he dreads to 

 draw on himself the displeasure of the fashionable 

 circle ! For the same reason, men countenance 

 hypocrisy and disguise poverty. Even lovers will 

 shun each other's society when in its dread and 

 awful presence. Thus are mankind incited alike 



to acts of charity or to deeds of darkness. True, 

 the conflicts between reason and prejudice are 

 numerous, but the victory is most frequently on 

 that side to which our constitutional opinions lean ; 

 or those of the certain world with which we are 

 brought into contact. In ages past, present — 

 and most probably in those yet to come, the world 

 has been, is, and will be condemned, and depre- 

 cated by a few; who, shaking off its shackles, 

 shine forth like brilliant stars. Still, the great 

 mass remains unchanged ; and the opinions, sen- 

 timents, and actions of mankind (whether critical, 

 hypocritical, hypothetical, comical, democratical, 

 universal, natural, or practical.) may be comprised 

 in that most unequivocal, and comprehensive 

 of all terms, — "The World." — Alfred Hetheii- 

 ington. 



Bells. — The great bell of St. Paul's, London, 

 weighs 8400; the great bell of Lincoln 9894 

 pounds. Great Tom, in Christ Church, Oxford, 

 the largest bell in England, weighs 17,000 pounds. 

 The bell in PalazVecchio, at Florence, suspended 

 295 feet from the ground, weighs 17,000 pounds. 

 The great bell of St. Peter's, at Rome, weighs 

 18,600 pounds. The bell at Erfuth, 28,200. But 

 large as are these bells, they shrink considerably 

 when compared with those of Russia. The bell 

 in the tower of St. Ivan, in Moscow, weighs 

 100,000 pounds; and the fallen great bell which 

 lies at the foot of the same tower, 443,772 pounds. 

 Its height exceeds 21 feet, and its diameter at the 

 rim is 22 feet. The metal in it is estimated to be 

 worth about£70,000.— B. 



Peculiarities of the Pigeon. — About two months 

 ago, a pigeon-fancier, who resided next door to us, 

 removed. He took with him all his pigeons'save 

 one; and nothing can induce that one to quit the 

 premises. It has haunted the house ever since ; 

 nor can any kindness of mine win the creature 

 from the spot. I feed it regularly every day ; and 

 at the sociable meal of " tea" it is sure to present 

 itself at the window. If not immediately perceived, 

 it announces its presence by a tap at the glass, 

 with its bill. I accidentally discovered that this 

 bird was very fond of bathing. Accordingly, I 

 provided a small tub for him, and this I fill regu- 

 larly with water. You should see how he enjoys 

 his bath ! and he is so grateful for it ! A few 

 weeks since, a day passed away without my little 

 friend making its appearance. This caused me 

 much anxiety ; however, on the morning following 

 there it was again, and a companion w T ith it ! 

 They " kept company" together for several days ; 

 and both came regularly to the window to be fed. 

 However, the stranger began to feel dull, and 

 away she went. Not so the other. It has been 

 with me ever since, dividing its time between me 

 and its desolate empty home. One thing puzzles 

 me exceedingly ; and that is — where my friend 

 passes the night. There is no hiding place near; 

 nor can I trace its place of retreat. How it 

 escapes those midnight assassins, the cats, is little 

 short of a miracle ; for these vermin haunt our 

 neighborhood as thickly as they used to do yours, 

 until you commenced " thinning them out." Is it 

 usual for pigeons thus to become attached to their 

 old quarters? —Jane W., Mile End. 



[Yes, Jane, it is quite usual, and "natural " to 



