rife about us, that is only the reason why 

 everything should be done to diminish their 

 number and influence. Gas is becoming 

 one of the most formidable. It assails us 

 everywhere. It oozes from the soil, it rises 

 from every area, and fumes out of every 

 neglected basement. What with leakage, 

 imperfect combustion, and the original bad 

 quality of the gas, it is seldom used without 

 forcing itself on more senses than one. This 

 is a heavy penalty to pay for an evening's 

 illumination, and there is no real occasion 

 why we should have to pay it. 



If Dr. Letheby's account of the gas be 

 correct, it is high time that Parliament inter- 

 fered to neutralise the subtle poison we have 

 admitted into our atmosphere, and into the 

 very ground that we tread on. The most dan- 

 gerous poisons are those which accumulate, 

 and only act when the quantity present in 

 the system has reached a certain point. We 

 may go on poisoning London with compara- 

 tive harmlessness in our time ; but we shall 

 leave it scarcely habitable to our children. 



LAUGH AND GROW FAT!" 



Don't you love a good laugh, my dear 

 sir ? To be sure you do ; you would be a 

 very uncomfortable sort of a being if you 

 did not. All people who have the smallest 

 spark of happiness or jollity in their compo- 

 sition must dearly love a good laugh. Now, 

 I don't mean what some people call laughing, 

 — a sour, satirical, miserable affair, that 

 comes between a chuckle and a grunt ; nor 

 that stereotyped grin which is only called 

 into use to display a fine set of teeth, when, 

 at the same time, the heart is as cold and 

 free from mirth as an icicle. / mean a hearty, 

 downright, real piece of business, that brings 

 tears to your eyes, and shakes you till you 

 are fairly obliged to hold your sides ; and 

 just as you fancy you have brought matters 

 to a conclusion, off you go agaiu as fresh as 

 if you were but just beginning. 



That's the sort of laugh that does one 

 good ! It shakes out all the puckers and 

 crumples of one's face, and is "warranted to 

 preserve a fine healthy complexion." There 

 is a certain class of folks (who, for charity's 

 sake, shall be nameless) that would not 

 laugh on any account, — because it looks so 

 foolish, " betrays vulgarity," &c, &c. Fudge! 

 let 'em alone : they havn't got it in them, or 

 they'd give all they possessed to experience 

 the pleasure. They can't see " what people 

 find to laugh at." Of course they can't; 

 and never will ! All their senses and ideas 

 are so wrapped up and centred in themselves, 

 and they stick up such comical ideas of 

 " propriety," that they not only debar them- 

 selves this luxury, but they make every one 



who would otherwise enjoy themselves feel 

 uncomfortable in their society. But as they 

 cannot form an idea of the genuine pleasure 

 derived from a hearty laugh, they have no 

 right to interfere with those who can. 



Avoid one who never laughs ; for, depend 

 upon it, no good, or kindly feeling exists 

 where a long face is always kept. So, 

 laugh while you may, and be happy in the 

 enjoyment of it ; and let those who will, 

 wonder " what people can find to laugh at!" 



Devon, April 15. 



VlLETTA. 



[Never did we answer a question more 

 heartily ; or meet with a correspondent of 

 whom we could feel more justly proud. Yes, 

 " Viletta," we do indeed love a good laugh, 

 and we love those, too, dearly, who are the 

 advocates of that most natural, rational, 

 wholesome, and true way of giving utterance 

 to the honest, frank, and noble feelings of the 

 heart. Prudery, pinched-up features, pursed- 

 up mouths, long faces, demure looks, and the 

 patrons of stiff, starched, " fashionable " pro- 

 priety, — away with the whole lot ! Nature's 

 children hate hypocrisy, and love innocence. 

 Long faces in May! Horrible thought, — ■ 

 dishonoring to our Creator ! Why the 

 meads are now all glittering with dew — the 

 meadows are carpeted with every variety of 

 pattern grateful to the eye — the lovely 

 flowers are everywhere telling their hearts' 

 wishes to the breeze — the birds making 

 every tree vocal with melody — all nature is 

 clad in its modest vernal green ; whilst every- 

 thing that has breath (man excepted) is prais- 

 ing God. And we not laugh ! Hark'ee, 

 fair Viletta ; we have some pressing 

 " invites " in your immediate vicinity. Our 

 heart lies that way. So look out ! We will 

 assuredly have a " laugh " together, — such a 

 laugh! And if we do not "grow fat," 

 whose fault will it be ?] 



NEVER GIVE UP. 



Never give up ! There are chances and changes 



Helping the hopeful a hundred to one ; 

 And through the chaos High Wisdom arranges 



Ever success — if you'll only hope on. 

 Never give up ! for the wisest is boldest, 



Knowing that Providence mixes the cup ; 

 Of all maxims the best, as well as the oldest, 



Is the true watchword of — Never give up ! 



Never give up ! Though the grape-shot may rattle, 



Or the full thunder-cloud over you burst ; 

 Stand like a rock — and the storm or the battle 



Little shall harm you, though doing their worst. 

 Never give up ! If adversity presses, 



Providence wisely has mingled the cup ; 

 And the best counsel in all your distresses, 



Is the stout watchword of — " Never give up !" 



Martin Tupper. 



