216 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



specified anniversary, every man and boy in 

 the island (except those who have thrown off 

 the trammels of superstition) devote the 

 hours between sunrise and sunset, to the 

 hope of extirpating the fairy ; and woe be to 

 the individual birds of this species who show 

 themselves on that fatal day ! They are 

 pursued, pelted, tired at, and destroyed, 

 without mercy ; and their feathers preserved 

 with religious care, — it being an article of 

 belief, that every one of the relics gathered 

 in this laudable pursuit is an effectual preser- 

 vative from shipwreck for one year ; and 

 that a fisherman would be considered as 

 extremely foolhardy, who should enter upon 

 his occupation without^ such a safeguard." 



50. If a strange dog follows you, it is 

 considered good luck in this country! 



51. If you pass under a ladder, you are 

 sure to be hung ! ! 



52. After eating an egg, you must 

 break the shell, or the ships at sea will sink ! 

 The Hollanders say, if you do not break the 

 shell, the witches will sail over in them to 

 England. 



53. Spiders. — The small spiders called 

 " money spinners " prognosticate good luck ; 

 in order to propitiate which, they must be 

 thrown over the left shoulder. 



54. Mice. — The sudden influx of mice into 

 a house, hitherto free from them, denotes ap- 

 proaching mortality among its inhabitants. 



55. The Crow Charm. — The following is 

 very commonly repeated in Scotland and in 

 the north of England by children : — 



"Crow, crow, get out of my sight, 

 Or else I'll eat thy liver and light !" 



56. The Lady-bird Charm. — With re- 

 spect to this insect, the children of the north 

 place it upon the hand, and repeat the fol- 

 lowing lines until the insect takes to flight : — 



"Lady -bird, lady -bird, fly away home, 

 Thy house is on fire, thy children all roam ; 

 Except little Nan, who sits in her pan, 

 Weaving gold-lace as fast as she can." 



57. If you wear a snake's skin round 

 your head, you will never have the head- 

 ache ! 



58. Omens of Death. — The sight of a 

 trio of butterflies, the flying down the chim- 

 ney of swallows or jackdaAvs ; — and swine, 

 are said to give their master warning of his 

 death by giving utterance to a certain pecu- 

 liar whine, known and understood only by 

 those who are initiated in such matters ! 



59. If you shave on a Saturday, after 

 the candle is lighted, you will on Monday see 

 some stranger you have never seen before. 



"If you marry in Lent 

 You will live to repent." 



This is a very common rhyme throughout 



England [and, no doubt, there is much truth 

 in it J . 



(To he Continued.) 



Middle Street, Taunton, April 19. 



THE DELIGHTS OF SPRING. 



From yonder azure gap between the snow 

 Of bedded clouds, a loud and rapturous strain 

 Falls through the still air headlong to the plain, 

 And many a sweet throat echoes it below : 

 'Tis thine, blest Lark ! Spring summons thee to 



go 

 High as thy wings will hear thee, and again 

 To hushed and listening earth proclaim her reign. 

 "Rejoice thou at rough Winter's overthrow ! 

 Nerve thy brave pinions for a lofty flight, — 

 And, like a spirit, through the arched blue 

 Rise, till thy quivering form be lost in light ! 

 —Now thrush and blackbird their glad songs 



renew ; — 

 A myriad throats conspire to greet fair Spring, 

 And far and wide shout joyous welcoming. 



Season of bursting buds, and opening flowers ! 



Of emerald-springing blades, and laughing skies ! 



Of birdy births and bush-born melodies ! 



Soft gales, and gleams, and fertilising showers ! 



Thy hand roofs o'er the pillared wood ; embowers 



The lane with pleasant greenery ; and ties 



The fleecy clouds in gossip companies. 



At thy sweet will, the gracious Naiad pours 



A richer flood from her bloom-wreathed urn : 



Narcissus peeps again into the stream ; 



Gay Hyacinthus trims his purple hair : 



The orchard whitens ; honeyed breath is borne 



From many a woodbine gadding in thy beam; 



And Mayflower cloys the breezes everywhere. 



Daisies, and kingcups, and pale cowslip-bells, 



In knots and crowds upon the grassy leas ; 



A snow of clustering wood-anemones, 



That lightens up the thicket-floor and tells 



Of every passing breeze that softly swells ; 



Marsh-marigolds in flame-like liveries; 



Sweet violets, and starry primroses ; 



And many a flower besides, that yields the cells 



Of honey-seeking bees a large supply ; — 



All bud and bloom at my command, O Spring ! 



And huddle close in sweet conspiracy, 



With banded strength and intermingled sheen 



O'er hill and dale to lay rich coloring, 



And rob the wide earth of one half its green. 



Come, little children ! troop it to the meads, 

 Through lanes and pleasant paths, by cot and 



farm ; 

 Rosy battalions ! take our fields by storm, 

 And wreathe victorious garlands round your heads. 

 Choke up each leafy, winding way, that leads 

 To grassy plots and leas where wild flowers swarm 

 Like bees at hiving time — a potent charm — 

 And snatch the brilliant wonders on all sides. 

 Bind up the buttercups, ye merry elves, 

 In bunched gold ; with blue-bells deep as Heaven; 

 Daisies, and lady-smocks, and May branch-riven. 

 Deflower the hedgerows, and the sheeted green 

 Of knee-deep pastures ; then, in files be seen, 

 Bearing home posies bigger than yourselves ! 



P.P. 



