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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



not worthy of insertion in your pages. Such as they 

 are. however, you are welcome to them. I still 

 live in the garden, — my " palace of delights;" 

 where you saw me : — 



Here do I love to be, — 

 My eye fondly delights to dwell 

 Upon the .oveliness and purity 

 Of every bud and bell. 

 My garden and Our Journal are my two pets 

 par excellence. They both seem animated by one 

 spirit; and we three never by any chance fallout. 

 — Honeysuckle, Henley, April 22. • 



[Again, fair maiden, the pruning knife is laid 

 aside. We cannot remove a single leaf. You 

 may keep on planting and sowing ; only give us 

 the benefit.] 



Nervous Debility. — I am a martyr to what is 

 called nervous debility ; and although comfortably 

 off as regards this world's requirements, I am yet 

 unable to enjoy myself. What with depression of 

 spirits, morbid fancies, frequent sickness, and 

 other ailments, life becomes a burthen. Can you 

 tell me of anything likely to rouse me from this 

 distressing visitation ? I imagine it to be curable, 

 under proper treatment. — John A. 



[Kead a little Treatise, published by Houlston 

 and Stoneman, called "Neurotomes." In a very 

 plain and intelligible manner, it exhibits a new 

 view of health and disease in relation to the 

 nervous system. It speaks eloquently, too, on 

 the subject of mental emotions, and shows their 

 peculiar influence upon the body. The origin of 

 chronic diseases is also traced. The author, 

 Duncan Napier, possesses the art of strengthening 

 the nerves ; and the way he does it, is said to be 

 very simple and efficacious. Take our advice and 

 read this book.] 



Failure of the Salmon Ova, or JSpaum, sent to 

 New South Wales. — Mr. Boccius, we are told by 

 the " Sydney Morning Herald," has quite failed 

 in his experiment of transporting the ova of salmon 

 trout from England. Fifty thousand were shipped 

 in London on board the Columbus, Jan. 31, 1852. 

 Of these not one came to maturity ! Let us hope 

 that some more practical man may undertake the 

 next experiment, — for the matter is one of im 

 portance, and should not be played with. — K. F., 

 Windsor. 



Motion. — The common watch, it is said, beats 

 or ticks 17,160 times an hour. This is 411,840 

 a day, 150,424,560 a-year, allowing the year to 

 be 365 days and six hours. Sometimes watches 

 will run, with care, 100 years. In that case it 

 would last to beat 15,042,456,000 times ! The 

 watch is made of hard metal; but there is a curious 

 machine which is made of something not nearly 

 so hard as brass or steel — it is not much harder 

 than the flesh of one's arm — yet it will beat more 

 than 5,000 times an hour, 120,000 times a day, 

 and 43,830,000 times a year. It will sometimes, 

 though not often, last 100 years; and when it 

 does, it beats 4,383,600,000 times. One might 

 think this last machine, soft as it is, would wear 

 out sooner than the other ; but it does not. One 

 thing more. We have this little machine about 

 us. We need not feel in our pocket, for it is not 

 there. It is in our body, — we can feel it beat ; it 

 is — our heart ! — Q. 



The Salubrious Air of Kent. — The air of cer- 

 tain parts of Kent, — near Seven Oaks, to wit; 

 Farnborough, Tonbridge, Bromley, &c, — is noto- 

 rious for its beneficial effects upon invalids; and 

 for its tending towards longevity in those who 

 reside under its healing wings and genial in- 

 fluences. We have seen remarkable proofs of this. 

 A few days since, an excellent friend of ours in- 

 vited us to make one of a select party to visit his 

 estate at Knockholt, in the vicinity of Seven- 

 Oaks, The tempting offer of a seat for " Self 

 and Co." in an open landau, nicely " furnished," 

 settled all scruples in an instant. The morning 

 dawned, — oh how fine ! All nature was in an 

 ecstacy. Our steeds, rampant with joy, chewed 

 their bits (they had breakfasted), tore the ground 

 with their feet, and away we all scampered. We 

 will not tell — simply because we cannot — of all 

 the pretty scenery, flowers, blossoms, birds, and 

 happy faces, that met us and passed us on our way ; 

 nor will we prate about thepicturesque little garden- 

 plot where we halted to " take in water," <£c. (/) 

 to generate steam for a pursuance of our journey. 

 No; these matters, delightful to share in and 

 enjoy, fall short of effect in description. Suffice 

 it, we reached Knockholt a la bonne heure; and 

 found an entertainment awaiting us there, provided 

 by a Mr. Butcher and his hospitable angel of life, 

 that fairly doubled us up with amazement. Now 

 Mr. Butcher, be it known, is in his 70th year; 

 and heartier by far, and more jolly, than we who 

 are nearly a quarter of a century younger ! What 

 a mind too he has ; and how sensibly he talks 

 and reasons ! Let us confess we are every way 

 his debtor. But then he lives in Kent — and " the 

 air of Kent is so wonderful!" So it is. His 

 domestic angel, too : nimble as a fairy, busy as a 

 bee, what did not her gentle art conjure up on 

 that lily-white coverlid ! What a spread ! If we 

 were to attempt seriously to chronicle all we saw, 

 tasted, and enjoyed, we might be voted a glutton. 

 Oh that ham ! and that cream ! But — only 

 think, good people, of "the air of Kent /" Keally, 

 all was allowable. We saw these old folk (and 

 their truly amiable, good, attentive domestic) 

 hearty, well, jolly : and with such an " example" 

 of " green old age " before us, how could we help 

 " following suit ?" A lovely day was that; and 

 some first-rate " curious " wines (supplied, we were 

 given to understand, by our prince of wine mer- 

 chants, and kindest of kind friends, John Amor, 

 Esq., of New Bond Street), assisted not a little in 

 making, keeping, and sending us home happier 

 than a king. Kings are not to be envied, — we 

 were ! We shall not tell of our amiable companions 

 nor speak of our rambles over the beautiful estate ; 

 its lovely grounds — splendid views, extending so 

 many miles over this fairy land — nor of the 

 many conveniences prepared for the " happy 

 family " who may hereafter become owners of the 

 mansion (recently vacated by its late resident). 

 We only wished we were "one" of the members! 

 " The air of Kent (here particularly) is so charm- 

 ing!" We throw off these random thoughts, 

 with a view to induce people generally, at this 

 sweet season, to make a day's holiday occa- 

 sionally. It is good for body and soul ; for whilst 

 the latter is refreshed and made cheerful, the 

 former must melt with gratitude, if not radically 

 bad (which God forbid !) towards Him who in hi6 



