KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



257 



INNOCENCE— GUILT— SUSPICION. 



Against the head which Ixnocexce secures, 



Insidious Malice aims her darts in vain, 



Turn'd backward by the powerful breath of Heaven. 



Dr. Johnson. 



Thou need'st not answer. Thy confession speaks ; 

 I see it redden in thy guilty cheeks. 



Byron. 



Suspicion ever haunts the guilty mind ; 

 The thief doth fear each bush an officer. 



SuAKSPEARE. 



TRANGE AND UNACCOUNTABLE 

 ARE THE THOUGHTS AND 

 HABITS OF LIFE WHICH RULE 

 THIS LOWER WORLD ! In 



having so often called its in- 

 habitants " mad," we feel we 

 have committed no offence — 

 unless indeed we admit that 

 " the greater the truth, the greater the 

 libel." Then must we plead guilty. 



We are not going to-day to be tedious. 

 The lovely season and our fresh feelings of 

 happiness, induced by its genial influences, 

 alike forbid it. The longest sermons are not 

 always the best, nor is the largest nut 

 usually the sweetest. The English language 

 too is expressive, and much may be said — 

 well said — in few words. 



The correspondence wo receive in con- 

 nection with Our Journal is now daily 

 becoming intensely interesting. Our ideas 

 suggest others ; and questions are being con- 

 tinually put to us touching certain things in 

 which the public may be said to be deeply 

 concerned. It gives us the most unfeigned 

 pleasure to agitate these matters, and to 

 discuss them temperately, kindly, and (we 

 hope) profitably. We have but one object 

 to gain, and that is (as will be seen by an 

 article in another part of our Journal) the 

 establishing of a love for Truth. Disre- 

 garding this, as we all do, and setting up 

 false principles of action, we come very wide 

 of the mark at which we profess to aim. 



We are entreated to offer a few remarks 

 on the subjects indicated at the head of this 

 paper, and to put in a plea for Innocence, 

 which, both in the pulpit and by society 

 generally, is denied to have any existence 

 amongst us. Bad as mankind is, surely it 

 has not reached this climax. The heart has 

 some soft place in it ! 



We confess our undisguised horror at the 

 dogmas and superstition* which obtain in 

 society touching the Virtues, and more par- 



*_ It is really sad to observe the inroads made 

 on the peace and well-being of society by what are 

 called " religious opinions." Those who should 

 be the best of friends are, by mere quibbling on 

 words^ converted into the bitterest of enemies. 

 Sectarianism and bigotry are sad foes to piety — 

 foul blots on the fair face of virtue. We grasp at 

 shadows, and miss the substance ; incontinently 

 cheating ourselves of the unalloyed happiness so 

 completely within our reach. 



ticularly Innocence. Our correspondents 

 are quite just in their remarks. The world's 

 extreme opinions upon the depravity of the 

 human heart are repulsive. That there is 

 much truth — alas ! too much truth — in the 

 fact of mankind being no better than they 

 should be, w r e readily grant ; but to banish 

 the very head and chief of the blessed 

 Virtues from amongst us, and to deny its 

 existence, is monstrous. 



We have, in our public vocation, had re- 

 peated opportunities for forming a correct 

 opinion jou this matter. Our natural dispo- 

 sition can be no secret now. For more than 

 thirty years has our pen been vigorously at 

 work for the benefit of our race. We have 

 ever advocated kindness and benevolence, 

 and sought unweariedly to bring about a 

 more chaste feeling of brotherly and sisterly 

 love amongst us. At first we were ridiculed 

 — scorned — derided. We were deemed ego- 

 tistical, and fond of pushing ourself forward 

 in society. We bore all this manfully ; 

 bowed our shoulder to the burden, and 

 persevered. 



By-and-by — continuing the same old story, 

 singing the same old song — w r e began to 

 make some little impression upon the world. 

 It was decided that we were enthusiastic, 

 but not egotistical — desirous of mixing in the 

 best society, but not fond of pushing ourself 

 forward. This ended as we wished it to end 

 — in our motives being more universally ap- 

 preciated. We are now a welcome guest — 

 proud, harmlessly proud are we to confess it 

 — in all parts of the country. We move 

 freely, converse freely, become " one " 

 amongst the many families we visit, and prove 

 that innocence does exist — both amongst 

 them, and in our own heart. 



•Serious indeed is the responsibility at- 

 taching to those who preach up the innate 

 depravity of the human heart, without 

 qualifying their observations, and defining 

 the true meaning of their remarks. The in- 

 nocence of childhood is a favorite theme 

 with us. For hours, days, weeks, months, 

 could we associate with children, whose com- 

 pany we dearly love. Infinitely great, too, 

 would be our pleasure to superintend their 

 early education, and guard their expanding 

 minds from the early contamination so little 

 heeded by parents generally. The subject 

 is one upon w T hich we could discourse for 

 ever, and find arguments irresistible for all 

 we could say in condemnation of our modern 

 svstem of education.* 



* We quite agree in sentiment with the good 

 old Isaac Barrow, in whose printed sermons we 

 thus read: — " We may accuse our nature, but it 

 is our pleasure ; Ave may pretend weakness, but 

 it is wilfulness which is the guilty cause of our 

 many misdemeanors; for, by God's help, we may 

 be as good as we please — if ice will only please to 



Vol. V.— 17. 



