KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



333 



SOCIETY IX NEW YORK. 



Society in New York has been much 

 laughed at and abused. I do not feel that 

 my experience would warrant me in doing so. 

 Many a delightful day have I spent wander- 

 ing on the banks of the Hudson, with kind, 

 intelligent, and hospitable friends, whose 

 homes were surrounded with every comfort 

 and luxury, and whose doors were never 

 closed against those who had a fair claim to 

 enter them. They were, it is true, branded 

 as " Aristocrats," which, in America, means 

 simply that they did not interfere in politics 

 or municipal elections ; were not at home 

 either on the platform or the stump ; used 

 some little discretion in the choice of society ; 

 and were content to live quietly and unseen 

 amid the turmoil of the world around them. 

 To differ, or to affect to differ, with the tastes 

 and habits of the majority, is in America a 

 crying sin ; it is considered an assumption of 

 superiority, as conveying an indirect reproof, 

 and as indicating that their conduct and 

 opinions are open to exception. 



SCENE IN MALTA, — ST. PAUL'S BAY. 



I visited, both by land and by water, the 

 celebrated St. Paul's Bay. There is no 

 reasonable doubt that Malta is the " Melita " 

 described by St. Paul as the scene of his 

 shipwreck ; and to hint even a doubt of this 

 would be here the concentrated essence of 

 treason. There is, perhaps, rather more 

 uncertainty as to the exact spot ; but there j 

 is a bay with an island at its mouth, which 

 answers the description given of the scene of 

 his shipwreck by St. Paul in the last chapter 

 of the Acts of the Apostles; and therefore 

 it is fixed upon reasonably enough as the 

 place, and named accordingly. On the 

 island is a colossal statue of St. Paul. Of 

 course, too, there is a chapel dedicated to 

 him, and the very spot is pointed out at 

 which the vessel touched the ground. Here, 

 as elsewhere, scepticism is invited to step in 

 by an attempt to prove too much. This is 

 an error almost universal at places of tra- 

 ditional interest. The day, though early in 

 spring, was very hot; and I think I have 

 rarely seen so many lizards racing over the j 

 rocks. As the weather was calm, I could 

 not form much idea of what the place would [ 

 be in a strong east wind or " Gregale " — I 

 doubtless dangerous enough. The immedi- j 

 ate country round the bay is desolate, and 

 almost if not the only building visible, except 

 the chapel, is a fort garrisoned by a small 

 detachment of the Malta fencibles. These 

 forts are scattered here and there all round 

 the island, and the officer in command must 

 lead a sadly dull life. The road to the bay 

 by land is rocky and bad, and offers no 

 inducement except an extensive view over a 

 great part of the island at " Casal Nasciar." 



CONSUMPTION, AND ITS SORROWS. 



It is most sad to watch the fall 

 Of autumn leaves ; but worst of all 

 It is to watch the flower of spring 

 Faded in its fresh blossoming ! 

 To see the once so clear blue orb 



Its summer light and warmth forget, 

 Dark'ning beneath its tearful lid, 



Like a rain-beaten violet ! 

 To watch the banner-rose of health 



Pass from the cheek ; to mark how plain 

 Upon the wan and sunken brow 



Become the wanderings of each vein ! 

 The shadowy hand, so thin and pale ! 



The languid step, the drooping head ! 

 The long wreaths of neglected hair ! 



The lip whence red and smile are fled ! 

 And having watch 'd thus, day by day, 

 Light, life, and color pass away, 

 To see, at length, the glassy eye 

 Fix dull, in dread mortality ; 

 Mark the last ray, catch the last breath, 

 Till the grave sets its sign of Death ! 



L. E. L. 



TIME AND SPACE. 



Here— there — everywhere ! — Old Sating. 



If our forefathers could only see 

 US NOW, and view what we really are doing, 

 — how they would stare ! They would not 

 want a second peep. 



We have no wish to speak seriatim on a 

 subject that would last till doomsday ; but 

 the following " amusing" facts are worthy a 

 passing thought. They make us ejaculate, 

 — "What next?" Time was, when the 

 London City merchant lived within the City, 

 and even locked himself up within the walls. 

 And long after the City gates were thrown 

 open, the City mansion of the rich banker 

 and trader was not only a house of business, 

 but a home. Those were the times when 

 City men were perhaps in reality what the 

 caricaturists now describe them. But those 

 days are over ; and now perhaps there is no 

 class of men in the world who see more 

 country than the chief citizens of London. 

 They live in the country. They keep their 

 dogs and their horses in the country. They 

 have their fields, their gardens, their sheep, 

 and their oxen ; and ihey know as much 

 about rural affairs as the rustics themselves. 

 The cockney caricatures are no longer a 

 reality. Even the clerks and the shop- 

 keepers' assistants have got beyond the 

 elements of rustic education. 



The sea-coast town of Brighton is upwards 

 of 50 miles south of London. But this is 

 not at all alarming to a City man. He 

 transacts business within the walls daily, and 

 sleeps at Brighton nightly. There are about 

 250 season tickets out for Loudon and 

 Brighton alone, at fifty guineas per annum ; 

 and express trains run daily, Sundays 



