KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



heavily on our hands, were it not for the 

 opening and shutting of the days, the advent 

 and departure of flowers, the arrival and dis- 

 appearance of birds, the infinitely-numerous 

 races of insects, the wan coldness of winter, 

 and the ruddy warmth of summer — all hn • 

 parting to the year forms which correspond 

 to our own changing existence. 



We have lately taken several strolls among 

 the lanes and bye-roads, with a view to re- 

 connoitre the doings, and try to catch the 

 voices, of the early birds of song ; but alas ! 

 save the musical wren, the robin, and the 

 hedge-sparrow, all has been desolation. The 

 fields look cold and comfortless, the trees 

 naked, and the hedges bare. A skylark now 

 and then has risen on the wing, and given 

 utterance to his short, winter note ; a thrush 

 and a blackbird, too, have been heard whist- 

 ling low ; but no joyous effusions of vernal 

 melody. All this has yet to come, and it is 

 worth waiting patiently for. 



The notes of birds evidently undergo some 

 extraordinary changes during the autumn 

 and the winter ; for we find them making 

 many vain attempts to sing in January, with- 

 out having the power to exercise their full 

 compass. The difficulty of utterance appears 

 to arise from some physical impediment ; 

 and this impediment is only gradually re- 

 moved. Jenyns corroborates these obser- 

 vations ; for he remarks that as the tempe- 

 rature increases, their system receives a 

 corresponding stimulus, their song becomes 

 more melodious, and also much louder. If 

 our readers will test this by noticing the 

 movements of the various tribes, they will 

 not find it an unprofitable occupation. 



We will not close these few remarks on 

 the New Year, without directing attention 

 to the necessity there is for all who would be 

 well, to take exercise in the open air. It is a 

 too common practice at this season, for peo- 

 ple, young and old, to crowd over a large 

 fire — half baking themselves on one side, 

 whilst the other is unduly cold. This inva- 

 riably produces illness. Let the apartment 

 in which you live be well ventilated, and let 

 a moderate fire be kept in the stove. Sit at 

 a fair distance from it, and you will obtain an 

 equable warmth. But ere you do this, take 

 a nice bracing walk, if the day be dry. This 

 will cause a due circulation of the blood, and 

 keep you healthily warm. On your return 

 home, your cheeks will glow with a ruddy 

 tint, your appetite will be good, and your 

 digestion equally so. All that is needful to 

 guard against cold, is — a proper equipment. 



Take no heed, young ladies, of being cele • 

 brated for a pretty foot, or a neat ankle ; 

 especially during the season of winter. Pro- 

 vide good, strong boots, with moderately- 

 thick soles, so as to exclude water and damp. 

 Put these on whenever you walk abroad, 



and you will thank us for our advice long 

 before they are half worn out. Warm gloves, 

 (no muff), a neat little cloak, and a warm 

 winter's dress, will, with the addition of a 

 little "comfortable" bonnet, put you in march- 

 ing order. Never miss a single day's exer- 

 cise in the open air ; unless indeed the ground 

 be saturated with rain. You cannot imagine 

 .the benefits arising from walking out, during 

 the winter months. You shall do so, however, 

 ere we have kept your company long. 



We shall take upon ourself, month after 

 month, to study your welfare ; and we shall 

 not hesitate to tell you all that we conceive 

 to be for your benefit. " Line upon line, 

 precept upon precept," shall be lovingly 

 offered ; and we feel sure that we shall win 

 our way to your favor, while laboring so 

 earnestly for your good. 



We speak now, more particularly, to our 

 new Subscribers. There are many who are 

 as yet strangers to us, and to our doctrines. 

 Only let them listen to what we say, and let 

 them be better acquainted with us, and we 

 venture our reputation that we shall all 

 speedily become a " United Happy Family." 



We begin the New Year with buoyant 

 spirits. Nature's treasury is about to be 

 opened. We shall be there at the opening ; 

 and whilst we expose to view all her lady- 

 ship's boundless gifts to her children, as they 

 present themselves, we feel sure that there 

 will be but one feeling between us and our 

 readers, — Love to God, and good-will to 



man. 



This is our fondest desire, — our earnest 

 hope. 



THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE NEW YEAE. 



It is a melancholy task, Mr. Editor, to reckon 

 with the departed year. To trace back the 

 curious threads of affection through its many- 

 colored woof, and knot anew its broken places — to 

 number the missing objects of interest, the dead 

 and the neglected — to sum up the broken reso- 

 lutions, the deferred hopes, the dissolved phan- 

 toms of anticipation, and many wanderings from 

 the leading star of duty — this is, indeed, a melan- 

 choly task, but, withal, a profitable, and, it may 

 sometimes be, a pleasant and a soothing one. 



It is wonderful in what short courses the objects 

 of this world move. They are like arrows 

 feebly shot. A year, a brief year, is full of 

 things dwindled, and finished, and forgotten. 

 Nothing keeps evenly on. What is there in the 

 running calendar of the year that has departed, 

 which has kept its place and its magnitude? 

 Here and there an aspirant for fame still stretches 

 after his eluding shadow — here and there an 

 enthusiast still clings to his golden dream — here 

 and there (and alas ! how rarely a friend keeps 

 his truth, and a lover his fervor — but how many 

 more, that were as J ambitious, as enthusiastic, as 

 loving as these when last year began, are now 

 sluggish, and cold, and false ! You may keep a 



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