72 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



Our fair countrywomen have very much 

 to answer for in the encouragement they give 

 to cheap articles. They are little aware of 

 the great moral evil they are inflicting -on 

 society; or if they be (they must forgive us), 

 more shame for them ! They are habitually 

 close, and daily become closer in their 

 habits of bargaining. They want a 

 stylish-looking cap, a stylish-looking dress, 

 stylish ribbons — everything " stylish," for a 

 mere song. And if reproved, they arch up 

 their pretty eyebrows, look angry, let fall 

 some little undeserved pertnesses, and 

 transfer their " favors '' to some other es- 

 tablishment ! Nobody will attempt to deny 

 this palpable matter of tact. 



What of the poor, over-worked, over- 

 tasked, heart-stricken, pale-faced girls — who 

 forsake their pillows to make these cheap 

 stylish caps, dresses, &c, &c ? Alas I what 

 cares the fair purchaser about such con- 

 siderations as these? She is " not taught " 

 to think about such things. The poor are 

 " all very well in their places " (sitting up 

 all night to complete wedding dresses, and 

 other such needful appliances to set off 

 female loveliness); "but really it is ridi- 

 culous to be always preaching about such 

 silly nonsense !" 



"We need reform in these matters ; and 

 then we should soon get rid of the swind- 

 ling vagabonds who from time to time com- 

 mit such alarming depredations on the poc- 

 kets of unsuspecting husbands. We should 

 not then be subject to such fearful inunda- 

 tions of " Grand displays of shawls, silks, 

 and satins," sold off at fearful sacrifices in 

 consequence of large failures in the trade. 

 Nor should we see public robbers affixing to 

 their circulars of these displays, the on-au- 

 thorised names of the Duchess of Suther- 

 land, the Duchess of Inverness, &c, &c. In 

 vain does that laudable " Society for the pro- 

 tection of Trade," in Regent Street, with 

 their very able secretary Me. Owen, try to 

 up-root these travelling vagabonds. The 

 ladies will support them, — will go (like oxen 

 to the slaughter), to be victimised ; and per- 

 sist in purchasing as bargains, what they 

 must know are next to valueless.* The 

 " husbands' purse," is of course the scape- 

 goat. If we be asked, what is it that so 

 seduces the female eye in these announce- 

 ments ? — we should give it as our opinion 

 that it is the thirst for "bargain-hunting." The 



* Yet are these very same persons ridiculously 

 extravagant in other ways. They will not 

 fancy some particular things, unless their cost is 

 exorbitant ; and will lavish pounds on the most 

 silly follies where even shillings would be super- 

 fluous. These extremes are commonly found 

 among the higher circles ; and the various trades- 

 men do not fail to avail themselves of such " little 

 weaknesses." 



Circulars generally commence with, — " 800 

 rich glossy black silks, cut into full-sized 

 dresses, at 18s. each. Worth at least 

 five guineas." 



And so on. Now, no daughter of Eve, pre- 

 tending to move in the fashion, could see 

 such an annonce as this, without looking at it. 

 The eye once caught, — farewell to resolu- 

 tion ! Our fair readers will dub us " Sir 

 Oracle." 



We think we have pretty well made out 

 our case, as regards the folly of buying 

 " cheap" goods, — that is, goods called cheap ; 

 but which are in reality dear. If people 

 would deal with respectable tradesmen only, 

 — and many such there are, they would be 

 served well and reasonable. What more 

 can , be desired? But if people will buy 

 eighteen-penny gloves, half-a-crown-umbrel- 

 las, two-shilling neckerchiefs, twelve shilling 

 over-coats ; and be rigged out by cheap 

 tailors and out-fitters, — if they will buy 

 cheap chairs (and fall through them) ; cheap 

 piano-fortes (and hear the green wood crack 

 when the room becomes warm) ; furniture for 

 their rooms that " looks well to the eye," 

 but soon falls to pieces, — we say, let them 

 do so, by all means ; provided they do not 

 call honest tradesmen " dear" for selling 

 good articles at a fair price. 



In another part of our paper will be found 

 a little tale, which we have introduced to 

 illustrate the object of this article. It is 

 called " The Dress-Cap." A deep moral is 

 locked up in it, which a feeling heart will 

 readily comprehend. Thank God, our read- 

 ers are of a different class to the many. 

 Yet they may have acquaintances on whom 

 such remarks may not be ill-bestowed. 



NOTES OF A NATUKALIST. 



A GLIMPSE OF RED TARN. 



It was a wet, misty morning, early in 

 August, that, accompanied by a friend, 1 left 

 the comforts of the Nag's Head, at Wyth- 

 burn ; and passing the modest little chapel, 

 whose congregation seldom exceeds, even in 

 summer, the number of twenty, I commenced 

 for my third time, the ascent of the mighty 

 Helvellyn. Mist and rain are such every- 

 day commodities in Cumberland, that little 

 heed was taken of the thick cloud which 

 enveloped the tops of the numerous moun- 

 tains with which we were encircled. We 

 trusted, as only naturalists can do, to the 

 clearing up which might take place before 

 noon. 



The ascent is begun, and continued about 

 half-way, by a mountain stream, provincially 

 termed a Ghyll— exhibiting in its progress 

 hundreds of little cascades, and not a few 

 deep basins, where the water, resting as it 



