308 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



Sophia and Captain B are extremely ill- 

 bred , and are so taken up with each other, that 

 they pay George and myself scarcely any atten- 

 tion. I suspect they intend to have a wedding- 

 excursion of their own before long. There is 

 very little company here this season, at least 

 what I call company ; and good clothes are quite 

 thrown away, for if you get caught in a shower 

 whilst exploring, it is very uncertain whether 

 you can shelter ; and if you can, the cottages 

 are poor paltry places. They are real cottages. 

 By the way, how came we all to forget that the 

 races were so much earlier this year? George is 

 extremely vexed, as he wishes to see L.'s horse 

 run ; and as there will be no other ball before the 

 winter assemblies commence, I think it would 

 be a thousand pities to lose this opportunity of 

 making my appearance. It is my own private 

 opinion that Sophia will be a bride before winter, 

 and of course I should not like to see myself 

 superseded. We have therefore decided to 

 shorten our excursion, and you may expect us 

 home in a few days. George regrets as much as 

 I do, that we should have come to this out-of-the- 



world country. Captain B and Sophia seem 



to find it delightful, but I think they are very ro- 

 mantic, and know nothing of the world. Love 

 and a cottage are, as you have so often remarked, 

 perfectly ridiculous. I have no doubt that George 

 and I shall enjoy much rational happiness ; our 

 opinions coincide on all important points, and he 

 has promised to take me to Cheltenham when our 

 visiting bustle is over. The morning I left home, I 

 was too much agitated to observe it, but I find 

 my travelling pelisse disgracefully made. George's 

 acquaintances and mine will, when added to- 

 gether, make such a large circle, that I am not 

 exceedingly anxious for new friends, unless the} r 

 are particularly stylish people ; for I am convinced 

 that the happiness of young married persons 

 chiefly depends upon the choice of company. Be 

 sure give my best love to all the Johnsons and 

 Dickenses, and tell them what a charming excur- 

 sion we have had, and how happy I am. 1 believe 

 I have now said everything of consequence. 

 Pray remember about the ball fringe, and with 

 my best love, in which George joins, believe me, 

 my dear mother, 



" Your affectionate child, 



" Mary Anne •" 



" P.S. You may depend on seeing us in four 

 days, at the farthest. I would not stay an hour 

 longer than necessity compels me." 



The following" are the closing remarks con- 

 tained in the bride's-maid's epistle : — 



"And now, my dear friend, you will give 



credit to my assurance, that Mr. and Mrs. 



are utterly insensible to the charms of this earthly 

 paradise ! Excursions which have enraptured 



Captain B and myself, have overwhelmed 



them with ennui ; and though I am sure we have 

 behaved towards them with the greatest tact and 

 delicacy, never intruding upon their tete-a-tetes, 

 joining them in their rambles, or endeavoring in 

 the least to divert their attention from each other, 

 they are evidently displeased with us. How dif- 

 ferent are tastes ! Tftey are perpetually sighing 

 for noisy pleasures and vulgar gaiety ; whilst we 

 are contented with a solitary walk or ride, during 



which we are obliged to entertain each other. Is 

 it not provoking that our happy couple should 

 have determined to return home immediately, for 

 the sake of those horrid races, and that abomina- 

 ble ball ? Captain B regrets, as much as I 



do, this change in our plans ; for, as he justly re- 

 marks, we shall have no pleasure in conversing in 

 a crowd. Pray do not suppose I have a reason 

 for my regret ; I hope you know me too well to 

 suppose I could be guilty of the impropriety of 

 falling in love with a person whom I have known 

 only a fortnight. I may own without a blush, 

 that I am attached to the country ; and that if I 

 were to be married a hundred times, it should be 

 the scene of my wedding excursion. I need not 

 remind you who should be my bride 's-maid. But 



I must conclude. Captain B interrupts me, 



to solicit one farewell ramble before we leave 

 these enchanting scenes — perhaps forever. Believe 

 me, unalterably yours, 



" Sophia." 



The reader will anticipate the result of this 

 farewell ramble. It was twilight, — the 

 witching hour of romance ; the breeze 



Just kissed the lake ; just stirred the trees. 



The moon was too well-bred to withhold her 

 influence on such an occasion — whilst here 

 and there a modest star peeped forth, like 

 an attendant spirit ; the birds sung their 

 vesper carols — the air was mingled balm and 

 music — everything tended to a love-scene. 

 The conversation we do not disclose; but 

 when the ramblers returned to the inn. the 

 young lady retired, to erase from her letter 

 the passage on the impropriety of falling in 

 love in a fortnight ; and to add in a post- 

 script, that she was engaged to be married. 



Captain B found the " happy couple" 



where he had left them, with this change in 

 their occupations — that the bridegroom hav- 

 ing pared his nails, was whistling a waltz ; 

 and that the bride, having finished her 

 letter, had taken up an old newspaper. 



Thus ended a wedding excursion ; in the 

 course of which, two of the same party fell 

 out of love, and the remaining two fell in. 

 What effect a return into the world produced 

 upon their respective feelings, we leave as a 

 problem to be solved by the sagacious 

 reader. 



WIT AND GENIUS. 



True wit is like the^brilliant stone 



Dug from Golconda's mine ; 

 Which boasts two various powers in one — 



To cut as well as shine. 



Genius, like that, if polish'd right, 

 With the same gifts abounds ; 



Appears at once both keen and bright, 

 And sparkles while it wounds. 



Life. — The hyphen between matter and spirit. 



