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206 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



teach us something, if we be not too proud to 

 learn. We are not. What he tells us is literally 

 true. Everybody hunts for our Journal — every- 

 where. They are told all sorts of things. " It 

 is 'dead :' it never could stand its ground, — they 

 knew it from the first.'' " Very trashy work, or 

 everybody would have it on sale," &c, &c. We 

 are worn out fairly, or rather, wn-fairly; and if 

 we cannot go a-head, why we must " come to an 

 anchor." Puff, we won't — bribe, we won't — 

 neither will we make our Periodical "licentious." 

 If its days are numbered, it shall at least die in 

 good odor.* Nothing shall ever make us swerve 

 from the right path. We have said it. May we 

 offer a hint, in all kindness, to our " Impertinent 

 Correspondent?" Never take shelter under an 

 "anonymous" cloak. Speak out, Sir, like a 

 man, and let us know with whom we have to 

 deal. We are of a gentle disposition, and not 

 of " so bad a heart " as you seem to think. Let 

 us thank you — it is your just due — for your 

 frankness on the present occasion] 



All Animals delectable " in their Proper 

 Places-" Dogs. — The very gentle but manly 

 course you have taken, Mr. Editor, with refer- 

 ence to this delicate question, does you infinite 

 honor. You have acted with perfect fairness by 

 all, and have shown no undue bias. There was, 

 and is good cause, for your speaking out loudly 

 and plainly about the gross indelicacy too com- 

 monly practised by females, whilst indulging 

 their strange penchant for dogs. This would be 

 bad enough among the lower classes; but among 

 the higher, where it almost exclusively prevails, 

 it is as inexcusable as it is unnatural and dis- 

 gusting. I quite agree with your pet divine, 

 Cecil (by the way, that was an admirable quo- 

 tation of yours, at page 160, about " Prudery"), 

 — who says, " I hate even virtues that are wnna- 

 tural." So do you, Mr. Editor, evidently; and 

 so must all who are properly instructed. Go on, 

 my dear Sir, —go on in the noble, straightforward 

 path you are pursuing; and our amiable little 

 Journal shall ere long be immortalised all over 

 the known world. — H. C. S., Portman Square. 



[This is one, of many letters of similar import. 

 As it speaks the language of all, and as our 

 space is valuable, we withhold the others. The 

 writers, however, have our best thanks; and we 

 will assuredly " stand by our principles," as 

 they advise us to do.] 



On Cheerfulness and Uniformity of Temper. — 

 Tell me, dear Mr. Editor, do — how is it you 

 continue to send your Paper out week by week 

 full of useful and yet smart and playful things? 

 Your animal spirits would appear never to flag 

 one instant. All, with you, seems to be one 

 round of happiness and delight. And the best 

 of it is, you completely lead us all away with 

 you ! [This is the best compliment you could 

 have paid us.] Do you live by rule? [No.] 

 Are you a temperance man? [Yes; temperate 

 in all things.] There are many other ques- 

 tions I would ask; but being, I know, a favorite 



* Our correspondent " hints" in his letter, that at 

 Christmas next, our "hash will be settled!" Nous 

 verrons. — Ed. K. J. 



of yours, let me entreat you to give us, for the 

 benefit of myself and others, a " little code of 

 health" penned by yourself. There must be 

 " something" in your mode of living, different 

 from others; or you could never do as you do, 

 or Avrite as you write. Is my petition heard? 

 Will it be granted? My handwriting will tell 

 you that I am— -Emily P., Carshalton. 



[Emily! you are a gossamer. You have spun 

 a silken web. We are entangled in it. We are 

 at your gentle mercy. Yes indeed, your will is 

 law to us. We do remember the garden; the 

 little garden dress, and tunic; the dialogue about 

 " Pleasure — whether greater in prospective or in 

 possession?" &c. &c. We will not close our eyes 

 this night, until our " code of health," as you 

 call it, is thought of, and reduced to writing. 

 Our very next Paper, if we both live to see its ap- 

 pearance, shall show you how more than delighted 

 we are to do your gentle bidding. Cheerfulness 

 with us is habitual. Happiness is the basis of 

 our existence. Our happiness, to-day, is even 

 increased by the thought of doing what you now 

 ask us to do. We do it graciously and joyfully, 

 and hold ourselves ever at your service.] 



TWO SHINING CHARACTERS,— 

 GRANT THORBURN and JENNY LIND. 



The subjoined, from the Note Book of 

 Grant Thorburn (" Laurie Todd"), is so racy, 

 that we readily register it in ouk Journal. 

 The pardonable egotism of the writer, and 

 the enthusiasm of himself and the Swedish 

 Nightingale, deserve to be recorded. We 

 have nothing to do with Grant Thorburn's 

 religious sentiments ; we merely " copy " 

 what he has penned down. 



" Hitherto," says our hero, " the time, talents, 

 and conversation of Miss Jenny Lind, have 

 been so much monopolised by the good, the 

 great, and the noble of the land, that a small 

 mortal like myself could not so much as see 

 the hem of her garment. Hearing that, to 

 escape from the heat, noise, and fashionable 

 crowd of New York, she was removing to the 

 pleasant heights in Brooklyn, I obtained 

 from Mr. Barnum a letter as follows : — 



New York, list May, 1851. 



The bearer, Mr. Thorburn, is a man of the 

 highest respectability, a funny old Scotchmaji, 

 and an author, &c. Miss Lind will be pleased 

 to talk Avith him ; he is a very celebrated man, 

 well known to all the literati; he is wealthy, and 

 don't come begging. 



(Signed) P. T. Barnum. 



Armed with this missive, I stood by the 

 door of her mansion next morning at nine, 

 a.m. I rang ; the servant appeared. Says 

 I, " This note is for Miss Lind, from Mr. 

 Barnum." Says he, " She aint up." " No 

 matter," says I, " the sun's up ; she can read 

 that note in bed. Tell her, if she is willing 

 to see me, I will wait in the parlor till 



