328 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



NOTICE. 



Alt, the numbers of this Jotjbnal are in print ; and 

 may be had from No. I. inclusive, price 3d. each. Also, 

 Tarts I. to XI., price Is. Id. each; post-free, Is. 4d. 



As due notice was given to our Subscribers, early in 

 Jane last, to complete their Sets without delay, it is 

 hoped they have done so, as the Stock is now made up 

 into Sets, and very few "odd" numbers are on hand. 

 The price of the first two Quarterly, and the first Half- 

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 26th. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



The Aviary and its Occupants will be continued in our 



next. 

 Communications Received.— F. M. G.— J. M. S. J.— - 

 „ Bombyx Atlas.— Forestiera. Many thanks.— J. C. E. 



—Jos. S.— John T.— C. W. R.— W. C. W. 



To Correspondents.— As we always print one number 

 of the Journal in advance, such of our Correspondents 

 as may not receive replies to their questions in the cur- 

 rent number, must bear in mind that they are not for- 

 gotten. We pay marked attention to all favors. 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 

 Saturday, November 20, 1852. 



WE HAVE PERHAPS BEEN WANTING IN 



OUR duty — seeing that we have not specially 

 directed attention as we go on, to the series 

 of articles we are reprinting, in an English 

 dress, of the works of the Immortal Gall. 

 Let not one of our readers fail to read, and 

 to read most carefully, every remark made 

 by this Great Man. Our articles have their 

 very origin in his ideas. He leads ; we fol- 

 low in his footsteps. The subjects that are 

 now weekly developing themselves, are of 

 the last importance. Once reading them, is 

 insufficient. They must be graven on the 

 memory. The " value " of such a teacher 

 is inappreciable. 



" The proper study of man-kind is — Man." 



Gall's knowledge of human nature was 

 great. It did not extend merely to the 

 genus Homo, but it embraced the whole 

 creation. His arguments are as overpower- 

 ing, as the proofs he gives are undeniably 

 true. One cannot reasonably gainsay any of 

 his inferences, for his insatiable love of truth 

 stands out in every sentence. Hence our 

 conviction of the lamentable ignorance that 

 has so long veiled the world — ignorance, to 

 be delivered from which, demands all the 

 gratitude that a finite creature can pay to 

 an Infinite Being. 



We think it right to mention, that we are 

 only — as yet, getting into " first principles." 

 Every subsequent discussion will now as- 

 sume a degree of importance that must rivet 

 our attention. Our time in this lower world 

 is necessarily so short, that to remain any 

 longer wilfully ignorant of what so very 

 nearly concerns our vital interests, would, to 

 say the least of it, argue a want of sense. 



We feel sure that these few remarks will 

 be received in the spirit with which we offer 

 them. The oldest of us know nothing ; yet 

 is it never too late to learn. The young have 

 time to learn what we neglected to learn in 

 our youth — and how much more ! 



" Nulla dies sine lined." 



Every day we live, brings with it " some- 

 thing " new in the way of instruction ; and we 

 never ought to close our eyes without being 

 a degree at least wiser than we Avere on 

 waking. 



This is a dogma of ours, which we hold in 

 the utmost reverence ; and as we practise 

 what we preach (in this matter perhaps we 

 are an oddity), sleep sits lightly on us, and we 

 are, as times go, a fair specimen of — a happy 

 man. 



We have now arrived at within five 

 short weeks of Christmas — a season to 

 which young and old are used to look for- 

 ward with delight, and some of whose joys 

 we have already sung.* 



Those who live in cities and towns, lead a 

 life so very different from that of dwellers 

 in country villages and rustic cottages, that 

 we can hardly hope to succeed in convincing 

 them that even now the country is "beau- 

 tiful." 



"The country beautiful in November!" 

 Yes, truly is it ; at least to a contemplative 

 mind. We have very recently wandered 

 abroad — invited by a glorious sun, to view 

 the face of nature ; and see what have been 

 the effects produced by the heavy rains, 

 winds, and frosts. We have sought the 

 hills and the valleys, the uplands and wood- 

 lands. And what pictures of loveliness — 

 what fanciful and magnificently • varied 

 landscapes, have presented themselves on 

 every side ! 



Not only are the trees just now be- 

 wi tellingly beautiful in their half-dress ; but 

 you may really hear them making melody 

 in their branches, by way of praise. See 

 how their lofty heads bashfully bend to 

 the wind — whose voice, mingling with the 

 accompaniment of their fluttering drapery, 

 discourses music the most harmonious. 

 These sounds of the departing year, heard 

 murmuring in the trembling foliage of the 

 trees, to us are indescribably sweet. The 

 disrobing of the forest, too ; what a cere- 

 mony to witness ! 



Nor must we fail to record, among the 

 lingering beauties of this delightful season, 

 the singularly-lovely aspect of the passing 

 clouds. Early and late they are full of 

 beauty. 



* See our article on " The Christmas Tree 

 (No. 46, page 305). 



