410 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



sand arteries, throughout the universal frame of 

 society; visiting its furthest extremities and most 

 obscure recesses, and everywhere exhibiting its 

 action, as by so many pulses., upon the traditions, 

 and superstitions, and customs which were com- 

 mon to all or peculiar to each. 



The pomp and ceremonial of the royal ob- 

 servance were imitated in the splendid establish- 

 ments of the more wealthy nobles, and far more 

 faintly reflected from the diminished state of the 

 petty baron. The revelries of the baronial castle, 

 round echoes in the hall of the old manor-house; 

 and these were again repeated in the tapestried 

 chamber of the county magistrate, or from the 

 sanded parlor of the village inn. Merriment 

 was everywhere a matter of public concernment ; 

 and the spirit which assembles men in families 

 now, congregated them by districts then. 



Such, indeed, was the merry Christmas of 

 the olden time. The whole wide country 

 was then filled with rejoicing. In the ban- 

 nered hall, the long tables were spread ; on 

 the ancient armour and the antlers of the 

 wild deer, holly, and ivy, and misseltoe were 

 placed. 



The huge yule log went roaring up the 

 wide old-fashioned chimneys ; and cold 

 although it might be without, all was warm 

 and comfortable within. The large wassail- 

 bowl — a load of itself when full, was passed 

 round ; and each one, before he drank, stirred 

 up the rich spices with a sprig of rosemary, 

 while the cooks (says an old writer) " looked 

 as black and greasy as a Welsh porridge-pot." 



Roast goose and roast beef, minced pies, 

 the famous boar's head, plum porridge and 

 pudding, together with no end of sausages, 

 and drinks of every description ; but, chief 

 of all, the " bowl of lambswool " — seem to 

 have formed the staple luxuries of an old 

 Christmas dinner. But even more than two 

 hundred years ago the cry was raised, " Is 

 old, good old Christmas gone ? — nothing but 

 the hair of his good, grave, old head and beard 

 left I" — Tempora mutantur. 



The season of Christmas is far " better" 

 kept now, than it used to be then. Refine- 

 ment has greatly improved the taste of the 

 inhabitants of the nineteenth century, and we 

 are nearer the mark than we were. Still 

 there is a wide field for improvement ; as 

 " excess" will, from to-day, be brought before 

 us in all its hideous forms for the next six 

 weeks to come. 



On this lamentable abuse of the good things 

 sent for our comfort, we will not dwell. We 

 can hardly expect to get an audience even 

 thus far. So, — as we shall not meet our rea- 

 ders any more this year, we beg most cordially 

 to wish them every happiness that the sea- 

 son is capable of affording; 



On the 1st of February, one thousand eight 

 hundred and fifty-three, we hope again to 

 be found singing; and we shall assuredly 



bring with, us, D. V., a short, round, crisp face ; 

 and a right merrie heart. 



No readers of our journal will ever be 

 found with a long, or a hypocritical face ! 



We think it right to give our 

 readers A TIMELY hint, with reference to 

 the First Volume of our Journal. We 

 have before remarked, that it is NOT ephe- 

 meral ; but positively invaluable as a 

 Work of Reference for all who love Birds 

 and Animals, and the varied Works of Na- 

 ture faithfully recorded. This opinion of 

 ours, has recently been confirmed by a daily 

 increasing demand for the volume, of Avhich 

 a few copies still remain. It will not be 

 re-printed. We state this, to prevent any 

 misunderstanding. 



The price of the First Volume, is from 

 to-day raised (in accordance with the weekly 

 notice which lias appeared in the Journal 

 for the last six months) to the same stand- 

 ard as the Second Volume, now just ready. 

 No further charge will ever be made. 



Let the sale of these volumes be what 

 it may, the public can alone be the gain- 

 ers. Our loss in their production can never 

 be made good. 



Our Subscribers are reminded, that it 

 will be needful for them to order immedi- 

 ately, through their respective Book- 

 sellers, any of the back numbers of this 

 Journal which they may require to com- 

 plete their sets. 



The Stock is being made up into 

 Volumes : and there may be hereafter some 

 difficulty, if not an impossibility, of obtain- 

 ing any particular Number or Part that may 

 be wanted. 



A copious Index to the Last Twenty- 

 six Numbers, with Title-page, Preface, &c, 

 to Volume II. , is now ready, price Three- 

 pence. Also, Stamped Covers for the 

 First and Second Volumes. Price Is. 2d. 

 each. 



ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



A remarkable Jackdaw. — You have called 

 me, my dear Mr. Editor, in a note you sent me 

 "one of your pets." [Such indeed you are!] 

 I therefore feel pleasure in sending you the fol- 

 lowing, as being worthy of record in oujr. own. 

 A cousin of mine recently had a jackdaw, — a 

 most remarkable character; He had virtues 

 and vices not a few, and some of them were 

 always peeping out. He loved his master dearly, 

 and would follow him about everywhere. He 

 would answer him too; and deign no answer to 

 any but him! yet, alas, he was cruel, — naturally 

 cruel, my dear Sir. The garden was freely ac- 

 corded him as a promenade. He had a nice 

 cage too, as a dwelling, to receive him when it 



