men take off their hats with obsequious 

 courtesy, to Christmas and the New Year ! 

 Happily, most happily, have their "cus- 

 tomers'" been christened " Patients ! " 



Whilst however, our aristocracy, our gen- 

 try, our good citizens and their respectable 

 families, " pity " us who live in the country 

 (as they do), viewing us in the light of 

 people " doomed " to behold nothing save 

 naked trees and leafless hedges, and imagin- 

 ing us to.be equally affected as themselves 

 by the rigorous season — let us in turn pity 

 them, and show the reason why. At the 

 same time, let us in fairness confess that if 

 we lived where they live, we should do just 

 as they do. 



People residing in towns and cities have 

 no inducement to early rising. -Were they 

 to quit their warm nest even at six or seven 

 o'clock in the winter, raise the blind, and 

 ask " what of the morning ? " — I fear the 

 " answer " would cause them soon to return 

 to their rest! All without looks dreary, 

 murky, heavy, dull. No sight presents it- 

 self, save some poor diminutive, shivering 

 lass, fluttering by with water-cresses ; or 

 some bed-less wight shuffling along the 

 street, to be first in the field to discover the 

 elements of a morning's meal. These can 

 only be realised by some stray paltry article, 

 of by-gone utility being swept out of a trades- 

 man's shop ; unless, indeed, he boasts of 

 " sympathy" with some tender-hearted cook, 

 who may look him up a plate of broken 

 victuals. These and the " early (portable) 

 coffee-shop " at the corner of the street, are 

 all perhaps that arrest the eye of the sleeper 

 awakened. With such a prospect, is it a 

 matter for wonder that resolution forsakes 

 him, and that— 



" A little more sleep, and a little more slumber " 



appear preferable to going down stairs into 

 a cold room, in which no fire has been lighted 

 by the equally-reluctant-to-rise Abigail — 

 and where the remains of an over-night's 

 conversazione yet remain but too palpable to 

 sight ? Thus much for a city life. Now for 

 a glance at our country life. 



At early dawn, even at this season, we 

 rise to the voice of chanticleer, and spring 

 from our place of rest to examine the pros- 

 pect from without, If it be wet and driz- 

 zling, we, like the city folk, at once return to 

 our bed. But if it be frosty, or' snow is 

 seen to fall, then do we rise betimes to view 

 the glory of the scene. A splendid sight is 

 a frosty morning ! How beautiful are the 

 sparkling brilliants, pendant from the twigs 

 and the spray ! What fantastical shapes do 

 we see in the objects formed by the rime, 

 richly reposing on the shrubs, the trees, and 

 the evergreens, until resolved intoits elements 



by the rising sun ! And when the day has 

 broken, and a gleam of bright light illumines 

 the scene — what a picture of loveliness does 

 there not lie before us ! 



As for Snow, and its effects on the whole 

 face of the country, its brilliant scintillations, 

 its romantic embodiment of fairy concep- 

 tions, its endless diversity of colors, seen in 

 the various rays of light emitted by the sun 

 in his feeble but gradually-increasing light 

 — of Snow, I could be eloquent for a twelve- 

 month. These and similar treats await all 

 who reside in the country, and who love 

 Nature. 



Now for a word or two about the little 

 birds, whom, of course, we shall take hence- 

 forward under our special protection. To 

 understand the habits of the feathered race, 

 you must live in the country, where alone 

 they can be studied; and you must rise early 

 throughout the entire year, if you would 

 minutely observe their movements — for they 

 change with the seasons. By adopting this 

 plan, you will find that you make some new 

 friends and acquaintances daily ; for these 

 little creatures are very observant of what 

 is going on ; and intimacies out of number 

 may be formed amongst them, whilst half 

 the world are fast asleep. 



If you enter your garden, or if you ramble 

 into any particular field or lane at a certain 

 hour every morning, there, rely upon it, you 

 will find awaiting you every little friend 

 whose attention you may have secured ; and 

 in this way you may become in a very short 

 time, and in the true sense of the word, a 

 " Naturalist." 



It is curious, but, as I have before very 

 often remarked, it is true, that birds well 

 know by an intuitive feeling who take plea- 

 sure in their society, and who do not; so 

 that on ourselves depends our success, or 

 otherwise, in rendering them tame and fa- 

 miliar. 



These topics are very fruitful, and our 

 pen will be exercised on them for many 

 months, perhaps years to come! 



Let us not forget, amidst our festivities, 

 the claims, which our little patient friends 

 meantime put forth to a large share of our 

 hospitality. The winds are bleak and cutting, 

 the frost is keen, and the aspect, from 

 without, " wintry" in the extreme. Tis now 

 their plaint falls persuasively and pleadingly 

 on our ear : — 



" The snow's coming down very fast, 

 No shelter is found on the tree; 

 When you hear the tempestuous blast, 

 I pray you take pity on me ! " 



Let not this little Christmas Carol — savoring 

 of love and confidence — be chanted in vain ! 

 Then shall our " Christmas log " burn all 

 the brighter, OUR joys be the more joyous 

 — OUR happiness the more complete ! 



