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KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



While exhibiting a light appearance, suffi- 

 cient taste has been displayed in giving it 

 architectural beauty. We believe it is mainly 

 intended for the exhibition of camellias, 

 heaths, and other conservatory plants, some- 

 what in the same manner as the winter 

 garden structure in the experimental garden 

 of Edinburgh ; but it contains many plants 

 of botanical interest, including tropical 

 shrubs and trees, young tree ferns, &c, 

 which have been planted" in it to remain as 

 permanent specimens. 



The " Victoria House" — a small span- 

 roofed structure — was the one that perhaps 

 received most attention from us, notwith- 

 standing the very oppressive heat of its 

 humid atmosphere. A fine plant of the 

 Victoria was flourishing in the tank most 

 beautifully, and presented a better appear- 

 ance at the time of our visit than any other 

 individual of this royal plant which we had 

 the pleasure to see in the neighborhood of 

 London. The leaves were finely developed, 

 most perfectly margined, and their under- 

 sides of a rich reddish crimson. Associated 

 with the royal water lily, were a number of 

 other stove aquatics, including various spe- 

 cies of Nymphaia, the aquatic fern Ceratop- 

 teris thalictroides, Po?itederias, Limnocharis, 

 the rice plant, and many others. 



The royal water lily seemed to be an 

 object of great attraction to the numerous 

 visitors that frequented the garden, all 

 turning in the direction that led to the Vic- 

 toria House. The botanical arrangement 

 in the garden cannot fail to be serviceable to 

 students ; along the margin of the lake we 

 noticed a few interesting native plants, such, 

 for instance, as the rare Cyperus longus, 

 which was growing at the water's edge in 

 great luxuriance. These random notes from 

 memory convey but a meagre idea of the 

 aspect presented by the garden on a hasty 

 visit. 



MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 



In Two Chapters. — Chap. I. 



Had she been but a daughter of mine 

 I'd have taught her to hem to and sew ; 

 But her mother, a charming woman, 

 Coidd not attend to such trifles, you know. 



Song— Charming Woman. 



« Why on earth, Cornelia, do you persist 

 in having that child taught music V said Mr. 

 Langtree to his sister ; ' she has not a par- 

 ticle of talent for it, and hates it to boot.' 



' I never saw a child yet that was fond of 

 practising,' replied Mrs. Robinson coldly. 

 ' Upon the same principle, that i she does 

 not like it,' I suppose I am to give up arith- 

 metic and grammar with music' 



' Not at all. They are necessary, and, 

 beside, require no peculiar talent to acquire,' 



answered Mr. Langtree. ' If Fanny had any 

 ear, I would not say a word in opposition to 

 your present system. But here she has 

 been practising an hour, and has certainly 

 struck two false notes to one true. It is 

 enough to put one's teeth on edge to hear 

 her,' continued Mr. Langtree, whose nice 

 musical sense had undergone torture during 

 the aforesaid hour. 



' What are false notes, uncle ?' said the 

 little girl, quitting the piano as she heard 

 the last words of the above dialogue. ' My 

 teacher scolds me so about them, and I sing 

 as well as I can — I am sure I do not know 

 what he meant.' 



4 Come to the piano, and let me see if I 

 can show you,' said Mr. Langtree, good-hu- 

 moredly, and, running his fingers over the 

 keys, hummed a few bars first correctly and 

 then incorrectly, pointing out the difference 

 to the child, who shook her little head as 

 she answered to his. 



* Don't you see it now ?' 



' I see it, but I don't hear it.' 



4 I don't know what you mean by seeing 

 and not hearing, Fanny,' said Mr. Langtree. 



4 Why,' said she, 'jwnen I look at the piano 

 I see you do not strike the same keys, but it 

 sounds to me all the same.' 



' Ah, well,' said her uncle, quitting the 

 instrument, - you are tired and stupid now, 

 may be you will comprehend better another 

 time.' 



4 No,' said Mrs. Robinson, approaching 

 them and fixing a severe look upon her 

 daughter ; ' Fanny is not stupid, but she is 

 naughty; it is nothing but wilfulness and 

 laziness, and I'll cure her of both,' she added 

 with emphasis. ' You have practised very 

 ill, miss, and as I told you, you shall not go 

 out to-day, nor have any desert after dinner, 

 and now go and prepare your French lesson 

 — not a word,' she added imperiously, seeing 

 the child about to speak, ' but do as I bid 

 you.' 



Tears started from the little girl's eyes as 

 she obeyed in silence. 



4 Poor Fan !' said her uncle, as the door 

 closed upon her. * I am sorry my inter- 

 ference has procured her this punishment, 

 which she certainly does not merit, and, 

 moreover, the nature of which I do not 

 like. You are making her already attach 

 most undue importance to her meals, which 

 will end in her being a perfect little epicure.' 



Mrs. Robinson colored as she answered, 



' She is punished for wilfulness and in- 

 attention. I do not see what your interfer- 

 ence has to do with the matter.' 



4 I do, if you do not,' replied her brother, 

 coolly. ' You are angry with me because I 

 said Fanny had no talent, and that your 

 system of education is wrong ; but, as you 

 cannot make me go without my desert for 



