224 



KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



nice size, across which two dining vis-a-vis 

 can assist each other, gracefully and com- 

 fortably, without feeling the want of a ser- 

 vant an inconvenience, or being unfeeling 

 enough to require the attendance of the 

 fatigued, half- dissolved being, who, having 

 served up dinner, is expected to bring in 

 clean hands and apron, and wait at table 

 afterwards, by way of ' keeping up appear- 

 ances,' — was a wide, gaunt, sable-colored 

 slab of mahogany, that looked likely to have 

 served in some manorial hall as a trestle for 

 the dead ; such a cold, anti-festive look was 

 in the black antiquity of its shining surface 

 and its shrunken legs, the number of which 

 seemed intended to make up for their appa- 

 rent weakness. The very magnitude of 

 table- cloth between them, must have made 

 the tete-a-tete dinners of the tyro-connu- 

 bials look cold and formal. Then the carpet 

 was an auction-bargain Brussels, with the 

 pile worn off; and the hearth-rug a bright- 

 patterned new one. The chairs looked as 

 if they had been picked up at odd places, 

 and badly matched, and over the mantel- 

 piece was a chimney glass, the central com- 

 partment of which had the effect of making 

 the ' human face divine ' take the broad 

 rotundity of a Cheshire cheese ; while one 

 of the side divisions elongated it in a style 

 of similar exaggeration ; and it was only by 

 practice, or accident, that you found out the 

 portion that reflected you ' a natural.' 

 There was no snug easy-chair — no softly- 

 cushioned couch (that on which I sat was 

 as repellent as some unimaginable stuffing 

 could make it) — no pleasant instrument — 

 no shelf full of favorite books — a make-shift 

 air of disregard pervaded the apartment, 

 from which I felt glad to escape, and found 

 myself some twenty minutes after my ar- 

 rival on my way to the drawing-room, at the 

 door of which my fair friend met me. Here 

 my eyes were perfectly dazzled by the con- 

 trast of the apartment with the dingy, ill- 

 furnished, and worse lit one I had left ; and it 

 was some moments before I quite discerned 

 the style of things around me — suffice it to 

 say, that the roses, convolvuluses, and white 

 lilies on these walls, made them as bright 

 and showy as the others were plain and dull ; 

 while mock rosewood chairs and couches, 

 veneered cheffonieres and tables, damask 

 moreen curtains, and a fine-patterned low- 

 priced carpet, made me feel at once that 

 these embryo heads of a family had enlisted 

 themselves amongst the keepers up of ap- 

 pearances. Alas ! I thought, how much 

 more comfort, completeness, and respecta- 

 bility might have been purchased for the 

 cost of these valueless fripperies ! How 

 much better to have furnished one room 

 plainly and well, to have enjoyed its com- 

 forts in private, to have shared them in the 



reception of their friends. But, though these 

 articles may probably outlast the period the 

 Tobins may think it worth while \q keep up 

 appearances, more solid and less pretending 

 furniture would give infinitely more satis- 

 faction to themselves, and (if they will con- 

 tinue to sacrifice worth to the mere vanity of 

 seeming fine) more value by and by to their 

 creditors. 



Human Life. 



The life of man is like unto a dream — 



Now bright, now full of clouds. It doth appear 



Sometimes a glorious thing, exempt from care 



And every ill, and doth all goodly seem, 



And Heaven's great blessing. But as the stream 



Of time rolls on, its glories melt in air, 



And leave us mortals drinking of despair — 



A bitter cup. Within our hearts we deem 



Earth one vast wilderness, where nought doth 



grow 

 Save rankling thorns, and things which cannot 



give 

 Aught to the mind, to make us wish to live 

 When once we find our peace is lost below. 

 But God soon will in mercy end our woe, 

 And our freed souls the body's death survive. 



Thompson's Natural History of Ireland. 

 — We are glad to hearthat Mr. Thompson, whose 

 death we recorded in No. 12, had made a pro- 

 vision for the completion of his great work, 

 " The Natural History of Ireland." The duty of 

 superintending it, devolves upon two of his most 

 intimate personal friends in Belfast. If this work 

 be well arranged, and carried out in the true 

 spirit of its author, its appearance will be hailed 

 with delight by all lovers of Natural History. 

 We hope " the knife " will be used sparingly, for 

 all the author wrote was to the point. 



" Alleged " Discovery op a Tree Frog 

 in Scotland. — A species of hatrachean, new to 

 this country, was discovered a short, time ayo in 

 the woods of the Duke of Sutherland, in the north 

 of Scotland. The specimen, which came into the 

 possession of two ladies, was obtained from the 

 interior of a fir tree, and from its character ap- 

 pears to approach to the genus Padochius ; and the 

 species being new, it is proposed, in honor of one of 

 the ladies to whom we arc indebted for its pre- 

 servation, to term this species the P. Brounii. 

 The specimen, when discovered, was in a state of 

 hybernation, and still continues so. It is proba- 

 ble, however, that when it revives from this state, 

 it will develop its beauties, and that something- 

 more may be learned concerning its food and 

 natural history. — JSorth British Mail. [It is to 

 be regretted, that when these matters are re- 

 corded, nothing definite is given. " A short time 

 ago " is fearfully vague; indeed it makes the tale 

 worse than doubtful.] 



London : Published for William Kidd, by William 

 Spooner, 379, Strand, (to whom all Letters and Com- 

 munications, Sealed and Addressed to "the Editor," 

 and Books for Review, are to be forwarded) ; and 

 Procurable, by order, of every Bookseller and News- 

 vendor in the Kingdom. 



London; M S, Myers, Printer, 22, Tavistock Street, Co vent Garden. 



