A LITERARY, SCIENTIFIC, AND INSTRUCTIVE FAMILY PAPER. 



Conducted by WILLIAM KIDD, of Hammersmith,— 



Author of the Familiar and Popular Essays on "Natural History;" "British Song 



Birds;" "Birds of Passage;" "Instinct and Reason;" 



" The Aviary and its Occupants," &c. 



"the OBJECT of our work is to make men WISER, WITHOUT obliging them to turn over folios and 



aUARTOS.— TO FURNISH MATTER FOR THINKING AS WELL AS READING."— EVELYN. 



No. 15.— 1852. 



SATURDAY, APRIL 10. 



Price \\d. 



Or, in Monthly Parts, Price Id. 



PROGRESS OF THE SEASONS. 



APRIL. 



Now laughing Spring comes on ; and birds in pairs 

 Chirp in the lively woods : while balmy airs, 

 And warming beams, no more with frosts at strife, 

 Wake from its trance the genial tide of life, 

 Which, as it flows through Nature's swelling veins, 

 Frees every pulse from Winter's icy chains ; 

 Then tints her mantling cheek with rosy hue, 

 And calls her vernal beauties all to view. 



How gladly do we turn our backs upon 

 the bygone month of March ! There are 

 few of us grateful enough to remember it 

 with any good will ; for it found us weak 

 from the ravages of winter, and it has left 

 us still weaker. We must now recruit our 

 strength as best we may. We speak of the 

 earlier part of the month of March. . There 

 was a decided change for the better on the 

 20th, and from that day forward " Hope " 

 (though repeatedly damped by " Fear " and 

 cold winds) has been in the ascendant. 



The 20th day of March was . the signal 

 for the animal and vegetable kingdoms to 

 awaken from torpor. The Sabbath morn 

 dawned beautifully fine. The keen, biting 

 blasts, which had so long withered man and 

 beast were lulled to rest. The skies were 

 serene, the sun rose majestic in his gran- 

 deur, and all around were but too happy to 

 participate in Nature's rejoicing. 



We hardly need say how joyous we felt 

 to note this change ; how cheerfully we 

 bounded from our couch to greet the morn- 

 ing sun ; nor with what delight we wandered 

 abroad to share in the enjoyments so 

 largely felt by everything that had life. 

 Every hedge, every tree, every flower, — 

 aye, and every insect felt the genial influ- 

 ence of the sun's power. Few persons can 

 credit the effects produced on all these, even 

 in the course of three or four short hours. 



Nor were the bees behindhand in " im- 

 proving these shining hours." We found 

 them, far and near, imbedded in the petals 

 of the peach and other " opening flowers ;" 



and we watched them wending their way 

 from field to field, from garden to garden, 

 with all the joyous vigor of a renewed life. 

 To a reflective, happy mind, what can exceed 

 the delight induced by these early, quiet 

 rambles of Spring ? We can imagine no one 

 thing of greater interest. But we must now 

 glance at what lies before us, — gratefully re- 

 membering the pleasure afforded us whilst 

 lingering on the threshhold of Spring. We 

 have thought much about Wordsworth's 

 beautiful lines on the " First mild Day in 

 March " (quoted in an earlier Number). We 

 have enjoyed the Poet's feelings more than 

 once or twice during the past month. 



April is too well known to be the hand- 

 maid of Spring, for us to do more than 

 notice it en passant. It is a month big with 

 promise of all that is delightful. First we 

 have clouds, and then sunshine ; tears and 

 smiles alternating in the most pleasing 

 variety. The refreshing showers that fall 

 from Heaven, look like golden drops melting 

 in the sun. The effect is as if Spring were 

 scattering millions of yellow flowers upon 

 the earth ; and the sun seems intent upon 

 showering down from his own golden gardens 

 seeds for the coming summer. 



We need hardly entreat such of our 

 readers as are lovers of Nature to rise early. 

 They cannot indeed be lovers of Nature if 

 they do not. After the tedious months of 

 Winter, and the tardy approach to Spring, 

 what can be compared to a peep at " Morn- 

 ing," — as she again 



Breaks through the gates of Heaven, 

 Shaking her jewell'd garments on the sky, 



Heavy with rosy gold ? Aside are driven 



The vassal clouds, which bow as she draws 



nigh, 



To catch her scatter* d gems of orient dye, 



The pearly ruby which her pathway strews — 



Argent and amber, now thrown useless by. 



The uncolor'd clouds wear what she doth 



refuse — 

 For only once doth Morn her sun-dyed gar- 

 ments use. 



Vol. I.— New Series. 



