KIDD'S JOURNAL. 



315 



the whistle of a countryman at a distance, 

 softened into melody by the surrounding hills; 

 it comes nearer and nearer, louder and louder, 

 a series of varied, rich, liquid, and sonorous 

 notes, till all at once you are astonished to find 

 the little bird, from whose throat such surpass- 

 ing melody is poured, is sitting in a bush by 

 your side, or on the branch of a tree close over 

 your head. But notwithstanding all the wild- 

 Bess and variety of the blackcap's song, there 

 is a vast deal of method in it. It is quite 

 worth while to listen attentively to him, and 

 you find that his usual song is very tune-like, 

 and might readily be imitated on the flute or 

 flageolet. Sometimes, after he has gone through 

 his song several times in succession, he will 

 introduce a few notes as from a march, and 

 then, all at once, he will give you a delicious and 

 off-hand imitation of the song-thrush, blackbird, 

 or even nightingale. — G. H., Godalming„ 



Lesson fr om a Lark. — Let me, Mr. Editor, at 

 a time when Nature has a " speaking voice," 

 call your attention to the remarks of Washing- 

 ton Irving in his conversations with a friend. 

 "Of all birds," said he, "I should like to be a 

 lark. He revels in the brightest time of the day, 

 in the happiest season of the year, among fresh 

 meadows and opening flowers; and when he has 

 sated himself with the sweetness of earth, he 

 wings his flight to heaven, as if he would drink 

 in the melody of the morning stars. Hark to that 

 note! How it comes thrilling down upon the 

 ear! What a stream of music, note falling over 

 note in delicious cadence ! Who would trouble 

 his head about operas and concerts, when he 

 could walk in the fields and hear such music for 

 nothing? These are the enjoyments which set 

 riches at scorn, and make even a poor man in- 

 dependent: 



* I care not, Fortune, what you do deny ■ — 

 You cannot rob me of free Nature's grace ; 



You cannot shut the -windows of the sky, 

 Through -which Aurora shows her bright'ning face ; 

 You cannot bar my constant feet to trace 



The woods and lawns by living streams at eve ' — 



" Sir, there are homilies in nature's works worth 

 all the wisdom of the schools, if we could but 

 read them rightly; and one of the pleasantest 

 lessons I ever received in a time of trouble was 

 from hearing the notes of a lark." As you " point 

 a moral " in all that proceeds from your pen, or 

 that finds a place in your Journal, the above I 

 know will suit you exactly. — G. H. 



[Many thanks. You are a universal bene- 

 factor. We hope others will follow your 

 excellent example. We will let the echo be heard 

 all over the world.] 



Cats. — You are a friend of cats, an enemy of 

 cats; and always willing to serve the public in 

 telling all you hear of them, and know of them, 

 pro and con. As Mrs. Malaprop saj-s, you are a 

 perfect Cerberus — -"three gentlemen rolled into 

 one ! " Well, hear my story, and pass as lenient 

 a sentence as you can on my offending but now 

 repentant cat. Don't tell me to immortalise him 

 by administering to him a dose (by way of sleep- 

 ing draught) of the Carbonate of Barytes. I 

 well know this would atone for all his offences ; 



but hear me further. How can I so sacrifice 

 'Charlie? ' — ' Charlie,' who is the very king of 

 cats? His size and proportions equal those of 

 the noble animal ' figured ' in the Illustrated 

 London News about a year since. As for the 

 mice, they disappear before him " like bricksy- 

 wicksies; " and armies of rats, respectable (?) 

 "fathers of families'' (both numerous and 

 voracious) have to bewail the gaps made by 

 this monster in feline form. Annihilate, Mr. 

 Editor, an animal like this! Oh, never! But to 

 his offence. I had a linnet, a joyous bird! He 

 was my friend and consolation. One night I 

 was away from home, my bird was hung from 

 the window lintel by a hook. The person who 

 last retired for the night left, I suppose, the door 

 open; by which means the prowling monster 

 got admission. How he managed to get to the 

 cage, at a height of twelve feet, I cannot tell. 

 Perhaps the curtains aided him. But conjecture 

 is needless ; he must have hung to the cage until 

 the ring gave way ; and he and his victim were 

 hurled to the ground. How long he tortured the 

 little innocent I cannot say, but he killed it with 

 his claws. He could not get it out. He then 

 proceeded to the housekeeper's room, and by re- 

 peated wailing, succeeded in arousing her. She, 

 suspecting something wrong, arose, and the cat. 

 with tail erect, led the way; he entered the 

 parlour; up to the window he went straight, and 

 then gave vent to one of the most frightful yells 

 which ever issued from feline throat. The foul 

 deed was done ; but why did he want this wit- 

 ness to the murder? Why did he utter this as- 

 tounding cry? Who can say that cats have not 

 remorse? That they are not visited with the 

 stings of conscience? This then is "the case." 

 You, as judge, shall decide. Put not on, I im- 

 plore you, the "black cap," but only sentence 

 the prisoner to banishment for life. — J. B. M., 

 Glasgow. 



[As you have so strongly recommended the pri- 

 soner to mercy, and deprecate the law of punish- 

 ment by death, justice will perhaps be vindicated 

 in this case by banishment to California. If 

 remorse does not reach him there, he is a worse 

 cat than even we give him credit for! By 

 the way, this will be a solitary instance of — a 

 cat touched by remorse !] 



Epiphyllum Jenkinsonii. — You notice this at 

 page 237. Will you please tell me how long 

 it usually is in coming into bloom ? I have a 

 remarkably-healthy plant, nearly four years old, 

 which has never shown the least appearance of 

 blossom. Yet have I treated it as directed by your 

 correspondent. Perhaps he will kindly explain ? 

 —Angelina. 



Spring Physic. — As you seem to know every- 

 thing, Mr. Editor, and are always courteous 

 withal in "dispensing" your advice, and in 

 making your readers as " knowing " as yourself, 

 do tell us what is really a good Spring Physic. 

 This changeable weather is fast carrying some 

 of us to the grave. Those who remain are but 

 " shaky," and need " valuable advice." — W. L., 

 Brixton. 



[The following prescription will make a man 

 of you, if you are now a boy. Probatum est : — 



