KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



343 



much favored with the visits of these active 

 little birds, have been much more free from 

 blight (particularly the "worm in the bud''), 

 than any others in the garden, although the 

 situation was decidedly unfavorable. 



After these convincing proofs of the* un- 

 erring instinct that directs the little blue- 

 caps, I hope, Mr. Editor, you will not hesi- 

 tate to make publicly known what I now 

 send you, through the columns of your in- 

 teresting Journal. Impressed with a con- 

 viction of your being repentant, and sorry 

 for your fault, let me add that, " with all thy 

 faults, I love thee still." — F. GJ-., Nottingham, 

 May 20. 



[Our amiable correspondent shall have the 

 "last word," — nay more, her own way of hav- 

 ing it. We are repentant, and will offend no 

 more.] 



A Scene in May. 



It was a morn in May. Fresh and clear 



The rivulet, delighting in its strength, 



Ran with a young man's speed ; and yet the 



voice 

 Of waters, which the winter had supplied, 

 Was softened down into a vernal tone. 

 The spirit of enjoyment and desire, 

 And hopes and wishes, from all living things, 

 Went circling, like a multitude of sounds. 

 The budding groves appeared as if in haste 

 To spur the steps of Time; as if their shades 

 Of various green were hindrances that stood 

 Between them and their object: yet, mean- 

 while, 

 There was such deep contentment in the air, 

 That every naked ash, and tardy tree, 

 Yet leafless, seemed as though the countenance 

 With which it looked on this delightful day 

 Were native to the Summer. — Up the brook 

 I roamed in the confusion of my heart, 

 Alive to all things, and forgetting all. 

 At length I to a sudden turning came 

 In this continuous glen, where down a rock 

 The stream, so ardent in its course before, 

 Sent forth such sallies of glad sound, that all 

 Which I till then had heard, appeared the 



voice 

 Of common pleasure : beast and bird, the 



lamb, 

 The shepherd's dog, the linnet and the thrush, 

 Vied with this waterfall, and made a song 

 Which, while I listened, seemed like the wild 



growth, 

 Or like some natural produce of the air, 

 That could not cease to be. Green leaves 



were here, 

 But 'twas the foliage of the rocks — the birch, 

 The yew, the holly, and the bright green 



thorn, 

 With hanging islands of resplendent furze; 

 And on a summit, distant a short spr.ce, 

 By any who should look beyond the dell, 

 A single mountain-cottage might be seen. 



Wordsworth. 



The Diamond. 



The diamond is subject to that combination 

 of crystals usually termed hemitrope, twin 

 crystals, and maeles. It is the hardest of all 

 substances, but may be said to be brittle, as a 

 slight blow will produce a fracture in the direc- 

 tion of its cleavage. Specific gravity, 3.5 ; and, 

 by a chemical analysis, it is found to be pure 

 carbon, differing but little from charcoal and 

 plumbago. Its great value, as a gem, arises not 

 only from its scarcity and brilliancy, but also 

 from the extreme difficulty of working it. A 

 stone in the possession of the Marquis of West- 

 minster, called the Nassuk diamond, and which 

 weighed 357|- grains, was placed in the hands of 

 Messrs. Mortimer and Hunt to be recut: the 

 operation occupied the lapidary five months. 

 It has hitherto been found not only in Golconda 

 and Visapour, the Isle of Borneo, and Brazil, 

 but also in the cold regions of Siberia. These 

 are its best localities, though but few have yet 

 been found in the latter country. They are 

 usually found of a very small size; occasionally, 

 however, larger ones are discovered, which from 

 their extreme value, generally become crown 

 property. Thus, the late King of the French 

 had the Pitt diamond, the most valuable in. 

 Europe; it weighed 136^ carats, rather less 

 than one ounce, and cost £135,000. One of 

 yellow color is among the crown jewels of 

 Austria; its weight, 139 J carats. Another, 

 weighing 193 carats, is amongst the Russian 

 jewels. Among the crown jewels of her Majesty, 

 which may be seen by the public, in the Tower, 

 for the small charge of sixpence, many stones of 

 great brilliancy, though not large in proportion 

 to those just mentioned, are to be found. But 

 the most interesting collection of cut gems that 

 exists is that in the possession of the Elector 

 of Saxony. There is one stone, considered 

 unique, of a green color, which is said to weigh 

 160 carats. A magnificent and rare bnlliant, 

 of a deep sapphire blue, and great purity, is in 

 the collection made by the late Henry Philip 

 Hope, Esq. This stone weighs 177 grains, and 

 is considered to be worth £30,000. 



Beading and Thinking. 



Those who read of everything are thought to 

 understand everything too; but it is not always 

 so. Reading furnishes the mind only with 

 materials of knowledge; it is thinking makes 

 what 'we read ours. We are of the ruminating 

 kind, and it is not enough to cram ourselves 

 with a great load of collecting; unless we chew 

 them over again, they will not give us strength 

 and nourishment. There are indeed in some 

 writers visible instances of deep thought, close 

 acute reasoning, and ideas well pursued. The 

 light these give would be of great use, if their 

 readers would observe and imitate them: all the 

 rest are at best but particulars fit to be turned 

 into knowledge ; but that can be done only by 

 our own meditation, and by examining the reach, 

 force, and coherence of what is said; and then, 

 as far as we apprehend and see the connection of 

 ideas, so far is it ours. Without that, it is but so 

 much loose matter floating in our brain. 



