360 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Phrenology for the Million will be continued in our 

 next. 



Communications Received. — S. K. Keep it in the larger 

 cage by all means— J. Eaton, Highgate. We wrote 

 you, as requested, long since. Your address is " not 

 known," and the letter is "returned" to us — Mimi. 

 Your bird is too old to be tamed now. The proper size 

 for breeding-cages, &c, you will find described in the 

 columns of the Journal. Why do you take it in, and 

 not read it ?— F. W. S. New milk boiled, instead of 

 water, given for three days, will cure your bird of his 

 wheezing. 



Correspondents sending in any " facts " connected with 

 Science or Natural History, are requested in every 

 case to append their names and places of abode. In no 

 instance, however, will their names be published with- 

 out their express sanction. 



Private Letters.— Of these we daily receive such 

 immense quantities, that we must really beg the 

 writers to excuse our not replying to them ; our time 

 being overwhelmingly occupied with Public duties. 



To obtain this Paper without any difficulty, our readers 

 need only order it to be sent to them by any of their 

 local Booksellers or Newsvendors. It is published 

 simultaneously with all the other weekly periodicals. 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 

 Saturday, June 5, 1852. 



We have once again to return to the 

 contents of our "Editor's Letter-box," and 

 to offer sundry observations connected there- 

 with. 



It has for some time past become apparent, 

 that certain persons (not subscribers to our 

 Paper) are in the habit of writing to us for 

 valuable information, which they know our 

 experience affords — and which they cannot 

 obtain elsewhere. 



The haughty manner in which they demand 

 a reply, is alone sufficient to establish the 

 fact. We hardly need remark, that these 

 aristocratic letters of inquiry very rarely, if 

 ever, contain a postage stamp, to cover the 

 actual cost out of pocket which we incur 

 when complying with the request made to 

 us ! We have resented many of these acts 

 of rudeness. We have saved very many 

 pence thereby ; besides preserving our 

 amour propre. Where, let us ask, and how 

 have these writers of imperative letters been 

 brought up — and with whom can they have 

 associated ? 



We have ourselves frequently had to ask 

 favors in connection with the interests and 

 welfare of this Journal, and we have for- 

 warded a vast multitude of letters to all parts 

 of the country — most of them involving the 

 necessity of a reply ; but in all cases we have 

 written courteously, and we have invariably 

 enclosed stamps to defray the cost of the 

 answers — even then, feeling ourselves the 

 obliged party whilst obtaining what we 

 sought. Monstrous is it for any one to 

 attempt to shelter himself under the garb of 

 gentility, when thus repeatedly offending 

 against the primary rules of civilised life ! 

 We want no such "admirers." 



The above remarks are wrung from us in 

 consequence of an overwhelming correspond- 

 ence, which is daily on the increase. We 

 find it almost impossible to reply privately 

 to one half of our " considerate" correspond- 

 ents. As for those who keep on amusing 

 themselves, and wasting their time by asking 

 us a world of questions about what has long 

 since appeared in the Journal — of these, 

 we shall of course take no notice whatever. 

 It is in vain for them to assure us that they 

 are " constant readers," when we find them 

 continually seeking information about what 

 has been again and again treated of, either 

 by ourselves or our contributors. Petty acts 

 of meanness like this, practised we regret to 

 say by those who ought to know much 

 better, shall ever experience from us the 

 contempt they merit. Qui capit Me fucit. 

 None, we feel sure, will appropriate our re- 

 marks to themselves, save only the offenders. 



Oil FOR THE PEN OF A READY WRITER 



to usher in the month of June with becoming 

 honor ! Who shall sing her praises— who 

 attempt to describe her charms ? The heart 

 may feel, but utterance of one half its joys 

 must fall short ! 



The season now is all delight, 

 Sweetly smile the passing hours ; 

 And Summer's pleasures at their height, 

 Are sweet as are her Flowers. 



What see we now, as we walk abroad and 

 gaze upon creation? The earth clothed 

 with an endless variety of animal and vege- 

 table life ; and even the mould beneath its 

 surface inhabited by beings adapted to their 

 state of existence ! Oceans and rivers 

 peopled with shoals of living things, to the 

 shapes and instincts of many of which we 

 are perfect strangers ! Aye, the very air 

 animate with congregated myriads of imper- 

 ceptible creatures ! 



What are the liquids we swallow ? Masses 

 of animation ! An animal, almost imper- 

 ceptible, is the theatre and support of millions 

 which are entirely so. The more we think 

 on these things, the more are we amazed at 

 the Creator's power and goodness to his 

 creatures — all of which enjoy themselves to 

 the fullest extent. 



Spring is just now engaged in finishing her 

 toilet — robing herself in her best attire. Soon 

 shall we see her decked in all her loveliness. 

 She is even now putting on those last 

 " finishing touehes " which an accomplished 

 beauty never trusts to any hands but her 

 own. But we must bid her ladyship adieu, 

 and take our final leave (oh, how reluctantly !) 

 of the lovely, love-making season of Spring. 



We are now stepping forward into the 

 glowing presence of Summer. In the full 

 pride of maturity, how has she deluged the 

 whole surface of the earth with prodigal 



