
KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 9 

Progress of “Our Journal,” 
(BY SPECIAL DESIRE.) 

** Nothing ventur’d, nothing won,” 
Is a saying trite and true. 
Be ye Boup, but rashness shun ; 
WISELY venture when you bo. 

PERHAPS OF ALL SPECULATIONS, those 
of a literary character are the most hazard- 
ous; especially when any great object is 
sought to be attained ; all that a man can do 
—atter he has well. and wisely chosen his 
ground—is to persevere ; and not suffer him- 
self to be put down by trifles. If after 
straining every nerve, emptying his purse, 
and racking his brain, his project fail,—then 
must he console himself with the knowledge 
of his having acted to the best of his ability. 
We mentioned in the Preface of our Third 
Volume, that we hoped the public would 
‘‘philanthropically enlarge the sphere of our 
usefulness.” We have been asked to explain 
HOW this may be done. Nothing can be 
easier, when so kind a disposition exists. 
Our labors are at present very heavy, and 
altogether unremunerative. We are over- 
tasked, without a near prospect of reward. 
Our principles are suz generis. They are not 
those of the multitude. What we rejoice in, 
they utterly despise. Hence have we to 
make converts at a very slow-rate,—so that 
“whilst the grass is growing, the ribs of the 
steed are seen through his skin.” We would 
not be mistaken in our meaning. We do 
go a-head; and we do make many friends. 
Having made them, we as invariably keep 
them. Our difficulty is to ‘‘win’’ them in 
sufficient numbers; for no one suddenly 
turns from old to new principles. Neither is 
the human heart made of a peculiarly soft 
material. 
The world is notoriously selfish,—cold,— 
hollow,—superficial. It sees no beauty in 
a community of sentiment ; no poetry in the 
idea of living the one for the other. What 
they have, they hold. It istheirown. They 
have a “right” to it. This renders them 
exclusive; education, too, perfects the belief 
that ‘‘ money makes the man.” 
We have, in another part of our Paper, 
asked ‘What do we all Live for?” and we 
have endeavored to supply the answer. It is 
against this superficial,—this false view of- 
the ‘grand end of life,” that our pen has 
ever been directed ; and hence the compara- 
tively slow rate at which oUR JOURNAL 
travels. People shun the naked truth. It 
is unpalateable. 
Some twenty years since, we launched our 
first venture—known as “‘ Krpp’s JOURNAL.” 
Our principles then were similar to what 
they are now. But our ideas were more 
strictly playful; and our pen, in the joyous- 
ness of its youthful Guide, treated its readers 
to much more of the amusing, than the per- 
manently useful. Hence where we now sell 
many hundreds, we then sold many thousands. 
Six VoLuMEs, from time to time, saw the 
light. They had an immense circulation ; 
and they were eagerly bought up. Indeed, we 
cannot now procure a single copy of them at 
any price. 
Of our former readers, some thousands 
returned to us last year; and it was really 
pleasing to notice how very large were the 
sales of certain of our early numbers. When, 
however, it was found out that time had 
rendered us more thoughtful ; that our ideas 
were expanded; and that we were writing 
from a feeling of philanthropy, ‘‘to benefit 
society”—our quondam friends trooped off 
one by one, and we had to create an entirely 
new body of supporters. 
We were cast down sadly by this; but we 
were not indespair. We knew our cause was 
a good one, and we persevered. ‘‘ Death or 
Victory!” was our watchword. Our more 
recent struggles are too well known to re- 
quire comment. So great have they been, 
that we had fully resolved our labors should 
cease and determine with the Volume just 
completed. 
In this we have again been over-ruled,—it 
being the third time we have given way to 
counsel.* We have actually ventured on the 
commencement of another volume,—‘“ to 
prove that we are not unreasonable!” The 
issue of this, will try the question of— 
To be,—or not to be? 
This question lies with the better part of the 
public.—we mean that body who feel in- 
terested in the spread of sound, wholesome, 
cheerful literature,—free from cant and moral 
impurity. 
The aid we ask is simply this—that each 
one of our present subscribers should kindly 
use their interest in procuring us one other 
subscriber. This would at once double our 
circulation, repay us the cost of present pro- 
duction, and leave the pleasing prospect of 
‘‘a something” at a future day, to put by 
towards the liquidation of somewhat heavy 
outstanding obligations. OuR JOURNAL 
pants to be free. 
As “ Honesty is the best Policy,” we shall 
offer no apology for having thus disburthened 
our mind of a little load of care. Six months 
will soon pass away ; and then—Nouws verrons. 
This, be it remembered, is our final effort. 
We have said it. 
* One inciting cause for our steady perseverance 
under difficulties, has been the extraordinary effects 
produced by our Journat on the minds of cer- 
tain persons who, on its advent, treated its con- 
tents with ridicule and contempt. These are now 
our very best friends and supporters. The genial 
and kindly tone of our Miscellany has gained us 
a hearing. This is all we want. Our aim is 
“direct ” at the heart,—the seat of the affections. 
