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you know my wife, at least, I mean you have seen her." The Captain nodded an affirmative. "Well, if you have, you must be aware that a more lovely creature never trod the earth, a more delightful Houri never blessed mortal! I will not enlarge upon her perfections, 'tis enough to say, that until this day, I have been the happiest of the happy Not a cloud has dimmed the bright sunshine of our loves, we have existed solely for each other."

"Don't hurry so, old fellow," suggested the Captain, "you're out of breath already." "Do not interrupt me, I implore. This morning, actuated by a sudden impulse, I strolled towards Hyde Park. It might be twelve o'clock, perhaps a little later. Nearly opposite Grosvenor Gate, I saw-oh Lacy! too plainly her, the idol of my soul, exchanging fond vows of affections with a common soldier."

"It is disagreeable, really!' exclaimed Captain Lacy. "But are you sure it was she?"

"Certain; the bonnet I could not mistake, 'twas my own present."

"The bonnet! why; didn't you see her face?"

"No, no! I could not meet her glance. But hear me out; enraged, and in a state of mind bordering on madness, I returned home; there she sat, Lacy, looking as innocent as a smiling infant. I did keep my temper, and forebore to tax her, but it was an effort. I replied coldly to her hypocritical inquiries after my health, complained of a slight headache, and left the house, ostensibly for the sake of a little fresh air, but really to consult you."

Me, my dear fellow! I can give you no advice. If my services as a friend should be of any avail, the case would be different; but in this business, positively I am at a nonplus.

"I don't wish to expose my wife, of course," proceeded Mr. Lennox, "but as to living in the same house with her, I can't. Confusion seize all green silk bonnets! But I oughtn't to stay here, wasting your valuable time, Lacy."

Valuable! gracious goodness, my dear friend, what do you mean? Never was there a being on the face of the earth so

troubled with ennui as I am; I have seriously nothing to do, except lounging about the park, or looking in at the Opera now and then. 'Gad! I've lately had thoughts of taking a trip over to Spain, to start an Opposition Legion. But as to your affair; take my advice, and wait quietly for a day or two. I'll set my emissaries to work, and find out the companion of your faithless one. I'll lay any odds it's one of our fellows, they're such fine, well-made, strapping dogs."

Lennox, shaking his fist violently, "that's all I ask!"

"I wish you may," replied Captain Lacy. "Adieu !"

"What fools men are to marry!" solilo quised the young militaire, when the bang. ing of the hall-door assured him of his visitor's departure. "I can't think what their object can be. Tying one-self up with a wife, indeed! I'd sooner be tied up to the halberts." And the Captain whistled " Vive tu.”

"If you please Sir," ejaculated a timid voice at the door, behind which Mr. Thomas, afraid of another boot-jack, concealed himself, "Sergeant Jones is down stairs."

"Tell him to walk up, and hark ye, you rascal, don't stand lurking in the passage another time, or I'll stop your wages.'

"Well, Jones," pursued Captain Lacy, as a red-faced, comfortable-looking individual appeared, "any news?"

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None, your honor; indeed, to tell your honor the truth, I have not been to barracks this morning. The fact is, Sir, I have a sweetheart, and I made an appointment in the Park with the young 'oman, a tarnation nice gal; and your honor knows it's next to impossible for a sergeant to disappoint the fair."

"Diable!" murmured the Captain. "Can it be? No, 'tis too absurd."

"Now, your honor," continued Sergeant Jones, looking as penitent as he could under any circumstances, "I hope you won't blab. The truth is, she don't like millingtary men, but my rank and perspective promotion have overcome her screwpills. 'Deed, as I said to her this blessed morning, why should a milliner militate against a militaire ?"

"Milliner!"

"Yes, your honor, a nice young 'oman as French Madam, who keeps a large magazine, ever breathed the fresh air; she belongs to a as they call it. Her name's Louisa. Perhaps your honor would let me have the afternoon to myself, if convenient?"

"Yes-let me see. I don't think there's anything else, but call again at seven. Stay,

what is the French woman's name?"

"Can't say, Sir; something very outlandish. But, Sir, Captain Lacy, you won't peach,

will you?"

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"Let me but find him," exclaimed Mr. the Heart.

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I sit by the fire, in the dark winter's night, While the cat cleans her face with her foot in delight;

And the winds all a-cold, with loud clatter and din,

Shake the windows,-like robbers who want to come in.

Or else, from the cold to be hid and away,
By the bright burning fire see my children at
play,-

Making houses of cards, or a coach of a chair,
While I sit enjoying their happiness there.

I walk round the orchard, on sweet summer eves, And rub the perfume from the black-currant leaves,

Which, like the geranium, when touched, leave a smell

That lad's-love and sweet-briar can hardly excel. I watch the plants grow, all begemmed with the shower,

That glitters like pearls in a sun-shiny hour;
And hear the pert robin just whistle a tune,
To cheer the lone hedger when labor is done.

Joys come like the grass in the fields springing there,

Without the mere toil of attention or care;
They come of themselves, like a star in the sky,
And much brighter they shine when the cloud
passes by.

I wish but for little; and find it all there,
Where peace gives its faith to the home of the
hare,

Who would, else, overcome by her fears, run away

From the shade of the flower, and the breeze of the day.

O, the out-of-door blessings of leisure for me! Health, riches, and joy!-it includes them all three.

There Peace comes to me-I have faith in her smile

She's my playmate in leisure, my comfort in toil; There the short pasture-grass hides the lark on its nest,

Though scarcely so high as the grasshopper's breast;

And there its moss-ball hides the wild honey-bee, And there joy in plenty grows riches for me.

Far away from the world, its delusions, and

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How sweet to dwell where the blushing rose
Peeps out from its modest bed-
The Woodbine, Myrtle, and Jasmin blows,
And the Blue-bell hangs its head !
How sweet to sit in the Hawthorn bow'r,
When the mind from care is free-

In the calm and peaceful ev'ning hour,
List'ning, sweet Robin, to thee!

When snow fills the vale, and frost less kind,
Nips the buds off thy fav'rite tree,
Come to my window, and thou shalt find
Home, and a shelter for thee.

Yes, I will give thee my fondest care,

And feed thee, my own sweet bird; And when Spring comes with its flow'rets fair, Again make thy vespers heard!

HYPOCRISY AND TRUTH.

WHAT a vast, pompous pretension there is; what a deal of smoke and empty noise, about the farcical religions which MEN make for God! How generous, gentle, and

blessed, is the religion which God makes for man!!

NOTICE TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS.

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LONDON: Published for WILLIAM KIDD, by WILLIAM SPOONER, 379, Strand, (to whom ALL Letters, Parcels, and Communications, Addressed to "the Editor,' and BOOKS FOR REVIEW, are to be forwarded); and Procurable, by order, of every Bookseller and Newsvendor in the Kingdom. Agents: Dublin, John Wiseheart; Edinburgh, John Menzies; Glasgow, John M'Leod; Liverpool, Miss Meyrick, Hanover Street, and J. Evans, 216, Falkner Street; Manchester, Abel Heywood, Oldham Street.

CITY AGENT: J. ALLEN, 20, Warwick Lane, Paternoster Row. Sold also by BERGER, VICKERS, PURKESS, and all the Wholesale Dealers.

London; M. 8, MYERS, Printer, 22, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden.

THE UNIVERSAL FAMILY PAPER FOR INTER-COMMUNICATIONS ON

NATURAL HISTORY-POPULAR SCIENCE-THINGS IN GENERAL.

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," &C.

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"THE OBJECT OF OUR WORK IS TO MAKE MEN WISER, WITHOUT OBLIGING THEM TO TURN OVER FOLIOS AND QUARTOS.-TO FURNISH MATTER FOR THINKING AS WELL AS READING."-EVELYN.

No. 46.-1852.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13.

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on," than our shops and the whole character of our streets undergo a complete change. We revel in temptations. No greater change could have been effected by the magic wand of Harlequin.

It is "well" that these things should be forced upon us. Unless so reminded, we should be very apt to forget, as we grow older, that the joys which were once ours and have decayed, live in the YOUNG of the present days, just as they formerly did with us.

PRICE 3d.

Or, in Monthly Parts, Price 1s. 1d.

irresistible. Would we have it otherwise? Not for the sake of a kingdom! May God bless our promising blossoms; and as they go on growing up, we will try to grow young again (at Christmas) for their sakes!

We have used the word "folly;" but let it not be imagined that we are adverse to the enjoyments of life, or indifferent to the amusements of those crowds of merry faces which we so dearly love to behold-especially when they have returned home for the holidays. Too well can we remember the feelings peculiar to "breaking up," for us to speak of them slightingly, or with disrespect. Happy school-boys; happy schoolgirls!-be merry as ye list; be jolly while ye may.

We feel whilst we write, a kind of grow. ing inspiration coming over us; and our pen wants to travel out of its way, to enlarge upon the joys of youth. But this is not our present object.

When we pass by the windows of our enterprising booksellers, and recognise our old friends-Jack the Giant Killer; Puss in Boots; Robinson Crusoe; Sandford and Merton; Little Red Riding Hood; "A. was an Archer," &c. &c, standing out in all their modern accession of beauty by the aid of colored illustrative engravings-when we see these, we ought not to turn up our noses, and "wonder at some people's folly." Once WE loved these books, dearly. They have many a time served us in good stead. They have peopled our imagination with thoughts that have never left us; and we rejoice in" looking back upon the "Light of other Days.' We were indeed innocent then-and happy.

"I wonder in such enlightened days as these, WHO can read these ridiculous books; these nonsensical productions!" So spake an elderly gentleman to us, one day. Now this worthy failed to remember, as doubtless do many others, that as fast as we are travelling down the hill of life, just so fast are infants and children scrambling up the hill we so long since topped. What therefore seems folly to us-now that we "have put away childish things," to them has charms

VOL. II.

We had occasion, a few days since, to pass through the City-that great emporium for all that is attractive in eating, drinking, pleasure, amusement, and passe temps. Here we saw, in active preparation for the coming Christmas, novelties innumerable; but they were not meant exactly for the public eye at this somewhat early day. We forced ourselves in, with a friend who had a good excuse for his entrance; and thus we got behind the scenes." The "scene" we speak of, was "laid" in Cornhill.

We will not be wearisome in detailing all we beheld-but our eye was positively riveted by a "German Tree." It was of a stately bearing, and seemed to come of a goodly family. Arms had it, out of number; and the ramifications of its branches appeared to have no end. Still, nothing was out of proportion. It was, let us believe, planted for some great purpose; and we imagined it would ere long cause some nobleman's mansion to ring with the sounds of merriment. But sounds of merriment, and exuberant joy, are not confined to a noble

man's mansion. No! Thank God, in "merrie young and happy beings who usher in their England," every man's house is his castle- friends to see "that tree" for the first mirth and jollity are open to all. So let time! We behold it now-towering high every house have its "Christmas Tree;" and | above their heads, in all its glory! let the links in every family assemble together to make merry beneath its branches -which blossom "so freely" once a year!

And was there ever such an exhibition before! Look at that never-ending succession of lights, "taper"-ing one above the other. Why, the tree is one blaze of fire! And see! what extraordinary things lie hidden in ambush among those lights! Search for an hour if you will-two hours; yet will there remain a mine of treasures

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Sorry should we be, if the ré-unions so peculiar to this season should ever be set aside. Coolness will, and does arise, sometimes, in all families. Whether from long absence, difference of sentiments, the want of more frequent communication, fancy,("funny" to the last) still undiscovered. diffidence, apathy in letter-writing, or what not-it is not our province to inquire. We say-meet, good families; meet together. Embrace each other. Renew your annual vows, and let your affections be more closely united than ever. "Love one another " is a saying of the highest antiquity: and it has an undeniably good origin. Carry it out, as we shall do, to the very letter; and such of us as are now getting old, shall again feel younger than the youngest. Misseltoe! Holly, German-trees, Mince-pies, Plumpudding, and Custards!-all hail! But we must not, in our enthusiasm, lose sight of

ness.

The Christmas Tree.

Love one another!

Having been born under a "lucky planet," it has ever been our good fortune to be great" with the fair purveyors of Christinas pleasures. They are never happy without us; nor are we ever happy without them. This is just as it should be. We have thus been made actively useful in scouring over London to furnish “ foliage" for a Christmas Tree; and if our young friends will promise not to laugh, we will tell them what we have mustered up at rendezvous.*

Whilst emptying our pockets-we sometimes seemed to be "made up" of pockets-

out came

Fiddlers, some with one leg, and some with two; lusty beadles, and rosy-checked romps; econoWe hold these Christmas Trees in the very mical money-boxes; Chinese puzzles, and skiphighest reverence. Of all toys and by ping hoydens; artificial fruits, and blushing such a name we love to call them-they are milk-maids; knowing countrymen, and laughthe most harmless. They embody so much able expanding heads; smirking shepherds, and real fun, create such intense curiosity, keep the dozen, with lay-down collars; ugly dogs, simpering shepherdesses; "young Norvals" by up such a pleasing excitement (both by antici- and pretty dogs; donkeys plain; ditto colored; pation, and realisation); and concentrate so ditto, saddled and bridled; ditto, quiet; ditto, many delights in one grand focus-that we frisky; men of war, with green eyes and curly can never say enough in their praise. While heads; Adonises with eye-glasses, by the dozen; officiating at the Christmas revels-where pedlars, with flowing beards (of course); scissors; THIS tree presides as the "good genius of mechanical mice; men with apple-dumping mankind," WE must be good also. Nature checks and lean legs; boys in pinafores; dolls will overpower us, in spite of ourselves; and dressed; ditto, half-dressed; ditto, full-dressed; our selfishness must melt into human kind-detto, undressed; ditto, timid; ditto, brazen; ditto Little children, and great children-tidy; ditto, slatterns; sham watches, clocks, dials; fiddles, drums, guitars, work-boxes, inkstands, It appears to us, that the ceremonies and whips, tops; magic lemons, resembling coachmen after dinner, i. e. "FULL in-side;" sandwich duties duties indeed! inseparable from the boxes, paint boxes; nurses wet;" ditto," dry;" preparations and decoration of a Christmas ink-wipers, dolls' chairs, sachets, glass pens, Tree, are what invest it with so much ab-jumping frogs, millers (and their men), razorsorbing interest. All is veiled in unfathom-grinders, Italian organists; dogs, barking; dogs, able mystery. Nobody sees anything. squeaking; dogs, baying; some of them nondeNobody knows anything. Still is the magnum scripts, some mastiffs, some pugs, some poodles, and some opus-the "great work," steadily going on. "mixed;" monkeys, cats and kittensFew can imagine when they gaze upon in-the-Box, or concealed bandits; plump some likenesses, some not; tablets, Black Jacks"that tree," rich in its abundant fruit, aldermen; the Lord Mayor's coach and conchand luxuriant foliage; bearing on its man; gloves, silver toothpicks, mother o'pearl branches "something" from every quarter of the globe-what care, what toil, what anxiety, what loving thoughts, what unceasing hunting after variety, novelty, and fun, have been expended for many weeks on its decoration. And who shall describe the triumphant joy, the "immense" feeling of justifiable importance, which animate the

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*These "meetings" were held of an evening; be, soon. Never, surely, were such groups of and very delightful they were- and will again assembled together! What mirth! what shouts merry boys and merry girls (large and small) of laughter-as each drew forth "something," funnier still than the last !—ED. K. J.

book-knives; pen trays; fine military men, with stiff collars and gilt buttons; handsome naval officers with peculiar noses-very knowing; ducks, geese, pigeons, scent-bottles, pencil cases, egg-boilers, and baby tea-caddies; match-boxes, curiously-cut" Ladies' eau de vie bottles" (in case of illness!); pocket-books, decorated bon-bons; many duplicates (with various colored eyes) from Noah's Ark; pirouetting ballet-girls, with imploringly-bewitching looks; blushing Bloomers; thimbles; happy, care-for-nothing little men (with their hands in their pockets), standing on round balls. These last, "when put down," refuse to remain down; but spring up again. Lanterns, steam-engines, nutmeg-graters, fifers, jarretières, kerchiefs, knives, combs, trinketsand, in short, nic-nacs ad infinitum.

All these, and many hundreds of others which our memory fails to record, adorn in greater or less number, and with mysterious but unmistakeable grandeur and brilliancy,

-the "Christmas Tree."

It is not for us to dwell upon the thoughts, hopes, and thrilling expectations that fill the breasts of the army of rosy urchins, and their happy friends-papas, mammas, et infra. None of them are as yet in the secret; but cannot we see them "peeping" from the room up-stairs-over the banisters, big with imaginings of what is in store for them presently in the room below!

We can well conjure up the scene that offers itself, when the doors of " that room" are thrown open!-when that Fairy Tree, with all its blushing honors thick upon it, meets the hundred pair of anxious eyes' for the first time! Was there ever a more exciting, a more pleasing scene?-WE think

not.

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And when mamma-dear mamma, mysteriously entering, takes her seat; and places on her lap the lucky-bag, filled to the very top with prizes,--is not that moment one of the very happiest moments of her life, and of our lives? Look at those faces-those merry, arch, roguish, innocently-roguish faces! We see them now. Oh! might those happy faces never be dimmed by care,those happy hearts never be made sad by the calamities and chances of life!

**And now-the " prizes" are being drawn. Do watch the sparkling, speaking eyes, as each several allotment is called out to the fortunate owner in expectancy! Of inconsiderable value in themselves, yet what an

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intrinsic value do they not inherit from having once grown upon "that tree!" But why should we forestall all these enjoyments? Will they not soon again be realised? Shall we not ALL soon be there to witness them? Of course we shall.

Let us add, there is much moral good effected by these annual; aye, and by semiannual meetings. We would on no account whatever have them done away with. Human nature is frail-sadly frail. Out of sight, out of mind;" is a proverb that may be frequently, too frequently adopted among us. Long absence, and interrupted friendships, make many people painfully indifferent towards each other-aye, callous. Matrimony, too, strangely changes some people's hearts. We know some whom we dearly loved-and they seemingly loved us too. As brothers and sisters were we played like children together; talked together; had but one interest in common. They are now married; and we are become aliens to them. Much colder are they than ice. We never

meet!

We have yet to learn that Matrimony has any just right to such restrictive power over true friendship. Such at all events is not the principle that reigns in OUR royal heart. Whom once we love, we honestly and truly love for ever. In this matter, some may regard us as singular; but we were brought up in a very good school, and see no reason whatever to change our sentiments. Modern customs and habits may be different from those of the olden time,-we admit sorrowfully that they are. Simplicity has indeed left us; and the superficial has usurped its place. Are we any the better for it? "Question."

Men and women "should be, doubtless, what they seem;" but they are not so. Hence, the distracted and "hollow" state of the world we live in. To see the human countenance veneered with a smile,while cold deceit lurks deep in the heart,-this liketh us not. No! Rigid "Old Honesty" for us, in defiance of fashion; and a heart capacious enough to contain all whom we hold dear! How very sweetly sings "OUR OWN" Poet Laureate on this subject!

Solet Christmas come; and with it, all the much-loved socialities of that happy

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