nut Matting, 251; Comic Duet, A, 320; Com- Journey, Notes on a, in the South of France. Mitford, Miss, A Reminiscence of, 259 By T. N. Talfourd, Esq, 343 Ladies of Canada, The, 332 Learn "Something" Daily, 186 "Let us All pull together!" 374 Life in its Lowest Forms,-The Infusoria, 157 Life and its many Objects, 371 Lily of the Valley, To cultivate the, 249 London Streets during a Snow-storm, 64 Magpie, The, 76 Maids and Bachelors, by "Viletta," 303 a Savage, 125, 184, 375 372 Wherein does one Man differ from Another? Obituary: John Martin, 159; Professor Wilson, Man's Contempt for Nature, 253 Kindness (!) to Man, 375 Marriages in Greece, 272 Matrimony and its Advantages, 312 MEETING AND PARTING, A Comparison, 337, 376 Mesmerism,-Annual Meeting of the Members MISCELLANEOUS PARAGRAPHS. Air of Kent, The Wonderful, 246; April and its 243; George Newport, Esq., F.R.S. (Naturalist), 248 Panopticon of Science and Art, 191 Photography, Notes on, 133, 203, 292, 322 295 Pictures of Life,-All "Portraits," 138 POETRY. A Beam of Braided Moonlight fell, 373; A Little Kate, 264; Bright Days of Summer, 261; Queen, 330; What is "Noble?" 317; What's Post, The, and Our Friend the Postman, 206 Profitable Reading, Notes on, 366 Rabbits,-Directions for Rearing and Breeding, 91 Rain Water, Notes on, 310 REVIEW OF BOOKS AND MUSIC. Angler's Almanac, The, 87; Band of Hope Re- Robin, The, 251,311, 370 Salmon, Artificial Propagation of, 254 Selfishness and its Horrors, 376 Skeleton Leaves of Plants, &c., 375 Snow Storm of January (1854), 46, 126 Society in America, 332 Sound and its Sympathies, 368 Umbrella Bird, The, 122 Spider-catching Fly, The, of Van Diemen's Land, Vegetable Kingdom, The, 149 249 Sponge, Natural History of the, 290 Spring, its Effect on the Sap in Trees, 123 Spring and the Feathered Tribes, 116, 183, 245 Squirrel, Life of a Tame, 146, 195 Starling, The, 121 Sunflower, The, A True Lover, 186 Swan, The, 361 Swift, The, 346 Sympathy of the Poor for each Other, 59 TALES AND SKETCHES. Emigrant's Lark, The, 111; Original Artist, The Tench, The, 48 "Throwing the Hatchet!" 371 Life, 14 Vegetation, Varieties in, 64 Vital Principle, The; What is it? 156 War and Pestilence, Ravages of, 127 Water, Purification of, 270 Wild Men of the Himalayas, 250 Wives,-Useful, and Useless, 191 Woman,-Her Chief" Accomplishments," 184 Time and Space, or the Power of Locomotion, World, The, A Paradox, 189 As good now as Ever it was, 312 Zoological Folk Lore, 99, 167, 215 W HO WOULD BEGIN A NEW YEAR, AND THE NEW VOLUME OF A FAVORITE PERIODICAL, without a happy thought? Not one of OUR readers, we feel sure; for they are a "happy family," of whom we feel proud indeed! Much do we delight to honor them. Long may they live to share our delights and pleasures. Long may we live to enjoy their countenance, and to divide our heart with them-it is freely theirs. People cry out "What a wicked world this is!" Who are they that make it wicked? The world is bright as ever. It is its inhabitants who defile it. jealous individual can be happy. The happy face must be the reflex of a happy heart; foud of doing good, and living only for the benefit and welfare of society. If the tree be thus good, the fruit will be choice indeed! With these feelings ever dwelling in our breast, we often wander forth, even at this season, for a long walk. Fond of company we are, truly; but we could not reasonably expect any one of Eve's fair daughters to brave the elements of January with us, and therefore we go alone. We love to be alone, unless we have a kindred companion; and as among our own sex we are fairly puzzled whom to choose, we prefer to keep our own company. This brings us at once in medias res,—to the very marrow of this Paper. No sooner are we equipped for a walk, and fairly out of the house, than our mind immediately wanders into Fairy-land, -the very region of happy thoughts. This not once, but always. The moment our back is turned upon the "Great City of the Plague" (as we call London), we are in the enjoyment of perfect freedom. We are moving in another world, and conversing mentally with genial spirits. Leaving the world, however, and its own, to pursue Fashion and Folly as they will, It is quite refreshing to note the healthy and to yawn away the time they know not tone of a contemplative man's mind, when how to improve or enjoy, we will to-day he is beyond the contaminating influences of luxuriate in the feelings peculiar to those a cold, calculating, money-loving, purse. only who love nature and the God of nature; proud world. It is this which makes us such turning all they see into profitable meditation, an advocate for a country life. Regardless and viewing everything that is done under of the trammels of fashion, we seek the fields the sun in its brightest and fairest aspect. whenever inclination leads us there; and "The cloud with a silver lining," for US. visit many a pretty little village snug in its We flee with disgust from all who would rural retirement. Not a single object that dwell on the dark side of nature. It savors we pass on the road but affords some cause of an evil spirit,-a morbid love for the for wonderment, and leads to a pleasing train dismal,-breathing an unwholesome, a pesti- of thought. The air of Heaven-so pure lential atmosphere that poisons all within and so fresh-cheers both soul and body. the range of its baneful influence. No! We look up, and worship. We gaze around Smiles and tears shall sweetly alternate; us on every side, and admire. All we behold and sympathy shall make life one round of tends to our mental improvement; and creates perpetual sunshine. Let us herald in the in us feelings of benevolence. New Year with these sentiments. Well; our subject is to be-Happy Thoughts. Now, to be happy, one must be cheerful. No grudging, close-fisted, narrowminded man or woman can be happy. No cold-blooded, avaricious man of the world can be happy. No envious, cross-grained, VOL. V.-1. A true philanthropist is your lover of Nature. He loves God, and wants all the world to love Him too. His delight is To go about rejoicing in the joy B And it is at these times, if ever, that he may be called truly happy; seeing that virtue, innocence, and good-will to man, are the sole objects that occupy his thoughts. His benevolence is mirrored in his "happy" countenance; and as he trudges merrily onwards, he feels that he has no wish unsatisfied. He covets no more than he has. We do not say how long these Elysian dreams last. Too well do we all know that, in this lower world, clouds and sunshine must hold alternate sway. It is well that it should be so-nor would we wish it otherwise. Happy thoughts" are our special delight. We revel in them without end, as we stroll abroad and think of the past, present, and future. They crowd one upon the other in the most rapid succession; each "dissolving view" introducing some long-cherished remembrance, and adding one other to our already countless "happy thoughts." And have we not millions of "little things" those graceful amiabilities of which we have held recent profitable converse-to make us happy? Oh, yes! Was there ever proprietor of any periodical more favored than WE? In two short years-we call them "short," because of the pleasure they have brought us--we have not only become a public character, but we have won so many hearts that we really stand amazed at our position. We speak not of common acquaintanceship; but of the sweetest ties, of the purest friendship. A mighty magician is our grey-goose quill! Some men feel flattered by being at the head of a popular Journal; and boast of their talent and success. Without wishing to boast, let us say we have achieved this-and how much more? From one end of the country to the other-among the very best society, are open doors and open hearts set before us; with a sincerity of welcome, too, that makes us love the world better than ever. Of this distinction-so unusual-we ARE proud. It lightens all our cares, draws forth the finest feelings of the human heart, hallows all our disappointments, buoys up all our hopes, and makes us a philanthropist in the broadest and most significant sense of the word. How very many there are, who, though we have never seen them, yet write to us freely as to an old and much-cherished friend! Papas, mammas, sons, and daughters,-all recognise us, all do us pleasing homage. Can we walk abroad and ruminate on such things, without running riot in the happiest of thoughts? And what of those many dear, loving souls whom we have seen and with whom we have conversed? Can we think of them and their multitude of "little kindnesses," without delight? How many choice flowers, commencing with those of early spring, and ending with the "last rose of summer”. has the postman brought us during the past year,-dispersing their fragrance through the folds of an envelope, and telling "in the language of flowers" the amiable feelings of the senders? These-and what beside? Were we to expatiate (as our pen and our heart would gladly do,) on the subject we have chosen, we should exceed all bounds. Our drift, however, will be readily seen; and our object appreciated. We want to create a better feeling among society; and to work upon the kindly feelings of the human heart; to drive out the superficial, and to make way for the natural. Life is very short. Why then should we not be truly happy whilst we live? 66 We did purpose, when we first nibbed our pen, to enumerate some few of our very" happy thoughts,-showing how by sympathy" we could walk, and actually behold as well as converse with certain of our dear friends at a remote distance; but as this is a delicate subject to discuss on paper, we will only hint at it. There are those who will perfectly understand us; and enter into the depth of our sentiments. Suffice it, if we say that on all such occasions we are never less alone than when alone." Our heart is full of guests. Among some of our happiest thoughts, have been the many additions made to our goodly company of subscribers by certain of our earliest companions, and the associates of by-gone days. They have, one by one, heard of OUR JOURNAL; wondered if their "old friend" was the "veritable Simon Pure;" and finding he was so, given him the heartiest of hearty welcomes. What pleasure this! It makes our old heart rejoice. Odd is it, however, that some few of our quondam friends, whom WE loved most dearly, yet stand at an unapproachable distance from us. There is no sympathy. Our love for mankind, and our plain-speaking, comport not with their views of life. Fashion, the world's follies, "dignity," and exclusiveness, bar all the avenues to their hearts. Has this caused us a sigh? Oh, how many! Well; we love them still-and they know it. We have said nothing about the varied objects which lend an additional interest to our walks and rambles, such as the happy birds, animals of all kinds, rejoicing in their liberty and freedom, and many other things which tend to the happiest of happy thoughts. These may, at a future time, be profitably and pleasantly alluded to. We never go abroad without turning everything we see to some account, and return home with a heart happy as it well can be. Early Spring, too, is coming. What a lovely prospect! We have already begun the New Year |