By this simple mode any individual may obtain free of expense by the Post an abundant supply. I am, Your obliged Friend, An Enemy to Small Pox. In consequence of some cases where the small pox has been taken after Vaccination, several persons have been inclined to doubt the advantage of this discovery. We believe, that in many of the cases of supposed failure, a considerable proportion of the patients would, on strict enquiry, be found not to have, before, gone regularly through the proper stages of the cow-pock; and that some of the rest had merely the chicken pox when they were supposed to be ill of the small pox a second time. Still, however, we do not pretend to deny that there have been several cases of failure: but still we. think that if every child in the kingdom were to be vaccinated, the small pox would have so very few people to lay hold of, that the disease would, in a few years, disappear from the country, as we find that it has done from many places abroad, where it formerly occurred very frequently, and raged with great violence, and as we see that it has done in many parishes, in England, where the small pox used to come every two or three years, but now never comes. Where places of late have suffered from the raging of small pox, it seems to have been of a remarkably violent kind. In such cases, many persons, who have before been vaccinated; and many even who have had the small pox, will take the infection. We are inclined to think that the practice of vaccination has already in a great measure got the better of the small pox of the ordinary kind, but that there are cases which have sometimes proved too much either for this or any other attempt at prévention. But, as so much has been already done, we have great encouragement to go on, in hopes that our country may, in a few years, be completely freed from this dreadful disease. We are not, in the least, disposed to persevere in our opinion, merely because we have formerly declared our views on the subject; for we consider no folly so great as an obstinate adherence to a former opinion when more attentive examination shall have taught us that we were wrong. But, carefully taking a full view of the whole question of vaccination, on both sides, we must still think ourselves justified in recommending it strongly, as a most providential discovery for the purpose of putting an end to that. dreadful malady, small pox. V.. SATURDAY NIGHT, To-morrow's dawn brings blessed peace, For which, and ev'ry blessing giv❜n, Our life is but a lengthen'd week Sent by a nameless Correspondent. ON ITALICS. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, HAVING taken your Cottage Visitor from the first, and, being now in the habit of lending it to between twelve and eighteen people (many of whom can only read with difficulty) I beg leave to state that many are puzzled with the words that are printed in Italics. How to obviate this difficulty I leave with you, and beg to remain, Your obliged reader, C. S. We are much obliged to our Correspondent for the above suggestion, for it is absolutely necessary that we should be understood, before we can expect to be of any use. We do not, however, exactly see how we can avoid the difficulty complained of. We were aware that there were some persons who would find a difficulty in reading the Italic letters, from ourselves having frequently met with the same difficulty in young readers. But we should think that a very little exertion would enable those who can read the common (or Roman) characters, to make out the Italics likewise. It is true, that it would be very easy for us to avoid the Italics altogether; but we have another class of readers in view; namely, those who can read with ease, but who would not see the word which was either the most important to be attended to, or which required a particular stress and emphasis to make the sentence properly understood. We might indeed put large ROMAN CAPITALS, but these we reserve for something which requires a still more particular mark. Perhaps the above observations may be of use to some of our young readers, who can make out the Italics, but do not exactly know the use of them; if, in reading aloud, they will lay a particular stress on the words marked in Italics, they will find the sense of a passage to come out in a much more forcible manner, and the persons who hear them read, will understand them a great deal better. OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, I SHALL think myself happy if the following remarks should have the effect of drawing the attention of any of your Readers to the wonderful works of a gracious Providence. I have often felt great delight in observing Swallows collecting together in vast numbers at the time when they are going to leave this Island. Seeing that these birds are destitute of reason, how do they know exactly what path they should take, or how far they should go, or what point they should aim at. They undertake a voyage of thousands of miles, without compass, and without provisions. Who taught them to follow a certain track, in an element so inconstant as the air? Who informs them how far they have already gone, or how much of their journey yet remains? Who guides them, or directs. them, nourishes and provides them with what is needful on their passage? They do what man cannot do. Had man to undertake such a work, it would require great preparation, experience, direction, and forethought. We could not, with the help of reason, the compass, and geographical charts, follow, with such certainty, the road, over so many seas, mountains, and tracts of continent, as these birds do, without the assistance of either. may fur ther ask, who informs these wonderful travellers of the time when they are to return, for they seem exactly to know the season when they are to come to us again, and the Swallow will return, perhaps, to the very nest which she built the summer before. In the summer, in England, every wood and thicket is filled with winged songsters; and the air resounds with their delightful music. The inspired penman seemed to feel a more than common joy when he said, "The time of singing birds is come, and the voice of the Nightingale is heard in our fand." No one, who delights in seeing the happiness, and hearing the joyful music of birds, can help lamenting the cruel practice of destroying their nests (which they have formed with such wonderful and beautiful care) and putting an end to their cheerful notes, by robbing them of their eggs, or their young. This is frequently done from mere wantonness, when no necessity can be pleaded as a reason. Boys will take birds' eggs merely for the idle purpose of stringing them together, and will take young birds which are of no sort of use to them. When children accustom themselves to find amusement in what gives pain to other animals, they soon lose that tenderness of heart, which ought, by every means, to be encouraged. I never suffered any of my dear boys to rob a poor bird of its young, or allowed a bird's egg to be brought into my house; and they soon ceased to wish to attain them. W. ON FLOWER GARDENS. A CORRESPONDENT, whose Letter we inserted in our April Number, gave our Readers some useful hints on the subject of Flower-Gardens; and we are acquainted with several Cottagers who find very agreeable employment in the cultivation of their flowers. Some of them have very choice collections of Pinks, Carnations, Tulips, Auriculas, Polianthuses, Anemonies, Ranunculuses, and other flowers. To have these in real perfection, a great deal of pains is required, and more time, and attention, and expence, than is convenient or right. But, in a |
