THE YOUNG LADY'S MAGAZINE. ADDRESS. No lawyer ever hunted for a precedent more sedulously than we have sought for an instance of a Magazine being ushered into public notice without an introductory address. But we have found no such instance. Messieurs of the other sex, 66 our very noble and approved good masters" have invariably introduced their Herculean Quarterlies and Monthlies to the world with a flourish of their own trumpets; then how can we (poor humble bas bleux as we are) dare to break through the custom and toss No. 1, of THE YOUNG LADY'S MAGAZINE before the public sans ceremonie? Why a lady is more polite in presenting a luncheon to her lap dog! What could we say as an apology for such abruptness? Whither could we look for an excuse? Nothing in nature seems abrupt! Spring, beauteous Spring, as we now behold her, clad in richest verdure and bespangled with flowers, was led on by "old Winter" who, after introducing her, made, his best bow and slowly retired. Twilight is the harbinger of day and it gradually closes the curtain when the sun retires below the horizon introducing at the same time "ebon night and her starry train." The rainbow, that broad arch of beauty which is based on the horizon now before our eyes, has appeared somewhat mal-apropos, for even that was "brought forth" and "cradled" as our immortal peerless Byron expresses its first adumbrations. Pardon us indulgent readers, if we have not found an excuse in those phenomena of nature we have at least discovered an analogy that will answer our purpose. THE YOUNG LADY'S Magazine will resemble the Spring in the freshness of its literature and the purity of its sentiments. It will humbly emulate the clearness of day in its didactic essays, and the sublimity of the " starry heavens" of night in its deeper and more romantic articles. And it will offer, though a feeble, yet an appropriate, emblem of the rainbow in the variety of its tints and the harmony of their blending. We have thus boldly but sincerely promised and vowed three things in its name. But as these promises may not be deemed a full intimation of our intentions. We explicitly state. That we shall touch upon Religious topics with the most profound reverence; that our moral essays shall breathe that pure spirit with which an enlightened and tender mother would wish to animate the heart of her ripening offspring; that our light productions may sparkle and be redolent of mirth, but their wit shall never inflict a wound, and their humour shall never be tainted with aught offensive to the chastest delicacy. We shrink from exhibiting loathsome objects of vice to the young mind's indignation and dare not to inspire fictitious sorrow If we ever elicit a tear it shall be by the power of genuine pathos—we would not attempt to create a morbid sensibility, but we deem it a gracious task to draw the pearly drops of sympathy from the undefiled lachrymatory of a young and unsophisticated heart. We have thus rather indicated than defined the character of the work this specimen of which is respectfully submitted to the reader. We have now only to add that we bow not, in any respect, to the sceptre of that all-potent termagant FASHION. We think for ourselves and therefore spurn her mandates. And this we say with reference to matters of a mental character. As for that department of Fashion's affairs which the dress-maker has to officiate in, we, with deep deference, leave its "important trifles" to the surveillance of Mesdames of the Magasins des modes, and the conductors of those Magazines which exhibit periodically those "mighty matters" to the beau monde Our aim is to embellish the mind, not to ornament the figure; we desiderate habits of virtue in our young readers and care little about habits of dress. We shall labor, not for those whose whole lives, with the exception of the portions allotted to dress, are comprised in the following French couplet : Du lit à la table, De la table au lit. But shall regard our readers as beings of intelligence and emotions, and endeavour to furnish for them what will brighten the former and pleasurably excite the latter. All young ladies desirous of obtaining pure moral instruction and refined amusement may find them in the columns of the YOUNG LADY'S MAGAZINE, and therefore we aspire to and will endeavour to deserve the patronage of all who have such a desire. |