THE MAGAZINE MANIA. with the rich family of her benefactress; and in time she placed her in a little cottage on their estate, where she could see the plants in all their summer glory, and hear the angel-voiced birds singing their hope-giving songs. THE MAGAZINE MANIA. FOR Some years past cheap periodicals have been rapidly increasing. The growth of periodical literature is an interesting fact in the history of England. Almost every month, for years past, has seen the commencement or extinction of some new magazine or journal. Every January, in particular, witnesses the birth of a brood of new aspirants for popular support. And perhaps no year was ever hailed at its commencement with a more numerous literary progeny than the present one. There has been a regular sensation among editors, literary contributors, booksellers, newsvenders, and magazine readers. What can be the cause of this overproduction in literature and indiscriminate rushing into print? No doubt the motives which induced the various projectors and publishers to start so many new works have been numerous. If we were to judge from the number now before us, we should say the chief motive has been and is a commercial one. The success of two or three journals which had their birth during the past year is a sufficient explanation of the fact that so many are desirous of speculating in literature. This is the chief cause of the present magazine mania. Some of the journals above alluded to appear to be influenced by a decided definite purpose: they are started to meet some of the growing wants of the nation and of the age. Others appear to have no purpose at all; and certainly it does not matter much whether they live or die. It would be unreasonable to suppose that one-half of the new candidates will live to see the summer. Many of them do not deserve to live; others, though of higher pretensions, do not possess sufficient enduring vitality and real attractiveness to win the smiles of the public for any lengthened period. If they were all good, and equally de 77 serving a long life, it would be almost impossible for them to enjoy it; and for this reason-periodicals have of late multiplied more rapidly than readers. Readers increase gradually-periodicals increase by fits and starts. This being the case, we may legitimately expect that this eager desire for gain, or influence, or renown, or for the gratification of whims, or whatever it may be, will be the occasion of loss and disappointment; or, in other words, this magazine mania will be followed by a periodical panic. We have had railway panics, commercial panics, agricultural panics, and a variety of other kinds of panics; and some people say, panics come and go periodically. That ques tion we will not now stop to decide, but we will be bold enough to prophecy that we shall soon have a panic among periodicals. In making these remarks we are not influenced by the slightest particle of selfishness, envy, jealousy, or pride. We heartily wish every journal that is calculated to do good, or that really deserves to exist, prosperity and suc cess. Though we cannot congratulate the public on many of the new periodicals, because they appear to be without a purpose or a guiding principle, and because they appear mere literary adventurers, we must say that on the whole they are an improvement on many of the weeklies and monthlies which have for some time past been supplying their readers with so much that is impure and demoralizing. We cannot but think that trashy, degrading journals have multiplied in the absence of others more healthy and elevating in tone and tendency. A large mass of the people will read something. They have not the ability to buy large dear works, and if they had, they would be indisposed to read them. Hence the great necessity that the demand should be supplied with something becoming the exigencies of the age and the dignity of the human mind. We may now say a few words about ourselves. We were the first in the field. We had the pleasure to distribute prospectuses of the Public Good among the members of the Peace Con gress Deputation while on their way to Paris in August last. From that time to the present we have laboured assiduously to promote the public good. Among the many competitors for public support, we venture to say there is not one similar in aim and purpose to our own. Neither was there one previous to the commencement of this year. There was an abundance of literary journals, whose object was to amuse and edify. There were also peace journals, temperance journals, educational journals, family journals, scientific journals, political journals, and others more or less devoted to different branches of popular social progress. But there was no journal whose object it was to show that all great moral principles were one in nature and essence; and to advocate all those great movements in which are involved the interests and well-being of society. We look upon all true reformers as fellow-labourers in the great vineyard of humanity, that they are all doing one great work, though in different ways, and by different means, and that is the purification and elevation of man. We are attached to no society, or party of reformers, in particular, but to all of them in general; and it has and will be our duty and delight to advocate all, and advance all, as far as our humble powers and limited space will allow. Neither would we confine ourselves merely to the direct attack of wrongs, and the direct advocacy and diffusion of the right. We would treat on all great general questions in which all are interested, to whatever party they belong. We would call poetry, history, fiction, biography, to our assistance, and give that variety to our book, so that it be interesting and instructive to man, as man, as well as to the reformer, as the refor mer. DRINKING.-Drunkenness is a social festive vice. The drinker collects his circle; the circle naturally spreads: of those who are drawn within it, many become the corruptors and gentres of sects and circles of their own; every one countenancing, and, perhaps, emulating the rest, till a whole neighbourhood be infected from the contagion of a single example.-Paley. INFANT SCHOOLS, AN ANECDOTE. COMMUNICATED BY DR. HARRISON BLACK. SOME months ago, an elderly gentleman, whom we shall call C., was sitting in a reading room in one of the sea side towns, on the South east coast of England. The proprietor of the Reading Room, whom we shall call D., was also present. C. (Who had been looking over a newspaper). The press, Sir, is a mighty engine for the promotion of the public good. Here there is news from the extreme north of Scotland, published within a small number of hours, in the South of England. D. Yes, the transmission of intelligence is rapid. C. I observe here, a gratifying fact. They have established another Infant School in D. Well, my opinion is, that wasting so much time about these Infant Schools, is all nonsense. C. Have you ever been in an Infant School? D. No. I have not. At this moment, a fine, lively, little boy, son of D., entered the room. C. That is a very fine little fellow; but it is a pity he is so riotous. He often disturbs your subscribers when they are reading here. D. He is such a high-spirited little fellow; we can hardly manage him. C. Yes, only yesterday, his cries disturbed the whole house. The nurse tried to silence him, in vain; the mother was equally unsuccessful; and the father's attempt was fruitless. I went out to him, and in two minutes, his eries had ceased; and he was contented and happy. The humble individual who quieted that child, takes no credit to himself. He only gave a lesson which he learnt in Infant Schools. D. did not speak; he seemed too much surprised. C. You, Sir, are the proprietor of a newspaper-a supporter of Church and State-a leader of public opinion-and an Infant Schools in this town. advocate of public good. There are two One is patronized by the Bishop and Clergy. Will you go with me, and see them? If you find they are for the public good, you can tell the world so. If you consider them bad, I give you my word, that I will aid EARTH'S ANGELS. you in endeavouring to have them all shut up. D. I will go with you. They soon reached the nearest Infant School, but only a few of the pupils were present, and there were no lessons going on. The place was, however, clean and comfortable, and the children were contented, orderly, and happy. D. expressed himself much pleased -entered his name in a " visitors' book," which was shown to him, and also put a shilling into the donation box. They then proceeded to the other Infant School. All the children were present. The teacher, a benevolent man, with his heart in the work, was there amongst them--they spelled, counted, marched, and sang, and did all with such complete regularity and evident happiness, and so readily obeyed the least kind word of their teacher, that | D. looked on with astonishment-he had got into a new world-he saw something which was really for the public good. Before he left, he said to the master," Have you a visitors' book?" No, Sir, we have but few visitors." "Have you a donation box?" "Yes, Sir,-there." He walked over to it deliberately, taking from his pocket several silver coins, as he advanced. These he dropped into the box, apparently without consciousness, till they were all gone. Then turning to his introducer, he said, "Good bye, now, my friend--God bless you." The latter saw that his convert's feelings were then sufficient companions, and he made no reply, save by a squeeze of the hand. Next day, the elderly gentleman was again at the Reading Room. He had, in the interim, drawn up a little sketch of the events of the previous day; omitting names. On the proprietor entering, he handed it to him, and said, "Will you put that into your paper?" He read, and said, "I will;" and he did it. Thus was one point gained for the public good. 66 HOW THE WORLD IS PAPERED.-The Press sends forth in the daily papers a printed surface which amounts in the year to 349,308,000 superficial feet; and, if we add to these all the papers that are printed, weekly and fortnightly, in the metropolis and the provinces, the whole amounts to 1,466,150,000 square feet, upon which the Press has left in legible characters the proof of its labours. Of the newspapers, therefore, that have been published in the United Kingdom during the year 1849, we may say, that they would cover a surface of 33,658 acres, or would extend, if joined one to another, to 138,843 miles: that is, they would nearly six times encircle the earth at the equator. EARTH'S ANGELS. 79 now; And many a tear from human eyes has started, Since angel touch has calmed a mortal brow. No; earth has angels, though their forms are moulded, But of such clay as fashions all below; Though harps are wanting, and bright pinions folded, We know them by the love-light on their brow. I have seen angels by the sick one's pillow; Theirs was the soft tone and the soundless tread; Where smitten hearts were drooping like the willow, They stood "between the living and the dead." And if my sight, by earthly dinness hindered, Beheld no hovering cherubim in air, I doubted not, for spirits know their kindred,They smiled upon the wingless watchers there. There have been angels in the gloomy prison, In crowded halls,-by the lone widow's hearth; And where they passed, the fallen hath uprisen. The giddy paused,-the mourner's hope had birth. I have seen one whose eloquence commanding Roused the rich echoes of the human breast, The blandishments of wealth and ease withstanding, That Hope might reach the suffering and oppressed. And by his side there moved a form of beauty, THE UNDEVELOPED RESOURCES BY THOMAS BEGGS. IT has been shown that a large quantity of land in Great Britain and Ireland remains in a totally or partially uncultivated condition, that immense quantities of the most valuable manure are running to waste, polluting the rivers and streams, and assisting with other causes to breed fever and disease,--and that from 9 to 10 per cent of the population are subsisting upon public charity. The cultivation of the land has not kept pace with the general improvement. In 1811, 35 per cent. of the population were agricultural, in 1841 only 22 per cent., shewing a much greater disproportion betwixt the agricultural and the other parts of the population than could have existed had there not been some extraordinary check upon the improvement of the soil. The existence of laws which made rents depend upon the price of corn, raised to an unnatural height by a sliding scale, and not upon the actual value of the land in the world's market, has been no doubt the great cause. It is now removed, and the owner of land as well as the cultivator, is left to fight his way by the dint of superior energy, and intelli gence. In this day of railways he must move on or be left behind. The state of the rural districts is very unfavourable. The manufacturing towns may occasionally suffer depression-the labourers in the villages are always in a condition of dependence ;-alternating between the workhouse and independent labour-and bound down by a law of settlement, like serfs to the soil. It would be foreign to the present purpose to enter upon that field of investigation, and yet the subject requires that we should advert to it. It is perfectly clear that an impetus given to agricultural improvement will bring with it a demand for labour. An increased demand will improve the condition of that class, and they will become not only producers to a greater amount, but consumers also. The poor's rates will be relieved-the young and able bodied who fly to the large towns will remain in their own neighbourhoods. The recent changes in the law have made an experiment desirable,—some effort absolutely necessary. In speaking of cultivating the soil-it is not proposed to employ paupers and criminals upon it. It would doubtless be more profitable than allowing them to rust in the prison or workhouse. The pauper and criminal class require different treatment. It is most important to devise remedies for the social evils affecting that class which are hovering on the verge of pauperism, and to rescue those who are in danger of being engulphed. Our work must begin with the independent labourer. his condition-raise it above the conImprove dition of the pauper which it certainly is not at present, and an effectual check will be put to the growth of pauperism. We have three great sources of wealth before us-another and a better California. We have land-we have manure we have a population-the latter giving us hands to produce and mouths to consume. The land is only partially productive-the manure is thrown away--the labourer is idle and starving. Can nothing be done with this mine of wealth. Future generations will stand amazed as they reflect upon the opportunities which their ancestors of the nineteenth century wasted or left unimproved. Can nothing be done in a commercial age and among a commercial people to develope the resources hitherto unemployed, and to make science contribute to its great end, the advancement af the human race in comfort and happiness. Capital and labour might be here brought together, and secure the most beneficial results. Any successful plan must be based on a fair commercial principle. The following scheme is therefore submitted as worthy of consideration: A capital should be raised either by a large or small number of proprietors, on the same principle as the Associa tion for the Improvement of the Dwellings of the working classes, and to be employed in the purchase and the improvement of land. The management to be vested in a board of directors. capital is raised to justify a commenceAs soon as the requisite amount of THE UNDEVELOPED RESOURCES OF ENGLAND. ment, an estate should be procured, which might be termed the Model Farm. To render the first experiment more complete, it should be in the neighbourhood of a large town, to afford a market for produce, and to offer facilities for the application of Sewage Manure. It is put hypothetically whether some part of the land especially referred to in the Reports of the Metropolitan Sanitory Commission, in the Essex, Poplar, and Tottenham marshes, might not be obtained for such a purpose on eligible terms-some of the commons adjacent to Epping Forest might also be considered. The West of London would be much more desirable, as arrangements might be effected with the Metropolitan Sewage Manure Company for the supply of Sewage. They have a machinery already in existence in the West of London for the application of liquid manure, whereas on the East a machinery would have to be constructed. In the neighbourhood of London, market gardens, a pasture land, would be the most remunerative. When the land or farm is thoroughly surveyed, and laid out under competent management, then arrangements would follow as to the employment of labourers. As a means of encouraging and stimulating the labourer, and placing him in the most favourable position, for benefiting himself and the company, he should be paid on contract, or piece-work. The old system of agricultural slave labour, paying the workmen at the rate of 1s., 1s. 3d., or 1s. 6d. per day, is decidedly objectionable. Under such a mode of payment,there is no advantage to the labourer in having superior skill or industry nor can they be made truly profitable to the employer. The plan now proposed is simply that every man should be paid the value and amount of work. For example in draining a model should be adopted and proper superintend ance be exercised, so that the work be well performed and fully up to the standard. The payment should be so much per foot or yard as the case might be so with hedging-so with every other department of labour. I know in some few instances that this plan of payment has been adopted by individual farmers, and while it has proved G 81 the most economical on their own part, it has enabled the labourer to earn (of course by increased industry) double his former wages. I propose that a fair market price should be given for labour as for everything else. Another part of the scheme would be that of erecting a number of dwellings for the labourers employed. Every attention should be paid to sanitary arrangements, and the wants of families. These dwellings should have adjoining to them a small plot of ground, for the cultivation of vegetables or flowers, sufficient to find amusement for the tenant. The dwellings, &c. must be let at a rental, sufficient to pay interest on the capital invested. A school, and other buildings necessary for the convenience and instruction of the population would follow of course. Everything should be done to remove the temptation of drinking as far away as possible. Provident Funds, Savings Banks, Benefit Societies, &c., might be established-these things being left to the free choice of the men employed. I apprehend the result of such an experiment would be, if fairly carried out.-First, an improvement of the soil that would be highly remunerative, and which would in itself stimulate a more general cultivation, and the application to agricultural purposes of the liquid refuse of towns. Secondly, an improve. ment of the condition of the labourers employed, by substituting a fair, just, and equitable reward, for the present bad system; and thirdly, it would create a demand for labourers, thus arresting in some degree the downward tendency to pauperism, of an important class:-It might also shew that instead of our criminals and paupers being fed at the public expence, they might sup port themselves, and on a farm of this kind a number of juveniles picked from the Ragged Schools, might be placed as apprentices. I may observe that every part of this plan has been proved by actual experi ment to be attainable, although not per haps in the particular form here presented. The details of such a scheme are necessarily difficult, but perfectly practicable, and at some future time may offer such suggestions as my ex |