OUR ALMANAC.

WE have been at some pains to prepare an
Almanac for the coming year. It is now
published; and we may be allowed briefly to
make known to our readers, the general
nature of its contents.

It has been our endeavour, in the preparation
of the HOUSEHOLD WORDS ALMANAC, to
compress within a small space the greatest
possible amount of interest and information,
applicable to the varying seasons of the year
and of mortal life. The laws that maintain
this wonderful structure, the Earth, in its
appointed place among the stars, and regulate
the winds and waters; the principles on
which the preservation of our health and
cheerfulness mainly depends; the times of
the development of the several kinds of trees
and flowers, and when the melody of the
various sorts of birds is first awakened; we
have tried to set forth in a clear and attractive
manner. We have attached to the
Calendar of every month, a Chronicle of
Progress, enabling the reader to compare
the times in which he lives, with the times of
a hundred years ago. We have accumulated
a number of remarkable Predictions, all falsified
by the result, inculcating the wisdom of
not too venturously binding down the Future.
The rearing of children, the nursing of the
sick, and the readiest means of doing good in
cases of sudden accident or other emergency,
we have not neglected. It has been our aim
to make our Almanac a serviceable friend
every day in the year, and, while it is full of
human interest, to associate it with every
pleasant sight and sound in Nature.

Finally, in the contemplation of the
beautiful harmonies by which Man is surrounded,
and of the adorable beneficence by which
all things are made to tend to his advantage,
and conduce to his happiness, we
hope we may have necessarily infused into
our work, a humble spirit of veneration
for the great Creator of the wonderful
Universe, and of peace and good-will among
mankind.

MIND YOUR MANNERS.

MANNERS make the man; the want of
them the fellow. Manners also make the
woman; and, above all, manners make the
child. Nay, even manners make the dog.
There are ill-behaved, untidy dogs (like
poor unfortunate Launcelot Gobbo's), who
only serve to bring upon their owners
disgrace, abuse, and fisticuffs; while there are
cleanly, considerate, praiseworthy dogs;
dogs who will offer their paws to be wiped
with a napkin before entering a drawing-
room; dogs who prepossess you in their
favour as soon as you look at them; dogs
whose refined and courteous demeanour will
introduce you to the acquaintance of the
very persons you desire to know, picking
them out for you in a public walk.

In another sense, manners make the man;
that is, they make his fortune. A ready
smile, a modest assurance, and a patient
and deferential power of attention, have
carried a man further and higher than great
talents or brilliant powers of mind. A pleasing
address, if not the best letter of recommendation,
is certainly the best assistant to a
good one. A spoonful of honey will catch
more flies than a gallon of vinegar. Politeness
is the current coin which purchases the
most for the least outlay. Therefore, all these
things considered, mind your manners,—
young people who are just beginning the
world!

And you do try to mind your manners, I
must confess. There is an epoch in every
well-constituted young person's life, when he
or she is anxious to please, for the mere sake
of pleasing. Their elders wish them to please,
to attain the end of worldly advancement;
but, for themselves, virtue is its own reward.
Many sincere and lasting friendships have
been formed between the young and the
middle-aged, in consequence of the latter
having kindly trained their juniors in the
drill of etiquette; thus helping them to
perform the first stage of their march with a
firm footstep, to the avoidance of blunders
and exposure to ridicule. Happy for the
neophyte is it, to meet with the protection of
such a Mentor! who, in the majority of cases,
is some kind-hearted, thorough experienced