The Litchfield County post., 1827-04-26
From the Christia,. .Secretarv.
YOUNG LADIES' ALRUHs.

@ss 1OUNG LADlES' ALBUMS. ts5
 'Jane," said Mrs. Sinton, as she laid down her knitting work, and drew her chair up close to her grand daughter, who was occupied in reading, ''let me see your EAlbum my dear. ."-The Album, had spent the winter in Middletown, and as usual on such occasions, Miss. Jane had sent par ticnlar request for aH her young friends to contribute a page to her book. It had just returned, and Jane was now spending happy hour in admiriug the beautiful Renmanship, and the thousand good wish es, and expressions of never changing affection, which tlIe new selections con- tained. She seemed to feel sort of pride and consequence in being in possession of so valuable an article, as she gave the Album to the old lady who after passing com pliment upon the splendid outside, open ed the book, and began very leisurely to decypher the writing, which was executed in so fourishing hand, that her eyes, which had been accustomed to the fash- ions of another age, made as little progress as they would in demonstrating figure in Geometry. After reading few lines on each of half a dozen leaves, she return ed the book to her grand daughter, accom- panied with deep sigh, and the unefect- cd exclamation, 70, these degenerate days when I was young lady like you Miss Jane, my time was occupied in learning the substantial qualifications of good house keeper,-we had no silk dresses, or boarding schools, for fashionable ladies ]; not had the girls of that day any time to carry about such book as this for the gen. tlemen to write love songs in. have read several pieces in your Album, my dear, and have not found one which is worth remembering, or which will make you wiz ser, happier, or more useful. And I fear, Jane, when you become as old as I, you may look back upon the time spent about this book with very little satisfaction" The closing remarks of the old lady were so sensible, and accordant with my own views on the subjecr, that I immediately determined to send few lines to your pa- per, for the use of young female readers.
 One can not help observing the preva- lence of bad taste, in almost every Album he opens. A lady'sselection usually con- sists of some superficial sonnet or stanza, wishing, "peace happiness and prosperity" and vowing everlasting friendship, "from your dear friend."-And the gentlemen, in the true spirit of chivalry, contribute verse from the love sick effusions, or impi- cities, of Moor and Byron, while some child, with better taste, will select pious hymn from one of her school books. Among the great number of these books which have come under my observation, not more than one in ten could be strictly said to have a prepondera.ing, moral, or happy in- fuence upon its possessor. Instead of these milk-and- productions, 1 would recommend to all my fair readers plan, which has been found by many young people ofboti sexes, to be eminently useful and instructive,yiz. a commonplace book. There are no persons but what can obtain useful books to read and have time for wri- ting aHd by having book at hand, when they come to an interesting passage in a. ny author, they may possess what is valu- able to them in whole library and by a little care in management, make it very ea- sy of reference. Such a book will De ex- tremly valuable every day of life. by as sisting the memory, forming a correcttaste, and improving the mind. Did young per sons realize that according to what they V rtKta NO. Et !.