“Full many a gem of purest ray serene.”
This motto was used for two years, when another was adopted:—
“Is Saul also among the prophets?”
In January, 1845, the magazine had on its outside cover a vignette, a young girl simply dressed, with feet visible and sleeves rolled up. She had a book in one hand, and her shawl and bonnet were thrown over her arm. She was represented as standing in a very sentimental attitude, contemplating a beehive at her right hand. This vignette was adopted, as the editor said, “To represent the New England schoolgirl, of which our factories are made up, standing near a beehive, emblem of industry and intelligence, and in the background the Yankee schoolhouse, church, and factory.” The motto was:—
“The worm on the earth
May look up to the star.”
This rather abject sentiment was not suited to the independent spirit of most of the contributors, who did not feel a bit like worms; and in the February number it was changed to one from Bunyan:—
“And do you think the words of your book are certainly true?
“Yea, verily.”
The magazine finally died, however, under its favorite motto:—