rn, lowly brother,
Feel cheered like me, an' leave thee for another.

Prose. Hartley's Cream of Wit and Humour

The New Year

What a charm ther is abaat owt new; whether it's a new year or a new
waist-coit. Aw sometimes try to fancy what sooart ov a world ther'd
be if ther wor nowt new.

Solomon sed ther wor nowt new under th' sun; an' he owt to know if
onybody did. Maybe he wor reight if we luk at it i' some ways, but aw
think it's possible to see it in another leet. If ther wor nowt new,
ther'd be nowt to hooap for--nowt to live for but to dee; an' we
should lang for that time to come just for th' sake ov a change. Ha
anxiously a little child looks forrard to th' time when he's to have a
new toy, an' ha he prizes it at furst when he's getten it: but in a
while he throws it o' one side an' cries fur summat new. Ha he langs
to be as big as his brother, soa's he can have a new bat an' ball; an'
his brother langs for th' time when he can leeave schooil an' goa work
for his livin'; an' varry likely his fayther's langin' for th' time
when he can live withaat workin'--all on 'em langin for summat new.
Langill' for things new doesn't prevent us lovin' things at's owd. Who
isn't praad ov ther owd fayther, as he sits i' tharm-cheer an' tells
long tales abaat what he can remember bein' new? An' who doesn't feel
a soothin' kind ov a feelin' come ovver him when his mother's kindly
warnin' falls on his ear, as shoo tells him "what-iver he does, net to
be soa fond ov ivery thing new?" What a love fowk get for "th' owd
haase;" but ther's moor o'th' past nor o'th' futur' i' these feelin's,
they're not hopeful, an' its hopeful feelin's at keeps th' world a
goin', its hooap at maks us keep o'th' look aat for summat fresh.

Aw've heeard fowk wish for things to keep just as they are, they say
they dooant want owt new. What a mistak' they mak! They're wishin'
for what ud be th' mooast of a novelty. Things willn't stop as they
are, an' it wodn't be reight if they did. It's all weel enuff for
them at's feathered ther nest to feel moderate contented, but them
at's sufferin' for want ov a meal's mait are all hopin' for a change
for th' better. Owd hats an' owd slippers are generally more
comfortable nor new ens, an' fowk "wish they'd niver be done,"--"they
hate owt new"--as if it wodn't be summat new if they could wear 'em
withaat 'em bein' done. Young fowk are allus moor anxious for changes
nor owd fowk, its likely enuff