island, the British public have been already made thoroughly acquainted with it by the very pleasant work of Mrs. Charles Meredith, which we noticed at the time of its appearance.* We are therefore disposed to confine our notice of the works before us to those portions of each which deal with other topics than scenery. We shall let Mr. Howitt describe Hobart's Town, or, as it is now more generally called, Hobarton. Perhaps no town can boast a more superb situation than Hobart Town,-not even Sydney. The Derwent is no way inferior to the bay of Sydney in appearance, though it is greatly so in the depth of water near the town; but the surrounding scenery is on a grander scale here than that around Sydney. The environs of Sydney are lovely and varied in the extreme, but there is a want of elevation in its hills. They are too uniform, and too inconsiderable in height, to give a feeling of majesty and greatness. There is nothing there like the magnificent mountain mass of Mount Wellington, which looks down upon the town here in cloudy or in clear grandeur, of which you never grow weary. For ever as you turn that way, it falls upon you with a feeling of a sublime, vast, and solemn pre sence. The height of Mount Wellington is 4,500 feet; and beyond it, and, in fact, a portion of it-Mount Nelson overlooks the estuary on the right at a lower elevation, and has a signal station upon it. The main mass of the town stands on finely swelling ground, on the right bank of the estuary, and contains 23,000 inhabitants. It is well built of fine freestone, which abounds here as at Sydney. The streets are wide and well paved, abounding in excellent shops, and good churches, chapels, banks, and other public buildings. Standing in any elevated part of the town, you behold it extending its ramifications far around, occupying the various valleys, and extensive and sometimes steep slopes which run up to the foot of the mountains. The tout ensemble is extremely striking; and is a noble evidence, taken in connexion with the general cultivation of the island, of what Englishmen can accomplish in half a century, even where there exist none of those stimulating and hurrying causes which have affected Victoria. All here has been quiet but steady progress, presenting you already with a miniature England, which you cannot contemplate without a proud pleasure. which we may as well give as an addendum to the topography of Mi Howitt. Society in Hobarton is in a state of transition; yet the principal part of the community are those whose aim is peace and good-will; who, indifferent to the patronage of the exclusive few, and despising the talebearer, live contented and happy in their families, and endeavour to make all around participate in their happiness: using the world but not abusing it, and mixing in the society of their compatriots with kind and friendly feelings. Viewing all things on the brighter side, they strive to make their city a pleasant resting-place for the visitor, a happy home for the stranger. Colonial society in general differs in its characteristics from the society met with in old countries: and very naturally. New communities, composed of the most ardent and adventurous spirits of the land from whence they emigrate, shoot a-head of the mere conventionalities of life, and engage energetically, from morning till night, and day after day, in the actual concerns of worldly existence. They are ever active and bustling in matters of business; and in social intercourse they have a certain freedom and heartiness of manner, which are more pleasing than the straight-laced ideas and formal restraints which trammel the Old Country. one. Compared with Victoria, Hobarton may be considered a respectable middle-aged city, if not indeed an ancient Her institutions are all long established, and in perusing the details of them with which we are amply furnished by Captain Stoney, one is apt to forget that it is an account of a place at the other side of the equator, and fancy that he is reading of some of our English cities. They have their Royal Society, of which the Governor is the President, with its Museum of Natural History, its Botanical and Zoological Gardens, all of which are maintained by grants from the public treasury. And it will be in the recollection of those who visited the Great Exhibition in London, in 1851, that the contributions from this Society formed a very interesting collection there. The Society also sent many articles to our own exhibition, in 1853, and contributed a very large supply both of manufactured articles and natural See Dublin University Magazine, vol. xvi., April, 1853. productions to the exhibition which took place at Paris last year. Neither is Hobarton deficient in those ancient institutions with which we are perhaps too abundantly furnished in the mother-country. For instance, there are boards without number, departments without end, and, of course, a legal system of respectable amplitude, at which twenty hybrids discharge the associated duties of barrister, attorney, and solicitor, though we learn that some of the more eminent practitioners are beginning to see the propriety of separating these professions, and actually confine themselves to the higher functions of the advocate and pleader. We are glad to learn that the separation is likely to become general, as we entertain no doubt that it will conduce to the respectability and efficiency of each profession, as well as to the advantage of the public, to keep them distinct. We need scarcely say there are institutes, societies, and clubs innumerable, and educational and religious establishments commensurate with the requirements of a civilized people. We may here mention that a college-Christ's Church-has been established in the neighbourhood of Bishopsbourne, not far from Norfolk Plains. It is a Church of England establishment, endowed with large grants of land, and has founded several scholarships, and would seem to us to be established very much upon the model of our colleges in Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin. There are also in Tasmania no less than forty-one public schools in nexion with the Church of England, and receiving grants from government. The next city in point of importance is Launceston, which we shall let Captain Stoney describe. con In the valley beneath is Launceston, very remarkable for the order and regularity of its streets. Beyond is the extensive vale of the Tamar, through which the meandering river is seen winding its way, until, lost in the woody hills in the distance, it hurries on to the sea. Launceston is an exceedingly pretty place, situated at the confluence of the North and South Esk, which here form the Tamar. On one side a bold craggy hill hangs over the city, down which, through a deep gorge, rushes the impetuous South Esk. From this height is a very splendid view of the whole city and neighbourhood, which well repays the toil of the ascent. Descending the other side, the busy haunts of man are hidden, and the eye is charmed by the very beautiful miniature lake before you, the wild crag and forest around, and the dashing torrent beneath, forming a very pretty cascade it is one of the most enchanting scenes possible. From the summit, on the one side, is seen a large and busy town: hundreds of vessels crowding the wharves; steamers and ships hastening to and hurrying from the port: all is life and bustle, the crowded streets exhibiting all the turmoil of daily toil and traffic. A few steps, and the scene is changed you are in a wild desert, surrounded with the primeval rock and native forest, with nought save the sound of the cataract rushing over to disturb you. In contrast in point of style with this, and to complete the picture, we quote a few lines from Mr. Howitt. At Launceston I climbed to the cataract of the South Esk, to the westward of the town. I found it, not a cascade, but what the Americans call a rapid. The river has broken its way through the hills of trap rock of 700 or 800 feet high; and a rapid shows itself bursting from the gorge of these cliffs, and descending a fine stony glen into a large pool. It then cuts through other intervening rocks, sweeping to the left, and thence descending a more precipitous declination, foaming and roaring down towards the level plain, when it falls into the Tamar. The hills around these rapids are boldly and finely thrown up, with various wooded glens running up between them, the trees everywhere striking their roots amongst the rude crags that everywhere project. If you climb a ridge of rocks close upon the cataract, you have it directly under your feet, and the scene there is truly fine, especially of the steep, craggy hill opposite, and the deep defile through which the river escapes to the harbour below. Some cottages are scattered in the glens near the falls, apparently the abodes of washerwomen, whose linen is plen tifully hanging out; and their gardens and enclosures run along the steep hill-sides. A quiet spot! Launceston, we may observe, is rising rapidly, and bids fair to equal in many respects her sister, Hobarton. Both are municipal cities upon the ancient British model, having each its council, consisting of a mayor with a salary of £600 a-year; six aldermen, a town clerk, town surveyor, city inspector, and collector. Tasmania has a very English air, and in that respect presents a striking contrast to Victoria, This has not escaped the keen eye of Mr. Howitt ; in his journey from Launceston to Hobarton, he observes, The valleys were rich, and, for the most part, as well cultivated as in England. Owing to the difference of tenure here and in Victoria, a very different state of things has been the result. Here the occupiers of the land are the owners-not mere squatters, who have no sure tenure of the land, and, therefore, do nothing to it. Here, then, instead of mere isolated wooden huts, standing in the unappropriated forest, we have a constant succession of towns and villages, bearing the singular medley of names which colonists délight in, Ross, Oatlands, Green Ponds, Brighton, Bagdad, Jericho, Jerusalem, and, of course, the river Jordan. All round these villages, which consist of substantial and even elegant houses, extend the richest fields all enclosed, with hedges generally of sweet briar, or furze, or broom, but also a good many of honest English hawthorn. There you see cattle, sheep, pigs enormously fat, and abundance of poultry of all kinds, feeding and flourishing in their several resorts, the meadows, the woodland slopes, or the farm-yards. It is England all At this early hour of departure, I was vividly reminded of the old coach times of England. At the inn door stood a wellappointed and well-horsed stage coach, with coachee and guard all in orthodox costume, and with the genuine old smack about them. Crack went the whip, and off we started along as finely a macadamized road as England can present, and which runs with the directness of a Roman road all the way across the island to Hobart Town-120 miles-the product of convict-labour. Victoria, with all its gold, has nothing of the kind to show. Tasmania, like Victoria, has got her charter of independence. In October, 15, the new constitution was prochimed there; but some political dis putes having arisen, it became necessary to refer the matter for the Royal decision. The governor was in the meantime compelled to prorogue the Houses, aud thus the operation of the act remains in abeyance. The new constitution is in its mean features similar to that conferred on Victoria. There are to be two chambers, the Upper and the Lower House. The upper is to consist of fifteen members in eluding a president, elected by the country generally, divided into districts; the qualification of voters for members of the upper house is a freehold of the value of £50. The lower house is to consist of thirty members in proportion to the population of the electoral districts, the qualification of the electors to be £10 and £50 freeholds. The officers of the crown, viz., the colonial secretary, the attorney-general, the solicitorgeneral, and the colonial treasurer, must have seats in the lower house. Captain Stoney visited almost every part of Tasmania of importance, and travelled a good deal in the interior. He appears to have had his share of personal adventures and some narrow escapes. Both of our travellers were witnesses of the important operation of sheep-shearing--Mr. Howitt in Victoria, and Captain Stoney in Tasmania. The contrast between the two descriptions is very great. In Victoria, the great scarcity of labourers induces higher prices, while those who condescend to shear are very lordly and independent in their demeanour ; they demand and they get thirty shillings per hundred sheep, and one man contrives to shear seventy sheep in the day, easily earning £6 a week besides rations, which these gentlemen take care shall be the very best that the establishment affords. And it is no uncommon thing for them to intercept and appropriate to themselves, without apology or scruple, the dishes that are on their way to the table of their employer. By way, however, of making amends for these exactions, they shear the sheep in such a reckless and hurried manner, that they slash, and hack, and snip them in a grievous way; and Mr. Howitt tells us that one of the overseers had to stitch up the skin of two sheep's stomachs that these fellows had actually cut right across. Re 746 productions to the ex We need scarcely In the valley bene remarkable for the or streets. Beyond is t Tamar, through whic is seen winding its woody hills in the di the sea. Launceston place, situated at the and South Esk, whic On one side a bold cr city, down which, rushes the impetuous From this height of the whole city an Darragh, The, Chap. v. 15; Chap. vi. 22; De Foe, Daniel, noticed, 57. Doctor of Philosophy, The, a Tale, see Philosophy. Education, Position and Prospects of Popular Faith, by Francis Davis, 139. Ferguson, Robert, The Northmen in Cumberland Footmarks of Faith, by Mortimer Collins, 238. France before the Revolution of 1789, 442. 616. France, on the State of Society in France before French Versions of Shakespeare, 203. Gainsborough, Thomas, R.A. Life of, by the late Galbraith and Haughton, Professors, The Scien- Gerrard, C., Grace and Remembrance, noticed, Glaciers, The Retreat of the, 549. BBB |