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away; which in this bustling, hurrying, money- | of mid-day. On Sunday they attend two Sunseeking, hard-working, sunburning country, he day Schools: one at 10 o'clock and one at 11; must often be. We have every prospect, thank then preaching at three; so that there we all God, of a fine harvest; and now, for a first day, dine, and are only home to tea, which we enjoy I think I have scribbled a great deal, so my very much after the day. We are obliged to be dear new journal, as they say in the letters from up early during this weather, as from twelve "the same to the same," in old novels, "adieu o'clock until evening we can do nothing. I am for the present." sure the heat in the kitchen is up to 100°. Dick and Johnnie are both obliged to give up school these busy times, as my husband is reaping, and they are both endeavouring to assist him. I found a copy to-day among my letters of a wonderful production of Dick's, in the shape of a letter to dear K, and as this journal is all my own, I will feast my motherly old eyes by copying it, lest the valuable original should be lost. It is his first epistle to anyone, and cost him, I remember, an infinite amount of time and trouble, as it was to be warranted all his own composition:

21st. In our primitive society we sometimes, I must confess (perhaps the more readily just now as it touches myself), meet ingratitude as shameless as we could possibly do in the most refined. I have heard of people being "polished out of their veracity," but it certainly does not seem to require any degree of cultivation to render some persons very unthankful. All this is apropos to the conduct of a young man who arrived here some twelve-months ago, and came direct to us, as we had known some of his friends many years back. He was utterly helpless, as he knew nothing about colonial life; was without money or suitable clothing; and being the youngest and pet of his family, was correspondingly idle and self-indulgent. We did all we could for him, lodged him with ourselves, and I did everything for him as if he was my brother, taking his part even against my husband when his indolence and stupidity got him into trouble. Yet the return we get now for all is, that when he has been shamed by the example of others, even children, into some little industry, and likely to be useful during the coming season, he has just set out for the diggings, like any rough bushman, with his blanket slung over his shoulder; and to make the matter worse, in company with one of the most idle, good-for-nothing loafers in Victoria. I tried to persuade him not to go, and represented all the sufferings and disappointments almost certainly before him, but in vain; he evidently, with the cunning of a narrow mind, thought I was merely speaking for my own benefit, and only became more determined on going. I am sure I wish him success. But to one conclusion the whole thing has brought me, viz., that there is no convinc. ing a fool; because (to quote two lines, and alter one word for the occasion) from a rather strongly expressed political ballad, in high favour some years back in green Erin,

"Like reeds on a harness of brass

Falls a volley of sense on the skull of an ass." But in my present mood I had better lay by my pen, or I may write what I should afterwards very much regret to read-as, indeed, I fear I have done already.

"MY DEAR AUnt K—,

"I am very glad to write to you. Mamma bids me tell you I am a great rough boy, and she fears you will say I ought to be a better scholar. But I am not at school as often as Willie; I must help papa, and Willie is too delicate to help him. Willie got the prize at the examination at school: he has a pony to ride to school: we all get him ready for him. Papa took us to the cattle-show: mamma came: we saw a beautiful white bull-such a big fellow! so fat he could scarcely move! A man held him by a ring passed through his nose. He was called after the governor, Sir Henry Barkly. Then there were such great big horses! One great one was called "The Royal Oak ;" another "Lothian Tam;" and a great ram was called "Billy." He was too lazy to stand, and lay quite snug all day. His little lambs were in the next pen. I was very glad to hear all their names, as they will do nicely for our chickens. We have so many we could not think of names for them all. Then we went to see the poultry. There were fowls of all countries; there were French fowls, with their feathers turned the wrong way; Poland fowls, with great big top knots; Spanish fowls, with white faces and great long red combs falling over their heads; pretty Guinea-fowls, and little Bantams, geese, and turkeys. Mamma has twenty-four Guineafowl of her own: they are very pretty, but very noisy. It was very nice to see them all at the show, dear Aunt; but I think they were very glad to get out of their coops and run about again. We were caught in a thunder-storm, but got home safely. I was not afraid. Frank and Kate told me to give you all the kisses the

27th. It has been insufferably hot here for the past week. I lay on the bed all noon yester-letter would hold. day, with only the lightest garments on; but the climate is so variable that to-day is quite cool, and I had to put on several. I pitied the children those days back going to school, to which they have to walk two miles; but as they are off at half-past eight in the morning, take dinner with them, and do not get back before six in the afternoon, they escape the intense heat

"Your own,

"R. H. F.”

There: I hope K was interested in all his news. I forwarded the composition to her, with a few editorial remarks, which only his mother could supply. He had to write it at intervals, as his father called him

Feb. 22nd. What a trifling incident occasions a sensation in the Bush! Here were the boys and young ones all excitement, and I must acknowledge myself a little fluttered, all because a new thrashing-machine was brought home this evening, and between looking at them trying it, asking news from Melbourne, and getting supper and beds for the men who brought it, we were all pleasant confusion. So much so, indeed, that I am going to bed quite late, and cannot write any more just now.

at one time to look after the cattle; at another | vation, For farmers especially this is a to help cut chaff; and again when the horses wretched place, the money goes as fast as it is were wanted, they had got mixed with another got in wages, or otherwise on the land. My "mob" (as they say here), and he had to assist husband, for instance, can hardly understand in separating them; so that, on the whole, the how I require anything for clothes for the poor fellow's first efforts at correspondence were children, and sometimes accuses me of extravamade under difficulties. How I wish my dear gance, although every penny I can lay my hand Willie was as strong as he is! But he was very on goes to keep them neat (I have long since poorly all the last winter, and with such a hack-given up all thought of finery), and make everying cough. He is better again now, and thing they wear. So, whoever comes here, it is touching to see the thoughtful attention leaving a comfortable home, expecting to drop of the other healthy noisy children to him, easily into another, or, having won the very sparing him every little trouble and exertion best here, hopes to find it even within many they can. How can I be otherwise than happy | degrees of the old one, must inevitably be disand grateful while they are spared to me, so appointed. This is the dark side, however; loving and so good! and as, go where we will, we cannot have everything we wish for, so, I have confessed to myself, there are as many good things to be met with here as elsewhere. To set up a school it would be advantageous to bring out a piano: they are very dear here. If not required after a time, it would sell at a very good profit. Chimney and table ornaments are expensive, and seldom thought of in this colony. Knives, spoons, forks, table and bed linen, as well as blankets, all necessary for setting up a boarding-school, are best brought from home, as here they would cost a small fortune. The latter would be found particularly useful as the cold of winter in this climate much exceeds that in the old country. In short everything likely to add to the comfort and nice appearance of a house that would pack in a small space, should be brought out, as people here think more of eating and drinking than they do of what we were accustomed to consider the indispensable comforts and conveniences of life, and which I, for my part, still cling to and value as much as ever. My friend in writing to me says, "I am rather subject to bronchitis:" here, if so, she would have the advantage of getting completely rid of it. I am sure if I had remained in C--, I should by this time suffer from asthma, a tendency to which, I inherit from my mother, but in this place I have not a trace of it.

25th.-A lull after the last two days' bustle. It is strange how often I am consulted by people at home about coming out here. I had a letter last mail from a lady, well educated but now reduced in circumstances, as to her chance of success if she came bringing with her about one hundred and thirty pounds; her object being to establish a good school. She is a Roman Catholic, and I think she would succeed if supported by that body. I know very little of them, but I know that priests are very scarce here. Father H-, the priest of Q-, having no assistant, although his district includes a circuit of thirty miles, and for that space the greater proportion of the population is Roman Catholic and Irish. I have heard it said that he is much respected by all denominations, and that a school for his district is much wanted. I have told her so, giving her the dark and the light side of the question; she must herself try and strike the main. But Catholic, Protestant, or Dissenting ladies who come here with the intention of setting up a boarding or day-school, must not expect to find their pupils among the colonial aristocracy with the same manners which mark the "Lady Clare de Clares" of the genuine aristocracy at home. Their pupils will be of every age; great, overdressed girls, who do not know the first letter of the alphabet from the last; in fact, what we would consider at home to be of the very lowest class; but, with plenty of money and fine clothes, they think themselves good enough, nay, occasionally too good to associate with anyone. So much for the pupils: now for the country. People sometimes write or speak about this "fine golden land”-what a misnomer! Money is often as scarce here as it is at home, and never obtained, except by a fortunate few, but by very hard work and great pri

27th. I have just been alarmed by a succession of shouts from my husband, who is doing something to the new machine in the barn. I ran off and met the servant running also, and reached him out of breath, fancying everything but what was really the matter, and found him standing over an immense snake which he held to the ground with a spade, not daring to move until the girl killed it with an axe. The boys killed several this season. Kate stepped on one twice, but (thank God) escaped uninjured. It is a pity they are so dangerous. They are very pretty, shading into the most lovely colours, violet, rose, green, silver, and so on; they are sometimes nearly six feet long, and as thick as a man's wrist. These are the full-grown ones, others are not larger than eels; but all are venomous, and if the part bitten is not very quickly cauterized or cut out, the bite is always deadly. They are usually found in grass or low scrub. The diamond snake is

very beautiful, but though it was hoped that all kinds of them would vanish before cultivation, they do not seem to be doing so. I often wish St. Patrick would do for us what he did for old Ireland, and drive them all away: it would be a great blessing to us poor settlers with young families.

Mr. N——, a man of large family, his children about the ages of mine. He was a gardener, and at one time in independent circumstances, but had latterly taken to drink ; and although not constantly in the habit of indulging so perniciously, he would never return from town on market days without spending March 5th. We had a very severe winter the greater part of his money. This fact had, and spring, the rain was almost continuous, and of course, its effect on domestic affairs, so that consequently our wheat crop this harvest was gradually he got into debt, and, to crown all, the quite spoiled. All the wheat in the district, to loss of his wheat crop this year was a very be sure, shared the same fate; but I, with the serious one; but to come to the end-the unusual selfishness of human nature, speak of my happy end of his career. He went to V—— a own loss first. My husband burned ours a few days ago, and did not return till night. week ago as it stood, to the value of two hund- His poor wife and children sat up for him, and, red and sixty pounds (or at least we had hoped it after a weary watching, they at last heard the would make as much for us in the beginning of the dray coming rather fast down the hill which year), as it would not pay for the labour of cut-leads to their house. Mrs. N took out a ting it down. I was cowardly enough to spend lantern in order to let down the rails, which that day at the Manse with our dear clergy- we use here in place of gates, and so admit him man's wife, as I did not like to see so much of into the yard; but the horse he drove being a our hard-worked-for gain destroyed. How-young one, something had probably startled him ever, He who saw fit to deprive us of one has blessed us in our other crops, the oats, though partly injured by caterpillars, are very good, and the potatoes promise fairly; so that, on the whole, I am ready to say with my dear gifted and lamented friend, Mrs. James Gray,

"Let us be thankful that we have so many
Blessings left."

What makes the loss of the wheat the more
felt is, it is the first year of the new farm for
which we pay rent, and the crop was in full ear
and promised a most luxuriant yield when it was
attacked with rust, which prevented the grain
from ripening and shrivelled it to nothing. We
shall be thrashing this week, and I heartily
wish it well over, as we shall have twenty-four
men, in addition to our own family of twelve, to
cook for, which, considering that they are to
have four meals a-day, will be no trifle. Beside,
Dick has not been at school since Christmas:
he is nearly as useful as a man at farm work;
but I fret that he is not a better scholar, yet
considering everything, he has done a great
deal.
My Willie continues very well: I fear he
will monopolize all the learning of the family, as
he is nearly constantly reading.

22nd.--I had a letter from a friend of mine lately come out, enclosing a pretty necktie, as a present to me. I should be delighted to have her visit me, but the expense of the journey would be too much. However, I do not despair of seeing her yet, as she is equally anxious to meet me.

May 24th. This month is very cold, and this morning very frosty, but very fine. The treacherous white-faced sun is shining brightly while I sit writing, with feet on footstool beside the fire, and an improvised desk in the shape of a large book on my knee; but even if it were the height of summer, as trouble of any kind chills me, I should be cold now, as a very unhappy occurrence has just taken place. I had since I cane to live here two friends, one being a

before, and it is not unlikely that his master had drunk sufficient to render him reckless, for he either did not or could not hold the animal in, and on seeing the light he ran right off, and as unfortunately our bush roads are full of fallen timber, the dray was upset on a log and poor N-thrown out, and the guard-iron thrown right across the lower part of his body. In this state his wife discovered him, not thirty yards from his own house. With superhuman strength she managed to drag him out, and her son and the farm-servant coming up, they got a door and took him home, where he lived from Saturday night until Monday morning in the greatest agony. I went to see him on Sunday. Poor fellow, he was so glad to see me. I knew he was dying then, though they would not believe it. He retained his senses to the last, and was constantly attended by our dear minister. Mrs. N-sent for me when he died, and I stayed with her the two days he lay there. Looking on at the kindness of all the people about, I could not help thinking what a beautiful world this would be were it not for sin; there is even now so much goodness in it. The settlers gathered from far and near-for as our farms are large, of course we live at great distances from each other; and, though busy times for them all, they did not seem to mind it. Our storekeeper, a young man one would be inclined to call rough, supplied refreshments during the whole time. One friend brought mourning for the children; another necessaries for the house; and, as for the men, they thought no distance too far to travel for the poor widow. The doctor, the coroner, and her brother-inlaw lived in V, a distance of ten miles from her home, yet horsemen were not wanting to go for them. The worst part was also undertaken and got through for her, which was the putting him in the coffin, which, in consequence of the inquest, could not be done until the second day, when the body-but I will not enter into details, sufficient that the two stout men who managed it were very ill after, and we

could not even enter the house for some days. Many a kind heart beat during this sad time under a rough exterior-nor has the kindness worn itself out yet. Although a gardener, he also held a large farm, which he cultivated, and which was his principal means of living; so, after his funeral, his neighbours held a meeting to see what could be done for his family. The mother being a most industrious woman, they decided on ploughing her ground for her, which is now done, all to a few acres; so I think the poor woman will get on pretty well. I shall miss the man very much: he was a kind, obliging neighbour; he taught me all I know of gardening, planted my fruit-trees, and pruned them yearly for me. It is a great relief that all the sad bustle is over: I feel quite worn out.

S

June 7th.-The last entry in this journal was a sad one, but this will prove much worse. Tears are in my eyes as I write the name of dear Captain R, During Mrs. N's troubles he was the foremost to help her: his plough was first on the land, and now he lies in an unhallowed grave! I can hardly bring myself to record his dreadful fate. He was poor N-'s near neighbour, and the very first acquaintance we had here that grew into intimacy. Before he settled here he had been captain of a steamer, but came out first from Europe in command of the emigrant ship in which the Ncame as passengers. He unfortunately, after a time, thought fit to give up the sea, and took a farm here, where he settled with an only son. They soon, however, disagreed so seriously, that the son went to the diggings, and the father lived alone. About three years ago he had a splendid crop, and with the money made by it, he speculated largely; but, unluckily, since then the seasons proved very unproductive, and he could never recover himself: he was forced to raise a mortgage on his farm, and this year the total loss of his wheat, which was his principal crop, preyed sadly on his mind. He was a very sensitive and nervous as well as a highly honourable man. Ours, and one other family, were the only intimate friends he had, and he usually spent the Sunday with one or the other of us; but, as my husband is so much away from home, I saw nothing of the Captain for nearly a fortnight, and was getting quite anxious about him, as I knew he was dreadfully uneasy about some bills he had to meet, and for which he found it impossible to provide funds; when, to my utter horror one morning a week since, all the children came crowding to my bedside, exclaiming, "Mamma, mamma, Captain R has shot himself!" And so it was; my kind, warm-hearted friend had suffered trouble to press on his mind so as to exclude the light of reason, and, in a moment

of desponding madness, took his own life. Ah, these are indeed dark pages in Bush Life: God grant that their number may be few! It was Mrs. N's son who found him: the boy was sent to borrow a pair of harrows very early in the morning, and when he opened the door of the house there lay our poor friend, moaning. The boy, frightened, ran to the farm-servant to ask what was the matter with the Captain. The man went to learn, as he had left him quite well, and immediately discovered that he had shot himself. It seems that he had got up at daybreak, made a large fire, dressed for work, and called his man to prepare the horses; he then laid down the horse-feed, returned to the house, and committed the rash act. It must have been the impulse of a moment, as he does not seem to have meditated it before. And now we have lost two old friends thus sadly. We will miss them for a long time: they were certain to come over on wet days, and stay chatting to my husband. How awfully they have been cut off! I am too depressed to write any more just now, so will stop for the present. (To be concluded in our next.)

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The mind's great doors are opened wide sometimes,
And grand processions enter silent there,
Mount to the council chambers swept out fair
From all defilements and unholy slimes;
Then on the silence break ecstatic chimes
Which fill the soul with music! Earthly care
Shrinks pale and shrivelled in the ether rare,
But dies not-waiting for less lustrous times.
Alas! too soon returns life's fitful hour

When the soul's grandeur fades, its music rests, And yet the echoes vibrate-and a dower

Of fragrance, lingering incense like, attests The vanished glory, telling of the power

Of those Anointed Lords who were the guests.

VERBAL INSTRUCTION.-Boys of tender age gain more from verbal instruction than from books. A man speaks with more sympathy than he writes; and the tone of voice, expression of feature and gesture, convey meanings which are not to be expressed by words alone.-English Journal of Education.

IGNEOUS ACTION IN THE EARTH.

*

In our number of October last, we found occasion to say that the theories started by Mr. H. P. Malet in his new pages of natural history, "promise to have important effects upon the opinions current with naturalists.” In our February number we called attention to another work on geological subjects† by the same author. Since reading these we have endeavoured to cull from contemporary papers or periodicals, such materials as bear upon the subjects touched on by Mr. Malet. On consulting the Advanced Text-book, by Page, we find at p. 116, "Respecting the origin of the pyrogenous rocks, or rather the cause of igneous action, with all its attendant phenomena of volcanoes, earthquakes, and other subterranean movements, geologists are by no means agreed." The two great causes have been supposed to be the chemical and mechanical. With the latter only do we now propose to interest ourselves, and we hope our readers. There are few subjects more engrossing to the whole race of intelligent, educated human beings, than a right understanding of the organization of the world we live upon. Theory on theory has been expounded with all the zeal and partisanship of so exciting a subject; and though the apparent intention of all writers has been to discover and lay down the truth, yet the book before us, which is a compilation from the opinions of the most scientific men upon the subject, tells us that they cannot agree! Page continues his subject by supposing as one of the mechanical causes for the production of igneous rocks, "that the interior of the globe is a state of high incandescence or molten Auidity;" and then, as that which is called the crust cools and contracts, he tells us that the least contraction of the crust "would be sufficient to squirt out molten rock-matter from a hundred pores or craters." Now it seems to us, that to bring about this result there must be two data to go upon, one the molten matter, and the other a contraction of the crust. In the Athenæum, No. 2,155, Mr. David Forbes, F.R.S., tells us, in reply to a question from Mr. Malet, that a basaltic rock (one of the supposed igneous ones) had, after slow cooling from a molten state, reassumed the stony condition," and then possessed the identical specific gravity of the original rock." In other words this rock did not contract, and as basalt has hitherto been considered of undoubted igneous origin, this contracting force is not proved. About the molten matter, at p. 118, Page calls it "an exhaustible source." To be sure of that, we should know its origin, but no one tells us from whence this molten matter comes. We are told that the heat of the earth, at 25 miles

iz

"New pages of Natural History."
"Circle of Light."

as

from the surface, is sufficient to fuse a great
portion of our rocks, but if this heat were per-
petually working outwards it would not act on
an exhaustible source, for the earth would be
perpetually melting, perpetually ejecting, and
perpetually sinking. When any ejection of
molten matter takes place, it is a vitrified sub-
stance very similar to glass. Mr. Forbes tells
Mr. Malet that there are different sorts of lava,
one like granite, and one similar to basalt in
chemical compositions; and we find from the
same paper (Athenæum above quoted), that the
lava of Vesuvius "is in chemical constitution
allied to a Staffordshire iron-furnace slag."
Thus then our furnaces and our volcanoes send
forth slag or lava as their light overboiling sub-
stances; if the action of volcanoes is similar to
that of furnaces, then their heavier fused sub-
stances would subside as the metal subsides be-
low the furnace slag; and if the theory of Mr.
"Circle of
Malet is correct, page 209, 210,
66 I do not think volcanic action
Light,"
existed till the water had buried masses of in-
flammable matter," then there are two great
truths involved in his hypothesis. One is, that
the lava ejected from volcanoes is nothing more
than the slag issuing from the earthy or rocky
substances which fall under the influence of the
volcanic heat; the other, and a far more
interesting one to the struggling mass of
humanity upon earth, is that within our volcanic
amounts of tolerably pure
mountains vast
metallic substance would be found. Confessing
our inability to understand why lava of many
aspects and compositions should be discharged
from volcanoes at one time, and why granite,
basalt, and other supposed igneous rocks
should be discharged at another, we would
suggest it as a possibility that the similarity
of their compositions is
fusing of these rocks under the influence of
volcanic fire, and this will at once account for
Mr. D. Forbes' information, (Athenæum, 2,155)
that the "acid or trachytic" lava is “strikingly
analogous to the old granites in chemical compo-
sition;"" and the basic or pyroxenic, nearly if
not quite identical with the basalts," thus re-
versing the theories of our great geologists, and
giving the old water formations of the earth as a
prey to the fires caused by great accumulations
of earth's produce. It will be obvious that this
system would avoid touching on that which Page
calls "an exhaustible source," for surely we have
only got to consider the vast amount of earth's
refuse, which is yearly carried by our rivers to
the ocean, to comprehend that this source,
though fluctuating, and perhaps decreasing as
population extends, is, as long as vegetation
grows, and rains fall, and rivers wash away, and
ocean currents carry, an inexhaustible source of
inflammable material.

caused by the

(To be continued.)

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