The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-13 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Settlers and Conricis,;7lharabm of Sixteen Years
Labour in the Australian Beeksaoll. By en EXIORAIT7
MECHANIC. Charles Co:.
This is a very clever and interesting book. As the
veritable production of a working man, who has had
a long experience of the country and the people he
undertakes to describe—who is evidently endowed
with much natural shrewdness and intelligence—who
that downright honesty and uncompromising
pope
lesof opinion which characterise the class of
English artisans, and who has seen a great deal of
colonial and convict life under its more ordinary
aspects, such es are merely seen by the hurrying
tourist or the government commissioner—it has a value
peculiarly its own; an interest partly
.general and
partly idiosyncratic.
The writer, it would appear, quitted England to-
wards the end of the third -decade of this century—
the precise date, and all names of persons and places
are omitted—u a free emigrant for New South
Wales, which, at that time aflordsd many more ful-
-1 Wee for making money ly hard work than it does
now. The object of the emigrant was, of course, to
improve his condition. Having a thorough English
oonstitution a good trade, of which he was
perfectly master—youth, active habits, a sunder-
able sum of money, and good fortune—his career was
a prosperous one. His love and equity for work,

and a thorough Saxon perseverance and unconquer-
able energy, gave him unroirse advantages over the
guilt-debased convict population, and the lazy, 'alive-
born Australians, who are described as in the lowest
possible moral oondition ; and in the course of the
sixteen yyears which he remained in the colony, he
succeeded in amusing a tolerable fortune. His
health, however, was entirely broken up by hard
work and an angenial climate, and his medical ad-
visers prescribed a return to his native air, as the
only chance of a permanent restoration. To this cir-
cumstance we are indebted for these pleasant volumes.
The history of his experience as a settler will b 3 of
the greatest value to the emigrant, particularly to
the emigrant to New South Wales. To all those who,
tired of the Old World, or in search of a directer road
to wealth, intend to make themselves a new " home
in the wilderness," his struggles may become a daily
lesson—his misfortunes may suggest a wise fore-
thought upon many points, otherwise likely to be
overlooked—his slow, but ultimately success,
may afford an important example of what care care and
frugality, with little means, may accomplish. Emigra-
tion has always been considered too much in the
light of a speculation. It is really very little of
that. It has almost lost the character of an
experiment. The chances may be calculated be.
forehand with considerable accuracy. The grext
element of success in emigration, as in most othi
things, is discretion. Small means, well husbanded,
will go a long way—the largest resources may very
soon be exhausted by inconsiderateness. An instance is
'recorded in these volumes of a gehtleman, who went
out, who, in consequence of his ignorance and inatten-
tion, was cheated on every hand, and, in ten months,
became a ruined man. The principal thing required
in the emigrant—whether he be rich or poor—is that
he be a worker, and understand his business : mere
idleness and incapacity had better be content to re-
trench and stay at home. Poverty in England is
better than rain in Australia.

There is appalling evidence in these volumes of the
low condition of public morality. The whole colony
is infected: high and low, rich and poor, are alike and
equally impregnated with the vices peculiar to their
respective classes. The poor are improvident and
drunken to the last degree. It is a current saying at
Sydney that " they earn their money like horses, and
spend it like asses," a pregnant description, which
paints them to the life. The rich are—of course with
exceptions—sensual, dishonest, tyrannical. A high
sense of moral obligation is almost unknown. The
tribunals of justice are not free from the gene-
ral corruption. The provincial magistrates are
shamefully ignorant and unjust in their decisions.
The police arrangements appear also to be very defec-
tive, and liable to manifold and great abuses. The
strong hand of power is unquestionably necessary to
keep such insurgent criminality in check ; but in pro-
portion to the danger, ought to be the justices--the
better part of the majesty—of the law. The system
of espionage, so repugnant to British fee'ing and to
British maxims of policy, is openly resorted to. The
free emigrant is regarded with suspicion and distrust
by the convict population, and subject to every pos-
sible annoyance from those is authority. Between
the armed natives and bushrangers on the one hand,
and the mess of debased criminals on the other, there
is little security. for life or property in New South.
Wales, except in the town of Sydney, where these
disturbing elements are overawed by a large force.

And no wonder. It is fearful to think what a mass
of corrupt, disorganising, demoniacal beings a short-
sighted policy had suffered to accumulate in such
a spot, without any means of redemption, translation, or
re-elevation. The convicts are all knewn—branded
as it were; they have no means of escape from the
moral stigma which they brought with them into the
colony; and this renders them reckless. Lying,
thieving, drunkenness, are their ordinary charac-
teristics. To be known as Tom the Liar, Dirk the
Thief, and so forth, is not considered uncommon
or disgraceful. These appellations are the current
distinctions in this university of crime. The de-
terioration even of the magnates of guilt when
surrounded by suck influences must be great and
rapid. Most of these persons are woefully ignorant,
and when cast off by their native land in all the
freshness of their crimes—removed from all reforma-
tory influence—no effort made to recover their self-
respect—sold into bondage in a distant land, what
better could be expected ? We admit that to find •
perfect and practicable remedy is difficult. It is
much easier to see what is bad than to create what is
good but in the meantime no one can doubt the
desirableness of making an effort to reform so pal-
pable an offence.
Criminal jurisprudence is far from having acquired
• scientific character as yet. The great problem of
the duty of society in relation to crime is still unre-
solved. The first principles are yet matter of dispute.
One jurist's postulates are challenged by another; and
in this uncertainty lies one of the great difficulties of
dealing with crime by law. While philosophers dis-
pute, statesmen must act; and from contested pria-
ciples, questionable practice must inevitably result.
So long, however, as imprisonment and compulsory
labour are recognised by the law as the elements of
punishment, the legislator must confine his operations
to the sphere prescribed; but in that sphere he will
be morally responsible for the wisdom of his work.
The recent alterations proposed by Earl Grey in the
system of transportation and secondary punishments,
manifest a laudable desire on the part of the govern-,
ment to meet the great responsibilities of the questior
and the increasing frequency of its discussion in
.te„,.
closet and the country evidences its growing um.
portanee in the minds of men. Society has but itt
understood its duty to the criminal. Crime is a
social abuse, for the most part, and arises from certain.
institutions and conditions of which the corporate
society has, to some extent at least, the controuL
Society engenders the crime against which it wars—or
at all events it makes the criminal, who incarnates the
crime—and it has most solemn tied unquestionable
duties in relation to it. Prison statistics, whose evi-
dence cannot be gainsaid, have established the con-
nexion between crime, want, and ignorance. These
two sources are the fountains of depravity. The
great mass of delinquency may be easily traced
directly to them. And these being often attributable
to misapprehended obligations on the part of the
more elevated and educated classes, it becomes a
solemn inquiry, whether we have • moral right to
expatriate the men, whom, as a nation, we have
reared in ignorance and nurtured in crime, to
a foreign clime, without making an earned
attempt to bring them back to a state of
rectitude, before we commit them to the hor-
rors of a penal settlement? If punishment only.
be intended, the affirmation is comprehensible : but if
reformation be included in the objects of the sentence
—and there are few advocates now for the law of
vengeance—then such an answer would be most in
consequential and illogical. The judge is mora:ly
bound to attempt the amendment of the culprit, and
the executive to second the effort.

It is a cardinal maxim in national jurisprudence,
that every state is responsible for, and charged with,
the cure of the crime itself engenders. A compre-
hensive policy would extend the application of this
aphorism, to those youthful states which the
genius of England is raising up on all the great
continents of the known world. Why should
we sow, not the seeds, but the NI grown crime
itself, broadest upon the shores of the Indian
Ocean ? What can grow up tat of such elements as
we were long accumulating at Sydney ? It is frightful
to imagine. In fulfilment of the high mission which
has been committed to Great Britain, of rearing up a
family of glorious children, like the one now settled
on the banks of the Potomac, in every zone of the
earth, the parent state should carefully guard against
an evil example. In the policy of the past—now
happily checked—we were providing wholesale
troubles for ourselves in the future, not only on
the great Australian continent, but likewise in the
neighbouring seas. The time may come when we
shall look for an ally in Australia, and find a fce—
formidable alike from its resources and its disregard of
moral obligations. Thanks, however, to the govern-
ment, this monstrous evil is arrested. It was fully
time. The colony was almost lost.

FINDLAV.i Classiest: Atlas for Ancient Geography.
The able and learned introductions to these maps
evince sufficiently the skill and learning employed in
their preparation. Hitherto such auxriaries to the
classical reader have either been too trivial or too
erudite, adapted either to the school, or the profound
antiquary. The present combines both aims, and
may prove a correct guide to the boy, or a eatiafoc-
tory source of consultation for the mature scholar.
The index is a new and useful feature in a set of
maps. Some of these charts may be useful to the
modern traveller; sad we are glad to find emotive

them • ropsint of Pentinger's table, the old Roman
, or road book, which ought not to have been
:olti'l:1413. from the old classical atlas.

Plum.
ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—Rassint's " L• Donna del
Lee" was produced here last ht, being avowedly the
Ise sleety of the same. Daaitlar, the motives which
Mkt the reeve el this work wee the ease which dictated
endow of lemiramidie" tar commencesset of the
Eirpreemies giem Se Vest agar,
il tie geed seeps ailisM kr the display of
et Yet, bellied es in the yeah In this respect,. it
Will not dazzle a calm Paffigment sett t e very slender merita
el these worka. viewed as ikons* sampositions. Neither
"moire nor "La Dees del Lgo ' is among the
SW works of Romini on whisk him t fame will
•Ilaillftd. There could scarcely be a finer 'abject for a
emetic composer than Scott'slastimtie pnem, but it has
bat little inspiration to Reif, who has struck the
"Imp of the North " with a belle Met sad elicited soft
languid shuns, whick hiusthe raise of the "sweet
" than of that tone of ragged modern which is the
only appropriate colouring for this picturesque legend.
Rossini 's pretty music belongs rather to the drew-
ing-room than to scene' of " cavern, Jiff, and
lino ;" nor is there a single attempt at anything
like national characteristic, heightening the imagination
by the charm of local association—a feature which the
subject seems eminently calculated to suggeet to the dramatic
composer. The pretty caratins, .' Oh Matutine," the theme
of which runs through the opera, is so purely of modern
Italian form and phrasing, that its recurrence is purposeless.
It is euly is his last and greatest lepers, " Guillaume Tell,"
that Rossini has availed himself of this powerful aid to
dramatic effect. We have been led into thee remarks by a
feeling of disappointment that such operas should
be reprodaord with all the advantages of faultless
execution, while some of the masterpieces of Mozart
and Gluck am left to slumber in obscurity. The
same care has been bestowed on the production of "La
Donna del Lego" that has characterised all the previous
efforts of the management; and although we may regret the
election of the work, we are bound to record the perfection
with which it is given—singers, charm, and orchestra, com-
bining to produce an ensemble of artistic excellence. Grist, as
Elena, sang as finely as ever, mad gave the variatens in the
last finale with brilliant execution. Never did Alboni appear
to greater advantage than as Makatea Orem., in " belted
plaid and tenth bow"—never did she sing more exquisitely.
In the cantabile passages her rich and hoed tones expressed
the most intense feeling; whilst the Soridjeriteri in which
the part abounds were given with a perfect intonation and
accurate execution that must hare satisfied the nicest ear'
and sloe critical judgment Mario was the Xing Jame
and both looked and sang nobly. Roderick Dim and
Dawdles were personated by Signori Bettini and
Marini the former will do well to modify the exag-
geration which he seems at present to mistake for
energy. Marini was correct and careful, but his song
" Taci," one of the best things in the opera, lost its effect
from the want of vigorocui phrasing in its delivery. The
house we. fall, and by its applause seemed to pronounce
"La Doane del Lis*' one of the successful revivals of the
sessen.

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL
C•MBRIDOIL—THI CIVIL Law Ciassaa, 1846-7.--First
rises . Airworth, Trin. OW.; Holloway, Corpus Ch. Coil. ; Sawyer,
/Ha U.S. FweriLaw, Trio. OolL, trqrales ; Cayley and Johnson.
One, onward*. Siam ilia. ; Toon& Ten- Hell.: fiwao
Mart's Coll.—Semed (Sam Pulliam, Clare Hall: Oodfreyialil.
Odharines MIL-1111rd Claw Alter e, Clark, and Cook.
Ora; LOA sad Maid, CbrisPa Ca& ; Preston and Watson, 'lnn.
Man.
The Civil Law Lectures begin on Monday, Nov. 1. Tie
bye of uunalastion an Nor. 11. 19, sag Des. 9.

TO.lgn NULL VISITATION or TIM BiltilloP or GLOVOSITIR
Awe Bnissoc.—Teeterday morning dr ilobt Rev. the Lard
et
Obreeder mod Ilrhot amortised dr rhombi vidlethatit
dam lo We eollistrel ober& et JOWL The ildbtoriclete
who. elredirbekos 11 eels*, eseemprded by ble the
• elsorelbe et the alleseek Mrdies. the erehieesee, tarts.
Needed fordlemrla The seem-or et era oramook
hop. Oa the emoblher et the bibs, eel la the Minkel
(We bleheporopyles We dome) &end
the eseream4youdri bribe In. Cam J. 16171.1Mreitor
et 111. W The rm. polka= sorra kr blettotthe verde
Wilt. Poi* Cheioblese—" Now theow see mbereare of
• oat" The noses stardom, horns beta milled, lie Weirs
proemial ft Che eeliwey ef tee BM sisholli• Awls I Stier
whkh **Wee proneuwed tweedletios, end the ik
on
ebecrere.
Peppzeutaivr.—Rev. J. &myna to Christ Mirth, St.
Oilsob. dh Isookesi pr., the,. et et
V•cmsculasCOVlrey IL. Eimehridgeehira, dio. Ely;
BOW., with reoldesee ; Lei lekeby : Ites. E IL Peck, dec.—
Weetlcy Watseka C., Orrlyreltn, dio. Ely Res. T. Iluleted,
aea
NAVAL.
WOOLWICH, AIM. 12.--Ortlon hew been reeived from
• hbodraity that all petty. same, Mem% Newee4, OM to be
Miami et MY pets ir orgaillooleass If IL Aynea.
who. will • Ibutlemit owl too rend issi&an, mob tweet to
oureddoolin the seultroot et deem voids Tie en Moho TIN
fe,Omeret • Mom to Or deem vtiel porribil nor yews
ehre, elm ftmorease Oollk vas abided to Os WORE, slam*
• the rum, .eat r-. erreopreere en am* exert fully or-
. grolsell.
TWO DettrT•ao /hi-UT-lON teeetved tits drill dream
VaiViedlhe morn, when dreamed, leek osoiellor like the Los.
• Ihe
ANIIMIALTY, Aro. 12.—ArroiNTE71174.—.T. Reeeow,
J. l liermos. lad N. Betsey , to be retired emmeelso melee eider
etesoult, Illik—Lietimet IL=
isibere is be eueselotrobor
bin
IP. WWII* to Pow; L 6.od*bßmeOmttLesebtei
MI Sew= : I Whieher
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Mehra W. 0. M%a re old J. Perot to
Memo :0. Mooed. 0. L Bartel* ad Ur"
Mr* Octet: H. D. lessodereto Aorratelta—ForobroAoletiot
gloom :B. fteeleta. J. Fools; mi tooleo Mira NA Miry.
doperbetre •Ideleot leglresse : W. H. Covey ma J. Mambo
• M; &T. Nam P. Weed, A. H. Miller, sad P. 808 to Ols;
od J. H. ryte rod St asy.—Thlrd.elsos halellot
: W. J. Moen to MY; J. News to Sabesea.
lOW. °MOON OP Babooons.—The following pectic-
=sr
reprevrooly Mir the seemery SMOISBOMS. were
parley allowas. W the semen, •• fellow.. or the
sea" wk. :—germ. LWrilholoo, Oloiedt-strvet West, Hyde-
-11. ,1 J. Williams
-terrace ; B. WAN ; A. Poland, Mak.
lase,22 ; W. Peter. Pk..
sod A. W. Johnson, Suffolk-pike,

8P ORTIN G.
sam.vs.—wyrDe

Bsoa Hestotc,;;.7lo4;geiifTtitelnatici in (t); 7 to
I apt Brituatoe (1) ; a to 1 yet Mr Karin (1) ; 10 to 1 .p Moto-
rman (t).
BT. sa.—Even on Commack (the field for choice) ; 9 to
I aim Vaa Tromp (take 10 to I) ; 14 to 1 yet Mr. Martin; 33 to 1
eget Black Dwarf; SO to 1 loot Red Hat.
Very few subscribers present, and the betting almost
oceslaal.
WOLVLRELIMPTON iti(K/L-W - IDNIADAY CONCLUDED).
BOE,OUOR MIIMPA. PLATE of 601. Heats, It mile.
Kr. Lord's Cealmaisl (LasostsfEe) 1 1
Mr. Prkelt OaMir Grata
34 3
Mr. Warameab f =.1..
****
Lard Ciastaildra O. omen, 3dr
TattrameAT.—Naw Biaala of 10 ans each, with 30
WM: Brllir olds, he 12Th; three, gat Bli; Mos, Sc., allowed 2lh;
colmes,llo Was. T.T.C. (6 sulis.) j
lam. Masai Brown ie.= (Sly) 1
Lord feadefe Bowstring (inespswe) 2
Mr C. Ombseen Ibillboa (Brodics) 3
Sorel, Prestwich, and Neserardad ales raa.
Marea.-50 son., half a mile; Mr. R. Rddleston's Nid-
dia"Marlow) beat Mr. Phillips's Agriculturist (Whitehouse).
WitoTTEELIT BTaitas of 10 son. each, and 10 added, for
3-yr olds. Once round. (4 subs)
Lord Barley's Bowebleg (Simpson) 1
Mr. Clarke's Lyme (Whitehouse) 3
HOLTOAK STAKES of 30 Km. each, 10 ft, and 5 only if de-
clared, with SO added- Twice round Lod a db.
Mr. Hassitine's altswlltitat, et lath (Lawman 1
Mr. Hood ed Sheraton, Tst oth (Siam= I
Lord Cheeterield's Cherry, 7t 21k(Whitehouee/ 3
Patrice sod Intrepid also ran.

CAYMINAK STA/LISTOfi-SOTO. —eaels, 2 It, and 25 added.
Tbreogaerties et a WY. Five who
Otbilinlmes Warm (3oarpr) o 1
.Nlr. Deifties Ifiefto
We. W. Illmodre Ompaslie (G. 0
Bat% to ca Olopmfts after the dead ►beat. 6t04 on CET-
ISIINZIOSAILZ3 of 1.0 mom each, 1 R. Once round aud •

aa. aiiiiia.—
Min IL Meath Masiether
LADING Stang of 16 loth. each, 5 ft. ; thr two-yr-olde,
TA Mb ; sad duo% Sit, lithlisthad geld** allowail Ith. the straight
WM Wis. thereon with.
Mr. Driabales Oath ivy .... (Pettit I
Mr. Death's laditheissas --. ..... - ............ ... (Shame 0
Mr.
j°laMT (A. Day 0
Eaton=Wes Ng (IL bell 4
Kr. ay Twins se Mahone Hutchings 3
Beget Oath Day rad ato 4 gat C,onqurror. Won by
a twat ; sandkit =AI Ma fourth beaten by hall • leagth,
and the fifth only a mit the Dart.
rotary t STALIN at a soya earl, and 30 added, one nule,
three ado., were weeks two beats by Mr. Death's Urania, 4-)ri.
(Walithield),_thatins Itherithe and Glori by a brad.
TOWN PLAT. Of 1$ sons., added to a Sweepstakes of 6
sag each. Heats, age wand and • Ms. Three Blabt.
Mr. W. RoweirsOimpaUs ,G. Edwards) 1 I
Mr. T. aeon's Modem ;:'Dare) 2 dr
Yr. Leish's Correct Card (lord) 3 dr
Won easy.