220 THE WAY TO GET ON. last very long. The idea is that any place is to be had for the asking, and that appointments rain down upon new-comers; a great mistake, as the Australians view with extreme jealousy the employment of new arrivals, of this class particularly, until the natives have been provided for; and the policy of the government is now to give occupation to the descendants of old settlers. Fortunately for the lads I have just mentioned, a letter of introduction to some old maiden cousin, who was in easy circumstances, excited her pity, and afforded them a home. Australia is not at present at all the place for this class of immigrants, unless they have the moral courage to descend, not in morals but in position; "they must stoop to conquer." There are now certainly the gold fields open to them. Trade and commerce are the only available pursuits in Australia: it is not yet sufficiently matured or populated (like New York) to sustain men of literary habits and followers of the fine arts, much less idle young gentlemen. All is bustle, enterprise, and activity. CHURCH-WANT OF A CONSTITUTION—ABSOLUTE POWER OF COLONIAL BISHOPS PERVERSIONS TO ROMANISM— BISHOPS OF NEW ZEALAND AND NEWCASTLE-THE PETITION PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE CLERGY TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY-MR. GLADSTONE'S CHURCH BILLSUBURBS OF SYDNEY-BURIAL GROUND-HOT WINDS AND OF STORMS-ADELAIDE-CENTRAL AUSTRALIA-RANGE THERMOMETER MELBOURNE-THE BRICKFIELDER, OR SOUTHERLY BURSTER LADIES' BONNETS - MEN WEAR VEILS THE SAND HILLS BUSH-RANGERS-WOOLOOMOOLO0 —DR. WARDLLE—A VILE CRIMINAL-MR. ROBERT LOWE, M.P.- HIS KINDNESS-CONVICTS NEVER RECEIVED INTO SOCIETY-REMARKS ON GENERAL SOCIETY-THE APPEARANCE OF RESIDENTS AVERAGE DURATION OF LIFE IN NEW SOUTH WALES THE PRESS THE MARKET-PLACE -SYDNEY MORNING HERALD THE EMPIRE-JACKSON CREEK LUNATIC ASYLUM-FREQUENCY OF INSANITY. IT often occurs that a young man goes to a hotel quite beyond his means, and when all his ready money is gone, a stranger in a strange land, the broker is sent for to buy his stock, gun, and any convertible property he mayposs ess; he is then thrown upon the 222 THE TURQUOISE RING. wide world: certainly he can find occupation, BUT OF WHAT KIND? Melancholy as this picture is, it is quite as melancholy to be obliged to say it is not highly coloured, but one which is frequently witnessed. We heard a welldressed gentlemanly man, sitting in the coffee-room of Petty's hotel, the Clarendon of Sydney, with a handsome turquoise ring on his finger, perhaps the keepsake of some loving mamma, and otherwise well appointed, declare that he would be very glad to get a bullock-driver's place up the country at seventy pounds per annum. What an alternative! Sent away as far as possible from home to sink into "deeper depths," to associate with the refuse population of England, the misfortune and disgrace of the colony; to become familiarized with vulgar and disgusting language, and never to hear the name of his Creator mentioned, except in conjunction with swearing and blasphemy. Let parents and guardians pause before they hurl these youths into perdition: "Nemo repentè fit turpissimus." But to dwell no longer on this unhappy topic, we will lay THE COLONIAL CHURCH. 223 before our readers the more interesting question of the Church constitution, which now occupies the attention of her members, and which the Lord Bishop of Sydney has gone to England, as we believe, to obtain: namely, the self-government of itself by a mixed authority of laity and clergy. The authorities at home are of opinion that the constitution prayed for will interfere with the Queen's supremacy. That the Church should have some self-polity we think no one will question, although there may be some difference of opinion as to its degree. We must also bear in mind that the prevalent tendency of the colonial Church authorities and dignitaries is towards high Puseyitical doctrines, which not only manifests itself in the diocesan charges, but also in the internal arrangements. This state of things may be accounted for from the fact that most of the prelates were appointed during the late Archbishop of Canterbury's primacy, and all belong to that school except the Bishop of Melbourne. The arbitrary power possessed by the 224 ABSOLUTE POWER OF BISHOPS. The bishops over the clergy, who really have no protection at all, the bishops themselves. desire to give up; and in one or two instances it has been a power which has been tyrannically, or, to speak mildly, injudiciously, used. Bishops not more than any other class of men are to be intrusted with undefined and unlimited powers. It is justly observed by Blackstone, such powers should never be committed to one person, where there is no responsibility for their abuse. Two clergymen, we are sorry to say, have seceded from the Established Church to Romanism. clergy are in general well respected, and deservedly so, although the style of preaching is cold, formal, and legal, without warmth or feeling. The Bishop of Newcastle is no great orator, although by much labour he appears to have acquired the ability of preaching extemporaneously, but his delivery is stiff and lifeless. He has the name of being active in his diocese, rides fast, and gets over a vast quantity of ground in a short time; an advantageous faculty in an extended charge. He and the Bishop of New Zealand |