Victoria; Late Australia Felix, or Port Phillip District of New South Wales Being an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Colony and Its Gold ... Chamber of Commerce for the Last Two Years

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. SOCIETY. Impressions of Colonial Society--Physical Toils of New Settlements--Some Exemptions in Australia--The Pastoral Vocation--Great Social Change wrought by the Gold Discoveries--Desertion of Servants--Eccentricities and Extravagance--The bright Side--Diggers looking for Wives, and Emigrant Girls for Husbands--Diggers' Wives versus Ladies--The Ups and Downs of Fortune--Unsettled Aspect from constant Immigration--Troubles of the newly arrived Colonists--Colonial Society, its practical and utilitarian Character--Rudeness of Social Aspect--Comparative Advantages--The Colonial Press--The Newspaper--Its great Development in Colonies--Literary Features--Sketch of the Press in Victoria--Rise and Position of the Melbourne Argus--Education--Rival Systems of Public Schools--Private Schools--Religion--Voluntaryism of Colonies--Postal Communications--Concluding Reflections. An impression is prevalent in the mother country that her colonies--the more recent and progressive of them at least--are for the most part peopled from the humbler walks of her crowded society. The mechanic, the field-labourer, the able workman in all departments of bone and muscle, as distinguished from those of brains and mental cultivation, are supposed to comprise, with but few exceptions, the masses of population that stream forth incessantly into our colonies,--a population naturally therefore unfavourable, as much to a high social refinement as to those aristocratic and time-honoured institutions that characterize the Fatherland. If some of these conclusions have a savour of truth, the premises from which they are derived are at all events erroneous. Our colonies have proved, in later times at least, quite as attractive to the educated as to the unlettered classes of home s...