dulge grossly, and suffer accordingly.

The showy liveries worn by the retainers of some of the more wealthy
(not the better) classes of the citizens of Sydney and Melbourne seemed
to us strangely out of place. As nearly as we could get at the facts by
casual inquiry, most of these buttoned and uniformed flunkies were in
the service of persons concerning whose genealogy the less said the
better, especially when we remember that the earlier residents of
Australia were mostly composed of those who left their native country
for their country's good. "You may safely calculate that the father of
the latest Australian baronet was a nobody, or something worse," says a
writer in one of the local magazines. Melbourne, however, seemed to us
less open to any aspersions growing out of former penal associations
than either Brisbane, Sydney, or Hobart in Tasmania, all which colonies
were originally settled as penal stations. Victoria is one of the
youngest of all these colonies, and was, up to the discovery of the
gold-fields within her present borders,--that is, in 1851,--a portion
of New South Wales; but to-day it is the metropolis _par excellence_ of
Australia. It has not the many natural beauties of Sydney, but it has
numerous compensating advantages, and is undoubtedly the real centre of
colonial enterprise upon the continent.

The admirable system of tramways in Melbourne is worthy of all praise,
use being made of the subterranean cable and stationary engines as a
motor. This mode of propulsion is safe, cheap, and clean. While we were
in the capital tracks were being laid for several new and extended
routes, one of which runs through Burke Street parallel with Collins.
The public amusements of a large city often aid one in forming a just
idea of its development in other directions. Those of this capital of
the southern hemisphere are numerous, well conducted, and well
attended,--a sure evidence of prosperity and general thrift. People from
inland who have money to spend are attracted to such places as will
afford them the greatest variety of reasonable amusements; and hence
Melbourne, rather than Sydney, has become the resort of these
pleasure-seekers.

It has been said that gold made Melbourne and wool made Sydney,--a
remark which is based on fact. The experiences of both these cities in
the early part of their career was peculiar. Money easily gained is
seldom wisely spent; sums that fall as it were into the open palm will