olesale and retail.
It is more than probable that "nice" people do not go to market in
Melbourne, judging from the character of the noisy, jostling, and rather
rudely-behaved masses who were encountered in these two markets,
especially the last named. Here neatness and cleanliness in the
surroundings were completely ignored. The garbage over which one was
compelled to pass in order to get about the market was not only
extremely difficult to encounter, but also disgusting. In European and
American cities one meets representatives of all classes in such resorts
at early morning, but it does not seem to be so in Melbourne. In
Philadelphia and Havana the household mistress, followed by a servant
with a basket, goes regularly to early market,--or if not daily,
certainly on Saturday mornings. 'T is not so here.

There are four large arcades in the city all opening from Burke Street,
and forming pleasant popular resorts for strollers, who are here
sheltered from the weather and the noise of the public thoroughfares.
They are respectively the Royal Arcade, nearly opposite the Post-Office,
containing elegantly furnished shops; the Victoria Arcade, opposite the
Theatre Royal; the Eastern Arcade, next to the market; and the Book
Arcade, in the eastern part of Burke Street,--this last, as its name
indicates, being devoted mostly to the sale of books. Free evening
concerts are given also in these retreats, which always attract fair
audiences. The Book Arcade is a very popular resort for students and the
better class of evening idlers. The proprietor told us that he had two
hundred thousand volumes upon his shelves,--a number which we judged
from appearances not to be over stated. These books were so
systematically arranged by subjects, that the inquirer for any special
work could have it in hand in a moment; or if it was not in stock, the
proprietor could ascertain that fact almost as quickly. The character of
the books in this establishment was of a singular mixture, running from
the higher classics down to a dime novel, and from the Encyclopaedia
Britannica to Mother Goose's Melodies.

The Public Library of Melbourne is a large and impressive building,
standing by itself back from the street on rising ground, and would be
creditable to any European or American city. It already contains a
hundred and twenty-six thousand volumes, and is being constantly added
to by public and private bequests. The collection of manuscripts and
unb