little-regarded time and distance between him and England. Thirdly, in regard to all the details of county and parochial business, he may hold precisely the same position, and find precisely the same occupation that he would in England, and indeed more; for the admirable new municipal law of Upper Canada, of 1849, (12 Vict., c. 81,) gives more extensive powers than are possessed by vestries, Poor Law Boards, or magistrates in this country. It is worth while to enumerate some of its provisions. It is an Act for " the erection of municipal corporations, and the establishment of regulations of police, in and for the several counties, cities, towns, townships, and villages of Upper Canada." Boards of "councillors' are elected in each, and constituted a corporation for, among various other and more usual purposes, purchasing land and building schoolhouses, making drains and watercourses for general drainage, including that of land, making roads, granting powers to joint-stock

* Villages of 1000 inhabitants may be incorporated under this Act.

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companies to make them, "destroying and suppressing the growth of weeds detrimental to good husbandry," regulating fences, endowing fellowships in the University of Toronto," &c., "making a provision for the expenses of pupils attending the University of Toronto, &c., whose parents are unable to incur such expenses, taking precautions against fire, exercising many of the powers of a Board of Health, abating nuisances, establishing public fountains, laying out public cemeteries, purchasing land for an industrial farm for the employment of the poor, or persons under sentence of the law, &c. &c. Fourthly, if he gives his attention to the public business of his neighbourhood, and displays a capacity for public life and a desire to enter into it, it would probably not be long before his services would be sought for by some constituency to represent them in the Legislative Assembly, or (according to the practice of this country, in not confining constituents, in the choice of their representatives, to persons resident among them) he might offer himself to

the electors in any city or county in the province. A gentleman, therefore, whose pecuniary means in this country would be insufficient to enable him to exert his talents in the noble arena of political life, might, instead of wasting his energies in a subordinate position here, find in that country a fitting sphere of useful and honourable exertion. Fifthly, if rightly used, the power placed in the hands of the Governor-General to nominate members to the Legislative Council or Upper House of the Provincial Parliament, is capable of giving dignity and political weight to that body, and making it an object of ambition and a just reward of meritorious services. The high position and character of every Governor-General will be a guarantee that no unworthy motives will influence such appointments; and if mistakes are made, they will not escape the censure of a vigilant public opinion. In placing these appointments, as well as those of justices of the peace, in the hands of the GovernorGeneral, not only is there a better security for their being made with an exclusive regard to

the public interests, but the principle is important, as maintaining the analogy with that of the British Constitution. In a new country every such principle is of the greatest practical value, as a support of the whole system of government on its existing basis. Sixthly, the settler whom I have supposed, would find, in the different country districts I have already enumerated, many of the resources, in the way of amusement, of English country life. Of the ordinary field-sports there are some by no means to be despised. Whoever likes hard work and a rough life, may take two or three Indians as guides and follow the moose and reindeer through the forest as long as he pleases, "camping out" and living by his rifle. For common shooting, there is plenty of quail, woodcocks, snipes, wild-fowl, &c., also prairie grouse in abundance within three days' travelling. Fishing is to be had in the lakes and streams; but the best sport of that kind is the salmon-fishing in some of the tributaries of the Ottawa, and amidst the wild and magnificent scenery of the Saguenay, wherever the saw

mills have not destroyed the fish. A small pack of fox-hounds is kept at Montreal (twelve couple), and they afford some sport for about two months in the year-enough to keep that of the "old country" in remembrance. They have occasionally some sharp runs of thirty minutes, over a country of "posts and rails," and "snake-fences," the latter rather awkward. Another pack was also kept at Coburg. I heard also of a third small pack. There is no doubt that as the country gets more cleared fox-hunting will flourish; as well at least as those almost universal "snake-fences," and the quantity of cover, will allow. Races also figure in the list of the annual amusements of all the principal places in the colony. Some of the best English blood has been imported, of which I saw specimens, out of winners of the Derby and St. Leger. In these, as in all other matters of graver import, it appeared that English

* The fence common to Canada and the States, made of rough slips of timber twelve to fourteen feet long piled upon each other, each length making an obtuse angle with the other, and the upper bar (often five or six feet above the ground) resting on cross pieces, which project like chevaux de frise.