An argument from the amount of imports is made use of unfairly.  The United States are set down at 30s. per head, Australia about L.7 per head.  This latter, they say, is the country to encourage, to emigrate to—­see how prosperous it is! being blind, apparently, to the fact, that Australia, having nothing as yet but the raw material, tallow and wool, it must barter all it has for what it wants—­a proof to me as much of necessity as of prosperity.  Many more persons cannot engage profitably in the wool and tallow trade; the field is therefore narrow for general purposes of emigrants, and easily liable to be overstocked, unless the government take prompt measures to open out the abundant internal resources of minerals, &c. and give easier and cheaper possession of land:  then, though the imports might not be much more, the prosperity would be much greater.  America I believe to be in this latter position, presenting a more varied field for the operations of the small capitalist, though her imports may be inconsiderable per head.

I ought to state, that a great many of the reported cases of success are, from misapprehension of the real circumstances of the parties, either quite false, or calculated to mislead.  Doubtless many successful hits will be made by purchasers of mineral land, and so are successful hits made at the gaming-table.  Successful men, besides, are well known, while the unsuccessful have slunk away and are forgotten.  Few fortunes have been made by simple shopkeeping.

I ought not to conclude without referring to farming, although not practically acquainted with it; indeed, the accounts from farmers differ as much as the size and shape of their farms:  but it appears to me that, from one or other of the following causes, farming has not hitherto paid well:—­A large farm has been purchased, leaving too little cash to spare for the erection of houses, fences, and cultivation; or leaving it burdened with a mortgage at heavy interest; or a short lease—­of three years—­has been taken, and the money sunk on the improvements; or the cultivation has been of such a wretched description as failed to raise a remunerative crop.  There never appears to have been a want of sufficient market for any field-produce.  L.1000 judiciously invested on a farm, I believe, would pay.

I trust it will be seen that my object in writing the foregoing has been to guard against the pictures of climate and scenery, good or bad, that are constantly written; to shew that plenty of employment at a remunerative wage is to be had, but only of the heavy and laborious kind; that there is a wide field for capitalists; but that shopkeepers and townspeople, unused to out-door labour, have a poor chance, owing to the smallness of the population and the competition which already exists.

GROUND-LIZARD OF JAMAICA.