are no less than ten splendid structures in Melbourne devoted to charitable purposes.  The Roman Catholics have built a fine cathedral, but it is not yet finished.  The Church of England is collecting money for a similar purpose.  Meanwhile the prettiest church belongs to the Presbyterians.  None of the other churches are in any way remarkable.  Anyone who has not seen the London Mint will find the Melbourne Mint worth a visit.  The Observatory contains one of the largest telescopes in the world; and even if there are no races going on, the Flemington Racecourse is a ‘lion’ of the largest dimensions.  There are four theatres, only one of which is well-fitted up.  The visitor will notice that drinking bars are invariable and very disagreeable accompaniments of every theatre.  One bar is generally just opposite the entrance to the dress circle, an arrangement which is particularly annoying to ladies.

Altogether, the public buildings of Melbourne do the greatest credit to the public spirit of the colonists, and offer substantial testimony to the largeness of their views and the thoroughness of their belief in the future of their country.  There is certainly no city in England which can boast of nearly as many fine buildings, or as large ones, proportionately to its size, as Melbourne.  And this is the more remarkable, remembering, that even in the existing hard times, masons are getting 10s. 6d. a day of eight hours, and often a very dawdling eight hours too.

The Botanic Gardens, just outside the town, are well worth a visit.  They have no great scientific pretensions, as their name would imply, but are merely pleasure-grounds, decked with all the variety of flowers which this land of Cockaigne produces in abundance.  Besides these, there are several pretty reserves, notably the Fitzroy, Carlton, and University Gardens, and the Regent’s Park, which are all well kept and refreshing to the eye after the dust and glare of the town.

The proportions of the commercial buildings and business premises are on the same large and elaborate scale.  Of the architecture, as a rule, the less said the better; but everything is at least more spacious than at home.  The climate and the comparative cheapness of land give the colonists an aversion to height in their buildings, and even in the busiest parts of Melbourne most of the buildings have only two stories—­i.e., a ground-floor and one above—­and I can hardly think of any with more than three.  The sums which banking companies pay for the erection of business premises are enormous.  Thirty to sixty thousand pounds is the usual cost of their headquarters.  The large insurance companies have also caught the building mania, and the joint-stock companies which are now springing up in all directions emulate them.  The Australian likes to have plenty of elbow-room.  He cannot understand how wealthy merchants can work in the dingy dens which serve for the offices of many a London merchant prince.  In this matter, contrary