204 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE. 



for hours with a vigoui- and lionest lieartiness which brings them 

 more real pleasure than is experienced in the refined and artifi- 

 eial entertainments of more advanced loinniunities. Weddings 

 in particular are celel)rated with an auiouut of gaiety and festi- 

 vity whicli at once imlicates exubei'ance of animal spirits, and a 

 kintlly sympathy with the " liappy couple." Winter is also the 

 .season for tea festi\'als, religious and secular sijirees, lectures, con- 

 certs, readings with music, &c. St. John's, the capital, of course, 

 takes the lead in such matters, and there winter is considered by 

 far tlie joleasantest season. A taste for theatricals and concerts 

 has been develojied among its people ; clubs, reading rooms, 

 libraries, furnish social and intellectual enjoyments. With balls, 

 .skating rinks, snow-shoeing, tobogganing, sleighing, tlie winter 

 passes pleasantly among the Avell-to-do classes. In tlie larger 

 towns and villages similar social enjoyments, on a smaller scale 

 and of a simpler character, are multijdying ; and newspapers, 

 liooks, periodicals, now find their way among the lonely "dwell- 

 ers by the sea " where formerly they were entirely unknown, 

 and are stirring intellectual life among the toilers of the sea. 



If it be true, as some one has stated it, tliat "the law of the 

 world's progress is an advance from the warmer to the colder 

 latitudes," — from the enervating heat of the tropical and semi- 

 tropical lands to the invigorating climes of the bracing north, 

 Ave may ask whether the day is not coming when these stalwart 

 islanders, nurtured amidst storms and grim north-easters, l)at- 

 lling with the billows amid ice-la<len seas, will take a liigh place 

 among the world's workers and leaders, and outstrip the less 

 capalile iidiabitants of warmer regions. The most flourishing 

 and densely peopled jmrts of New England States and Canada 

 were, two centuries ago, looked upon, from outside, very much 

 as those regions of Newfoundland we have l)een describing, are 

 now regarded liy the outside world. If the latent possibilities of 

 the former have develo])ed so marvellously, in a few generations, 

 may Ave not regard such an advance as a prece<lent for the i>ro- 

 gressive capabilities, at present dormant, in the comparatively 

 .small population who occujjy this island. 



