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olden world from whence sprang our fathers. With 

 your permission, we shall dwell for a few moments on 

 the performances, follow the foot-prints, treasure up the 

 experience of those who have preceeded us ; if possible, 

 benefit by their wisdom, endeavour to learn from them, 

 let us hope, some not useless lessons. A limited but 

 agreeable sojourn abroad, which brought me, on many 

 points, to think still higher of my own country, has also 

 made more manifest to me than it was hitherto how 

 many useful hints, how many teachings, the records, 

 the monuments, the sights of other cities can furnish. 

 It is my intention to select for our study to-night three 

 conspicuous cities of Europe, in order to seek for con- 

 trasts if any, between them and our own ancient town. 

 In the course of my wanderings in England, France, 

 Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, &c, no sites, by 

 their historical souvenirs, edifices, monuments, and 

 scenery, have attracted me more than Edinburgh, 

 Kouen and York ; though of course, I have met with 

 cities more wealthy, more extensive, more populous. In 

 fact, there are striking analogies, as well as unmistaka- 

 ble points of contrast, between these antique towns and 

 the capital of this Province, our own picturesque city. 

 A glance at Edinburgh, Rouen, York, may point out 

 how the hand of man can increase the advantages, add 

 lustre to the charms which nature has conferred and 

 make of a city, " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." 

 Possibly, we may find that wealth and population in 

 cities, flow through various, sometimes unrevealed 

 channels ; that true progress does not mean a wanton 

 destruction of the externals of a revered past ; that 

 whilst a progressive community is expected to throw 

 open wide its portals to the fertilising wave of commer- 

 cial activity, it can be helped to achieve importance, 

 prosperity, nay fame, by preserving intact, for coming 

 generations, as sacred heirlooms, the monuments of its 

 history, the landmarks of its patriotic struggles, the 

 sacred remains, in verity, of its former self. Let 

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