TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



153 



English and Spanish all in one." He might with 

 equal truth — if writing to-day — have mentioned 

 other nationalities as well ; the blending of other 

 strong types have done much to improve the Creoles 

 of Trinidad. 



Beader, have you ever read the letters of " A 

 Citizen of the World ? 99 I believe the author to have 

 been Goldsmith, but they purport to be written by a 

 Chinese savant visiting England, describing various 

 things coming under his notice. In one of these let- 

 ters describing the old English aristocracy, he be- 

 wails the decline of the old stock through want of the 

 admixture of a strain of more wholesome blood, and 

 strongly advises them to descend from their high 

 pedestal, and by a judicious admixture of a more 

 pure and healthy strain, give vitality to their off- 

 spring. If he lived to-day he would be surprised to 

 see to what an extent this has been done and to the 

 betterment of the old stock which was fast becoming 

 an encumberance instead of a Iielp, for not only has 

 the offspring profited but also the pockets of the 

 aristocracy. 



So it has been in Trinidad, we now see a fine re- 

 sult, improving more and more every day which can 

 be observed not only in our ball rooms but also in our 

 professions where this admixture is gaining for itself 

 a true position. That it should be so is only right 

 and proper. Some there are who still try to kick 

 against and ignore it, but believe me it is no use ; the 

 lesson which Canute taught to his courtiers who 

 wanted to make the old man think that he was pos- 



