xviii 
ERRONEOUS IMPRESSIONS. 
tion of what my own were before I visited it. I 
cannot but remark, however, that I found my 
prejudices had arisen from a natural objection 
to the character of a part of its population ; from 
the circumstance of its being a penal colony, 
and from my total ignorance of its actual state, 
and not from any substantial or permanent cause. 
On the contrary I speedily became convinced of 
the exaggerated nature of the reports I had heard 
in England, on some of the points just adverted 
to ; nor did any thing fall under my observation 
during a residence in it of more than six years* 
to justify the opinion I had been previously led 
to entertain of it. I embarked for New South 
Wales, with strong prejudices against it: I left it 
with strong feelings in its favour, and with a deep 
feeling of interest in its prosperity. It is a pleas- 
ing task to me, therefore, to write of it thus, and 
to have it in my power to contribute to the re- 
moval of any erroneous impressions with regard 
to its condition at the present moment. 
I have already remarked, that I was not prepar- 
ed for the scene that met my view when I first 
saw Sydney. The fact was, I had not pictured to 
myself, nor conceived from any thing I had 
