472 
NEW SOUTH WALES 
CHAP. 
walk to the amphitheatre. On the road to Sydney I spent 
a very pleasant evening with Captain King at Dunheved ; and 
thus ended my little excursion in the colony of New South 
Wales. 
Before arriving here the three things which interested me 
most were—the state of society amongst the higher classes, the 
condition of the convicts, and the degree of attraction sufficient 
to induce persons to emigrate. Of course, after so very short a 
visit, one’s opinion is worth scarcely anything ; but it is as 
difficult not to form some opinion, as it is to form a correct 
judgment. On the whole, from what I heard, more than from 
what I saw, I was disappointed in the state of society. The 
whole community is rancorously divided into parties on almost 
every subject. Among those who, from their station in life, 
ought to be the best, many live in such open profligacy that 
respectable people cannot associate with them. There is 
much jealousy between the children of the rich emancipist and 
the free settlers, the former being pleased to consider honest 
men as interlopers. The whole population, poor and rich, 
are bent on acquiring wealth : amongst the higher orders, wool 
and sheep-grazing form the constant subject of conversation. 
There are many serious drawbacks to the comforts of a family, 
the chief of which, perhaps, is being surrounded by convict 
servants. How thoroughly odious to every feeling, to be waited 
on by a man who the day before, perhaps, was flogged, from 
your representation, for some trifling misdemeanour. The 
female servants are of course much worse : hence children 
learn the vilest expressions, and it is fortunate if not equally 
vile ideas. 
On the other hand, the capital of a person, without any 
trouble on his part, produces him treble interest to what it will 
in England ; and with care he is sure to grow rich. The 
luxuries of life are in abundance, and very little dearer than in 
England, and most articles of food are cheaper. The climate 
is splendid, and perfectly healthy; but to my mind its charms 
are lost by the uninviting aspect of the country. Settlers 
possess a great advantage in finding their sons of service when 
very young. At the age of from sixteen to twenty they frequently 
take charge of distant farming stations. This, however, must 
happen at the expense of their boys associating entirely with 
