MRS. JAMESON'S WINTER STUDIES AND SUMMER

RAMBLES IN CANADA.

PREPARING to start from New York to the capital of Upper Canada in the earlier part of their winter, Mrs. JAMESON was assured that she had chosen the very worst time. A little earlier, the roads and rivers would have been open ; a little later, they would have been firmly frozen and firmly snowed; as it was, there would be neither land nor water, ice nor snow, but a villanon compound of each. Our heroine, however, had travelled " half over the Continent of Europe ;" the predicted hardships conveyed no definite ideas to her mind; and she started in the steamer "re Albany or"—according to articles—" as far as the ice permitted:' This was within thirty miles of their destined end ; and the journey thence to Toronto was one scene of wearying hardship, Which realized in suffering the definite idea the eloquence of her American friends had not been able to depict.

Once safely arrived, Mrs. JAMESON passed her winter in Ca. nada, in observing the society of the capital, and in an excursion to Niagara; whose Falls disappointed her, in the depth of winter, when all save the mighty river was bound up in the stillness and repose of an icy death. In the summer, she made tours through various parts of the country, and passed over to the American towns of Buffalo and Detroit. From this last city she steamed through Lake St. Clair, and the gigantic inland sea of Lake Huron, to the Indian Missionary settlements on the island of Mackinaw. After a sojourn there, she travelled in a Canadian canoe, rowed by the far-famed voyageurs, to the Sault Ste. Marie (the Falls of St. Mary,) situated in the strait which conveys the waters of Lake Superior into Lake Huron, and the last resting. place of civilization—if that can properly be called civilization where the inhabitants are only Indians and fur-traders. Of what she saw, thought, felt, or read, Mrs. Jamestasi kept a journal, for transmission to a friend. Of this journal, or a revision of it, the volumes before us consist : and their author apologizes for the tone of personal feeling on the plea of necessity— it was found impossible to get rid of it ; awl the attempt to write a work containing the results of her journey was unsuccessful. These difficulties we can in some measure conceive; and in most cases the records of her journal have a freshness and truth which well compensate for a little sentimental reflection or elegant reverie— not to say that the commentary is frequently sound. We see no necessity, however, for reminiscences of German actresses, and criticisms on German authors, in a book on the Canadas. These might easily have been spared ; for, however good, they are out of place. In other respects, the work is lively, elegant, and attractive ; full of slight sketches of the country and people of Upper Canada, and some judicious views of the aborigines ; with a good deal of interesting information on existing affairs, which, coming in a by-way from a lady, is the more useful, as being less likely to be tinged by party bias. And this information establishes two points clearly,—the discontent in Upper Canada with the system of English rule; and the superiority of the Americans to the Canadians in all the material arts of " going ahead" in a new country. In speaking of discontent, it must be distinctly understood, that it is not an aversion to the Mother Country : on the contrary, those who have emigrated to Canada retain a fond remembrance of, or a pining for the land of their birth, and the Canadian-born regard it with a kind of superstitious sentiment. Neither dues their discontent arise from abstract notions of government, or any political feeling. It has its origin in plain, practical, self-interested causes, constantly coming home to every man in his affairs. They complain of neglect and injuries—of the apathy of the public at large ; of the ignorance and indifference of the Legislature; and of the easy way in which they are abandoned to the tender mercies of the Colonial Office.

I saw of course something of the state of feeling on both sides, (says Mrs. Jameson in her preface,) but not enough to venture a word on the eubjeet. Lipper Canada appeared to me loyal in spirit, but resentful and repining under the sense of injury, and suffering GOIll the total absence of all sympathy on the part of the English Government with the condition, the wants, the feelings, the capabilities of the people and country. I do not mean to say that this want of sympathy now exists to the same extent as formerly ; it has been abruptly and painfully awakened, but it has too long existed. Iir climate, in soil, in natural productions of every kind, the Upper Province appeared to me superior to the Lower Province, and well calculated tu become the inexhaustible timber-, yard and granary of the Mother Country. The want of a sea-port, the want ot security of property, the general mismanagement of the Government lands— these seemed to me the most prominent causes of the physical depression of this splendid country, while the poverty and deficient education of the psopler and a plentiful lack of public spirit in those who were not of the people, seemed sufficiently to account for the moral depression everywhere visible. Add a system of mistakes and rnaleadmiuistration, not chargeable to any one individuals or any one measure, but to the whole tendency of our Colonial government ; the perpetual change of officials and change of measures; the fluctuation of principles destroying all public confidence, and a degree of ignorance relative to the country itself, not credible except to those who may have visited it ; add these three things together, the want of knowledge, the want of judgment, the want of sympathy, on the part of the Gavernment, how can we be surprised at the strangely anomalous condition of the governed ? that of a land absolutely teeming with the richest capabilities, yet poor in population, in wealth, and in energy ! But I feel I am getting beyond my depth. Let us hope that the reign of our young Queen will not begin, like that of Maria Theresa, with the loss of one of her fairest provinces; and that hereafter she may look upon the map of her dominions without the indignant blushes and tears with which Maria Theresa, to the last moment of her life, contemplated the map of her dia. metnbered empire, and regretted her lost Silesia.

The general evils described in this passage operate daily in their results, inducing continual discord between the people of the Canadas, their Colonial rulers, and the Colonial Office at home; and injuring the interests of the colonists in a variety of ways. One extract, incidentally bearing upon a point which every individual must feel, will indicate their nature and ramifications.

POSTAGE IN THE CANADA%

The poor emigrants who have not been long from the Old Country, round whose hearts tender remembrances of parents, and home and home friends, yet cling in all the strength of fresh regret and unsubdued longing, sometimes present themselves at the postmffices, and on finding that their letters cost three shillings nod four pence, or perhaps five or six shillings, turn away in despair. I have seen such letters not here only, but often and in greater numbers at the larger post.offices ; and have thought with pain how many fond, longing hearts must have bled over them. The torture of Tautalus was surely nothing to this.

At Brandtford I:saw forttneight such letters, and an advertisement from the postmaster, setting forth that these letters, if not claimed and paid fur by such a time, would be sent to the dead letter-office.

The management of the Post-office in Upper Canada will be found among the " grievance" enumerated by the discontented party ; and without meaning to attach any blame to the functionaries, I have said enough to show that the letter-post of Canada does not fulfil its purpose of contributing to the solace and advantage of the people, whatever profit it may bring to the revenue.

Connected with the anomalies of the Government, but not altogether with the Howe Government, though the people seem to fancy so, is the state of the roads. This is a subject of our author's complaint on almost every journey. Here is a sample.

The whole drive would have been productive of umnixed enjoyment, but for one almost intolerable drawback. The roads were throughout so execrably bad, that no words can give you an idea of them. V.'e often sank into mudholes above the axletree; then over trunks of trees laid across swamps, called Item corduroy roads, were my poor bones dislocated. A wheel here and there, or broken shaft lying by the wayside, told of former wrecks and disasters. In some places they had, in desperation, flung huge boughs of oak into the mud abyss, and covered them with clay and sod, the rich green foliage projecting on either side. This sort of illusive contrivance would sometimes give way, and we were nearly precipatated in etc midst. By the time we arrived at Blandford, my hands were swelled and blistered by continually grasping with all my strength an iron bar in front of my vehicle, to prevent myself from being flung out, and my limbs ached wofitlly. I never beheld or imagined such roads. It is clear that the people do not apply any, even the commonest, principles of road-making; no drains are cut, no attempt is made at levelling or prepating a foundation. The settlers around are too much engrossed by the necessary toil for a daily subsistence to give a moment of their time to roaddnaking, without compulsion or good payment. The statute labour does not appear to be duly enfolced by the commissioners and magistrates ; and there are no labourers, and no spare money ; specie, never very plentiful in these parts, is not to be had at pro-cot ; and the 500,000/. voted during the last session of the Provincial Parliament for the repair ot the roads, is not yet even raised, I believe. [This was just before the outbreak. How must matters be now ?]

Nor is this all : the vile state of the roads, the very little communication between places not far distant from each other, leave it in the power of Mollsposed persons to sow mischief among the ignorant, isolated people. On emerging from a forest road seven miles in length, we stopped at a little inn to lefresh the poor jaded horses. Several labourers nere lounging about the door, and I spoke to them ed the horrible state ot the roads. They agreed, one and all, that it was entirely the fault of the Government ; that their welfare was not eared for ; that it WaV true that money had been voted for the roads, but that before any thing could be done, or a shilling of it expended, it was always necessary to write to the Old Country to ask the King's permission—which might be sent or not ; who could tell ? And meantime they were ruined by the want of roads, which it was nobody 'a business to reclaim. It was in vain that 1 attempted to point out to the orator of the party the falsehood and absuldity of this Lotion, lie only shook his head, and said lie knew better.

One man observed, that as the team of Admiral (one of the largest proprietors in the district) had lately broken down in a mud.hole, there was some hope that the roads about here might be looked to.

Intemperance is said to be the vice both of the States and the Canadas; but, according to Mrs. JAMESON, the Canadians must far excel the Statesmen. The latter would seem to niuz themselves; but the Canadians are perfect drunkards, wasting health and life in the indulgence. These circumstances, the character of the mass of emigrants, and the checks to prosperity in the illworking or the government, seem to be the cause of the difference between the two frontiers. At all events, there is a difference, and a mortifying one. The following picture is from the neighbourhood of Detroit, the verge of settled life in either country ; but something analogous may be found along the whole line.

Yesterday and toelay, feeling better, I have passed some hours straying or driving about on the Withal shore.

1 hardly know how to convey to you an idea of the difference between the two shores; it will appear to you as Incredible as it is to me incomprehensible. Our shore is said to be the most fertile, and has been the longest settled ; but to float between them (as 1 did to.day in a little canoe made of a hollow tree, and paddled by a hall.breed imp of a boy)—to behold on one side a city, with Its towers and spires and animated population, with villas and handsome houses stretching along the shore, and a hundred vessels or more, gigantic steamers, brigs, schooners, crowding the port, loading and unloading ; all the bustle, in short, of prosperity and commerce ; and, on the other site, a little straggling hamlet, one schooner, one little wretched steam.boat, some windmills, a Catholic chapel or two, a supine ignorant peasantry, all the symptoms of apathy, indolence, mistrust, hopelessness ! Can I, can any one, help wondering at the -difference, and asking whence it arises? There must be a cause for it surely; but what is it? Dues it lie in past or in present—in vetoed or accidental cit. etunstances? in theinstitutions of the govermneut, or the character of the people? Is it remediable? is it a necessity ? is it a mystery? what and whence is II? Can you tell? or can you send some of our colonial officials acme the Atlantic to behold and solve the difficulty?

The climate of Lower Canada is more severe than that of the Upper country. But even the Upper is bad enough. If the Guards should be ordered on " actual service "this winter, they will sigh for the parade of the Parks and the "table of St. James's."

WEATHER FOR A BIVOUAC.

The cold is at this time so intense, that the ink freezes while I write, and my fingers stiffen round the pen ; a glass of water by my heel-side, within a few feet of the hearth, (heaped with logs of oak and maple, kept burning all night long,) is a solid mass of ice in the morning. God help the poor emigrants who are yet unprepared against the rigour of the season ! yet this is nothing to the climate of the Lower Province, where, as we hear, the thermometer has been thirty degrees below zero.

A WINTER LANDSCAPE.

I think that but for this journey I never could have imagined the sublime desolation of a northern winter, and it has impressed mestrongiy. In the first place, the whole atmosphere appeared as if converted into snow, which fell in thick, tiny, starry flakes, till the buffalo robes and furs about us appeared like swansdown, and the harness on the horses of the same delicate material. Tbe whole earth was a white waste: the road, on which the sleigh-track was only just perceptible, ran for miles in a straight line; on each side rose the dark, melancholy pine-forest, slumbering drearily in the hazy air. Between us and the edge of the forest were frequent spaces of cleared or half cleared land, spotted over with the black charred stumps anti blasted trunks of once magnificent trees, projecting from the snowdrift. These, which are perpetually recurring objects in a Canadian landscape, have a most melancholy appearance. Sometimes wide openings occurred to the left, bringing us in sight of Lake Ontario, and even in some places down upon the edge of it : in this part of the lake the enormous body of the water and its incessant movement prevents it from freezing, and the dark waves rollea in, heavily plunging on the icy shore with a sullen booming sound. A few roods from the land, the cold gray waters, and the cold. gray, snow.encumbered atmosphere, were mingled with each other, and each seemed either. The only living thing I saw in a space of about twenty miles, was a magnificent bald-headed eagle, which, after sailing a few turns in advance of us, alighted on the topmast hough of a blasted pine, and slowly folding his great wide wings, looked down upon us as we glided beneath him.

We have left little room for the lighter or more miscellaneous matters in which these volumes profusely abound. We must be content with three extracts of this kind,—two on American manners; the other a sample ot Mrs. JAMESON'S better kind of personal reflection.

AMERICAN DRIVER.

One dark night, I remember,' as the sleet and rain were falling fast and our Extra was slowly dragged by wretched brutes of horses through what seemed to me " sloughs of despond," some package ill.stowed on the roof, which in the American stages ptesents no resting.place either for man or box, fell off. The driver alighted to fish it out of the mud. As there was some delay, a gentleman seated opposite to time put his head out of the window to inquire the cause ; to whom the driver's voice replied, in an angry tone, " I say, you mister, don't you sit jabbering there, but lend a hand to heave these things aboard !" To my surprise, the gentleman did not appear struck by the insolence of this IDRI1110119, but innuediately jumped out and lent his assistance. This is merely the manner of the people; the driver intended no insolence, nor was it taken as such, and my fellow travellers could not help laughing at my surprise.

LIBRARIAN AT DETROIT.

Wishing to borrow some hooks, to while away the long solitary hours in which I am obliged to rest, I asked for a circulating library, and was directed to the only one in tile place. I bad to ascend a steep staircase, so disgustingly dirty, that it was necessary to draw my drapery carefully round me to escape pollution. Ou entering a large room, unfurnished except with book-shelves, I found several meet sitting or rather sprawling upon the chairs, and reading the newspapers. The collection of books was small; but they were not of a common or vulgar description. I found some of the best modern publications in French and English. The man—gentleman, I should say, for all are gentlemen here—who stood behind the counter, neither moved his hat from Lie head, nor bowed on my entrance, nor showed any officious anxiety to serve or oblige; but, with this want of what ice English consider due courtesy, there was no deficiency of real civility—far from it. When I inquired on what terms I might have sonic books to read, this gentleman desired I would take any books I pleased, and not think about payment or deposit. I remonstrated, and represented that I was a stranger at an inn ; that my stay was uncertain, Sze. ; and the reply was, that from a lady and a stranger be could not think of receiving remuneration ; and then gave himself some trouble to look out the books I wished for, which I took away with me. He did not even ask the name of the hotel at which I Was staying; and when I returned the books, persisted in declining all payment from "a lady and a stranger." Whatever attention and politeness may be tendered tonic, in either character, as a lady or as a stranger, 1 atu alwat s glad to teeeive from any one, in any shape. In the present instance, I could indeed have dispensed with the form ; a pecuniary obligation, small or large, riot being much to my taste; but what Was meant for courtesy, I accepted courteously—and so the matter ended.

MATRIMONIAL INFELICITY.

In conversing with hien (the Bishop of Michigan) and the Missionaries on the spiritual and moral condition of his diocese, and these newly-settled regions in general, I learned many things which interested me very much ; and there was one thing discussed which especially surprised me. It was said that twothirds of the misery which came under the immediate notice of a popular clergyman, and to which he was called to minister, arose from the infelicity of the conjugal relations; there was no question here of open immorality and die. cord, but simply of infelicity and unfitness. The same thing has been brought before me in every country, every society in which I have been a sojourner and an obseiver ; but .I did not look to find it so broadly placed before me here in America, where the state of morals, as regards the two sexes, is comparatively pure ; where the marriages are early, where conditions are equal, where the means of subsistence are abundant, where the women are much petted and C011. sidered by the inen—too much so. For a result, then, so universal, there must be a cause or causes as universal, not depending on any particular customs, manners, or religion, or political institutions. And what are these causes ? Itlany things do puzale me in this strange world of ours—many things in which the new world and the old world are equally incomprehensible. I cannot understand why an evil everywhere acknualedged anti felt is not remedied somewhere, or discussed by some one, with a view to a remedy ; but no, it is like putting one's hand nato the ire only to touch upon it ; it is the universal bruise, the putrefying sore, on which ten must not lay a finger, or your patient (that is, society) cries out and roots; and, like a sick Why, scratches and kicks its physician. Strange, and passing strange, that the relation between the two sexes, the passion of love in short, should not be taken into deeper consideration by our teachers and our legislators. People educate mid legislate as if there was no such thing in the world; but ask the priest, ask the physician ; let them reveal the amount of moral and physical results from this one cause. Must love be always discussed in blank verse, as if it were a thing to be played in tragedies or sung in songs—a subject for pretty poems and wicked novels, and had nothing to do with the prosaic current of our every-day existence, our moral welfare and eternal salvation? Must love be ever treated with profaneness, as a mere illusion? or with coarseness, as a mere impulse? or with fear, as a mere disease? or with shame, as a mere weakness? or with levity, as a mere accident ? Whereas it is a great mystery and a great necessity, lying at the foundation of human existence, morality, and happiness; mysterious, universal, inevitable as death. Why then should love be treated lees seriously than death? It is ns serious a thing. Love and Death, the alpha and omega of human life, the author and finisher of existence, the two points on which God's universe turns— which He, our Father and Creator, has placed beyond our arbitration—beyond the reach of that election and free will which he has left us in all other things. Death must come, and Love must come—but the state in which they find us? whether blinded, astonished, and frightened, and ignorant, or, like reasonable creatures, guarded, prepared, and fit to manage our own feelings? this, I suppose, depends on ourselves : and for want of such self.mansgement and self. knowledge, look at the evils that ensue,—hasty, improvident, unsuitable mar. riages ; repining, diseased, or vicious celibacy ; irretrievable infamy ; curele.s insanity; the death that comes early and the love that comes late, reversing the primal laws of our nature.

The practical man connected with the Canadas, or the politician who may have had his attention excited by Governor ARTHUR'S span-new proclamation respecting the Church question, will do well to look at Mrs. JAMEsON.s book. It contains a clear, brief, and even elegant sketch of the history and facts of the subject, as well as of the conflicting views entertained by the three parties who move in it. We would have quoted it, but for its length, and to abridge it would in a measure mar its effect.