1826 the artist removed to Hampstead Hill; and in 1830, to Bayswater. No sooner at the latter place, than he took it into his head to study skittle-playing at Wales's gardens; the result of which was one of his most successful paintings illustrative of that rural English game. In 1836, the artist repaired with his wife and family to Italy; and it was when at Sorrento, after a long day's sketching, that he was seized with shivering and sickness, which illness laid the seeds of that fatal complaint of the heart, under which he sank in 1847, not, however, until after he had endeavoured to rally his constitution by the braci ir and stirring life of Northern Scotland and the Shetland Islands.

Collins's life had undoubtedly its vicissitudes, such as are common to humanity, but, taking it all in all, he had his fair share of enjoyments and triumphs. The pecuniary difficulties of his youth were got over with rare perseverance and energy; his domestic happiness was almost unchequered; he travelled much, and with successful purpose; and the friendships of the meridian of his life, chosen with taste and discretion, lasted till the close. The last moments of this great and good man were as touching as every little incident in his career.

As a painter, Mr. Collins was undoubtedly original. in his geniushis style was wholly and entirely his own-the offspring of a mind working out its genuine conceptions from Nature, and producing works that occupy their own separate position among the original contributions of our countrymen to Art. His works display him as a painter of the coast and cottage life and scenery of England; of the people and landscape of Italy; of Scripture subjects; and of portraits. Notwithstanding the success that attended the efforts of his pencil when diffused over so wide a field of art, we still side with those who regretted that he should ever have relinquished his first popular and national range of subjects for the study of Raphael and Michael Angelo, and the ambition to produce scriptural paintings. His son and biographer himself acknowledges that it will be by those productions by which he first won his reputation, that he will in future years be longest recollected and best known.

His representation of the coast, and cottage life, and scenery of his native land, were formed in their very nature to appeal to the liveliest sympathies of his countrymen, were associated in the public mind with the longest series of successes in the art, and, as most directly and universally connected with his name, must be ranked-however excelled in actual pictorial value by his works on other subjects-as first in asserting his claim to be remembered as one of the eminent painters of the eminent English school.

We have, indeed, reason to be proud of the name, and upon reading this biography, we feel proud of the man who bore it.

The first picture sold by Collins was in 1807, A Study from Nature on the Thames;" and it fetched four guineas. One of his pictures sold in the last year of his labours, "Early Morning," fetched 400 guineas. The catalogue of his performances contain an account of pictures sold to the amount of some 23,000l. or 24,000, which is not a bad example of the encouragement of our native school when there are merit and genius to deserve it.

NOTES ON MEN AND THINGS IN THE NEW WORLD OF AUSTRALIA.

A second "New World" is fast arising into importance-the British plantations in Australia; whose early story is adorned by no romantic adventures like those of a Raleigh, nor dignified by the pious patriotism of another race of Pilgrim Fathers, but which were simply discovered seventy years ago by stout old Captain Cook, of the Royal Navy, and were until very recently stigmatised as "Botany Bay." Yet they now occupy no mean position in the politics and commerce of the Mother Country. I am, therefore, led to think that a few pages of the New Monthly devoted to some account of those settlements may find favour and acceptance. It must be understood that I propose not to impose upon my readers, one of those very useful narrations, by which the trade, the population, and the morals of British Colonies are arithmetically developed, to the complete satisfaction of the commercial or religious statist. Nor do I aim at the historical or the geographical, the botanical or the geological; but leaving those severer topics to other pens, be it mine to offer the mere impressions of the tourist on men and manners, and only so much of external nature as may form the scene whereon they are to be exhibited. Briefly, I would endeavour to show what sort of places those Australian Colonies are.

And yet I must crave indulgence for one preliminary flourish! I must take the liberty to say that the rising condition of the Australian Colonies should be a subject of high interest to the mind of every reflecting Englishman. To see the foundation of one nation more of his countrymen laid in the remotest quarter of the globe-the Terra Incognita of our grandfathers-where, but scarcely sixty years ago, the only inhabitants were a few thinly scattered tribes of savages, whose condition almost sanctioned the philosophy of the connecting link between man and brute to see, in such a quarter, the literature, the arts, the religion, the love of rational liberty of the English nation, taking vital root, and thus spreading to the uttermost parts of the earth the name and fame of that insular people, should be an animating contemplation to every Englishman not insensible to patriotic emotions, or not indifferent to the future happiness and welfare of the human race.

It is in the populous and handsome town of Sydney, which, from the convict encampment of 1788, the capital of Australia has now become, that the stranger is most struck with wonder at the rapidity with which the Australian settlements have reached their present advanced condition. Harbours thronged with shipping from England, India, the islands of the Pacific, and North and South America, indicate a large amount of external traffic; while numerous coasters and steam-vessels bespeak the extent to which trade and personal intercourse are carried on between Sydney and other colonial ports.

In the town itself, notwithstanding that the larger portion of the existing edifices have, as I understand, been built within the last eighteen years, there is little to strike the spectator with the extreme modernness

of the world around him. Long lines of well-built private residences; numerous and elegantly fitted-up shops-resplendent at night with plateglass and gas; extensive warehouses and commodious wharves; cathedrals, churches, chapels, and meeting-houses; club-houses and theatres ; busy crowds in the streets, and carriages and vehicles of all descriptions, give to this metropolis of the south all the appearance of a town of

centuries.

The harbour of Port Jackson, on the southern shore of which the capital of New South Wales is situated, is one of the finest in the world. It is not the embouchure of any thing worthy the name of a river, but is a large inlet of the sea. It has a bold entrance between lofty cliffs of freestone, of about a mile in width; and once in, and turning to your left, you suddenly find yourself, from the heaving swell of the Pacific, in one of the most perfectly land-locked harbours that can be conceived. It extends about twenty miles inland, and for some fourteen miles (not pretending to speak with the accuracy of an hydrographer) there is anchorage for vessels of considerable burthen. It branches off, right and left, through nearly its whole length, into a succession of coves or natural docks, affording accommodation for shipping unequalled in any other harbour not improved by artificial means. From the indentations in the land formed by these coves, and the numerous handsome country mansions which are now seen on the more moderately elevated hills around, the scenery of Port Jackson is rendered highly picturesque. It is scenery of its own kind, however. The land all around rises into rocky eminences of considerable elevation, which, even so near to the capital, have forbidden very extensive cultivation or "clearing ;" and you thus see handsome modern edifices, immediately surrounded with a few acres of plantation or garden ground, but otherwise in the midst of the primeval "bush" of the country.

It is on four of the promontories abutting into the main harbour, and forming the sides of different coves-" Sydney Cove" being one-that a great portion of the town and suburbs may be said to stand. The most thickly populated parts are west and south of Sydney Cove; spreading thence into the main land. As the town extends into suburbs, it becomes straggling, and begins to assume more of the characteristics of a new place.

Under the head of Public Buildings, we may note that Sydney has five churches belonging to the Church of England, two of them very fine edifices; a couple of spacious Presbyterian churches; and several large Wesleyan chapels, including a stupendous fabric with a Greek portico, raised in commemoration of the recent Wesleyan Centenary. There are also several Protestant dissenting places of worship, one very elegant building, belonging to the Congregationalists, being capable of accommodating 1500 people; while the Catholics have a large and somewhat imposing Gothic cathedral, with campanile detached, and a large group of collegiate buildings contiguous-all thrown together with an evident design to give a Catholic and mediæval air to the ensemble. The Catholics have another large church just completed, in a more florid style of Gothic architecture. I should mention that there is an incomplete English cathedral, which promises, some day or other, to be a very fine structure. There is a large court-house, and a criminal sessions-house;

barracks (old and new) extensive enough for several thousands of men ; a large "Government House," a handsome castellated pile of buildings, recently constructed; and various other public edifices belonging either to the Government or societies, but which do not claim particular notice. Sydney is built over a great bed of free-stone, which has afforded excellent building material; and both the public and private buildings being chiefly constructed of it constitutes one of the features of the

town.

These things premised, with a population of nearly 50,000, and the reader has some data out of which his fancy may construct the existing city of Sydney, New South Wales.

And a busy, bustling, debating, gossiping, go-a-head city it is. I think (when, after being a year or two away, one can better appreciate the general effect which, in a social point of view, the place leaves on the mind) I may safely depose to Sydney being the most self-satisfied town in her Majesty's dominions! I am persuaded it conceives that the eyes of all Europe are constantly occupied with its concerns. This leaves plenty to admire,much to be extolled; and perhaps this very inflation may be diagnostic of its meritorious qualities ;-but so the fact is.

In approaching Sydney, which is seven or eight miles from "the Heads," and sailing up the broad harbour, the chances are, if the day is fine, that you meet fleets of pleasure boats, for the Sydney gentry are much given to aquatics, led thereto by the beauty of the harbour and the genial climate. The anniversary of the foundation of the colony is always kept as a great fête, and for many years the Sydney "Regatta" has formed the most prominent of the festive ceremonies of the day. Then there is a great turn out of small craft, some of which approach the dignity of yachts, and the whole place is seized with a nautical fever. Loud and confident are the predictions that New South Wales will hereafter be a maritime power, and that her sons will make a gallant race of seamen.

Nearing the town you see the turrets of Government House on one side of Sydney Cove, and lofty stone buildings rising step by step over each other on the opposite side, all reflected with a cloudless blue sky in the still water of the cove. Then you will, likely, see two gallant frigates reposing after the buffeting and wear and tear of a long sea voyage; one shall be English, the other French; for the French, for some wise purpose of their own, have for years had a fancy for keeping a greatly disproportionate naval force in these seas, which we all know they can ill afford. That large 1000 ton ship is just bound for New Zealand, chartered to convey there a regiment of soldiers to fight against the Maories, for we have our expensive hobbies as well as the French.

Within the last few years New South Wales has had its representative assembly-called here the "Legislative Council," whereas that designation, in other colonies furnished with representative legislatures, has been allotted to the Upper Chamber. But in New South Wales, our Solons of Downing Street determined that their first constitutional experiment should consist of but a single chamber-a house of peers and a house of commons rolled into one. The rumour, however, goes that all this is to be changed next year, and the plan of two chambers reverted to.

But this free legislature has given a great character to Sydney. It has now its regular legislative season, when members come to town, and

the newspapers are filled with debates, and the accidents are postponed until after the prorogation. Let us enter the chamber. Here we have a goodly room-say eighty feet by thirty-a miniature house of commons. There are the members' seats on either side, a table along the centre, the speaker's chair in its due place, and on one side, becomingly elevated and decorated, the vice-regal throne. The exact position of this latter commodity was matter of grave deliberation. It was thought not proper that his excellency should intrude upon Mr. Speaker's exclusive domain, and yet he must be the chief personage present when addressing the conscript fathers of Australia. After much subtle disquisition on the subject, the arrangement I have mentioned was carried into effect, and no abatement of dignity considered to be experienced in any quarter. Then there is the Reporters' Gallery, behind the chair, in which you see the Gentlemen of the Press, and the Strangers' gallery at the opposite end, all according to precedent.

The "house" took to business very kindly. Its members displayed uncommon diligence in their new functions; and, it must be owned, very considerable ability too. According to temperament or interest they divided, some on the ministerial, some on the opposition side of the house. The government members spoke with customary caution-the opposition, less responsible, giving a fuller swing to their patriotism. I was amused, happening to be present a few days after the new legislature had been first started, at the rather evident effort to use parliamentary phraseology without effort, as though it should seem they had been accustomed to it all their lives.

Sydney was also made into a corporate town five or six years ago; and now glories in the true old English "Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council." I believe the institution has not quite answered expectation; the day being perhaps gone for such a cumbersome machinery to be now for the first time called into existence. It has served the purpose, however, for good or evil, of creating a class of civic dignitaries, the Sydney tradesmen being in nowise indisposed to the style of alderThe right worshipful the Mayor, indeed, besides a certain place and precedence given to him on all public occasions, has assumed a skyblue gown, lined with ermine; so the Mayor is a very considerable perThe aldermen are merely distinguishable by "peculiar coats" not unlike those described as decorating the persons of members of the Pickwick Club. But why note these trifles? They are an index of one great peculiarity in the colonies-the avidity with which any extra-personal distinction is grasped at; a point I doubt not I shall have occasion

man.

sonage.

to revert to.

Let us take a turn into the Court House. It is the first day of Term. There is a full muster of gentlemen of the bar, all wigged and gowned. In come the three judges, in full judicial costume-the bar rise, the judges bow, and there is the Supreme Court in banco. And there, I promise you, you shall hear as clever mystification, I had almost said, as in Westminster Hall.

The "domain" is the Hyde Park of Sydney. It is a very beautifully laid out place, occupying a promontory which runs into Port Jackson, and some considerable ground behind. Here play the regimental bands, and the fashion of Sydney exhibits itself. A goodly number of equi