An Autumn Tour in the United States of Canada. By
Julius George Medley. (H. S. King.)—Our friends across the Atlantic ought to be thoroughly satisfied with such a traveller as Colonel Medley. They are not easy to please ; probably it is very hard to describe them, at least, in such a way as will give anything like a generally true impression. Colonel Medley gives us the idea of being of a very sensible, candid, dispassionate observer, inclined to liko what he saw, but always anxious to toll the whole truth. Some of his impressions are worth noting. Ho thought the Americans very taciturn. "There was but little conversa- tion, even amongst those acquainted with each other, and those who were unacquainted never spoke at all." They are not exuberantly hospitable ; letters of introduction were not uufrequently acknowledged by a card, and nothing more. "There is a tendency to gravity, or even melancholy," coming, thinks our author, from the want of an idle class, the value of which, as ho tells us, he there, for the first time, learnt to appreciate. Their newspapers are not to be compared with ours. "As to such papers as the Saturday Review or Spectator there are none like them in the States." Gratias, Colonel Medley, though we regret to find you adding, " they would not be appreciated if there were." He was strongly impressed with the "self-restraint and self-respect of the people," as well as with " their courtesy, generosity, and liberality." Everyone there is not looking out for a "tip." We must leave our readers, however, to find out for themselves what Colonel Medley's im- pressions were. And at the same time, we would commend to them some very sensible observations on the careers opened to the class of poor gentlemen by colonial life.
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