the hope that it would eventually prove the Terror. The surveying vessels employed in means of affording to all parties secular and those seas during that period came also in religious instruction of the highest kind. succession to Hobarton-namely, the Beagle, At Sir John's request, Dr. Arnold selected a Captain Wickham; the Pelorus, Captain favorite pupil, the Rev. John Philip Gell,* | Harding; the Rattlesnake, Captain Owen to take the direction of this institution; but Stanley; the Beagle (2d voyage,) Captain much opposition to the fundamental plan of Stokes; and the Fly, Captain Blackwood; the college was made by various religious all of whom, with the officers under them, bodies, and after Sir John left the colony received from the lieutenant-governor a the exclusive management of it was vested in brother sailor's welcome. Thus pleasantly the Church of England, with free admission occupied, the years allotted to a colonial to the members of other persuasions. In governorship drew towards a close, and Sir his time also the colony of Victoria was John contemplated with no common satisfacfounded by settlers from Tasmania; and tion the advancing strides of the colony in towards its close, transportation to New material prosperity; but he was not destined South Wales having been abolished, the con- to be spared one of those deep mortifications victs from every part of the British empire to which every one is exposed, however upwere sent to Tasmania. Up to the period right may be his conduct abroad, who is deof his quitting the government this concen- pendent for support and approval upon a tration had occasioned no material incon- chief at home that changes with every party venience, neither was there at that time any revolution. When Sir John was sent to organized opposition to it. On an increase Tasmania, England had not yet recognized to the lieutenant-governor's salary being as an established fact that the inhabitants voted by the colonial legislature, Sir John of a colony are better judges of their own declined to derive any advantage from it per- interests, and more able to manage their sonally, while he secured the augmentation own affairs, than bureaucracy in Downing to his successor. In 1838 he founded a sci-Street, with a constantly shifting head, ill entific society at Hobarton (now called the Royal Society "). Its papers were printed at his expense, and its meetings were held in Government House. He had also the gratification of erecting in South Australia, with the aid of the governor of that colony, a handsome granite obelisk, dedicated and. inscribed to the memory of his former commanding officer, Captain Flinders, to whose discoveries we owe our earliest knowledge of that part of the continent of Australia. It stands on a lofty hill, and serves as a landmark to sailors. A magnetic observatory, founded in 1840, at Hobarton, in connection with the head establishment under Colonel Sabine at Woolwich, was an object of constant personal interest to Sir John; and Tasmania being the appointed refitting station of several expeditions of discovery in the Antarctic regions, he enjoyed frequent opportunities of exercising the hospitality he delighted in, and of showing his ardor in promoting the interests of science whenever it lay in his power to do so. The lamented Dumont d'Urville commanded the French expedition, and Sir James Clark Ross the English one, consisting of the Erebus and *In later years he became Sir John's son-in-law, as mentioned above.

informed of the factious oligarchies that infest colonies, and of the ties that connect them with subordinate officials at home. Previous to leaving England, Sir John was advised, and indeed instructed, to consult the colonial secretary of Tasmania in all matters of public concern, as being a man of long experience, thoroughly acquainted with the the affairs of the colony; and he found on taking charge of his government, that this was a correct character of the officer next to himself in authority. Mr. Montagu was a man eminently skilful in the management of official matters, but he was also the acknowledged head of a party in the colony bound together by family ties, and possessing great local influence from the important and lucrative situations held by its members, and the extensive operations of a bank of which they had the chief control. Party struggles ran high in the legislative council, and the lieutenant-governor's position was one of great delicacy, while the difficulty of his situation was vastly augmented through the practice of the officials in Downing street of encouraging private communications on public measures from subordinate officers of the colony, and weighing them with the despatches of the lieutenant-governor.

For some years, by Sir John's prudent | charges he had made; nevertheless Lord conduct, the harmony of the colonial execu- Stanley refused to modify the terms he had tive was not interrupted; but at a later employed, or to make any concession calcuperiod the colonial secretary, having visited lated to soothe the wounded feeling of an England, returned to Tasmania with greater honorable and zealous officer. The arrival pretensions, and commenced a course of of a new lieutenant-governor, the late Sir independent action, ever hostile to his chief, John Eardley Wilmot, bringing with him subversive of the harmonious co-operation the first notice of his own appointment, and heretofore existing, and thus injurious to the consequently finding Sir John still in the interests of the colony, so that Sir John was colony, served to show more strongly than under the necessity of suspending this officer could otherwise have been done, the hold from his functions until the pleasure of Lord the latter had gained on the affections of the Stanley, then secretary of state for the colonists, and the verdict pronounced on colonies, was known. Mr. Montagu imme- Lord Stanley's dispatch by the people, to diately proceeded to England to state his whom all the merits of the case were most own case, and he did it with such effect that fully known. Sir John, after three months' Lord Stanley, while admitting that the longer residence at Hobarton as a private colonial secretary had acquired a local influ- individual, waiting for a passage to Engence which rendered “his restoration to his land, during which time he received adoffice highly inexpedient," penned a dis- dresses emanating from every district of the patch which is not unjustly characterized as colony, was attended to the place of ema consummate piece of special pleading for barkation by the most numerous assemblage Mr. Montagu, whom it absolves, while it of all classes of people which had ever been comments on the lieutenant-governor's pro- seen on those shores, the recently consecrated ceedings in a style exceedingly offensive to a Bishop of Tasmania * walking at their head, high-minded officer who had acted, as he con- along with the new colonial secretary, the ceived, with the strictest regard to the public late Mr. Bicheno, who for some months had interests. The extraordinary measure was acted in the greatest harmony with Sir John. also resorted to of instantly furnishing Mr. A local paper, after describing the scene in Montagu, then in attendance at Downing much detail, adds: "Thus departed from street, with a copy of this dispatch, so that among us as true and upright a governor as he was enabled to transmit it to Hobarton, ever the destinies of a British colony were where it was exposed in the Bank to public intrusted to." Years afterwards, when the inspection. At the same time there was enthusiasm of party feelings could have no circulated privately amongst the officers of share in their proceedings, the colonists the colonial government and others a journal showed their remembrance of his virtues in of his transactions with the lieutenant-gov- a more substantial manner, as will be menernor, and of his private communications with members of Franklin's family, which he had kept for years while on terms of close social intercourse with them. This volume having answered in England the purpose for which it was intended, was now exhibited in the colony as containing an account of the subjects in which he stated he had held conversations with Lord Stanley. All this took place before the lieutenant-governor received official information of Lord Stanley's decision. The recovery of a document which had lain secluded in an office in the colony enabled Sir John afterwards more fully to substantiate one of the most important

Lord Stanley's dispatch, September 13, 1842. Mr. Montagu was promoted to be colonial secretary at the Cape of Good Hope.

tioned below. Sir John, on receiving the secretary of state's dispatch, had tendered his resignation, but his successor was appointed before his lotter could reach England, though, as we have just said, his recall dispatch did not come to Tasmania till some days after Sir Eardley's arrival.

Owing to the fortunate rendezvous at Hobarton of the scientific expeditions and surveying ships above named, as well as many of her Majesty's vessels engaged in the ordinary service of those seas, the intrigues of the family faction and their supporters in the colony being matters of common discussion, became known to numbers of Sir John's brother officers, and a

*The erection of Tasmania into a see was promoted by Sir John's exertions and representations.

true estimate of the treatment he had re- Beechey Island, where they had remained as ceived from the colonial minister was formed late as April, 1846. Yet in spite of every by the profession to which he belonged. He exertion by the searching parties, no further found, therefore, on reaching England, that tidings were obtained until the spring of the confidence of the Admiralty in his integ- 1854, when Dr. Rae, then conducting an exrity and ability was undiminished, and this ploring party of the Hudson Bay Company, was speedily shown by his appointment in learnt from the Esquimaux that in 1850, 1845 to the command of an expedition, con-white men to the number of about forty, sisting of the Erebus and Terror, fitted out had been seen dragging a boat over the ice, for the further discovery of the northwest near the north shore of King William's passage. With an experienced second in Island, and that later in the same season, command, Captain Crozier, trained under but before the breaking up of the ice, the Parry and James Ross from 1821 in the bodies of the whole party were found by the navigation of icy seas, a select body of natives on a point lying at a short distance officers chosen for their talent and energy, to the north-west of Back's Great Fish and excellent crews, in ships as strong as art River, where they had perished from the could make them, and well furnished, Frank- united effects of cold and famine. These lin sailed from England for the last time on unfortunate men were identified as the remthe 26th of May, 1845. He was last seen nant of the crews of the Erebus and Terror, by a whaler on the 26th of July, in Baffin's by numerous articles which the Esquimaux Bay, at which time the expedition was pro- had picked up at the place where they perceeding prosperously. Letters written by ished, many of which Dr. Rae purchased from him a few days previously to that date were that people and brought to England. Point couched in language of cheerful anticipation Ogle is supposed by this gentleman to be the of success, while those received from his spot where the bodies lie; and this summer officers expressed their admiration of the (1855) Mr. Anderson of the Hudson Bay seamanlike qualities of their commander, Company, started from Great Slave Lake to and the happiness they had in serving under examine the locality, pay the last tribute of him. In the autumn of 1847, public anxiety respect to the dead, and collect any written began to be manifested for the safety of the papers that might remain there, or books discoverers, of whom nothing had been and journals said to be in the hands of the heard; and searching expedition after ex- Esquimaux. By considering the direction in pedition dispatched in quest of them in which the party that perished were travel1848, and the succeeding years down to ling when seen by the natives, and the small 1854, regardless of cost or hazard, redound district that remains unexplored, we must to the lasting credit of England. In this come to the conclusion that the ships were pious undertaking Sir John's heroic wife beset between the 70th and 72d parallels of took the lead. Her exertions were un- latitude, and near the 100th meridian. wearied, she exhausted her private funds in entrances from the north may exist to this sending out auxiliary vessels to quarters not part of the sea, one along the west coast of comprised in the public search, and by her North Somerset and Boothia, which is an pathetic appeals she roused the sympathy of almost certain one; and the other which is the whole civilized world. France sent her more conjectural, may occupy the short unBellot; the United States of America replied explored space between Captain Sherard Osto her calls by manning two searching ex-born's and Lieutenant Wynniatt's extreme peditions, the expenses of which were borne points. To approach this last strait, if it by Mr. Grinnell, a wealthy private citizen of actually exists, Cape Walker would be left great humanity and liberality; and the in- on the eastern side of the passing ships. It habitants of Tasmania subscribed £1,700, is a singular and most melancholy fact, that which they transmitted to Lady Franklin, as their contribution towards the expense of the search.

In August, 1850, traces of the missing ships were discovered, and it was ascertained that their first winter had been spent behind

Two

the very limited district of the Arctic Sea thus indicated, and which was specially adverted to in the original plan of search, is almost the only spot that has defied the exertions of the skilful and persevering officers who have attempted to explore it. Sir

James Ross failed in reaching it; it inter-west possage, even then animated their emavenes between the extremes of the long and ciated frames, and it is certain that they laborious journeys made by Captain Sherard did solve it, though none of them lived to Osborn and Lieutenant Wynniatt. Dr. claim the grateful applause of their countryRae's two attempts to enter it were frus- men. Later in point of time, and in a trated by the state of the ice and other cir- higher latitude, Sir Robert M'Clure also, cumstances, and Captain Collinson was also filled up a narrow gap between previous disstopped short on its southern side by the coveries, and so traced out the north-west want of fuel. Lady Franklin had sent out passage by travelling over ice that has in the the Prince Albert for the express purpose of five several years in which it has been atsearching this quarter, but Mr. Kennedy tempted, proved to be a barrier to ships. If unfortunately instead of adhering to the let-ever in the pursuit of whales, or for conter of instructions, trusted to a distant view veyance of minerals, commercial enterprise of the passage from the north, which seemed endeavors to force a north-west passage by to him to be closed, and turning to the west, made his memorable winter journey through a space, which, though he was ignorant of the fact at the time, had been previously examined.

steam, the southern route, whose last link was forged by Franklin's party with their lives, will undoubtedly be chosen. And it is to be deeply regretted that the parliamentary committee in recommending the grant of public money to Sir Robert M'Clure, which his courage and enterprise so well deserved, should have omitted to mention the the prior discovery made by the crews of the Erebus and Terror.*

This sketch of Sir John Franklin's character and public services has been written by one who served long under his command, who during upwards of twenty-five years of close intimacy had his entire confidence, and in times of great difficulty and distress, when all conventional disguise was out of the question, beheld his calmness and unaffected piety. If it has in some passages assumed the appearance of eulogy, it has done so not for the purpose of unduly exalting its subject, but from a firm conviction of the truth On the other hand, the

With the utmost economy in its use, fuel would soon become precious on board the Erebus and Terror; and it is probable that after three years one of the ships would be broken up to furnish this essential article. Provisions could not last longer without placing the crews on short allowance, and to do so in that climate, subjected them to sure and destructive attacks of scurvy. Fish and venison, it is true, might be procured in quantities sufficient to modify these conclusions, but not to a great extent: and, beyond all question, the numbers of the intrepid sailors who left England in such health and spirits in 1845, had waned sadly by the close of the season for operations in 1849. The forty men seen by the natives early in 1850, were doubtless the only sur- of the statements. vivors at that date. Franklin, had he lived writer has abstained, in the only sentences in till then, would have been sixty-four years which it was necessary to speak of oppoold, but no one of that age was in the num-nents, from saying a single word more of ber seen by the natives. Had he been then their conduct or motives than strict justice in existence, he would have taken another to Franklin's memory demanded. Franklin route on the abandonment of his ship, as no himself was singularly devoid of any vindicone knows better than he the fatal result of tive feeling. While he defended his own an attempt to cross that wide expanse of honor, he would have delighted in showing frozen ground lying between the mouth of any kindness in his power to his bitterest the Great Fish River and the far distant foe; and in emulation of that spirit the Hudson Bay post on the south side of Great preceding pages have been penned. Slave Lake. Who can conjecture the reason *Spars and pieces of rail recognized as having that turned the steps of the weary wanderers belonged to the Erebus and Terror were picked up in that direction? Perhaps the desire of by Captain Collinson near his wintering place in Cambridge Bay, and are sufficient evidence of solving that long-sought problem of a north-currents setting in that direction, through a pas

sage incumbered doubtless with drift ice.

From The Examiner. times to burn boots or a hearth-rug, cut up The Life of Charlotte Bronte, Author of a silk dress, saw the backs from chairs, or "Jane Eyre," "Shirley,' ""Villette," &c. give vent to his feelings by rapidly firing By E. C. Gaskell, Author of "Mary pistols out of his back door. Here is a Barton,' "Ruth," &c. Two vols. touching picture of the silent little girls in

Smith, Elder, and Co.

THE author of " Jane Eyre," born fortyone years ago, upon the 21st of April, was the third child and third daughter of a clergyman in Yorkshire, and her home till her death, on the 31st of March two years ago, was with her father, at the upper end of a wild hill village, in a house surrounded on three sides by a full churchyard, with steep village street below it and bleak moor above. She was one of six children born within seven years, among whom one only, Patrick Branwell, was a boy. The very recent date of a large part of the story of

their first years at home:

"From their first going to Haworth, their walks were directed rather out towards the heathery moors, sloping upwards behind the parsonage, than towards the long descending village street. A good old woman, who came to nurse Mrs. Bronte in the illness-an internal cancer—which grew and gathered upon her, not many months after her arrival at Haworth, tells me that at that time the six little creatures used to walk out, hand in hand, towards the glorious wild moors which in after days they loved so passionately; the elder ones taking thoughtful care for the toddling wee things.

• You

"They were grave and silent beyond their Miss Bronte's life, with the fact that her years; subdued, probably, by the presence father is still living, an old man whose of serious illness in the house; for, at the children are all dead,—may have acted in time which my informant speaks of, Mrs. two ways prejudicially on Mrs. Gaskell's Bronte was confined to the bed-room from book. It may have obliged her to leave which she never came forth alive. much truth essential to the right perception would not have known there was a child in of the life described to be inferred rather the house, they were such still, noiseless, good little creatures. Maria would shut than absolutely learnt from her recital, and herself up' (Maria, but seven!) in the it may have in some respects caused the children's study with a newspaper, and be quick feelings of friendship to be too strong able to tell one every thing when she came for the admission side by side with them of out; debates in parliament, and I don't any criticism which it would pain the friend, recently departed, to read were she now living. For these reasons it may be that a peculiar character belongs to the biography. We have to read between the lines. Though it proceeds from a writer very shrewd and sound of wit, yet inasmuch as it discusses sick minds almost without admitting that they are unsound, it is itself likely to be regarded by the inconsiderate as an unhealthy book.

The sorrow of the lives of the Brontes was not any hard dealing that they suffered from the world, but their own want of health, mental and bodily. From their mother they seem all to have inherited a tendency to bodily disease-she died of an internal cancer in September 1821;-and from their father they inherited unwholesome minds. Their father, even before their mother's death, dined and walked always alone. He did not like to be disturbed by

his children, therefore banished them when little ones out of his study. He had crotchets and humors which caused him at

know what all. She was as good as a

I

mother to her sisters and brother. But used to think them spiritless, they were so there never were such good children. different to any children I had ever seen. In part, I set it down to a fancy Mr. Bronte had of not letting them have flesh-meat to eat. It was from no wish for saving, for there was plenty and even waste in the house, with young servants and no mistress to see after them; but he thought that children should be brought up simply and hardily so they had nothing but potatoes for their dinner; but they never seemed to wish for any thing else; they were good little creatures. Emily was the prettiest.'

"Mrs. Bronte was the same patient, cheerful person as we have seen her formerly; very ill, suffering great pain, but seldom if ever complaining; at her better times beg ging her nurse to raise her in bed to let her see her clean the grate, because she did it as it was done in Cornwall;' devotedly fond of her husband, who warmly repaid take the night-nursing; but, according to her affection, and suffered no one else to my informant, the mother was not very anxious to see much of her children, probably because the sight of them, knowing how