secures
in his more chastened mode of utterance an exact reproduction none the
less injurious because divested of grossness.

Of this special phase of self-manifestation a typical instance is
afforded at page 164, under the heading of "Dominica," in a passage
which at once embraces and accentuates the whole spirit and method of
the work. To a eulogium of the professional skill and successful [30]
agricultural enterprise of Dr. Nichol, a medical officer of that
Colony, with whom he became acquainted for the first time during his
short stay there, our author travels out of his way to tack on a
gratuitous and pointless sneer at the educational competency of all the
elected members of the island legislature, among whom, he tells us, the
worthy doctor had often tried in vain to obtain a place. His want of
success, our author informs his readers, was brought about through Dr.
Nichol "being the only man in the Colony of superior attainments."
Persons acquainted with the stormy politics of that lovely little
island do not require to be informed that the bitterest animosity had
for years been raging between Dr. Nichol and some of the elected
members-a fact which our author chose characteristically to regard as
justifying an onslaught by himself on the whole of that section of
which the foes of his new friend formed a prominent part.

Swayed by the above specified motives, our author also manages to see
much that is, and always has been, invisible to mortal eye, and to fail
to hear what is audible to and remarked upon by every other observer.

[31] Thus we find him (p. 56) describing the Grenada Carenage as being
surrounded by forest trees, causing its waters to present a violet
tint; whilst every one familiar with that locality knows that there are
no forest trees within two miles of the object which they are so
ingeniously made to colour. Again, and aptly illustrating the
influence of his prejudices on his sense of hearing, we will notice
somewhat more in detail the following assertion respecting the speech
of the gentry of Barbados:--

"The language of the Anglo-Barbadians was pure English, the voices
without the smallest transatlantic intonation."

Now it so happens that no Barbadian born and bred, be he gentle or
simple, can, on opening his lips, avoid the fate of Peter of Galilee
when skulking from the peril of a detected nationality: "Thy speech
bewrayeth thee!" It would, however, be prudent on this point to take