the more remarkable and
praiseworthy.

It is not unnatural perhaps that a man trained in English journalism and
having worked in every grade of it should esteem it highly. But allowing
all I can for personal prejudice and striving to look impartially upon
it and its rivals, I am compelled to think it far and away the best
in the world. In Australia the high traditions of the parent Press are
preserved, and among many strange and novel and perplexing signs one can
but gratefully and hopefully recognise the splendid enterprise and the
lofty sense of public obligation which guide the youngest school of
journalism in the world.

In one respect Australian journalism surpasses English. We have nothing
to show which will at all compare with the _Australasian_ or the
_Leader_; but it is easy to see that they and similar journals of other
cities (which are all worthy of the same high praise) are established
excellences to local conditions. These great weekly issues give all the
week's news and all the striking articles which have appeared in the
daily journals of which they are at once the growth and compendium.
They do much more than this, for they include whatever the gardener,
the agriculturist, the housewife, the lady of fashion, the searcher of
general literature, the chess-player, the squatter can most desire to
know. They provide for 'all sorts of tastes and needs, and between their
first sheet and their last, they render to their readers what we in
England buy half a score of special journals to secure. The reason for
their existence is simple. There is not population enough to support
the specialist as we know him at home, and an eager and enquiring people
will be served.

The first unescapable belief of the English traveller is that the
Australian is a transplanted Englishman pure and simple. A residence of
only a few months kills that notion outright. Many new characteristics
present themselves. To arrest one of the most noticeable--there is
perhaps no such pleasure-loving and pleasure-seeking people in the
world. I wish now I had thought of securing trustworthy statistics with
respect to the number of people who present themselves on the colonial
racecourses within the limit of a year. It would be interesting to know
what proportion of the population is given over to the breeding and
training of horseflesh and the riding of races. The Melbourne people
exult--and not unjustifiably--in the Melbourne Cup and on the