t the views of his predecessor, or
whether he will upset everything that has been done in the past five
years; all is uncertainty. The only thing known positively is, that,
good or bad, he will pocket seven thousand a year![1]

His term of government will be chequered by many disappointments to the
public, and, if he has any feeling at all, by many heartburnings to
himself. Physically incapable of much exertion, he will be unable to
travel over so wild a country as Ceylon. A good governor in a little
island may be a very bad governor in a large island, as a good
cab-driver might make a bad four-in hand man; thus our old governor
would have no practical knowledge of the country, but would depend upon
prejudiced accounts for his information. Thus he would never arrive at
any correct information; he would receive all testimony with doubt,
considering that each had some personal motive in offering advice, and
one tongue would thus nullify the other until he should at length come
to the conclusion of David in his haste, "that all men are liars," and
turn a deaf ear to all. This would enable him to pass the rest of his
term without any active blunders, and he might vary the passive
monotony of his existence by a system of contradiction to all advice
gratis. A little careful pruning of expenses during the last two years
of his term might give a semblance of increase of revenue over
expenditure, to gain a smile from the Colonial Office. On his return
the colony would be left with neglected roads, consequent upon the
withdrawal of the necessary funds.

This incubus at length removed from the colony, may be succeeded by a
governor of the first class.

He arrives; finds everything radically wrong; the great arteries of the
country (the roads) in disorder; a large outlay required to repair
them. Thus his first necessary act begins by an outlay at a time when
all outlay is considered equivalent to crime. This gains him a frown
from the Colonial Office. Conscious of right, however, he steers his
own course; he travels over the whole country, views its features
personally, judges of its requirements and resources, gathers advice
from capable persons, forms his own opinion, and acts accordingly.

We will allow two years of indefatigable research to have passed over
our model governor; by that time, and not before, he may have become
thoroughly conversant with the colony in all its bearings. He has
comprehended the vast na