enter the Garrison without a permit from the officers. Daily the Tattoo and Reveillé are sounded. On the firing of the sunset gun the gates are closed; and you are not permitted to pass out or in, till the same signal is repeated in the morning, when the gates are again thrown open. Every evening too, a skilful band of musicians assemble on the King's Bastion, where while witnessing the review of troops, you are entertained by the most inspiriting and martial airs.

The soldiers of the Garrison are under the finest discipline. They are usually good looking men-well and neatly dressed, and theirarms and accoutrements are apparently in the best order. I was particularly struck with the fact that their countenances usually bore decisive marks of temperate and regular habits, and of fine health. Indeed the danger of their becoming intemperate is taken away by the condition on which every retailer of liquors obtains his licence, namely, that he will not deal out ardent spirits to any of the common soldiery. Many of the soldiers are Irish and Scotch; and some of the officers furnish very favourable specimens of their respective countries, as well as of military life.

The liberty of the press is here much restricted. The editor of the "Gibraltar Chronicle"-a weekly newspaper, and the only one published in the place,-selects and puts in type about three times the quantity of matter necessary for the paper. The first proof of this he sends to the Lt. Governor, who by his Civil Secretary declares what part he is willing to have published; and from this the editor makes out his paper. No anti-ministerial selections from the English papers are ever allowed; and nothing at which the Spaniards or the inhabitants of Barbary can take umbrage. The Lt. Governor assigns as his reason, in the first case, that a Garrison has nothing to do with politics: and in the second, that by offending his neighbours, the supplies for the market of the garrison

might be materially injured and perhaps entirely cut off.

The expence of living in Gibraltar is enormous. It is universally admitted that it exceeds in this particular any place of its size in Europe. The reason of it is explained by a recurrence to the fact that all their provisions come from abroad,—their butter from Ireland-their cheese from Holland-their potatoes from the Isle of Jersey-their flour mostly from America their meat from Spaintheir vegetables from Barbary, &c.Rents are very high, in as much as the ground for building is, from the situation of the place, limited. In an ordinary Hotel one is obliged to pay for the bed alone, and that none of the best at the rate of sev enty-five cents the night, and for eve ry thing else in the same ratio.

In a commercial point of view, Gibraltar is of the very first impor tance. It is the key to the Mediterranean, and of course will always command the trade of the parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, that lie on its shores. It has also decisive advantages for an extensive intercourse with Spain, particularly with the southern and eastern parts of the peninsula. At this very time immense quantities of goods are smuggled into that country from the Garrison. This business furnishes regular employ to a large number of small vessels, many of which are always to be seen lying in the Bay-prepared to sail, row, or fight, as occasion may require. Gibraltar derives additional importance from its being a convenient stopping place for Indiamen: they often run in, to get specie for China, to exchange their cargoes, or to replenish their stores.

The principal street, in which much of the business is done, is Water Port or Main Street. This with two other streets runs along the side of the Rock from North to South; and these are crossed by a number of smaller lateral ones. The houses are nearly all stone plastered over and painted yellow, slate or choco

late colour. The streets are remarkably clean being swept every morning by the soldiers, and the refuse carried out to the Neutral Ground, where it is burnt.

There are here no docks or wharfs extending out to such a depth of water, that the shipping can lie in safety along side of them. But all vessels are obliged to anchor out in the Bay. Here they are usually without danger from any other wind, than the South West. A gale from this quarter of ten produces a very heavy sea, and vessels are driven ashore on the Neutral Ground, and sometimes greatly injured. To avoid being damaged, they are not unfrequently obliged to slip their cables and put to sea.

All the cargoes of vessels are landed on a small spot of only a few hundred feet in area, called the Old Mole; from this place also, every thing is taken which is put on board the ships lying in the Bay. Hence it is, as you may well suppose, a place of much bustle. To say nothing of mules and carts, here are boatmen, merchants, porters, supercargoes, and sailors of every nation jostling and tumbling around in direful confusion; each with all his might, Babellike, jabbering away in his own language.

Vessels are often detained here a long time, both when going out and up the Straits. This is owing to the fact that the wind, drawing through the straits with great force, is always directly up or down, that is, directly East or West. When the wind is from the east and very moderate, vessels can generally, though with difficulty, come in the straits, since they have always a strong current in their favour. But when the wind is from the west and at all fresh; it is next to impossible for vessels, being any where between Cape De Gatte and Cape Spartel, to get out to the main Ocean, since the wind and current are then both dead ahead. instance occurred just before I was at Gibraltar, of several vessels being on this account detained there, more

An

ish vessel (Santissima Trinidada) taken by Lord Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar. Further still to the south on a column of considerable height (standing upon a pedestal,) is a marble Bust of Wellington. On the column is a brass breastplate; suspended by a leathern belt, upon which are recounted the exploits of the hero.

The weather at Gibraltar is temperate, both in winter and summer. The thermometer ranges from 53° to 86°; these have been the greatest extremes within the last fourteen years. This we learnt from inspecting a meteorological table in the Commercial Library.

While at Gibraltar, Mr. D.— and myself made a little excursion into Andalusia, the Southern province of Spain. In passing the lines we had considerable difficulty in getting a passport, attended with not a little amusement. The Spaniards are always very apprehensive lest they should become infected with contagion. Accordingly my friend and myself were in due form smoked for the plague. After that, we were permitted to pass on without molestation. On the way to San Roqué are three monuments overhung by crosses, denoting that persons have been murdered there, and inviting the passing traveller to pray for them. The road to San Roqué is now becoming very Fine through the instrumentality of General Don, who has caused it to be thus perfected by sending the soldiers of the Garrison to labour on it. The view of San Roqué and the surrounding country from Gibraltar was delightful; but when we entered the town, we were surprised to find the streets possessed of so little neatness. The same is said to be the case with most Spanish towns. Their beauty when viewed at a distance is to a great extent owing to the pleasing contrast between the uniform whiteness of the houses and the rich verdure of the surrounding country. A visit to San Roqué is much relished by the inhabitants of the Garrison, because there is no other place, to

which they can go. Consequently at all times of day, the road is thronged by parties of pleasure in carriages and on ponies, as well as by marketers with their mules and donkies. In San Roqué one has characteristic specimens of the Spanish manners, dress, gait and mode of life. We could not but smile when we recognized in the basins of the barbers (who, by the way, draw teeth and bleed, as well as shave,) what we at once pronounced to be exact fact-similes of "Membrino's helmet." It is said that further in the interior of Spain, there are still many things, precisely such as the author of Don Quixote describes them to have been in his day. The Spanish Inns are better than I expected to find them; yet I cannot say they are conspicuous for their neatness. The stable is usually on the lower floor, sometimes directly under the dining room.

While at San Roqué, we visited the Spanish Church, a very spacious edifice, furnished in the true Catholic style, containing many splendid ornaments, with large images of the saints, and of our Saviour under the different circumstances of his mediation.

To the Editor of the Christian Spectator.

SIR,

It is to be lamented, that, notwithstanding the improvements which have lately been introduced into our country, the method of liberal education is still so defective. The reading of the classics, in our schools and colleges, is too often confined to a bare interpretation of the words of the author. The student opens his dictionary and learns the meaning of the sublimest passages in broken pieces. Very little is done towards making him understand the beauties of the book he reads. He goes, as our great Dramatist expresses it, to a feast of languages and steals all the scraps. Such a method of instruc