portraiture of the rapid early progress of the infant settlement is reality itself; and its forecast, though extremely hyperbolical, has been verified to a marvellous degree, and would astound the writer, were he n o w alive. A s a literary curiosity here it is :—
MELBOURNE. Melbourne ! Unclassic, anti-native name ! A n d yet, as by Magician's spell up-sprung, Thee have I chosen, subjectfitfor song. N o antique relics, pyramids sublime M a y be thine to boast. But w h o thy hist'ry K n o w s ? Whether primal city, embattled Tower, or imperial throne on which have Sate tyrant Czars, a long succession, the Muse informs m e not. N o seer a m I, nor Doth m y vision scan time past ; sufficient 'Tis the present to describe. Then aid m e Austral Muse, if such exist. T h e swarthy Tribe appear'd, remov'd, or with force of arms, Into the interior driven back ; (For power, the law of right, too oft o'ercomes) A savage to a civil race gives way. Atfirst,selected, is large patch of land Deem'd suitable, and for water standing Well. A weather-boarded hut is rear'd, or O n e of turf; shingled or thatched, not to rain Or penetrating winds impervious, Or against the sweeping storm secure ; round It the electric fluid fork'd or sheet Is seen terrific ; while above is heard Of thunder loud, peal after peal : Meantime T h e lonely hut shakes at its very base, If base it m a y be nam'd. T h e affrighted Inmates now, their isolated thoughts, in Turn express and other neighbours wish. They Wish not long. M a n must not dwell alone. So H u t unites to hut, to acre, acre. A site thus fixed, a town is plan'd ; the streets At angles right are then divided off, A n d Anglicised. T h e whole a Statesman's n a m e They give, and call it Melbourne. It's fame n o w Sounded far ; emigration's tide rolls in, A n d population swells. Lot after lot Is sold. T h e lonely weather-boarded hut Is lost. T h e turf-built house is taken down. N o w brick to turf succeeds, and stone to wood. N o w spacious stores, and dwellings palace-like O n every hand are seen. Enacted n o w Are laws and magisterial rod, the Rights of each protect. Tis thus m e n form the Future empire ; the central city build. .Melbourne ! thy rise an Austral poet sings; But w h o thy fall shall see and thus record? I leave thee now, and distant be the day, W h e n " Here stood Melbourne," shall the traveller say.
The first Inspector of Slaughter-houses and cattle for slaughtering purposes, was Mr. William Wright, an early Chief-Constable, w h o was appointed as such o n ist February, 1839. In March, 1839, great satisfaction was felt in Melbourne by an announcement to the effect that the Colonial Surgeon " had received a supply of fresh cow-pox matter."
