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Under the general name of America are included as great & diversity of countries as were, perhaps, ever classed together. There is Canada, with its British institutions mingled with those of the French inhabitants of the Lower Province; the United States, with its northern states almost English, and its southern almost Spanish ;-Mexico, with its Spanish character engrafted upon the ancient Aztecs; and the numerous states of South America, all of which once belonged to Spain and Portugal, but all of which are now republics, or something approaching thereto :-lastly, there are the native Indian tribes, from the fur-hunters of the frozen regions in the north, to Patagonia in the south. It may well be supposed that the dwellings, as well as the character of the inhabitants vary exceedingly in different parts of this wide tract. Still, we may class all under three heads,-Indian extraction, English extraction, and Spanish or Portuguese extraction. The dwellings of the Indians we need not consider here, for they universally come under the denomination of "rude" habitations. Those of Canada, and the northern portions of the United States, we may omit for a different reason, viz., the better classes of habitations very closely resemble those of England. We shall therefore merely offer a few remarks on those parts which have once been either Spanish or Portuguese colonies.'

Humboldt considers the modern city of Mexico to be one of the finest cities ever built by Europeans. There are but few cities that can be compared to it, for the uniform level of the ground on which it is built, the regularity and breadth of the streets, and the extent of the public places or squares. The architecture is generally of a very pure style; and there are edifices of a very beautiful construction. The exterior of the houses is not loaded with ornament. Two sorts of hewn stone (the porous amygdaloid called tetzontli, and especially a porphyry of vitreous feldspar without quartz,) give to the Mexican buildings an air of solidity, and sometimes of magnificence. There are none of those wooden balconies and galleries to be seen which disfigure so much all the European cities in both the Indies. The balustrades and gates are all of Biscay iron, ornamented with bronze; and the houses, instead of roofs, have terraces like those in Italy, and other southern countries. Many of the streets are nearly two miles in length, perfectly level and straight, and with the ends terminating in a view of the mountains that surround the valley in which the city is situated. The houses are, in general, of a uniform height, most of them having three stories, each from fifteen to twenty feet high. The fronts of most of the houses are painted in distemper, white, crimson, brown, or light green; and owing to the dryness of the atmosphere, they retain their beauty unimpaired for many years. Some inscriptions are painted upon them taken from Scripture, or stanzas addressed to the Virgin. Many of the houses are entirely covered with glazed porcelain in a variety of elegant designs, by which a rich mosaic-like appearance is produced. The walls of the great staircases are frequently covered in the same manner, and mixed with a profusion of gilding, which in contrast with the blue and white porcelain has a splendid effect.

There are no other cities or towns of Mexico at all meriting notice in respect of their dwellings, as the farther we recede from the capital the more does a commingling of European and Indian manners become perceptible.

At the southward of Mexico, and occupying the northern portion of South America, are numerous states which were once Spanish but are now republican; but anarchy so reigns there, that we know but little of the actual condition of the towns and houses.

The residences of the inhabitants of Chili may be judged of from those of its capital, Santiago. This city is divided into rectangular and equal squares, separated by streets forty feet broad. Each compartment or square measures about four hundred feet each way; and each square is called a quadro. The streets are ill-paved with small round stones brought from the bed of the river, and have a gutter through the middle; but the best streets are paved on one side with slabs of porphyry, quarried from a neighbouring hill. The great central square, or plaza, contains the house of the director, the palace of justice, the prison, and other public offices, together with the cathedral, the bishop's

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palace, and private residences. All these buildings are built of brick, plastered, and whitewashed, and present no specimens of architectural elegance. The general nature of the private dwellings in the city, even those inhabited by the wealthy classes, may be estimated from the fact, that the usual materials are ill-shaped sun-dried bricks, and mud instead of mortar. The cathedral is the only stone building in the city.

Valparaiso, the principal port of Chili, consists of little more than one street: the houses are huddled together without order: the church is built chiefly of mud. There is a suburb called Almendral, the houses of which are small and incommodious, of one ground-floor only, built of sun-dried bricks, plastered with mud and whitewashed. Some have rude corridors projecting over the foot-way; others have raised brick paths in front of their houses; but generally the foot-path is merely a raised heap of earth. Some of the houses are roofed with tiles, while others are thatched with rushes, grass or palm-leaves; some have passages leading from the street; but in most cases, the door opens directly from the street to the apartments; and as many of them have no light but what they receive from the door, this door is generally left open. Some of the rooms have small windows with panelled shutters, having clumsy wooden bars in front, rudely carved: some few are painted red; but generally they are not painted at all.

It will thus be seen that Chili does not present much to call forth admiration in the construction or appearance of its houses. Indeed along the whole western coast of South America, but little attention seems to be paid to the construction of private dwellings; for earthquakes are so frequent that anything lofty would almost inevitably be made a heap of ruins. Ulloa's description of the houses of Lima, the capital of Peru, though requiring alterations in some parts to suit it to the state of things at the present day, may be taken as a tolerably near approach to the truth. He says: "The houses, though for the most part low, are commodious, and make a good appearance. They are all of baxareque and quincha. They appear indeed to be composed of more solid materials, both with regard to the thickness of the principal walls, and the imitation of cornices on them." The principal parts are of wood, morticed into the rafters of the roof. The walls are lined within and without with wild canes and osiers, so that the timber-work is wholly inclosed. The osiers are plastered over with clay, and whitewashed. Cornices and porticos of rough workmanship are then added, and whitewashed to imitate stone. The roofs are flat, and covered only so far as is necessary to keep out wind and sun. Such is the general character of the houses in Lima. Those which are inhabited by Europeans are in many cases built Somewhat in the style prevalent in their own country; but always with attention to the necessary character of being low, seldom exceeding two stories in height, and very often not exceeding one. Mr. Miers, a recent traveller in South America, describes the houses at Mendoza, an important town in the La Plata provinces, as being nearly such as we have here described:all of one story: built of adobes, (sun-dried bricks,) plastered with mud, and whitewashed. Even the governor's house was of this character.

On crossing to the eastern shore of South America, the city of Buenos Ayres does not seem to present many more attractions than those we have described, considered with reference to the houses. Mr. Miers says, "The houses fronting the beach I mistook for gaols, as they had no glass sashes, and the open windows were defended by iron gratings; but on entering the town, I found all the houses constructed in the same manner, mostly of one ground floor: their deserted appearance, and shabby exterior, bore more the semblance of gaols than the habitations of an industrious, civilized, and free people." Mr. Miers and his companions were lodged and entertained at the house of one of the most respectable inhabitants; and the mode of taking meals, &c., may serve to convey some idea of the manners of the inhabitants. Mr: M. was placed at the top of the family table, the usual seat of guests, according to the custom of the country. Three black female slaves waited at table. About twenty dishes, of different sorts, were brought, each one after the other was removed,-containing bread and vermicelli soup, different kinds of stews, boiled beef, roast veal, lettuce salad, and various sorts of vegetables. The wish was, that the guests should eat some of every dish,-no easy matter among such a number. After dinner, one of the slaves said a long unintelligible grace, upon the conclusion of which all the family crossed themselves

upon their foreheads, mouths, and breasts: the cloth was not removed, but was kept for the dessert, which consisted of a profusion of ripe figs, peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, and oranges. Nothing but water was drunk at or after dinner. A basin and towel were brought, in which all the company washed their hands in the same water.

Rio Janeiro, the capital of Brazil, is not provided with houses of a kind proportionate to the extent and importance of the city. The streets, which are straight and narrow, are paved with granite, but are scarcely provided with any light at night. The houses, which are generally of two stories, and low and narrow in proportion to their depth, are, for the most part, built of blocks of granite: the upper story however, is often of wood. The thresholds, door-posts, lintels, and window-frames, are of massy quartz or feldspar, brought from Bahia in a state ready for use. The roofs are universally covered with semi-cylindrical tiles. The lower story is commonly occupied by a shop or warehouse; the second (and third, if there be one) by the family apartments, to which there are long and narrow passages taken from the ground floor, and communicating with the street. The houses used formerly to have an appendage called a jealousy, or jalousie, which were gloomy projections from the upper windows. These jalousies were raised on a platform of stone, two and half feet broad, and extended to the top of the window. They were formed of lattice-work of a fanciful pattern, divided into panels or compartments, some of which were fitted up with hinges at the top, so as to form a sort of flap, which, when opened a little way, allowed persons in the balcony to look down into the street without being seen themselves. They gave to the fronts of the houses a dull, heavy, and suspicious appearance, and have been superseded by light open balconies.

Until the recent changes in the political circumstances of Brazil, the houses of Rio Janeiro, as well as the general manufactures produced, felt the ill-effects of a lazy spirit that used to distinguish the white inhabitants: they were not clever artisans,-they were too lazy to attain skill, and they were too proud to carry even their own working tools through the streets. Mr. Luccock has given an amusing account of the combined effect of these three blots:-"It was necessary to open a lock, of which I had lost the key; and the skill necessary to pick it was so rare, that the master and waiter of the hotel where I then lodged, were greatly perplexed with my inquiries, at what place it was to be found. At length they advised me to apply to an English carpenter who had been settled in Rio about two years, and employed several men, one of whom he requested to ro with

me, for then masters did not venture to command; assuring me that the man would execute what I wanted. He detained me a long time, but, to compensate for the delay, made his appearance, at last, in full dress, with a cocked hat, shoe and knee-buckles, and other corresponding paraphernalia. At the door of the house he still loitered, wishing to hire some black man to carry his hammer, chisel, and another small instrument. I suggested that they were light, and proposed to carry a part or the whole of them myself; but this would have been as great a practical solecism as using his own hands. The gentleman waited patiently until a negro appeared; then made his bargain, and proceeded in due state, followed by his temporary servant. The task was soon finished, by breaking the lock, instead of picking it, when the man of importance, making me a profound bow, stalked off with his follower." Since the period of Mr. Luccock's visit, however, many changes and improvements have occurred.

There is a little spot at the southern extremity of Africa, we mean the Cape of Good Hope, to which we will make a brief allusion, before we bring to a conclusion our allotted task. "The streets of Cape Town," says Mr. Burchell, "though not paved, are kept always in excellent order, and derive an agreeable freshness from trees of oak and pinaster, planted here and there on either side." The houses are built of brick, and faced with a stucco of lime. They are decorated in front with cornices and many architectural ornaments, and frequently with figures both in high and low relief. In front of each house is a paved platform (called the stoep, or step) usually eight or ten feet wide, and commonly from two to four feet above the level of the street. It is ascended by steps, and has, generally, a seat at each end; and here the inhabitants frequently walk or sit to enjoy the air, or to converse with passing friends. The roofs are flat having no greater inclination than is just sufficient to throw off the rain water; and they form a very commodious terrace. On account of the mildness of the Cape winters, fire-places are nowhere seen excepting in the kitchens. Within, the houses, to an eye accustomed to the elegant decorations and furniture of an English apartment, have the appearance of a want of comfort, and, not having a plastered ceiling, the bare joists and floor above give them the look of an unfinished building. But the loftiness and size of the rooms render them respectable, and contribute greatly to their coolness in summer. This description, however, was more applicable some years ago than it is at present, for the English residents are sure to introduce English habits and customs more or less into the country.

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THE close of this, the Nineteenth. Volume of the Saturday Magazine, affords a favourable opportunity for considering the state of the popular literature of this country at the period when our arduous task commenced-of taking a retrospect of our labours in fulfilment of the duties then undertaken by us of stating the mode in which we propose to continue our services-and of making a general acknowledgment of the valuable advice and assistance with which we have been favoured 8 by a numerous body of friendly correspondents.

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It must be in the recollection of our readers, that at the time when we commenced our undertaking the humbler classes of the community were largely supplied with cheap pamphlets, of the most dangerous and deplorable tendency;-writings in which the most holy things were lightly treated of, the most endearing of human ties derided, and our revered institutions held up to open scorn and contempt. Works of this character could be superseded only by creating a taste for something better, and we have reason to believe that the Saturday Magazine has, under the Divine blessing, had a large share in creating and supplying that wholesome taste which is now so general.

We cannot but feel gratitude and satisfaction at the success which has attended our efforts, at the same time that we experience the pleasing consciousness of having remitted no endeavours on Four part to deserve and fully to justify the public approbation. We may, at least, claim the negative merit of having most carefully excluded from our pages every expression and sentiment which can be considered as indicative of party feelings and objectionable principles, or which might be likely to offend good taste and delicacy of feeling.

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.. Bearing in mind the responsibility attaching to the management of a work which finds its tway into the hands of so many thousands, and the power which it gives of inculcating the most. salutary as well as the most fatal opinions, we have uniformly endeavoured to infuse a Christian character and tendency into every branch of popular knowledge. We have not arrogated to ourselves the office of instructors on sacred topics, by interfering with the labours of those whose especial departbent it is to set forth and to defend the principles of our established faith, nor have we permitted our པཱ; pages to become the vehicle for controversy and discussion; but we have nevertheless been anxious to give such a general bearing to our various articles as to subserve the purposes of religion, deland to show, wherever the subject has naturally led us to do so, the blessings and advantages we derive from the position, in which, as members of a Christian community and of a Scriptural church, we are privileged to stand.

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It is sufficiently evident that the object of a popular periodical, such as the Saturday Magazine, is to administer to the instruction and amusement, not of one class of readers in particular, but of all ; so that into whatever hands the work may fall, there may be found among its various subjects something to suit the tastes and inclinations of every reader. The man of literature, in glancing over the contents of such a work, will meet with some notice of eminent men or of their writings, and be able to refresh his memory or even to add to his knowledge from this humble source. The scientific man

"The dangers to which the Faith is exposed are not confined to the open assaults of the infidel and the blasphemer. It cannot be doubted, that great and extensive mischief may arise to religion, and to the eternal welfare of mankind, should our general literature, and the various institutions of society, acquire a character and tendency decidedly contrary to the principles and practice of Christianity. That such has been, for some time past, the general and growing tendency of much of our popular literature, will hardly be denied; but the extent of the evil is known only to those who have made it the subject of particular investigation. It has pervaded more or less every branch of it, and in some departments has evidently been the result of deliberate and systematic operations. This has been the case more especially with cheap periodical literature, and with works of education. Books intended for the instruction of the rising generation have, in some cases, been made instruments for teaching the doctrines of Materialism under the disguise of scientific principles. In others, where religious instruction was indispensable, it has been of the most inefficient and exceptionable kiad. But the prevailing and most successful method has been to separate knowledge from religion, and to keep religion altogether out of sight. This Las been the prime ple upon which too many works of instruction have lately been conducted. And thus they have become mischievous in a greater degree in proportion to the popularity which they have acquired,

"The same course has been pursued with regard to cheap periodicals, which have lately become so considerable a branch of literature. The disreputable part of them have been made vehicles for the diffusion of infidel opinions, which have been conveyed in every shape that was likely to render them agreeable to the class of persons to whom they were addressed. Everything has been done in order to enlist the passions on their side; they have been mingied with entertaining literature of every kind, that the poison might be rendered more palatable to general readers. And, until lately, except in a few instances, the whole force of this new power was directed against the principles and institutions of religion. Nor has the magnitude and extent of this power been as yet completely developed, or its effects fully known. It has, however, been ascertained that the circulation of such papers in and from London alone amounted, in May last, to the number of 300,000 weekly: and of these not one was professedly engaged in the defence or support of religion and its institutions. The greater part of them were openly and avowedly hostile to everything which is sacred and dear to our religious feelings, and the remainder wholly dedicated to other objects."-Report of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, for the year 1832,

257

also may expect to find an abstract, however brief, of the inventions and discoveries, which render the present age remarkable above all that have preceded it. The lover of Nature will not be disappointed of information respecting his favourite study, but will find the animals, the plants, the minerals in which he is interested, brought under his notice from time to time, either in the lighter sketches of natural scenery, or the more scientific arrangements of accurate description. The agriculturist, the manufacturer, the mechanic, and even the intelligent operative, will also find easy details respecting the various branches of industry in which they are engaged, and the productions with which the civilized world is enriched by means of their various pursuits.

With this general view of the objects of a cheap periodical work, we have supplied to the readers of the Saturday Magazine information on a large variety of topics, suitable to the capacities of a corresponding variety of readers. Eager curiosity and desire for knowledge, though in themselves good, inasmuch as they mark a vigorous intellect, and may be productive of highly-beneficial results, are yet so often found to operate without subordination to any higher principle, that we cannot be too cautious in selecting food wherewith to appease them. We may injudiciously stimulate the appetite till it can only be satisfied with false and unnatural excitements, or we may with equal ill effect endeavour to allay its cravings with harsh and ungrateful aliment, from which it will turn with disgust. There are subjects which seem at first sight to have little bearing on happiness or virtue, and which will therefore be necessarily excluded from publications of a professedly religious character, yet inasmuch as these subjects are capable of meeting the desire for knowledge in a way that, to say the least, cannot be prejudicial to the moral interest of the reader, and as they may at the same time have a certain effect in refining the taste, enlarging the field of knowledge, or suggesting innocent employment of time, it appears highly injudicious to reject them in a work whose object it is to combine amusement with instruction.

We may here allude to the mode of illustrating the Saturday Magazine. Wherever a piece of mechanism, a manufacturing process, a description of a building or country, seemed to require the aid of the pencil to elucidate and illustrate the letter-press description, such illustrations have been given, of sufficient distinctness for the purpose in view, but without any pretension to high artistic excellence. Every one accustomed to the usages of commercial life must be aware that to ensure continuance to a periodical publication, and to fulfil the intentions for which it was established, a remunerating profit must be obtained; without this, the honour may be great, but must be short lived. The cost incidental to the production of highly-finished illustrations is in general incompatible with the permanent success of a work sold at so low a price as ours. The engravings in our Magazine are therefore intended for illustration rather than for decoration. We are contented to take our stand on the general merits of the work, the literature of which has gradually elevated it to a higher place than it was originally intended to occupy among the periodical publications of the day, and gained it an introduction to every class of society.

In looking back on our past course, we are conscious of having presented to our numerous readers a safe and useful miscellany, calculated to lead them onward from simpler to more abstruse knowledge, and to give a wholesome direction to their tastes and feelings. The testimony of correspondents has given us frequent and pleasing confirmation of this belief; and we may here remark, that the information we have received from this source has always been most acceptable; the suggestions conveyed have met with serious attention, and have not been adopted or declined on insufficient grounds. From our limited space, as well as from a desire to avoid controversy and personal feeling or party views, we are not able specially to notice the different communications we are favoured with, yet they are ever regarded as welcome indications of the wishes and opinions of our readers, and, as such, we are glad to have the present opportunity of acknowledging their value.

During the coming year we hope to enter on several new and interesting subjects of inquiry, and where we may hitherto have appeared to slight the communications of any of our readers, it will be seen that they have only been deferred with a view to entering the more fully into them on a future occasion. The treasures of knowledge are inexhaustible; and the chief difficulty consists in making a judicious selection for the benefit of a variety of readers. In this task we shall continue to avail ourselves of the assistance of competent and experienced writers whose time and attention are devoted almost exclusively to the work.

END OF THE VOLUME.

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