not complain at finding the postage from Canada or Australia to the
mother-country only a little dearer. But the case has been entirely
changed since Rowland Hill's plan came into operation. What seemed a
moderate rate before that great improvement took place, is now an
exorbitant charge, which no working-man will pay very frequently. In
this, as in most other affairs, it is not the actual but the
comparative cost of the article which makes it seem dear. To a person
who has recently left his native land, and who is probably still
suffering from homesickness, a letter from any beloved friend or
relative is worth far more than many shillings; indeed, the value
cannot be estimated in sterling coin. But, unfortunately, the first
mode in which the emigrant discovers that the social luxury of
correspondence has advanced 1100 per cent. in price, is not in the
tempting shape of a letter from home. He must first write to his
friends before he can expect them to write to him, and that is a task
which nine persons out of ten, on the most charitable calculation, are
very strongly tempted to procrastinate, from day to day, even without
any pecuniary obstacle. But how much stronger the temptation to put
off the writing of 'that letter' from day to day for weeks, and at
last for months, when the poor emigrant, still struggling with
difficulties, finds that, instead of only a penny for each letter, he
must now pay a shilling? What wonder though many thousands, who have
left friends and relatives behind them, all anxiously on the outlook
for some tidings of their welfare, should defer the task of writing
home for a month or two, finding it so dear; and, having got over the
first few months, gradually become careless, and never write home at
all? There are few people who have not known many instances of this
kind; and we have little doubt that it is owing mainly to this cause
that they have given up all correspondence with the old country.