Passing from these more distant speculations to this positive
present before us, you see already, from what I have said, that I
sympathize with your aspirations; that I construe them as you would
have me: looking to your nature and to your objects, I give you my
advice in a word,--Emigrate!

My advice is, however, founded on one hypothesis; namely, that you
are perfectly sincere,--you will be contented with a rough life,
and with a moderate fortune at the end of your probation. Don't
dream of emigrating if you want to make a million, or the tenth of
a million. Don't dream of emigrating unless you can enjoy its
hardships,--to bear them is not enough!

Australia is the land for you, as you seem to surmise. Australia
is the land for two classes of emigrants: first, the man who has
nothing but his wits, and plenty of them; secondly, the man who has
a small capital, and who is contented to spend ten years in
trebling it. I assume that you belong to the latter class. Take
out L3,000, and before you are thirty years old you may return with
L10,000 or L12,000. If that satisfies you, think seriously of
Australia. By coach, tomorrow, I will send you down all the best
books and reports on the subject; and I will get you what detailed
information I can from the Colonial Office. Having read these, and
thought over them dispassionately, spend some months yet among the
sheep-walks of Cumberland; learn all you can from all the shepherds
you can find,--from Thyrsis to Menalcas. Do more,--fit yourself in
every way for a life in the Bush, where the philosophy of the
division of labor is not yet arrived at. Learn to turn your hand
to everything. Be something of a smith, something of a carpenter,
--do the best you can with the fewest tools; make yourself an