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circles,—or indeed, of choice. The English society
of Jersey, is not indeed, altogether unexceptionable;
nor is it equal, in either polish, or intellect, to an
equally large circle in England: but good breeding,
and gentlemanly feeling, are always to be found
among those whose profession has been arms: and
among the hundreds of residents in Jersey, there is no
difficulty in falling into a circle from which the exceptionable
are excluded.
In point of climate, Jersey takes a medium ra n k :
I do not speak of it, as a resort of invalids; but of
those who merely desire fine weather, and neither
an excess of heat or cold. Paris, Caen, Tours, Paw,
Lausanne, are hotter in summer, and colder in winter,
than Jersey. Brussels, and Boulogne sur mer, are
every way inferior to it in climate. Florence, Nice,
and Pisa, have superior winters; but are too hot in
summer : so that Jersey does not appear to suffer by
a comparison.
But there is one advantage which Jersey possesses,
over all continental places. It is more English.
English comfort is better understood in it. English
ways, more common. Houses are English in their
structure and conveniences: one can have closed
shutters, a snug room, and a coal fire. Above all, the
English language, although not the language of the
island, is sufficiently understood to make the use of a
foreign language unnecessary. And let me add, that
however many years, an Englishman remains abroad,
he never conquers the desire to return to his native
country. He cannot endure for ever, the feeling that
he is a foreigner; and the consciousness, that he must
lay his bones in a foreign land. ' The murmur of
English voices comes to his ear ; he recalls the appearance
of an. English town, an English population, and
the aspect of an English landscape; and while fancy
places before him, the village, and the village church,
and the churchyard,—with its many tombs, and tall
sheltering trees,— he feels, that he would rather be
buried there; and that his own countrymen might
pause before his tomb, and English children play and
prattle upon his grave. Yes,—let his sojourn be
beautiful as it may, he feels that he is a stranger; and
that not in life only, but in death also, he has a home
—a home in his native land. But these feelings'
are scarcely expefienced in Jersey. There is little to
remind an Englishman of his absence from his country.
He scarcely feels himself a stranger: and is therefore
spared that restlessness which would infallibly come
upon him, sooner or later, in a foreign land.
C H A P T ER VHI.
Civil Government.—The Court of Judicature and its Constitution
—Election of Judges—Party Spirit and its Results—The States,
or Legislative Body, and its Constitution—The Governor and
his Emoluments— The Lieutenant-Governor— The Island
Militia—Value of Jersey—Finance—The Clergy—Education
and Public Institutions—The State of the Public Press in
Jersey.
It will have been gathered from the contents of a
former chapter, that the inhabitants of Jersey regard
their political constitution with no small aifection ; and
f.il