Nor Is It, Until Adversity Has Pressed Hard Upon The Wounded Spirit
Of The Sons And Daughters Of Old, But Impoverished, Families, That
They Can Subdue Their Proud And Rebellious Feelings, And Submit To
Make The Trial.
This was our case, and our motive for emigrating to one of the
British colonies can be summed up in a few words.
The emigrant's hope of bettering his condition, and securing a
sufficient competence to support his family, to free himself from
the slighting remarks too often hurled at the poor gentleman by the
practical people of the world, which is always galling to a proud
man, but doubly so when he knows that the want of wealth constitues
the sole difference between him and the more favoured offspring of
the same parent stock.
In 1830 the tide of emigration flowed westward, and Canada became
the great landmark for the rich in hope and poor in purse. Public
newspapers and private letters teemed with the almost fabulous
advantages to be derived from a settlement in this highly favoured
region. Men, who had been doubtful of supporting their families in
comfort at home, thought that they had only to land in Canada to
realize a fortune. The infection became general. Thousands and tens
of thousands from the middle ranks of British society, for the space
of three or four years, landed upon these shores. A large majority
of these emigrants were officers of the army and navy, with their
families: a class perfectly unfitted, by their previous habits and
standing in society, for contending with the stern realities of
emigrant life in the backwoods.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 635 of 670
Words from 172225 to 172495
of 181664
