BY HERBERT HEATON, M A., M. COMM. 13 



correspondents. They were of two kinds, vei-sifiers on the 

 one. hand, political and agricultural authorities on the 

 other. Of the would-be poets, a few sent lines which well 

 deserved the publicity afforded them, and original poetry 

 became quite a feature of the GcrMte. But of the great 

 majoritv, the editor mercifully committed their efforts to 

 oblivion. In every issue appeared a short section in which 

 the editor replied "To Correspondents." The editorial pen 

 was often dipped in gall to write this section, and the ver- 

 dicts on the poets were severe : — 



" "W." had better attend to the ducks and geese and 

 swine he speaks of than attempt poetry." 



"Our enlightened correspondent. 'E.H.T.,' need not be 

 offended at our rejection of his 'Alphabetical Keminiscences, 

 as thev were considered uninteresting merely because they 

 were too classical for ordinaiy readers." 



'Lines on Beauty' are so utterly devoid of it that in 

 pitv to 'Lothario' we shall burn them.'" 



"We are soriy to tell X Philosopher" he is ignorant of 

 mankind.'" 



" 'Vurses on Kangeini Huntin" by a Stockkeeper, are 

 no doubt veiy fine, but they are above our comprehen- 

 sion." 



"We have no wish to blight the hopes of our Corre- 

 spondent who signs himself 'A Bud," yet in the Muses' 

 bower we seriously think he will never prove a Blossom." 



Whilst the poets were turned away, the letter-writers 

 were accorded a more favourable reception. At fii-st the 

 letters were perfectly harmless. Political criticism was 

 scarcelv ever attempted, for Lieut. -Governor Sorell was a 

 universal favourite, and it is doubtful if there were a dozen 

 settlers in the island sufficiently dissatisfied with his rule to 

 pen a letter. Hence the correspondence was chiefly com- 

 mercial and agricultural. The growth of tobacco, frauds 

 in weights and measures, faults in the currency, the need for 

 a central market, or for a museum of natural histoi-A^ these 

 were the staple topics, discussed by writers with such peren- 

 nial pseudonyms as Agricola, Rusticus, An Old Settler, 

 Patriot, Constant Reader, Another Constant Reader. Bri- 

 tannia. Colonist, Veritas, etc. The Gazette welcomed such 

 contributions as good "copy," and a number of the letters 

 contained valuable agricultural advice. 



Then the change began, and soon Bent's skv was full 

 of dark clouds. On 15th March, 1824, J. L. Redder ar- 

 rived from England to become the fii^t Chief Justice of the 

 newlv-established Supreme Court, and Mr. J. T. Gelli- 

 brand came to become Attorney-General. Two months 

 later, Col. Arthur reached Hobart, to take the place of 



