AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE. 809 



of tone and treatment almost unequalled in poetic prophecy. 

 For close connection with our national destiny, joined to a 

 faultless harmony, the opening verses stand unrivalled. 

 Brunton Stephens still lives to make good our boast of the 

 possession of an Australian poet of the highest order, worthy 

 of that niche in the Temple of Fame which, however exalted, 

 we trust he may long delay to fill. May he enjoy the leisui^e 

 to produce yet later works worthy of his fame, and long 

 consecrate his muse to the sacred mysteries, viewless, save to 

 the poet's eye, of the land of his adoption. 



And now, I beg to humble myself in all sincerity, and 

 ask pardon of the fairer portion of my hearers for having so 

 long delayed to make mention of the literary work, in quality 

 and class not below that of the preceding names referred to, 

 performed by the women of Australia. Considering all 

 things, it is not perhaps strange, but it is curiously coincident, 

 that, addressing as 1 do a Tasmanian audience to-day, it 

 should be made apparent that to that colony the world owes 

 the larger part of the authoresses that have gained European 

 reputation. For the most charming sketches of country life 

 that ever came fi-om pen since the days of Miss Milford we 

 are indebted to Mrs. Meredith — clarum et venerahile nomen — 

 as well as the most life-Hke artistic presentment of the plant 

 life of her adopted land, interwoven with poems as delicately 

 bright as the flowers they embalmed. The second place in 

 Tasmanian literary work, must be given to the lady whose 

 well-known nom de plume is " Tasma." Her works of fiction 

 illustrate with fidelity the social life of Australia in a style of 

 classical conception and finish hardly approached by any 

 novehst of the day. It would be no extravagant laudation 

 to refer to her as the Australian " George Elliot." And, 

 indeed, whether it be due to the unequalled climate and the 

 charming scenery of your beautiful island, combined with 

 more Arcadian conditions of life than obtain in Australasia, 

 it is incontestable that the palm of female literary eminence 

 must be awarded to Tasmania. For, in addition to the two 

 names which I have first on the list, we have Mrs. Humphi-ey 

 Ward, the authoress of that remarkable book, *' Robert 

 Elsmere," which, whatever may be thought of its religious 

 tendency, has been more widely read than any other novel of 

 the day. The beauty of the style equals the absorbing 

 interest of the story. Mrs. Ward was, I believe, born and 

 chiefly educated in Tasmania, and therefore may be fairly 

 claimed as a Tasmanian authoress. Another distinguished 



