AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE. 811 



later days, and another colony, I feel confident that a large 

 proportion of ray hearers are now reminded of the works of 

 the lady whose name in hterature is " Ada Cambridge." The 

 right to stand in the front rank of Austrahan writers must 

 always be readily granted to her. Her novels, Avritten with 

 clearness, accuracy of local colouring, and a method at once 

 picturesque and conscientious, are no doubt familiar to most 

 of you. Her poems, of which a small volume has been 

 published, and which I regret not having with me to-day, 

 have received the stamp of approval from high literary 

 authorities among the reviewing magnates of Britain. In 

 them will be found the deep thoughtfulness, occasionally of a 

 sombre cast, the ardent aspirations and the daring uncon- 

 ventional suggestiveness, which marked the writings of the 

 great Bronte sisters. Her minor pieces display an inborn 

 love of nature, combined with unusual power of almost 

 Pre-Raphaelite description. 



The time would fail me were I to refer at greater length 

 in this paper to ladies in other colonies who have added 

 lustre to the diadem of Australian Literature. The late Mrs. 

 Heron, of New South Wales, whose works were always 

 admirable in taste and execution, was, from circumstances, 

 chiefly ephemeral, and thus is in danger of being lost to 

 the readers of a succeeding generation. Mrs. Foote, of 

 Queensland, whose pathetic ballad " Where the Pelican 

 builds her Nest " has the true flavour of Australia Deserta : 



" The horses wore ready, the rails were down, 

 But the riders lingered still ; 

 One had a word of farewell to say, 

 The other his pipe to fill." 



It will always stir the hearts of the dwellers in the Waste, 

 and in days to come, when such things are of the storied 

 past, many an Australian maid will think sadly of the brave 

 brothers lying dead beside their horses in the mysterious 

 drought-stricken solitudes of the " Never Never Country." 



I must mention, too, the name of Mrs. Martin, of Adelaide, 

 whose remarkable novel, " An Australian Gii'l," is well 

 known in many an English home, and may serve to dispel 

 the prejudices created by that ingeniously-venomous and 

 spitefully-false production, "A Bride from the Bush." 



In conclusion, I shall merely record my conviction that 

 from the rising talent of Australia worthy contributors to 

 every department of literature may be confidently predicted. 



