CHAPTER XX 



THE squatters' APOSTATE : ROBERT LOWE 



What ill or happy chance was it that brought out to 

 Australia, in its keenest battle-days, perhaps the most 

 brilliant of the many remarkable men who have been 

 attracted to the island-continent during the century 

 and a quarter of its political existence ? Not the thirst 

 for gold, whose glitter an albino could hardly discern. 

 Not the desire of an idyllic pastoral life such as inflamed 

 the imagination of " Rolf Boldrewood " and many 

 another. Least of all, the ambition of a political career, 

 for which the arena, was but being prepared. It was 

 the physical disability of his semi-blindness that had 

 driven the successful scholar from learned Oxford and 

 the unsuccessful barrister from crowded London. Here, 

 too, in this glorious climate, he might hope to strengthen 

 the enfeebled health consequent on his albinism. So, 

 in 1843, he came out as an experiment, dubious, like 

 most immigrants, whether he could remain, and for a 

 time threatened, even here, with total worldly failure. 

 Ill-health continued to dog him, but in good part he 

 surmounted the obstacles it created ; he became a 

 successful barrister and a prominent politician. 



In 1843 he was taken up by Sir George Gipps and 

 appointed a member of the Legislative Council, now 

 reformed, but still largely nominee. For a space he 

 supported the fighting Governor. Why did he desert 

 one who needed and desired support ? For petty per- 

 sonal and private reasons, his enemies asserted and 

 assert. Because the Governor had engaged in a pohcy 

 which ran in the teeth of Lowe's most cherished prin- 

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