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Notes
-
Epigraph:
Truth embodied in a tale
Shall enter in at lowly doors. Tennyson -
Frontispiece: 'A Bush Fire (Gippsland, Sunday night, February 20th, 1808)', from a painting in the Melbourne National Gallery, by Sir John Longstaff (q.v.).
-
Opposite page 1: Photograph: 'Patriotism', from a model of one of four symbolic statuary groups designed by Paul Montford for the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne.
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Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo, Marjorie Howden, John Rowell, W.S. Wemyss (qq.v.), R.C. Fricke, and Mervyn H. Timmings.
Contents
- Pioneersi"We are the old-world people,", single work poetry (p. 1-2)
- An Adventure with the Blacks, extract autobiography prose (p. 2-6)
-
Flindersi"He left his island home",
single work
poetry
(p. 6-8)
Note: Illustration: 'A Hundred Years Ago', sketch of Flinders by W. S. Wemyss (q.v.).
-
At the Flooded Creek,
extract
children's fiction
children's
(p. 9-19)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
-
The Ballad of the Droveri"Across the stony ridges, across the rolling plain,",
single work
poetry
(p. 19-23)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
-
The Drover's Wife,
single work
short story
First appearing in The Bulletin in 1892, Henry Lawson's short story 'The Drovers Wife' is today regarded as a seminal work in the Australian literary tradition. Noted for it's depiction of the bush as harsh, potentially threatening and both isolated and isolating, the story opens with a simple enough premise: an aggressive--and presumably deadly--snake disrupts the working life of a bushwoman and her young children. Brave but cautious, the woman resolves to protect her children since her husband is, characteristically, away from home and of no help.
As time passes within the story, tension builds, and the snake's symbolic threat takes on layers of meaning as the sleepless heroine recalls previous challenges she faced while her husband was away. A series of flashbacks and recollections propel the story through the single night over which it takes place, and by the time the climax arrives--the confrontation with the snake--readers have learned much about the heroine's strengths and fears, most of the latter involving the loss of children and dark figures who encroach upon her small, vulnerable homestead. To be sure, this "darkness" is highly symbolic, and Lawson's use of imagery invokes Western notions of good and evil as well as gendered and racial stereotypes.
Note: Epigraph: "On the frontiers of the nation live the women of the west" (George Essex Evans, q.v.). - The Old Australian Waysi"The London lights are far abeam", single work poetry (p. 30-32)
- An Adventure with a Snake, extract children's fiction children's adventure (p. 32-35)
-
Granny Sullivan
Old Granny Sullivani"A pleasant shady place it is, a pleasant place and cool -",
single work
poetry
(p. 35-39)
Note: Illustrations by W. S. Wemyss (q.v.).
- The Old Bush School, extract autobiography (p. 40-43)
-
The Fire at Ross's Farmi"The squatter saw his pastures wide",
single work
poetry
(p. 44-48)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
-
An Australian Scene,
extract
novel
(p. 49)
Note: Epigraph: Extract from the poem 'Wattle and Myrtle' by J. L. Cuthbertson (q.v.).
- Laughing Maryi"With cheeks that paled the rosy morn", single work poetry children's (p. 50-51)
-
Walking Outi"I never take my hat and swing",
single work
poetry
children's
(p. 58-60)
Note: Illustration by W. S. Wemyss (q.v.).
- The Champion, extract children's fiction children's (p. 60-63)
- Romancei"When I was but thirteen or so", single work poetry (p. 66)
-
The Youngster,
single work
prose
travel
(p. 67-70)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
-
Fairy-Talesi"I chanced on an old brown book to-day,",
single work
poetry
(p. 76-77)
Note: Illustrated.
-
A Rescue,
single work
extract
children's fiction
children's
(p. 78-83)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
-
The Hero of the Flooded Mine,
single work
prose
children's
(p. 129-134)
Note: Illustrations: 'The Diver to the Rescue', and 'Diver Hughes reaches the Italian' by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
- Pioneersi"We are the old-world people,", single work poetry (p. 1-2)
- An Adventure with the Blacks, extract autobiography prose (p. 2-6)
-
At the Flooded Creek,
extract
children's fiction
children's
(p. 7-17)
Note: Illustrations by Allan T. Bernaldo (q.v.).
- The Ballad of the Droveri"Across the stony ridges, across the rolling plain,", single work poetry (p. 17-21)
-
The Drover's Wife,
single work
short story
First appearing in The Bulletin in 1892, Henry Lawson's short story 'The Drovers Wife' is today regarded as a seminal work in the Australian literary tradition. Noted for it's depiction of the bush as harsh, potentially threatening and both isolated and isolating, the story opens with a simple enough premise: an aggressive--and presumably deadly--snake disrupts the working life of a bushwoman and her young children. Brave but cautious, the woman resolves to protect her children since her husband is, characteristically, away from home and of no help.
As time passes within the story, tension builds, and the snake's symbolic threat takes on layers of meaning as the sleepless heroine recalls previous challenges she faced while her husband was away. A series of flashbacks and recollections propel the story through the single night over which it takes place, and by the time the climax arrives--the confrontation with the snake--readers have learned much about the heroine's strengths and fears, most of the latter involving the loss of children and dark figures who encroach upon her small, vulnerable homestead. To be sure, this "darkness" is highly symbolic, and Lawson's use of imagery invokes Western notions of good and evil as well as gendered and racial stereotypes.
Note: Epigraph: "On the frontiers of the nation live the women of the west" (George Essex Evans, q.v.). - Witch's Songi""Hoity-toity! Hop-o'-my thumb!", single work poetry (p. 28-29)
- An Adventure with a Snake, extract children's fiction children's adventure (p. 29-32)
- Granny Sullivan Old Granny Sullivani"A pleasant shady place it is, a pleasant place and cool -", single work poetry (p. 32-36)
- The Fire at Ross's Farmi"The squatter saw his pastures wide", single work poetry (p. 41-45)
-
The King of the Winds,
single work
children's fiction
children's
The animals wish to stop the White Man from clearing the jungle, and they gather at the meeting-pool to decide what to do. The flying fox suggests that they should use softness instead of force, and tells the story of the King of the Winds. (From the Victorian Readers : Fifth Book.)
- Laughing Maryi"With cheeks that paled the rosy morn", single work poetry children's (p. 49-50)
- Walking Outi"I never take my hat and swing", single work poetry children's (p. 55-56)
- The Champion, extract children's fiction children's (p. 56-61)
- The Youngster, single work prose travel (p. 64-67)
- Magici"Crawling up the hillside,", single work poetry (p. 68-69)
- A Rescue, single work extract children's fiction children's (p. 76-81)
- The Hero of the Flooded Mine, single work prose children's (p. 101-105)
- Wheati"From the farm and from the homestead, from every Mallee town,", single work poetry (p. 151)
- Pincher, single work children's fiction children's (p. 157-162)
- Learning to Ride, single work children's fiction children's (p. 164-168)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
The Forum : Robert Murray on Primary Knowledge
2007
single work
column
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 24-25 November 2007; (p. 2) Robert Murray recalls learning his school lessons from the Victorian Readers : Fifth Book and notes the advantages of this learning method.
-
The Forum : Robert Murray on Primary Knowledge
2007
single work
column
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 24-25 November 2007; (p. 2) Robert Murray recalls learning his school lessons from the Victorian Readers : Fifth Book and notes the advantages of this learning method.