WOMEN WRITERS OF AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 11

WOMEN WRITERS OF AUSTRALIA.

. An , article, in■•■■".Cassell's .Magazine" on, Australian women writers says:—... ~-''• Tho. doyenne .of Australasian women writers,'to whom the rest: do homage, is Miss Catherine Helen Spence, who came to South Australia from Scotland, in 1839, when 14.years of■ age. Her father was the first town clerk of Adelaide; one of her brothere held office as a Minister of the Crown.; And Miss Spence, now 83, published a book a few; months ago, and still occupies the pulpit of the Unitarian Church, to which she belongs. ■ Miss Spence has been writing all her life, but although a leader-writer for: years,'and the author of five novels and innumerable , political books and pamphlets,-she has chiefly and most enthusiastically. used it iii the'cause of reform, especially iii the laws relating to children.- She Voices the complaint against the flood " literature with which Australia is troubled, in-this sonnet:-^' , Whon'will some new Australian poet rise , To all the height and glory.of his theme! . Nor on the sombre side for ever dream— Our bare, : baked.plains, our pitiless Dluo skies, 'Neath which the haggard bushman strains his '.'■■■ : ,eyes ... • ■ '■ ■ • ■ .■.■■■ -.- ■-.'?-. ■■:■ ' TO; find some waterhole or hidden stream. . , To,save himself and flocks in want extreme! This is not all Australia! .Let us prize' Our: grand inheritance! Had:sunny • Greece . ■More lightj more glow, more freedom, or more ■■• : '. mirth?:. , .■ , ; ' -.:. ..::,;

Ours are wide' vistas bathed .in purest air— Youth's outdoor pleasures, Age's indoor peace, Where could we .find, a .fairer home on earth Which we ourselves are free to make more fair? ■' \ .',-■ .■■• ■..- .. ■-. - .-..1 -.. ■ .

On her eightieth birthday " The . Grand Old Woman of Australia." was given a great public reception in: Adelaide, to ■ which-the foremost men.and women of the States came to.do her,honour. , In .the course of Xspeech Miss Spence gave this interesting hisfory:— ■^"The best part of my work has been done since I was 40, and the hardest since,l was 60.: I was 52 when invited to go on the out-side-staff of the 'l&gister' and 'Observer.' I was :66 when Melbourne folk- discovered that I.had some of. the gifts.,of a public spoaker. I was a little older when I took to lecturing on , 'Effective .Voting,' and -.went through my own •' State, ". .'and afterwards through America and panada,■-,to preach ,the doctrinevof electoral- justice, and I was "71 when the Ministry of the. day put me on the Destitute Board." :' ;.: ', ; ' '• '

'_ "Ada Cambridge" (Mrs. George F. , Cross), rightfully regarded as our leading- woman novelist; was the' second "Australian woir;an writer to have a'book, published in London. For many years ;tbat first volume had ah annual follower almost.as familiar in England ; as.in Australia. r . '.■■-.': ' ■ :

iliss' Carmiohael's book of "Poems," with an introduction by Mr. J. F. Hogan,-M.P., : came:out in jLondon-in 1895, and was very favourably , , reviewed.", '.Most of its contents had been contributed to \ newspapers during the early 'nineties, when,the author was iu training as 'a.nurse at the Melbourne .Children's Hospital. She was understood to be ;a Gippslander, : like Mme.. 1 Ada Crossley. A very beautiful girl, with.her great dark eyes and. pale, clear . skin, she . needed only a chaplet of wattle-bloom .to be; the personification ;of the "Spirit:of the Bush.' Her poem,■■.'' The Old Bush Road," has passed into currency. ■. , :'. . .... ■ ■■■ She ; married and sailed for England in. 1897, and from then her harp. was' ! silent. • A recent endeavour to obtain i a photograph of her brought l to light the fa-cts >thati she died' with the. love and esteem of those'.near, her,but in circumstances of extreme poverty, and that her three children''(boys);'the eldest born ill' Adelaide, arc. inmates of:an.English' workhouse,,; : ; .,:,;: ' '.■;■■■ ; ■' : .:•'■■■ '"•'••■ •■>..