Ballarat—A Glimpse.

Evening Star, Issue 7233, 8 June 1887, Page 4

Ballarat—A Glimpse.

Old Victorians will appreciate the following passage from ‘ Picturesque Victoria,’ a series of papers now being published by the ‘Argus’:—“But look ahead. Let us awaken ; let us think. There is Warrenheip, there iaßuninyong—the two giants who iiavc overlooked all the wonder of Ballarat. They see all, they saw all. The black wooded hills, the creek flashing in the dell, the silver eyes of the lakes, and the quaintshaped sister hills, links of the one great volcanic chain running far out to the sheep lands of the west. They saw the first shaft sunk, the first dish washed, the tremendous, impetuous attack then on forest, hill, and valley, the riot and tumult of the charge of all the adventurous spirit of the world, the tented army, the labor and the combat, the wild hope, the maddening success, tlie killing despair. They marked the birth, they watched the growth, they contemplate the present magnificence of the great city. Leave them to their contemplation, do you say; you who have been asking what lias all this to do with Creswick ? No, we will not, we shall get to Creswick soon enough. 1 never did and never will hurry past Ballarat. It is the cradle of Australia. Those old convict masters and wandering shepherds who preceded the age of gold never discovered or brought to birth the true genius of Australia. Here she sprang ; herefrom she invigorated, inspired, endowed us all. He is no true Australian who does not, in Ballarat, find something akin to the Moslem’s Mecca sentiment. The train gives us an hour and forty minutes. Let us go up the street. The spirit of the time was on all early planners and builders of Ballarat. The width of the streets, the solidity and grandeur of the buildings, speak all of high ambition, bold belief. And how the trees have grown in the streets? And—what is the matter with them ? It was ten years since I had last seen Sturt street, and, must I confess to a little disappointment ? The plantations have grown tall and ragged ; the blue-gums have over-topped all other trees, and blue-gums are not beautiful. And the statue, it was proper and necessary to take a look at the statue, tbe marble Burns, which the good folk have erected to their perpetual honor and instruction.”