Page:Advanced Australia.djvu/95

 But the sculptor overlooked the fact that fashion in dress changes amazingly fast, and the well-dressed people of to-day become caricatures a few years hence. The Walt Whitman of democratic statuary, the would-be revolutionist of brown-stone art, had the mortification of seeing his egregious figures removed. It is perhaps a pity that some old-world statues cannot follow them. Sydney University is a fine building in the Gothic style. In one respect, at least, this is the progressive city of Australia. The National Art Gallery, the Public Library, and the museums are open on Sunday afternoons; and are then largely visited, notably by visitors from other parts of Australia, who may have their working days fully occupied with business.

The pastoral interest is the support of New South Wales to a greater extent even than of the other colonies. But the drought of the last few years, coming upon the heels of a strike of shearers and other bush- workers, has given the wool-grower a severe shaking. The flocks of the colony have shrunk from 66,000,000 to about 46,000,000, representing a loss of about 20,000,000 sheep. If to this is added the loss of natural increase, the shrinkage amounts to 50,000,000; enough, that is, to equip a considerable colony. In addition there has been a loss of nearly 300,000 horses and 150,000 cattle. That the colony has been able to survive these terrific blows is a striking proof of energy and resource. The entire substance of Job, it will be remembered, amounted to no more than 12,000 beasts, sheep, cattle, camels, and she-asses included; which were increased at his latter end, after his bad times, to 25,000. And yet this man was the greatest of all the sons of the east. Translated into money, the Colony has suffered a loss, due to mere inadequate rainfall, of from £12,000,000 to £20,000,000 sterling.