Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/419

 in tutorial work there, and afterwards at a bush station, where he wrote the first and most important of his poems, ’Convict Once.' This was publish in London in 1871. In 1873 he was appointed a teacher in the department of public instruction under the government of Queensland, and became headmaster successively of schools at Stanthorpe on the Darling Downs and at Ashgrove in the Brisbane suburbs. In 1883 he was appointed by Sir Thomas Mcllwraith correspondence clerk in the colonial secretary's office. He proved a capable and hard-working official, and was chief clerk and acting under-secretary, when he died at Brisbane on 29 June 1902. He was buried in the South Brisbane cemetery. In 1876 he married Rosalie, eldest daughter of Thomas Willet Donaldson, of Danescourt, co. Meath, Ireland, and left one son and four daughters.

Stephens, who stands in the forefront of Australian poets, long contributed both verse and prose to Australian newspapers and reviews. A blank verse poem, 'Mute Discourse,' was first published in the 'Melbourne Review,' and 'A Hundred Pounds,' a novelette, appeared in the 'Queenslander,' being republished in 1876. His first separately issued poem, 'Convict Once' (London, 1871; Melbourne, 1885, 1888), written in EngUsh hexameters, alternately rhymed, showed a rare wealth of imagination and diction called forth by the Australian bush. Other volumes which prove his whimsical humour and metrical facility, as well as serious sentiment, were 'The Godolphin Arabian,' written in 1872 (Brisbane, 1873; new edit. 1894), and 'The Black Gin and other Poems' (Melbourne, 1873); 'Mute Discourse ' (Brisbane, 1878); ’Marsupial Bill' Brisbane, 1879); 'Miscellaneous Poems' (London and Brisbane, 1880); and 'Fayette or Bush Revels' (Brisbane, 1892). A collection of his poetical works was published at Sydney in 1902. Although he did not confine himself to Australian subjects, and some of his inspiration came from books and travel, yet his work bears the impress of Australia, especially of Queensland, where he spent his Australian life. He was a central figure in the literary circle at Brisbane which developed into the Johnsonian Club, of which he was at one time president, and which gave occasion to one of his fighter pieces, 'A Johnsonian Address.'

 STEPHENS, WILLIAM RICHARD WOOD (1839–1902), dean of Winchester, born on 5 Oct. 1839 at Haywards Field, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, where his father carried on a wool or cloth business before he became partner in a Reading bank, was younger son of Charles Stephens and Catharine, daughter of Sir Matthew Wood [q.v.] and sister of William Page Wood, baron Hatherley [q. v.]. Being dehcate in boyhood, Stephens was educated at home until he went to Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained a second class in moderations and a first in the final classical school, and graduated B.A. in 1862, proceeding M.A. in 1865, B.D. in 1895, and D.D. in 1901. After leaving Oxford he lived at home or travelled on the continent in company with his college friend John Addii^ton Symonds (1840-1893) [q. v.] until 1864, when he was ordained to the curacy of Staines, Middlesex. In 1866 he became curate of Parley, Berkshire, and in 1870, on the recommendation of Walter Farquhar Hook [q. v.], dean of Chichester, the duke of Richmond presented him to the vicarage of Mid Lavant, Sussex; he was lecturer at Chichester Theological College (1872-5), and examining chaplain to the bishop of Chichester 1875-94. In 1875 he was preferred to the prebend of Whitring or Wittering, then an office of emolument and carrying with it the post of theological lecturer in Chichester Cathedral. He was presented to the rectory of Woolbeding, Sussex, in 1876, and was proctor of the clergy in convocation 1880–6. In 1894 he was appointed by the crown to the deanery of Winchester, and was installed on 4 Feb. 1895. In the same year he was elected F.S.A. After an illness of about six weeks he died at the deanery of typhoid fever on 22 Dec. 1902, and was buried in the graveyard of the cathedral. He married, on 31 Aug. 1869, Charlotte Jane, youngest daughter of Dean Hook; she survived him with one son and three daughters.

Stephens was wealthier than most clergy, and spent his money liberally; he restored the church at Mid Lavant and practically rebuilt the chancel at Woolbeding. At Winchester he contributed largely to the repair of the roof of the cathedral, which was carried out while he was dean, mainly through his exertions in raising money, at a cost of 12,600l. Other improvements in 