Page:Facts and Fancies about Our "Son of the Woods", Henry Clarence Kendall and his Poetry (IA factsfanciesabou00hami).pdf/23



While referring to Kendall as the Father of Australian Poetry, we know it would not be his wish that we should forget Charles Harpur, who wrote "The Storm among the Mountains," a grand poem, and also other good pieces; but not enough to give him the place that Kendall holds, though Kendall himself hailed him (Harpur) as "the pioneer" in his own graceful language, always so generously appreciative when referring to others, yet so depreciating when speaking of himself. Surely, if modesty is the virtue we are so often told is "becoming," we must give Henry Kendall the palm for that. It is Henry Kendall who writes to Charles Harpur:—

And no doubt Charles Harpur's warm, expansive nature and generous sympathy with the aspirations of the then little more than boy poet in years, must have been helpful to the shy, nervous, retiring young man only feeling his way, socially, among known men of letters. For it was on his first visit to Sydney that he met Harpur, who was then writing, I understand, on the staff of "The Empire," a daily paper edited by Henry Parkes (Sir Henry Parkes), afterwards Premier of New South Wales,