Page:Facts and Fancies about Our "Son of the Woods", Henry Clarence Kendall and his Poetry (IA factsfanciesabou00hami).pdf/42

36 This is a faithful representation of Coogee as I knew it when a very young girl. "Extremes are ever neighbours," and Coogee was transcendently bright and hope-inspiring in the golden glow of sunshine, serenely sweet and beautiful under the silvery light of a bright Australian night, but lonely, mournful and melancholy under the shadow of "leaden coloured clouds," such as do not seem to affect, in the same way, the English coastal views, unless it is because of the usual brightness of our scenery that makes the contrast so sadly striking. So that our poetry (Australian poetry) cannot be judged by the same standard as that of other countries, and, therefore, no one can fairly judge our poetry who does not know Australia. But a close and careful study of Henry Kendall's works will enlighten the Englishman far more than any merely dying visit to some of our principal cities, with no travel through, or sojourn in places remote from the more largely populated areas. It will, at least, enlighten him as to Australia as a country, especially Australia as it was in Kendall's days; for much is already changed; yet the pictures still retain some of their leading characteristics—sometimes entrancingly bright, as if all Nature were joyous; sometimes, deeply, darkly, intensely melancholy—but always interesting. One of the very striking features of our coastal scenery in the early days was the luxuriance of wild flowers, and other foliage, so near the sea, even among the rocks, before the shores became popular resorts for every-day excursions.

It was also a very special feature of Manly; and only those who can remember the Manly of years gone by can have any idea of the fairy-like beauty that has passed away. There must have been a great lack of poetic sentiment and artistic culture in the community to have allowed her to become so "pillaged of her loveliness."

But to return to Coogee, the strain of sadness is more particularly marked in the last three verses, which we have not space to giv ehere.

We were comparing his sea-scapes, or rather seashores, and while on this theme we must not miss his