AustLit

A detailed report on the 15 July 1868 meeting of the Goulburn Catholic Literary Association. The evening took the form of an entertainment to aid the association's library fund. The musical program was interspersed with recitations. The latter comprised an excerpt from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and the following poems: George Henry Boker's 'The Black Regiment', 'Hodge and the Vicar', Campbell's 'The Battle of Hohenlinden', Coates's 'The Gamber's Wife' and J. M. Knowles's 'Tell's Address to His Native Mountains'.

Buggins begins his weekly article with a reflection on the 'reckless drivers and mad headed riders' travelling along Sydney's George Street each day and endangering the public. He also addresses the subjects of snakes and of suicide.

Buggins then reports on a speech given by Sir Alfred Stephen in support of the Sydney Female Refuge. At the conclusion of Stephen's speech, the Bishop of Sydney addressed the gathering. The bishop attributed the careers of 'young thieves' to the reading of tales about Jack Shepherd and Dick Turpin and the careers of 'young prostitutes' to reading the 'bigamous and adulterous novels that disgrace our modern literature'.

Buggins's final topic is the recent crop of theatre offerings in Sydney. He comments briefly on the Royal Victoria Theatre's production of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins's No Thoroughfare and on an amateur production of Dion Bouicault's Colleen Bawn; or, The Brides of Garryowen. Buggins notes that Walter Cooper, author of Colonial Experience, will 'take a benefit' at the Victoria in the coming week.

A critical article discussing, predominantly, the merits of the French journal Le Correspondant.

An advertisement for St Patrick's Christian Doctrine Confraternity Literary Improvement Society's 'musical and literary entertainment' to be held at St Patrick's Hall, Sydney, 20 July 1868.

An advertisement for the Royal Victoria Theatre production of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins's No Thoroughfare and John Maddison Morton's The Two Buzzards; or, Whitebait at Greenwich on 18 July 1868.

Also advertised is Walter H. Cooper's 20 July 1868 benefit evening, featuring Thomas Morton's Sink or Swim and Cooper's own play Colonial Experience, and the productions of Dion Boucicault's Janet Pride and Samuel Beazley's The Lottery Ticket on 21 and 22 July 1868.

An advertisement advising that the proprietors of the Freeman's Journal have entered into a 'job printing business' and 'are now prepared to execute orders'.

A list of suburban, country and inter-colonial agents for the Freeman's Journal.

An advertisement advising that Freeman's Journal 'is filed and may be seen, free of charge, at Holloway's, 533, Oxford-street, W. C., (late of 224, Strand) London, where advertisements and subscriptions may be received'.

An advertisement, for Greville and Company, for the sale of various types of paper, pens, pencils, slates, ledgers and other stationery items.

An advertisement advising that Greville and Company are the 'authorised Sydney agents of all the leading provincial journals of New South Wales' and are able 'to offer terms for the insertion of advertisements which can be done by none but a recognised agent'.

An advertisement for Greville and Company, agents for Messers Harrild and Sons, London, advertising the sale of various items of printing machinery and equipment.