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Notes
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The 'letters' collected as The Congewoi Correspondence were selected from several of De Boos's regular columns, originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sydney Mail during the 1860s, in which he employed the colloquial writing persona 'John Smith'. In the 'Editor's Preface', De Boos states that he 'softened down very many of the asperities which existed in the correpondence as originally published, [and] very much that affected persons no longer in the arena of politics has been struck out from it' (v).
Contents
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Congewoi Young Men's Association,
single work
prose
humour
(p. 49-54)
Note: Retitled: 'Mr. Smith's Address to the Congewoi Young Men's Association'
- Letters from Congewoi : On Government, single work prose humour (p. 73-77)
- Letters from Congewoi : On Honesty, single work prose humour (p. 78-83)
- Letters from Congewoi : On Finance, single work prose humour (p. 84-92)
- Letters from Congewoi : On Tracking, single work prose humour (p. 93-99)
- Letters from Congewoi : On Dodging, single work prose humour (p. 100-105)
- Mr. John Smith's Visit to Sydney : 1. Shows how Mrs. John Smith contrived to get her own way, and how Mr. John Smith had his revenge, single work prose satire (p. 172-177)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Charles Edward Augustus de Boos, 1819-1900 : His Life, Work, and Writing
2014
single work
biography
— Appears in: JASAL , vol. 14 no. 3 2014;'Charles de Boos was one of a number of mid-nineteenth century writers who helped to lay the foundations of Australian literature. His early life experiences of Huguenot ancestry and participation in the Carlist wars in Spain, followed by his initial years in Australia, made essential contributions to the person he was. So did his extremely varied working life, particularly as a reporter for the 'Argus and the 'Sydney Morning Herald', and later as a mining warden and police magistrate in New South Wales. His reporting on the goldfields in Victoria and especially New South Wales, added to his experiences of significant social and legal issues, and his concerns for the 'under-dogs', women, children, the diggers, the Chinese, and the Aborigines. It was his knowledge of the goldfields and gold mining that led to his appointment as a mining warden and other official roles in a number of locations over a period of fifteen years, work to which his social view contributed much and for whch he was highly respected, in marked contrast to what some have written.
'His life experiencess, work and travels provided the basis for his many and varied writings, to which the second half of the essay is devoted. From his parliamentary reporting came his satirical writing. From this and his travels came his social commentary. His first two novels were set in early nineteenth century rural New South Wales, 'Fifty Years Ago' being his most well-known work, "one of the best books written in the infancy of Australian literature". His subsequent fiction, notably 'Mark Brown's Wife', was set in the goldfields of New South Wales and Victoria.
'He made an as yet unacknowledged contribution to the foundations of Australian literature. He was a man who was ahead of his times in so many ways, one who gave voice to a different way in colonial New South Wales.' (Publication abstract)
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Charles Edward Augustus de Boos, 1819-1900 : His Life, Work, and Writing
2014
single work
biography
— Appears in: JASAL , vol. 14 no. 3 2014;'Charles de Boos was one of a number of mid-nineteenth century writers who helped to lay the foundations of Australian literature. His early life experiences of Huguenot ancestry and participation in the Carlist wars in Spain, followed by his initial years in Australia, made essential contributions to the person he was. So did his extremely varied working life, particularly as a reporter for the 'Argus and the 'Sydney Morning Herald', and later as a mining warden and police magistrate in New South Wales. His reporting on the goldfields in Victoria and especially New South Wales, added to his experiences of significant social and legal issues, and his concerns for the 'under-dogs', women, children, the diggers, the Chinese, and the Aborigines. It was his knowledge of the goldfields and gold mining that led to his appointment as a mining warden and other official roles in a number of locations over a period of fifteen years, work to which his social view contributed much and for whch he was highly respected, in marked contrast to what some have written.
'His life experiencess, work and travels provided the basis for his many and varied writings, to which the second half of the essay is devoted. From his parliamentary reporting came his satirical writing. From this and his travels came his social commentary. His first two novels were set in early nineteenth century rural New South Wales, 'Fifty Years Ago' being his most well-known work, "one of the best books written in the infancy of Australian literature". His subsequent fiction, notably 'Mark Brown's Wife', was set in the goldfields of New South Wales and Victoria.
'He made an as yet unacknowledged contribution to the foundations of Australian literature. He was a man who was ahead of his times in so many ways, one who gave voice to a different way in colonial New South Wales.' (Publication abstract)
