AustLit

Tardent comments on what he sees as the inadequate support given to Australian literature. He remaks: 'About half a century ago I read in the 'Bibliotheque Universelle et Revue Suisse,' a monthly magazine in my native country of Switzerland, a series of articles on the early Australian literature by Mr. Victor Florissant. Those article [sic] interested me greatly and had their part of influence in deciding me to emigrate to Australia with my family' (p. 9). He goes on to remark that upon arrival in Australia, he found a dominance of overseas publications and a preference among Australian readers for the works of overseas writers. He then lists the names of Australian writers deserving of greater recognition and support and suggests that 'the best works of Australian authors should be bought by the States and distributed by them to all the schools of our vast island continent, putting them thus within the reach of the growing generations of young Australian natives' (p. 10).