AustLit

The Freeman's Journal comments wryly on the request by the British Secretary for the Colonies, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, that the New South Wales legislature 'copy into the statute book that admirable enactment known at home as the Treason Felony Bill'. The writer asserts: 'If Australians wear English chains contentedly, it is because they are exceedingly light, they fit loosely, do not in the slightest impede our freedom and are a bond between our weakness and the strength of the mother country'. Any change will be for ill, not good.

The Freeman's Journal notes the performances of The Pilot; or, A Tale of the Sea at the Prince of Wales Opera House during the preceding week. Commenting on the poor audience numbers, the writer suggests that 'now that the heat of the weather promises to abate, a pleasanter way of spending an evening than giving a call at the Prince cannot be desired and we hope the attendance will improve'.

The Freeman's Journal reports: 'A correspondent lately an inmate in the Liverpool Asylum, writes to inform us that he was forbidden by the master from reading the Freeman's Journal to a number of blind men who appeared to take some pleasure in listening to it. We are not aware of any regulations prohibiting the reading of newspapers in the asylum, and if there were, they should include the whole of the press.'

Halpine's poem, written under the pseudonym 'Private Myles O'Reilly', concerns Irish Americans who fought in the American Civil War. Some of these men went to Ireland after the war seeking support for the Fenian cause; a number were incarcerated in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin.

'Edward F. Flanagan, Dublin Book Warehouse, 594, George-street' advises the arrival of 'a fresh supply of Books, Prayer Books,&c, and a large assortment of devotional works, suitable for the Lenten season.'

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.