AustLit

Among the editor's topics of the week is a comment in response to a correspondent who wishes to know 'why a bronze statue of Shakespeare has never been erected in front of the Public Library'. Apparently, money was raised for such a statue during the two to three years prior to Shakespeare's tercentenary (in 1864), but 'enthusiasm flagged'. The money was instead directed to the foundation of a Shakespeare scholarship.

The Australasian opines that the saga 'presents another of the many instances occurring in this colony wherein large expectations end in very disproportionate results, and we are now about as likely to have a colossal statue of Shakespeare in Melbourne as we are to have sub-marine railway to the Island of Desolation'.