AustLit

An advertisement for selected works of poetry by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Walter Scott, and an illustrated anthology of ballads.

An advertisement for 'Dickens's works at English price' available from George Robertson, Melbourne. Works advertised are: The Pickwick Papers, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, The Old Curiosity Shop, Oliver Twist, Christmas Books and Barnaby Rudge.

An advertisement for the fables of La Fontaine, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's Don Quixote and various works by Alfred Lord Tennyson, Baron Munchausen, Thomas Hood, Dante Alighieri and John Milton, etc , all illustrated by Gustave Doré, and available from George Robertson, 'importer of books, 69 Elizabeth-street, and 23 Collins-street east, Melbourne.

An advertisement for various volumes of international literature, largely poetry. Poets include Alfred Lord Tennyson, Jean Ingelow and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

An advertisement for Nimmo's library edition of standard works including works by Shakespeare, Burns, Goldsmith, Josephus and the Arabian Nights. All are available from George Robertson, Melbourne.

An advertisement for Nimmo's Pocket Treasures including Epigrams and Literary Follies, Treasury of Poetic Gems, Beauties of the British Dramatists and works by Samuel Johnson and Williams Shakespeare. All are available at George Robertson's, Melbourne.

An advertisement for Nimmo's Common-place books', published in Edinburgh and available from George Robertson, Melbourne.

An advertisement for 'Nimmo's Edition of the Poets', 'the cheapest, the most elegant, and the best adapted for presentation'. Poets include: Longfellow, Scott, Byron, Moore, Wordsworth, Cowper, Milton, Thomson, Goldsmith, Beattie, Pope, Burns, Chaucer and Shakespeare.

An advertisement for a range of international literary and religious works including those authored by Dickens, Goldsmith, Longfellow and Shakespeare. All are available from George Robertson, Melbourne.

An advertisement for a facsimile edition of Shakespeare's 1623 First Folio, 'produced under the superintendence of Howard Staunton', available from George Robertson, Melbourne.

An advertisement for Nimmo's Crown Library including works by Burns, Longfellow and Byron. All are available at George Robertson's, Melbourne.

H. T. Dwight, Bookseller, 'near Parliament, solicits inspection of his stock'.

On the advent of Co-operative Societies for purchasing food and grocery items.

Henry Rendell provides a detailed account of his adventures during an eight-day canoe trip from Prince's Bridge, Melbourne, through Templestowe and Eltham, as far as Warrandyte. Rendell informs the Australasian's editor that, as his 'mode of travelling is rather novel, the information will perhaps be interesting to some of your readers'.

The Australasian reports that 'Mr Walter Montgomery, in the most liberal manner, has consented to give two-thirds of the proceeds of three nights' readings ... to the funds of that most deserving charity, the Society for the Relief of the Educated Poor... He will also give a similar proportion of the proceeds of the remaining three nights in the week to the funds of the Melbourne Hospital'.

The Australasian notes that Montgomery is soon to depart the colony. He will 'complete an engagement with Mr Coppin, and will proceed thence to Europe, where the news of his deserved success in these colonies has excited much interest, and where there is little doubt he will be received with all the additional welcome in consideration of his brilliant career in the antipodes.'

'Our Letter Home' includes information on a range of political and social matters. Among these is a report on the 'shadow' that has 'fallen upon the theatrical section of the community by the sudden and unexpected death of Charles Panrucker Viner, better known by his stage-name of Charles Vincent, one of the managers of the Theatre Royal'. The Australasian also mentions recent productions at Melbourne theatres and notes that the 'Princess's is still closed [and] there is not at present much likelihood of this pretty theatre being re-opened.'

A review of a performance of Jame Robinson Plache's Not a Bad Judge at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, May 1868, and of William Leman Rede's The Rake's Progress and Douglas William Jerrold's Black-Eyed Susan at the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre (aka Haymarket Theatre), May 1868.

An advertisement for Charles Haddon Spurgeon's sermons 'in large quantities', available from Buzzard, Melbourne.