Emigration - JD Lang - Richard Bourke’s copy: Founder of Melbourne

“Emigration; considered chiefly in reference to the practicability and expediency of importing and of settling, throughout the territory of New South Wales, a numerous, industrious and virtuous agricultural population: being a lecture delivered in the temporary hall of the Australian College, Sydney, 9th May 1833”

-By John Dunmore Lang

-Printed in Sydney in 1833 by Edward Smith Hall

-Octavo format - complete - [ii], 18pp

-Unbound

With the inscription: “To His Excellency, The Governor in Chief... With J D Lang’s most respectful Compliments”

This copy is a dedication copy by the authour to Richard Bourke - Governor in Chief of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837 . Richard Bourke was born in Ireland and after joining the army, and fighting throughout the Napoleonic wars, became governor of New South Wales. He is best known for promoting the emancipation of convicts, and for naming Melbourne (after the British Prime Minister of the time) as well as commissioning its first city layout.

This pamphlet was written by the Scottish born Australian Presbyterian Minister - John Dunmore Lang.WhowasanearlyAustralianpatriotandapropnentofanindependentAustralia.Verymuch of its time, the pamphlet promotes the colonisaztion of “the vast solitudes” with an “industrious and virtuous agricultural population” so that Great Britain may say “Many daughters have done virtuously but thou hast excelled them all”.

This description of the “Vast solitudes” of Australia, which neglected any Indigenous land ownership, reflected the prevailing attitude at the time. Bourke would go on to proclame Australia “Terra nullis” in 1837 - stating that Indigenous Australians could not sell land, and that only the Crown had this power. A statue of him stands outside the State Library of New South Wales.