made are exactly what I wanted. I confess that I feel a pang at your suggestions for vigorous cutting, but I am sure you are right. I will act upon your advice, and cut off the beginning and end of the book. As thus:
"Open on board the convict ship. Make Dawes a noble fellow who has sacrificed himself to spare a woman whom he loves and whose lover has committed the offence for which Dawes is condemned. (North might be this lover and thus heighten the effect of the story.) When North thinks of taking away Dora, Dawes says, 'I am the man who is suffering for your sin,' &c. North remains in the prison and Dawes escapes. In the meantime Rex, having claimed and enjoyed the money, is discovered. Dawes's conscience and identity simultaneously disclosed. The wreck; Dawes saves child Dora who dies, Maurice is murdered by prisoners, Dawes is saved, and departs like Monte Cristo. Thus the Ballarat Riots and that idiot Dorcas, who was worse to me than Mercutio was reported to have been to the divine William, excluded, and the compactness of the novel preserved. The great difficulty, however, is the motive. What motive would induce a young man to suffer himself to be transported for the life of another?
"You speak with praise of 'Long Odds' and 'King Billy's Breeches.' King Billy is so-so, but 'Long Odds' appears to me now to be the greatest trash. Many thanks again for the trouble you have taken. When I have altered the book according to your suggestions I think it will be readable. I shall then ask your permission to dedicate it to the Hon. C. Gavan Duffy, as the only way in which I can express my thanks.—Very faithfully yours,
"Marcus Clarke."
But he had not yet done his best; on further consideration he adopted the present plot, in which the- protection of his mother's honour furnished a high and adequate motive for the tragedy of his hero's life and death.
Since my return from Europe I had taken up again the question of Federation, and obtained a Royal Commission which made an important report. This notice of it in my diary will perhaps suffice:—
