Emily Graham or The Dawning Of Light: A Temperance Tale
By Mrs M. J. M.
Published by James Curtis, Caxton Steam Printing Works: Ballarat 1870 1st Edition SCARCE
"Emily Graham; or, The Dawning of Light: A Temperance Tale, by Mrs. M. J. M., published in Ballarat by James Curtis at the Caxton Steam Printing Works in 1870, is a rare Australian moral novel promoting the virtues of sobriety and moral reform. Written at the height of the colonial temperance movement, the story follows Emily Graham, a young woman whose life is marked by hardship and moral testing within a community troubled by the destructive influence of alcohol. Through her steadfast faith, compassion, and quiet strength, Emily becomes a beacon of renewal and redemption—her personal "dawning of light" symbolising the moral awakening that reformers hoped to inspire in society at large.
Set against the social realities of colonial Victoria, the novel blends domestic drama with reformist zeal, offering a uniquely local contribution to the international genre of temperance literature. Its Ballarat imprint makes it one of the earliest moral fiction works produced in a regional Australian press, lending it significant historical and bibliographic value. This scarce first edition would appeal to collectors of early Australian literature, temperance movement material, and Ballarat colonial imprints."
"James Curtis was one of a party of eight from Geelong who signed a cooperative mining agreement on 8 October 1851. Later he became a printer at Armstrong Street, Ballarat then Mair Street, Market Square, Ballarat in 1855. He was director of
Caxton Steam Printing Works
on Armstrong Street for a period of at least 4 years - from 1876 to 1879."
Heavy wear and fading to cover and spine as shown. Splits to outer spine hinge cloth. Foxing present with examples of the worst shown interspersed with clean pages. A decent copy of a very scarce title. Please study photos to understand condition. Happy to provide more photos on request.
