The Story Of Nations
Australian Commonwealth (New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New Zealand)
By Greville Tregarthen
Published by T. Fisher Unwin: London 1893 1st Edition
In Original Decorated Cloth Bindings - Frontis & All Maps & Illustrations Present
"The Story of the Nations - Australian Commonwealth is a fascinating late-Victorian history of Australia and New Zealand, written by journalist and historian Greville Tregarthen and published in 1893 as part of T. Fisher Unwin's celebrated Story of the Nations series. Produced only two years before the formal Federation movement gathered momentum and eight years before the Commonwealth of Australia came into existence, the book captures a unique moment in colonial history when the Australian colonies were increasingly conscious of their shared identity while still remaining separate political entities. Tregarthen traces the story from the earliest European voyages and discoveries through to the rapid expansion of the nineteenth-century colonies, presenting a sweeping account of exploration, settlement, conflict and development.
The narrative brings to life many of the defining figures and events that shaped Australasia, including Captain Cook, early navigators, explorers, governors, pastoral pioneers and gold seekers. Particular attention is given to the growth of New South Wales and the emergence of the other colonies, with chapters devoted to exploration beyond the Blue Mountains, the opening of the interior, the transportation era, the gold discoveries and the remarkable economic and social transformation that followed. Written for a broad readership, the book combines solid historical scholarship with an engaging style that reflects the optimism and imperial confidence of the late nineteenth century.
One of the volume's greatest attractions is its wealth of contemporary visual material. Complete with frontispiece portrait, maps and numerous illustrations throughout, the book provides readers with vivid images of colonial towns, landscapes, notable personalities and important historical events. The folding maps are particularly valuable, offering a snapshot of Australasia as understood at the close of the nineteenth century and helping modern readers appreciate the vast distances and challenges faced by the early settlers and explorers.
Presented in its original decorated cloth bindings, this handsome first edition is an especially desirable example of a classic Victorian history. The striking Commonwealth-themed cover design, featuring a kangaroo and heraldic motifs, reflects the growing sense of Australian nationhood that characterised the period. Published just before Federation and including New Zealand within its conception of the "Australian Commonwealth," the work stands today as both an important historical study and a fascinating artefact of colonial Australia's evolving identity. An excellent addition to any collection of Australiana, exploration, colonial history or nineteenth-century illustrated books."
