| Transcript or Index | Hobart Town June 10 1845
My dear Sir John,
As <H.> Kaye is up the country, you will, for the time at least, lose the correspondence of your best news sender. Not that I can pretend to make up the deficiency, but it may serve as an excuse to talk about the secular affairs. I am told that several persons (of whom I was one) paid no attendance at the levee last Queen’s birthday, in consequence of Sir Eardley Wilmot’s making no provision to exclude improper persons. This turned the whole into a curious farce, and quite took away from the levee all the meaning and utility it ever had. I understand that after the magnates of the grande and petite entrée none were more conspicuous than the old convict Murray whose atrocious and false attacks on Lady Franklin, and appropriation of the contents of my private journal, are no impediment to his character at Court. But I believe that his presence at the ball afterwards was not so quietly tolerated, and that many stayed away in consequence, and more partook of the Governor’s entertainment first, and then reviled it afterwards, on account of Murray’s presence. But the daughters of Van Diemen’s Land, to the shame of their fathers be it said, are come to that pitch they will sooner dance with a convict than not dance at all. Of course there are exceptions.
The atmosphere of society here has lately been deeply corrupted by atrocious insinuations against the conduct of the Lt Governor towards his lady guests at Government House for which he has partly himself to thank and partly his friends. But all this I tell you at second hand, for I divide my time between the Bishop and my own people, and find much that is satisfactory in the intercourse. Poor people are gratified, and indeed expect, to hear me talk about important things – they know nothing of Government, they hear no rumours, their wants and hopes are simple and real, they are not ashamed to speak what they think, and they (at least some) know how to say “God bless you” with a good will, which is worth a dozen pages of official compliments. And this reminds me to tell you that the Governor has made an attempt to get rid of me by taking away my salary on the plea that no church has been begun (although a chapel has been finished) in my district. When I consider that Mr Bell had salary nearly two years before his Presbyterian Chapel in Macquarie St was finished, and that in several other instances the Government has exercised a similar discretion, I cannot but look upon this as a step dictated by improper motives either in the Governor or in those who have persuaded him to do this. However the Bishop continues me on the same duty and salary as before until the affair is finally settled. My only object is to work the matter to the best advantage for the Church, as I have no inclination to stay here unless a college could be set on foot as your last letter to Dr Turnbull gives hopes. I feel now how thoroughly impossible it is to realize Arnold’s dream, which even while you were at hand languished like an exotic plant. But still, some beginning might be made, by help of what the archdeacon can do at home, in proportion to the low condition of this unfortunate colony. A petition is going home against the Probation system. As a parish clergyman I can testify to its serious effects, but whether a change would be for the better I cannot tell. The labouring free with families are much worse off generally speaking than prisoners of the Crown in my neighbourhood i.e. in the suburb of Hobart Town. The connections of the Probation Department are making efforts to nullify this petition, but I hope in vain. We owe them nothing but sin and misery.
I enclose you a copy of the directions Pitcairn gave me to send to Adelaide about Lady Franklin’s Land. Pitcairn thinks you are mistaken about his bringing you the grant deed to sign, as that document wd not require your signature; However I hope his directions will be sufficient for my brother’s guidance. I am going down to Bruani [?] and the Huon early tomorrow with the Bishop, for the first time since I went with you. The Bishop often says that is was the last purely pleasant time he has had in this his turbulent diocese. William Kay is thriving in his new state – Price’s eldest child is growing up a really fine boy.
Ever my dear Sir John, Most sincerely yours, John Philip Gell.
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