an independence which w e all are so earnestly seeking to obtain, and which the celebrated Bard of Scotland so beautifully pourtrays the advantage o f : — ' My youthful friend do gather gear B y every will that's justified by honour; Not to hide it in a hedge, Not for train attendant, But for the glorious privilege O f being independent.'
" An agent to a gentleman of capital, who is absent from the colony, thought it wise to invest the money left at his disposal in the purchase of some of the frontages in Collins Street, which c o m m a n d e d such competition at the last sale. Since then the number of applicants for these portions has been so numerous, and a feeling of regret being expressed that they should have fallen into the hands of a capitalist, the agent has thought that he would be acting in accordance with the desire of the philanthropy of his principal, to give every individual in this happy land the power of becoming possessed of its most important spot, and in order to accomplish this desired object, proposes thus :— T o make the four Grand Frontages to Collins Street four prizes, and four hundred of prime cattle of all ages, in ten prizes, forming a Grand Lottery, consisting of four hundred tickets at ,£20 for a whole ticket, ^ 1 2 for a half, £j for a fourth, and ,£5 for an eighth. A prospectus of the plan can be seen at the office of Mr. Williams, w h o will issue tickets, and further information will be given in the public papers as to the day upon which the drawing will take place, when it is to be hoped that all the beauty, rank, and respectability of Melbourne will meet together, to enjoy all the delicacies of the season, and to taste the sparkling wines of Germany, France, and Spain." But the public failed to see the valuable considerations, so thrust into its face, the tickets were not taken up as confidently anticipated, and the philanthropic intentions of owner, agent, and auctioneer were suffered to run waste as if so m u c h Yarra water. In the beginning of 1840 there were only two hotels, with scarcely a score of houses, in Bourke Street, about half-a-dozen habitats, and only a single " groggery" in Swanston Street, with Melbourne a straggling township, little more than three years old, yet Mr. Williams in offering some land in the vicinity does the prophetic in this strain : — " T h e olden inhabitants of Melbourne imagine that Bourke Street will be the leading street of this far-famed city; Swanston Street leading direct from the grand crossing-place of the Yarra (an old punt with almost impassable approaches) has been lately established as the 'grand thoroughfare to the Sydney Road." Salmon, a rival land and house agent, appears to despise Williams's high falutin, and boldly stigmatizes such diction as "silly remarks, trashy quotations, and miserably abortive efforts to write English." Williams, so far from being daunted by such " sarkasm," seemed to have drank in increased inspiration from the rebuff for two or three weeks after, in advertising a corner of Collins and Williams Streets, he thus rhapsodizes : " W o u l d a ray of light but be thrown into the abyss of futurity, there is no doubt that the multitude of competitors w h o would assemble at the spot on Saturday would be the most extraordinary event of this extraordinary city, for every mansion, every home, every skillion would pour out its inmates for the purpose, though experience of the past should be considered as that ray, still in listless doubt will they sit d o w n and cogitate, wondering h o w this will turn out." A corner of Collins and Stephen Streets, then in the bush, evokes this gush ; " Surely, if ever ' coming events cast their brightness before,' they do so n o w ; the rapid rise that must take place in town allotments wiil be truly astounding, and if ever money is to be m a d e by purchases in Melbourne, it is to be done now." George S. Brodie, a phlegmatic Scotchman, must have been considerably warmed up by the w a y in which Williams " worked the oracle," for he thus follows suit in selling some land in Collins Street :— " O n the opposite side of Swanston Street, a little nearer the Yarra, and the spot intended for the erection of the bridge, stands the reserve for the Courts of L a w * and the various appendages connected
- N o w St Paul's Cathedral site.—ED.
