aware you have. Private surveyors subsequently appeared. A Mr. Le Roux was the first; he also held office as Clerk of W o r k s under M r . Lewis, the Colonial Architect, of Sydney, and M r . Russell held his billet for a short time after his death. His n a m e appears to a very early subdivision of a Melbourne allotment in Russell's possession." It is s i g n e d : — C H A R L E S F. L E R O U X , Architect and Surveyor, 17th July, 1839. " T h e first Melbourne sub-division is dated 25th April, 1839, allot. C Block 2. It was surveyed by Russell for Mr. R. II. Browne (commonly called Heidelberg Browne), acting for Thos. Walker, of Sydney. Then came a tribe of private Surveyors. Williamson, M'Gregor, Thomson, Craig, Foote, Gibbins, D e Grady, Russell, & c , and of still later date (I find his name in 1851), Penrose Nevins. There were others doubtless whose names I have omitted, but not many. O f private surveys in and near Melbourne after Russell left the Government service, the lion's share certainly fell to him. Russell was responsible for the first design of St. James's Church, which was built under his superintendence, though for the simple spire of his design, the Building Committee substituted a heaven-directing "pepper-pot," Dr. Palmer being, I fancy, the chief instigator. T h e first Custom House, Lyon Campbell's house on the Yarra, the first bank of Australasia, & c , were also Russell's work. Samuel Jackson designed the Hospital and Mr. Duerdin's house in Flinders Street, if I mistake not, and sundry other buildings. St. Patrick's Cathedral was begun under his jurisdiction, as was also St. Patrick's Hall. M r . Blackburn designed the Anglican Bishop's Palace. Charles Laing made his appearance and assisted Dr. Palmer in the "pepper-pot" perpetration.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
The first minister of religion who placed a foot on Victorian soil, was the Rev. Robert Knopwood, A.M., Chaplain to the Collins "Convict Expedition," at Sorrento in 1803. H e was an Englishman, w h o entered the world in 1761, and left it in 1838. After holding the office of domestic Chaplain to Lord Spencer, he accepted the latter appointment, which transferred him to the Antipodes. T o a diary kept by him, the public is indebted for a quaint narrative of incidents of his voyage to Australia, the attempted settlement at Port Phillip, and actual settlement at Hobart T o w n , where he retained his Convict Chaplaincy until 1822. T h e following notice of him is from the pen of West, the V a n Diemonian historian :—" In addition to his clerical functions he (Knopwood) regularly sat as a Magistrate. H e had not m u c h time to care for the spiritual interests of hisflock,and of his success in their reformation nothing is recorded. His convivial friends are the chief eulogists of his character. His little white pony was not less celebrated, Knopwood received a pension, and was subsequently appointed Chaplain to a country district. T h e gaiety of his disposition made him a pleasant companion and general favourite, and conciliated whatever esteem may be due to a non-professional reputation. H e was, however, not unwilling to tolerate the assistance of a sect whose zeal wore a different aspect from his own. T h e Wesleyan ministers found a kindly welcome and an open field." In the Shillinglaw papers, appended to the K n o p w o o d Diary is a portrait of this primitive parson, " from a sketch by T G. Gregson, Esq., of Risdon." His reverence is mounted on a white pony, and peeping from the hind pocket of his dark overcoat is the corked nose of a black bottle. A rough-skinned, sharp-looking little piece of dog-flesh trots along in front, to all appearance anxiously on the scent for some kind of a wind-fall. In connection with this matter Mr..A. C. Macdonald, F.R.G.S., Collins Street West, has favoured m e with a curiously interesting relic, now, for the first time, communicated to the public through the m e d i u m of a newspaper. It is a copy of verses composed years ago by M r . John Graves, a well-known Hobart T o w n Solicitor, for some time dead, with the following m e m o , thereon, in the penmanship of the writer, an ex-Chief Secretary of Tasmania :— " Old Bobby K n o p w o o d arrived in February, 1803, " First and best Parson that ever preached in this colony. "WM.
GREGSON."
T h e old gentleman w h o was of a convivial turn of mind, thinking with Shakespeare that "good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well-used," c a m e to the conclusion that a glass of port could not be applied more advantageously than in helping to administer bed-side consolation to the bodily afflicted, and consequently whenever he was engaged in what is known as " sick call duty" the wine bottle was his invariable companion, and the sufferer's spiritual and bodily condition considerately looked after. W h e n it is understood that M r . Knopwood's religious offices would be
