work.
In his later years Kendall tasted some of the sweets of success. He
wrote the words of the opening Cantata sung at the Sydney International
Exhibition in 1879, and won a prize of one hundred pounds offered by
'The Sydney Morning Herald' for a poem on the Exhibition. His third
collection--'Songs from the Mountains'--was published at Sydney in 1880,
and realized a substantial profit. In 1881 Sir Henry Parkes made a
position for him, an Inspectorship of State Forests at five hundred
pounds a year. Kendall's experience in the timber business well fitted
him for this, though his health was not equal to the exposure attendant
on the work. He moved to Cundletown, on the Manning River, before
receiving the appointment, and from that centre rode out on long tours
of inspection. During one of these he caught a chill; his lungs were
affected, and rapid consumption followed. He went to Sydney for
treatment and was joined by his wife at Mr. Fagan's house in Redfern,
where he died in her arms on the 1st August, 1882. He was buried at
Waverley, overlooking the sea.
Kendall, it should be remembered, did not prepare a collected edition of
his poems, and it will be noticed that in the present volume some lines
and passages appear more than once. The student and lover of Kendall
will be interested to see how these lines and passages were taken from
his own previous work and turned to better account in later poems, and
to note the gradual improvement of his style. In his last book, 'Songs
from the Mountains', there are fewer echoes; the touch is surer, and the
imaginative level at his highest. The shining wonder is that, under the
conditions of Australian life between 1860 and 1880, he should have
written so much that is so good.
As our first sweet singer of "native woodnotes wild", Kendall has an
enduring place in the regard of all Australians; and his best work is
known and admired wherever English poetry is read.
Bertram Stevens
{This is the transcription of the letter previously mentioned.}
Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales.
January 21, 1862
To the Editor of the "Cornhill Magazine".
Sir,
Will you oblige me by reading this letter, and the accompanying verses?
Remember that they will have travelled sixteen thousand miles, and on
that account will be surely worth a few moments of your time. I think
that there is merit in the verses, and have sent them to you, hoping
that you--yourself, will be of the
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