THE LATE MARCUS CLARKE.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 16 September 1881, Page 2

THE LATE MARCUS CLARKE.

The following sketch of the deceased author's life is from the pen of Mr. Cameron, the well known Melbourne writer : — The death of Mr Marcus Clarke, the leading litterateur of Australia, has profoundly moved the community, with whom he was ever a favorite, despite his eccentricities, the surroundings being more than ordinary sad. Young as he was when he died, Mr Clarke's career was most eventful. He belonged to a good family in England, the cadets of which have played a prominent part in Victoria. One of j his uncles was judge in tte Maryborough district, the other, Sip Andrew Clarke, who was one of the first surveyor-general, in Victoria, who is now a Minister of the Imperial Government in India. The deceased came to the colony when a mere lad, and was for about four months in a bank. He then went on a station in the Wimmera. But the 'cacoethes scribendi was strong npon him, and the Australasian being charmed with some stetches forwarded he obtained an engagement upon that paper and he was a popular writer a: a very early age ; indeed he became su! • 'dr.or of the paper when twenty, H e started a column of gossip under the head of ' The Peripatetic Philospber,' which raised the Australasian to the head of Australian weeklies, and was the model for all the ( social ' columns, that are now to be found in every weekly journal. Mr Clarke soon became famous and his writings commanded ready attention. Were he possessed of worldly prudence and balance he would have had a brilliant career before him, but he was also a bitter writer and unscrupulous in attacks, and so made enemies of men who had befriended him. He also got mixed up with a fast set of Bohemians He lost his position on the Argus, but the late Judge Barry, who thoughout remained his seadfast friend, obtained for him the Secretaryship to the Trustees of the Public Library, and after that the sub-Libramnsbip. Had he been at all careful he would have been Librarian, but he could not restrain his pen, and having ridiculed Mr Berry in the ' Happy Land ' prologue he was shut out from that position. Besides, though his income must have reached £1000 per anuura he wa<* always in monetary difficulties. He was three times insolvent, being in the Court at the time of his death. His latest escapade was with well-known moneylender, Mr Aaron "Waxmnn, whom he accused of bavin"? worked up a debt of £25. to £5000, and forced him into the Insolvent Court. Waxman wrote to the trustees, point* ing out Mr Clarke's position, and as the rules of the civil service do not allow insoWen 8 o retain their posi ion Mr Clarke received a civil intimation that his resignation would be aojepte<\ He had lost by death his old friend Judge Barry. Mr Clarke then projected a country correspondence, and joined with ! \lr G. A. Walstab, another literally man but his various troubles weighed on a delicate frame. He caught a cold, and being neglected, it ran on to internal inflammation, and he succumbed almost before people knew he was ill. He Tfas unconscions for some time before death, but the ruling passion was still strong within him, for when even ' he could not hear or see his hand moved as if writing. He was mar* ried when about twenty-one Miss Marion Dunn, aud left sis children, the eldest boy attending the funeral. Thus in darkness closed the page of a bright and promising young life, for he was only 33J years when he died. As a

writer Mr Clarke was gifted with li^lit airy, euigramma'ic si lye ; mo-tailed upon the French, of which he was a master. ll.s first novel, published in 18G8, whs ' L-mg Odds' a racing story; but his great work wa? ' His Natural Life,' which has appeared in book form in Australia, America, and Germany. It was a story of convict hie in 'he old days, and was told with almost the power of Victor Hugo in : Les MUeraHles.' Ju«t be r ore his death he \\»<\ written a short story, The Mysteries of Maj'>r Molynen*. dealing with the mysteries of death, flo seems to have had a premonition of his end, for the week before his death, wh*» quite well, he repeatedly told a friend that his time had gono by, that he was only waiting for a boat from the next world — if there was one. The latest freak of Mr Clarke, who was confessedly on athiest, was to enter into a controversy with Bishop Moorhouse on Christianity. He was also a writer for the stage, and recently produced a piece in which his wife, once a theatrical celebrity, appeared. He left bis family destitute, and his artistic and literary friends are warmly talking up the matter of making; a provision for the window and the orphans.