p. 277 “Australia is still Australia. I am faithful to her in every bone and fibre. When I think of her an impression of dazzling wealth flashes across my brain, and an intoxicating odour of gumtrees steals powerfully over my senses, and I grow dizzy with happiness at the sight and scent of my country. But London is stronger. London drives out the gums. London hangs pictures , and plays, and cathedrals, and operas, and intellects all over the Bush and the dazzling gold. And I say to myself, in unmistakeable language, ‘I don’t want to go back It’s so far, far away. It’s the other end of the world. I don’t want to go back yet.’
It is not only the Londoness of London that has me prisoner. It is its nearness to other places. Can you understand that it is a few hours to Paris, to Holland, to Ireland and to Scotland. I could not believe it at first. Think of this. I can get to Greece – yes, there really is a place called Greece – more quickly than you can get to Perth….
P. 279 “go back to Australia, and the whole world vanishes, like a dream, and becomes, after a time, only a dream again.”
About