Excerpt from Literature in New South Wales In the first place, it has not proved an easy matter to procure the necessary material. No collection, in the interest of the public, has yet been made of the widely scattered mass of books and papers which constitute our literature. Every one knows how rapidly these things are apt to disappear. Newspapers and magazines are thrown aside as soon as they are read. Books too often share the same fate. Thus it happens that, in the course of a few years, it becomes almost a hopeless task to recover these neglected treasures. However absurd it may seem to say so, it is nevertheless true that there is already a field for literary antiquarianism among us, and more than one antiquarian is vigorously at work. The collection made by the late Mr. Justice Wise, imperfect as it is, amply demonstrates this truth. Without the assistance of that collection, the facts gathered together in this work could never have been obtained. Much of our periodical literature has vanished. Portions of it may be found in dusty corners of public libraries, and other portions in the hands of private collectors. Were they thrown together, we should possess ample means for estimating our progress in letters, as well as a valuable source of information on our past history. It is to be hoped that this will be accomplished before it becomes too late to attempt it. Such a collection has already been made in Victoria, where the importance of local publications, as materials for History, is fully felt. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.