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           IhadwrittenhimaletterwhichIhad,forwantofbetter

           Knowledge,senttowhereImethimdowntheLachlanyearsago;

           HewasshearingwhenIknewhim,soIsentthelettertohim,

           Justonspec,addressedasfollows,"Clancy,oftheOverflow."

           Andananswercamedirectedinawritingunexpected

           (AndIthinkthesamewaswrittenwithathumb-naildippedintar);

           ’Twashisshearingmatewhowroteit,andverbatimIwillquoteit:

           "Clancy’sgonetoQueenslanddroving,andwedon’tknowwhereheare."

           InmywilderraticfancyvisionscometomeofClancy

           Gonea-droving"downtheCooper"wheretheWesterndroversgo;

           AsthestockareslowlystringingClancyridesbehindthemsinging,

           Forthedrover’slifehaspleasuresthatthetownsfolkneverknow.

           Andthebushhasfriendstomeethim,andtheirkindlyvoicesgreethim

           Inthemurmurofthebreezesandtheriveronitsbars,

           Andheseesthevisionsplendidofthesunlitplainsextended,

           Andatnightthewondrousgloryoftheeverlastingstars.

           "ClancyoftheOverflow"waseveryone’sfavorite,"theBanjo"theirfavoritepoet.Hoppity-go-kickdoggerel,perhaps,butthepoemshadneverbeenintendedfortheeyesofsophisticatedsavants;theywereforthepeople,ofthepeople,andmoreAustraliansofthatdaycouldrecitethemoffbyheartthanknewthestandardschoolroompiecesbyTennysonandWordsworth,fortheirbrandofhoppity-go-kickdoggerelwaswrittenwithEnglandasinspiration.