Cirrus@Austlit

Nineteenth-Century Travel Writing

Francis Hodgson Nixon (1832-1883) was an architect, editor and newspaper owner. In A Few Facts Concerning Victoria, Nixon undertook the task of advertising the colony with the support of the Victorian government. He belived that, whilst most other British Empire dependencies have advertised their attractions for the emigrant, Victoria has been "comparatively silent." His text detailed the constitution and government, gold-fields, the city of Melbourne, and advice on land acquisition and other practical matters. As its title suggests, the work attempted to "state plain facts in plain language" in order to appeal to Library emigrants.