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Issue Details: First known date: 1827... 1827 Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc
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Affiliation Notes

  • 19th-Century Australian Travel Writing

    Peter Miller Cunningham (1789-1864) was a surgeon for the royal navy and an author. After establishing pastoral runs on the Upper Hunter River, Cunningham wrote Two Years in New South Wales, which was prefaced by a note stating that  Cunningham had made voyages to New South Wales as Surgeon-Superintendent of convict ships, was a resident for two years in New South Wales, and as such is an appropriate author for such a colonial text. Cunningham's work compared the Australian colonies against others, including America and the Cape of Good Hope. Describing the Australian colonies in detail, Cunningham concentrated on the settled areas outside Sydney and agricultural production. The work was later published as Two Years in New South Wales; Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in that Colony; of its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of its Topography, Natural History, &c. &c., a republication that was described as a "Revised and Enlarged" second edition (still in 1827). Despite this, the work was very similar, except for the addition of a map, an expanded chapter on pasture, an additional chapter on colonial prices and trading, advice to the newly-arrived emigrant, and a new concluding chapter on Australian newspapers. A third edition was published in 1828 and was identical to the second edition.

Contents

* Contents derived from the Sydney, New South Wales,:Angus and Robertson ,Royal Australian Historical Society , 1966 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Letter XVII, Peter Miller Cunningham , single work correspondence (p. 152-161)
Letter XXIV, Peter Miller Cunningham , single work correspondence (p. 238-244)
Letter XXVIII, Peter Miller Cunningham , single work correspondence (p. 277-287)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Henry Colburn ,
      1827 .
      image of person or book cover 5306315148723241373.png
      Alternative title: Cunningham's New South Wales
      Link: 20385079Full text document Sighted: 08/10/2020
      Extent: II vols [ I 352 p. ; II 346 p.)p.
      Note/s:
      • Ferguson 1109

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of Queensland State Library of QLD
      Local Id: RBJ 919.402 CUN

      Holdings

      Held at: University of New South Wales Australian Defence Force Academy Australian Defence Force Academy Library
      Local Id: DU160 .C97 1827

      Holdings

      Held at: Australian Museum Australian Museum Research Library

      Holdings

      Held at: James Cook University of North Queensland Townsville Library
      Local Id: 994.402 CUN

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of Tasmania State Library of Tasmania
      Local Id: STACK 919.44

      Holdings

      Held at: Monash University Monash University Library
      Local Id: 919.44 C973T

      Holdings

      Held at: National Library of Australia
      Local Id: FC F1109

      Holdings

      Held at: Newcastle Region Libraries Newcastle Library
      Local Id: RS919.4/CUN/1.1A

      Holdings

      Held at: Association of Franciscan Order of Friars Minor St Paschal Library
      Local Id: 808.86 C973 T

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of Victoria
      Local Id: MC 919.44 C91T

      Holdings

      Held at: Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW
      Local Id: DSM/042/P217

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of South Australia State Library of SA
      Local Id: 994.4T C973

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Melbourne The University Library
      Local Id: 919.44042 CUNN
    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Henry Colburn ,
      1827 .
      Extent: II vols [ I 346 p. ; II 336 p.)p.
      Edition info: 2nd ed., rev. and enl.
      Note/s:
      • Ferguson 1110
    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Henry Colburn ,
      1828 .
      Extent: II vols [ I 346 p. ; II 336 p.)p.
      Edition info: 3rd ed
      Note/s:
      • 1182
    • Woodbridge, Connecticut,
      c
      United States of America (USA),
      c
      Americas,
      :
      Research Publications ,
      1980 .
      Extent: 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.p.
      Note/s:
      • Goldsmiths'-Kress library of economic literature ; no. 25279

Other Formats

Works about this Work

Not Quite England Robert Willson , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: Sunday Canberra Times , 27 February 2011; (p. 26)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Untitled R. B. Ward , 1967 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 17 June 1967; (p. 17)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Untitled B. Perry , 1967 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian , 18 February 1967; (p. 10)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
[Review] Two Years in New South Wales L. F. Fitzhardinge , 1967 single work review
— Appears in: Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society , vol. 53 no. 1967; (p. 260-261)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Untitled K. R. Campbell , 1967 single work review
— Appears in: Nation , 29 July 1967; (p. 22-23)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Untitled 1828 single work review
— Appears in: The Quarterly Review , January vol. 37 no. 73 1828; (p. 1-32)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Not Quite England Robert Willson , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: Sunday Canberra Times , 27 February 2011; (p. 26)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Art 4. 1828 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Quarterly Journal of Theology, Literature and Science , April no. 2 1828; (p. 127-151)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Art. - V 1828 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Quarterly Journal of Theology, Literature and Science , July no. 3 1828; (p. 229-246)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
Reprint vs Facsimile 1966 single work review
— Appears in: Biblionews and Australian Notes & Queries , vol. 1 no. 4 (2nd Series) 1966; (p. 33)

— Review of Two Years in New South Wales; A Series of Letters, Comprising Sketches of the Actual State of Society in That Colony; of Its Peculiar Advantages to Emigrants; of Its Topography, Natural History, Etc Etc Peter Miller Cunningham , 1827 selected work correspondence
'The Sydney Herald' 1833 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Monitor , 17 August vol. 8 no. 593 1833; (p. 4)
The Sydney Monitor's correspondent decries the claims of the Sydney Herald in relation to colonial literary publications. The Monitor's correspondent says: 'It is quite ridiculous to tell the people here, that "works of magnitude" are published in England regarding New South Wales; and that "a large portion of the reading public" are interested in these works'.

The correspondent continues: 'With the exception of a few London merchants, or people who have relations or correspondents here, the Colony is little known or thought of in England, except as Botany Bay ; a name which sticks to it like a burr, and will stick to it for many a long year.'

In the correspondent's opinion, Cunningham's Two Years in New South Wales is 'the only readable work which has been published in this Colony'.
Last amended 18 Mar 2022 13:22:26
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