Cirrus@Austlit

The aims of this essay are "to give some idea of Boldrewood's deeply perceptive insights into the evolving social history associated with Australian gold mining and into the contribution of the international contingents amongs miners to nineteenth century Australian development, recording his views in novels which had a very wide readership in the English-speaking world" and to explore "various related aspects of the evolving Australian character and stock, particularly on the goldfields of the nation". Argues that Browne/Boldrewood was right "to regard gold mining and miners as very substantial building materials for the new and even then multicultural nation" (57).