'At the turn of the last century, Australian literary and artistic hopefuls looked to London to further their careers, make good in the centre of the British Empire. Did they not have the example of Melba, the girl from the colonies who had become a diva, the most famous Australian in the world? A whole host of talents took the steamships north, actors, journalists, singers and famously Henry Lawson, for whom the trip proved a personal and artistic disaster.' (Author's introduction, p. 127)