Maurice Brodzky - biographical study of Marcus Clarke with covering letter to A.G. Stephens, 1904

MLMSS 6176

fonds

1904

131057

1 folder - 0.02 Meters
Textual Records - (manuscript)

Maurice Brodzky (1847-1919) was born in Prussia and migrated to Australia in 1871. He became a journalist with the Sydney Evening News and the Melbourne Age. In 1885 he started his own journal, Table Talk. He later worked as a journalist in San Francisco, New York and London.
Marcus Clarke (1846-1881) was born in England and migrated to Australia in 1863. After working in a bank and on sheep stations he found employment as a journalist. He became a leading member of Melbourne's bohemian society and was often in financial difficulties. He wrote a number of plays but is best known as a novelist. His outstanding achievement was the classic novel, His Natural Life, which first appeared as a serial in the Australian Journal, 1870-72.
Alfred George Stephens (1865-1933) was born in Toowoomba, Queensland. In 1894 he joined The Bulletin and two years later became editor of its literary section, The Red Page. In 1906 he left The Bulletin to become a free lance writer, literary agent, editor and publisher. He greatly influenced the development of Australian literature, encouraging writers as well as editing and criticising their work.

An unflattering and malicious study of the Australian writer Marcus Clarke in which Brodsky refers to Clarke's attitude to Jewish moneylenders, his alleged lack of originality, his failure as a playwright and his general prolifigacy. The manuscript contains editorial markings by A.G. Stephens but was never published. The covering letter, dated 3 Feb. 1904, is unaddressed but was presumably sent to Stephens with the manuscript for his consideration.