INTERESTING CONVICTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 176, 9 June 1862, Page 5

INTERESTING CONVICTS.

"■■^i'QttrItOTders".wUi-recQll(jot.tha|i; ; A:;j(Mr--j()P^t^ro-. since, great interest was excited b*y the cases "'of two notorious scoundrels, Robson and Itedpath, the first of whom had been connected with the Crystal Palace Company, and the other with one of the English railways. Both these men were found guilty of enormous frauds, and, by a sentence of transportation, were removed from a'lifo of Inxury to the penal settlement of Western Australia, llobson. it may be remembered, had been known in the theatrical world as the writer of a drama which had been considered good enough to be produced on the stage of one of the leading London theatres, and which after his conviction, was fully reviewed in the Athenceum. "We now find that the Muses have accompanied this poetical convict to Western Australia, and that he still pours forth his feelings in song, transporting his readers after having been transported himself. The Perth Inquirer, o the 26th March, contains a poem on " The Ocean, written whilst standing on the shore at North Beach," and signed "W. J. Itobson." The most striking feature of this poem is that it is a close imitation of Byron's " Address to the Ocean." But one would not expect to find verses written under such circumstances without something cither borrowed or stolen in them. We subjoin three out of the eleven stanzas which composes the poem. It will, be seen that the writer is not merely Byronic in rhythm. Ilis feelings, " standing on the shore at North Beach," are those of a, Cliilde Harold or a Lara, whom the world has used badly, and who is " proud, though overthrown :"— -

" Depressxl, yet hopeful; proud, though overthrown, , I seek, O Sea ! thy solitary shore, And gaziug o'er thy waters, heir the lone Rude music of that everlasting roar, . Eohoud against yon mountain, dim and hoar. I hear the waves trip lightly on the sand, And rustling melody of winds which o'er The vast expanse come sweeping to the laud, Loos'd from the hollow of their great Creator's haud.

" Where we thy paths, O Ocean! Where i'the track Left by their self-term M masters? and where are The furrows piough'd l.y Xerxos on thy back, By Alexander—Philip ? Not the star Which swains in space doth less the ether mar. Than have the shallops of a nation's pride Thy changing1 sheen ;—t!>o thunder-clouds of war Have burst on itiec, and tlum hast smiled; thy tide Has wash'd a splint from where ten thousand men have died.

"Farewell! and once again to care and man. To wrestle madly on the peopled waste, For 'tis a waste where no fi-ieuds are; tli3 ban * J3e thou alone,' is spoke; for me no taste Of'joy by home made holy;—trouble-ea^ed I still dare smile—dare hops on Sorrow's brink. I leave thco, Ocean, with a tardy haste, And thank my God that £ cau fuel and drink From springs unknown to those who suffer not nor think."

This melodious convict, singing in fetters, is really quite a romantic youth, lie ought to'bo liberated at once, especially as he is ■ evidently anxious to forgive the prosecutors Nv.ho sent, him to Western Australia, and is willing to pay back all the money which he took in mistake by a liberal gift of his own notes. It is possible, however, that his coniniiniou in ill-treatment—Mr. liedpath—intends turning those notes to good account iv Western Australia, for we find he has submitted 10 the Governor a plan for establishing a Savings' Bank. The Independent of the 28th March, says :—' We have received from Mr. Kedpath a copy of a letter addressed by him to the Governor upon the desirability of establishing a Savings'B.mk." The letter is not published, and" the Governor's answer is not. given. 'But the projected bank woutd bo, no doubt, a flourishing concern in the hands of Mr. Redp;ith as its manager and Mr. Robsonas its secretary.— 5. A. Register, 12th M::y. .