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PAPERS OF MANNING CLARK - A history of Australia: drafts  
 
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1. General correspondence, 1939-91
2. Diaries, 1938-91
3. Notebooks, 1937-77
4. Newspaper cuttings, 1938-54
5. University of Melbourne, 1937-49
6. Canberra University College, 1953-60
7. Australian National University, 1960-76
8. Harvard University, 1975-79
9. Australian Council for the Arts, 1973
10. Journeys, 1955-91
11. The ideal of Alexis de Tocqueville, 1938-50
12. Select documents in Australian history, 1948-56
13. Alexander Harris, Settlers and Convicts, 1952-64
14. Meeting Soviet Man, 1958-60
15. A short history of Australia, 1961-92
16.A history of Australia: drafts
17. A history of Australia: research materials, 1960-86
18. A history of Australia: correspondence and reviews, 1960-91
19. Short stories
20. The Boyer Lectures, 1975-88
21. In search of Henry Lawson, 1977-88
22. Occasional writings and speeches, 1979-81
23. A history of Australia — the Musical, 1980-89
24. The puzzles of childhood, 1907-91
25. The quest for grace, 1989-91
26. A historian’s apprenticeship, 1990-91
27. Manuscripts, 1931-91
28. Lectures, 1940-87
29. Subject files, 1936-91
30. Family correspondence, 1958-75
31. Miscellaneous papers, 1937-90
Appendix
Box List

Series 16 A history of Australia: drafts

When he was at Oxford in May 1956 Clark decided to embark on a general history of Australia, a task that was to occupy much of his time for the next thirty years. Volume 1 of A history of Australia, subtitled ‘From the earliest times to the age of Macquarie’, was published by Melbourne University Press in 1962. It was received with great acclaim, but also subjected to strong criticism, most notably from the journalist and biographer M.H. Ellis. Volume 2 was published in 1968, Volume 3 in 1973, Volume 4 in 1978, Volume 5 in 1981 and Volume 6 in 1987. Clark had originally planned to deal with the post-1851 period in a single volume, but in fact three volumes were devoted to this period. The final volume ended in 1935. Clark’s use of sources, his carelessness with facts and his distinctive style have been much debated, but his History is generally regarded as one of the great works of Australian literature.

The drafts of Volume 3 are missing, but manuscript and typescript drafts of the other five volumes of A history of Australia have survived. They document the evolution of the book and the considerable textual and stylistic changes that took place between Clark’s first draft and the final publication.

Folder

1 Vol. 1: preliminary manuscript

2-11 Vol. 1: manuscript

12 Vol. 1: draft of chapter 3

13-18 Vol. 2: typescript and manuscript drafts

19 Vol. 2: miscellaneous drafts

20-25 Vol. 2: typescript

26-29 Vol. 2: typescript

30 Vol. 2: chapter 1, Darkness

31 Vol. 2, chapter 3, Return of the native son

32 Vol. 2, chapter 4, The native son offends grossly

33 Vol. 2, chapter 5, Towards a colonial gentry

34 Vol. 2, chapter 6, A high minded governor in Van Diemen’s Land

35 Vol. 2, chapter 7, The world of Betsey Bandicoot and Wild Jack Donahoe

36 Vol. 2: Sound and fury

37 Vol. 2: George Arthur, 1831-36

38 Vol. 2: index

39-44 Vol. 4: manuscript

45-47 Vol. 4: typescript

48-52 Vol. 4: typescript

53-54 Vol. 4: typescript

55 Vol. 4: photographs

56-60 Vol. 5: manuscript

61-69 Vol. 5: typescript

70-74 Vol. 6: manuscript

75-80 Vol. 6: typescript with manuscript amendments

81-87 Vol. 6: typescript

88-91 Vol. 6: proofs

92 Vol. 6: illustrations and maps

Folio

93 Vol. 3: maps


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