On the evening of May 3, 1827, the garden of a large red-brick bow-windowed mansion called North End House, which, enclosed in spacious grounds, stands on the eastern height of Hampstead Heath, between Finchley Road and the Chestnut Avenue, was the scene of a domestic tragedy.Three persons were the actors in it. One was an old man, whose white hair and wrinkled face gave token that he was at least sixty years of age. He stood erect with his back to the wall, which separates the gar...

For the Term of His Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 (as His Natural Life), appearing as a novel in 1874. It is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. Described as a "ripping yarn", and at times relying on seemingly implausible coincidences, the story follows the fortunes of Rufus Dawes, a young man transported for a murder that he did not commit.Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke (...

The story is set in the early days of the Australian penal colony system, particularly in the 19th century, and it explores the harsh and brutal conditions faced by convicts sent to Australia from Britain. The narrative follows the life of Rufus Dawes, a wrongly convicted Englishman who is transported to the harsh penal colony of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania). The novel depicts his struggles, the injustices he faces, and his quest for freedom and justice.As the story unfolds, readers ar...

Scarcely out of print since the early 1870s, For the Term of His Natural Life has provided successive generations with a vivid account of a brutal phase of colonial life. The main focus of this great convict novel is the complex interaction between those in power and those who suffer, made meaningful because of its hero's struggle against his wrongful imprisonment. Elements of romance, incidents of family life and passages of scenic description both relieve and give emphasis to th...

“...he was so horribly unhuman, that one shuddered to think that tender women and fair children must, of necessity, confess to fellowship of kind with such a monster.”― Marcus Clarke, For the Term of His Natural LifeFor the Term of His Natural Life (1874) by Marcus Clarke tells the story of Richard Devine, a young aristocrat, disowned by his father and wrongfully convicted of a crime, which commands him to...

Mark Twain Lecture, Melbourne, Oct., 1895MARCUS CLARKEI not only regret, but feel surprised that the 'Selected Works' of Australia's only literary genius—a genius such as you will not see again for many a long year—should be out of print. Through the courtesy of his widow I obtained a copy of the work after failing to buy one anywhere. And such a work, such reading, such power. It was just the sort of reading to banish from one's thoughts such pain a...

*** Original and Unabridged Content. Made available by CLASSIC COLLECTION 600.***Synopsis:For the Term of his Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 (as His Natural Life), appearing as a novel in 1874. It is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. Described as a “ripping yarn”, and at times relying on seemingly implausible coincidences, the story follows the fortunes of Rufu...

Scarcely out of print since the early 1870s, For the Term of His Natural Life has provided successive generations with a vivid account of a brutal phase of colonial life. The main focus of this great convict novel is the complex interaction between those in power and those who suffer, made meaningful because of its hero's struggle against his wrongful imprisonment. Elements of romance, incidents of family life and passages of scenic description both relieve and give emphasis to th...

On the evening of May 3, 1827, the garden of a large red-brick bow-windowed mansion called North End House, which, enclosed in spacious grounds, stands on the eastern height of Hampstead Heath, between Finchley Road and the Chestnut Avenue, was the scene of a domestic tragedy.

The world of work is changing. Seismic shifts in technology, demographics and globalization are fundamentally changing the meaning of work, jobs and careers. Human jobs are increasingly performed by robots, expert systems or software, which are steadily eroding middle class employment in the US. The remaining jobs are now performed by human-machine hybrids as we become ever more dependent upon computers to accelerate our daily work to be competitive. Wave after wave of new technology offer...

For the Term of His Natural Life can be described as a “ripping yarn.” While it relies on slightly unrealistic coincidences, the story follows the (mis)fortunes of Rufus Dawes, a young man transported for a murder he did not commit. The story also explores the harsh environment and the often inhumane treatment meted out to the convicts in the early penal settlements, some of whom were transported for minor crimes. The appalling conditions experienced by the convicts are graphicall...

For the Term of His Natural Life is the classic Australian novel of convict life. Relating the intricate and savage interplay between the gaolers and the gaoled, Marcus Clarke weaves the tragic tale of his wrongfully convicted hero Rufus Dawes. This unforgettable account of the barbarous days of early white settlement has at its heart the enduring belief in the strength of the human spirit and the capacity for love to overcome adversity.