te useless; but an uncle by marriage was touched, and sent
100 pounds a year for the benefit of the three children, and I was
constituted the guardian. The youngest died within two years, but the
allowance was not decreased, and I was able to get some schooling for
an elder boy. This was my first guardianship.

My pamphlet did not set the Torrens on fire. It did not convert The
Register, but Mr. Fred Sinnett, who was conducting The Telegraph, was
much impressed, especially as he had the greatest reverence for John
Stuart Mill, and thought him a safe man to follow. I had another novel
under way at the time, and Mr. Sinnett thought it would help The
Telegraph to bring it out as a serial story in the weekly edition; and
I seized my opportunity to bring in Mr. Hare and proportional
representation. In England Mr. Hare, Mr. Mill, Rowland Hill, and his
brother, and Professor Craik, all considered my "Plea for Pure
Democracy" the best argument from the popular side that had appeared. I
got the kindest of letters from them, and my brother considered my
labour and his money well spent. Professor Craik, writing to Miss
Florence Davenport Hill about the "Plea for Pure Democracy," says--"It
is really a pity that the pamphlet should not be reproduced in this
country--modified, of course, to the slight extent that would be
necessary. It is really a very remarkable piece of exposition--the best
for popular effect by far on this subject that has come in my way. I
rejoice to hear that there is a chance of Mr. Hare's plan being adopted
in South Australia." I may be allowed to observe that there is still a
chance, but not yet a reality. My aunts at Thornton Loch were applied
to by my English admirers to see if they would be at the cost of an
English edition; but, though they were goodness itself to our material
needs, they thought it was throwing money away to bring out a pamphlet
on an unpopular subject that would not sell. Why, even in South
Australia, though the price was marked at one shilling, not a single
shilling had been paid for a single copy; and in South Australia I was
known! Not so well known, however. I wrote under initials only, and
many thought my letters and pamphlets were the work of Charles Simeon
Hare, one of the tallest talkers in South Australia, who said Mr.
Thomas Hare was his cousin. My novels were anonymous up to the third,
which was not then written. If my name would have done the cause any
good it would have bee