The Australian Girl (1887)
by Ethel Castilla
4227463The Australian Girl1887Ethel Castilla

"She's pretty to walk with,
And witty to talk with;
And pleasant, too, to think on."
   Sir John Suckling.

She has a beauty of her own,
A beauty of a paler tone
         Than English belles.
The Southern sun and Southern air,
Have kissed her cheeks until they wear,
The dainty tints that oft appear
         On rosy shells.

Her frank, clear eyes, bespeak a mind
Old-world traditions fail to bind.
         She is not shy
Or bold, but simply self-possessed;
Her independence adds a zest
Unto her speech, her piquant jest,
         Her quaint reply.

O'er classic volumes she will pore
With joy; and true scholastic lore
         Will often gain.
In sports she bears away the bell—
Rides, rows, sings ; nor, 'neath music's spell,
To dance divinely, flirt as well,
         Does she disdain.

This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired. According to Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright, the following works are public domain:

  • published non-government works whose author died before January 1, 1955,
  • anonymous or pseudonymous works and photographs published before January 1, 1955, and
  • government works published more than 50 years ago (before January 1, 1974).

This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996). This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.

Because the Australian copyright term in 1996 was 50 years, the critical date for copyright in the United States under the URAA is January 1, 1946.


This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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