'Herbert's informal, pithy letters describe the "upper middle class" social scene, together with the economic and political realities of a newly-created colony. Their subjects range from a description of a Quensland election to a report of his camping and cruising holidays; from complaints of severe "social" seasons and other "abominations" to eating oysters or making ice; from caustic comments on some of his associates to an essay on why he did not wish to marry; from impatience with the "eccentricities" of Governor Bowen to hearty admiration for Lady Bowen. An informative and often appreciative view of colonial life, this book should prove a valuable contribution to the history of the period and delight those general readers for whom colonial life of the midnineteenth century has its own special fascination.