The Secret Key, And Other Verses


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

Born in London of Welsh parents, George Essex Evans was raised and educated by his mother Mary Ann (née Owen) in Pembrokeshire after she was widowed when George was only a few months old. Emigrating to Queensland with his siblings to Australia at age 17 with the intention of farming, Evans was badly injured in a horse-riding accident, when he was thrown against a tree and was unable to do any physical work.

Evans was described as a reserved man, and at times rather moody and impulsive. However, he was also described as a kind person and a loyal friend. He had a strong sense of honour and self-respect, traits that made him a model husband and father.

Evans was described as having a tremendous memory, particularly for poetic verse, of which he was able to recite a prodigious amount. Few of his contemporaries were able to match his breadth of knowledge of English, American, and Australian poetry.

Summary by Wikipedia (3 hr 54 min)

Chapters

The Secret Key 2:29 Read by Alan Mapstone
An Australian Symphony 5:08 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Women of the West 2:59 Read by Wayne Cooke
Ode for Commonwealth Day 4:36 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Nation Builders 4:38 Read by Wayne Cooke
On The Plains 4:30 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
A Federal Song 1:35 Read by FrigidBones
A Nocturne 1:13 Read by Andrew Gaunce
The Dream Star 3:37 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Song of Life! 2:25 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Lion's Whelps 1:59 Read by Soeun (Kelly) Park
The Sword of Pain 9:15 Read by Larry Wilson
A Pastoral 2:35 Read by Adrian Stephens
Lux in Tenebris 6:32 Read by Adrian Stephens
The Song of Gracia 3:50 Read by Rachel May
Ad Astra 5:40 Read by Rachel May
The Grey Road 1:47 Read by Adrian Stephens
"But The Greatest of These is Charity" 1:13 Read by Paul Harvey
Auri Sacra Fames 5:18 Read by Adrian Stephens
The Spirit of Poetry 3:40 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Brunton Stephens 1:32 Read by Adrian Stephens
Victoria 1:57 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Crown of Empire 4:53 Read by Alan Mapstone
To The Irish Dead 2:29 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Eland's River 3:00 Read by Alan Mapstone
At The Base Hospital 2:32 Read by Alan Mapstone
The Wayfarers 1:47 Read by Paul Harvey
Cymru 7:54 Read by Alan Mapstone
To A Bigot 1:38 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Kara 3:13 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Out of the Silence 2:15 Read by Paul Harvey
Altiora Peto 4:04 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Average Man 2:10 Read by Paul Harvey
A Commonplace Song 3:56 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Wheels of the System 5:13 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
By The Sea 2:09 Read by Alan Mapstone
The Two Goblets 1:21 Read by Alan Mapstone
The Doves of Venus 1:31 Read by Alan Mapstone
Ode to the Philistines 3:59 Read by Alan Mapstone
A Grave by the Sea 2:09 Read by Alan Mapstone
The Land of the Dawning 3:40 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The Splendour and the Curse of Song 3:15 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Failure 3:54 Read by Cavaet
The Dead Democrat 1:33 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Toowoomba 2:04 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
A Vision of Christ 2:01 Read by Larry Wilson
The Plains 1:55 Read by Wayne Cooke
The Master 3:10 Read by FrigidBones
In Collins Street 3:18 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
In A Garden 0:56 Read by Wayne Cooke
Welcome 3:11 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
William Henry Groom 2:43 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Australia 2:31 Read by Wayne Cooke
John Farrell 1:51 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
To The Unknown God 1:07 Read by Wayne Cooke
Riches 0:58 Read by Andrew Gaunce
Thomas Joseph Byrnes 1:48 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Adrift 2:43 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Seddon 1:58 Read by Alan Mapstone
Morning Land 2:26 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Loraine, Part I 14:17 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Loraine, Part II 10:59 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Loraine, Part III 14:38 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Loraine, Part IV 12:46 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson