Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 325
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[Page 325]
"Ah! Que j'aime ces oiseaux qui sont environnes d'eaux, et ne vivent que de l'air; qui se cachent en mer, et voient que le ciel! Ils nagent comme poisons, et chantent comme oiseaux; et ce qui plus me plait, c'est que l'ancre, est jetée du côté d'en haut, et non du côté d'en bas pour les affermir coutre les vagues..."
[French translation: "Ah! I love these birds that are surrounded by water, and live only on air; hiding at sea, and seeing the sky! They swim like fish, and sing like birds; and what pleases me most is that their anchor is from above, not from below, to gain strength against the waves... "]
One requires to read the words over several times to get the swing of the poetically arranged clauses.
Matron Johnson has just sent to me a cup of tea and some biscuits. For them I am, but was especially obliged, when my appetite was not good, then they sufficed to help me avert a threatened sickness. Now thank God I feel equal to any work that may come my way. Good night! Good night!!! Good night!!!!!
26-4-15. 12 noon:/ Enclosed you will find receipts for two packages of stones posted by me today. Please send the receipts to Prof David & M.M. Bertrand. The stones are of the dessert. I hope that each of the receipients may value them because of the distance from which they come, & mayhap a kindly thought for the sender. When my baggage gets back there will be many specimens for you.
Late cablegrams announce that the Canadians have fought well in Flanders. We shall look forward anxiously for report of the haviour and bearing of our men in the presence of the enemy. Well fought battles will do much to help us bear up against the losses. Yesterday an officer, just arrived by the Shropshire, told me that Bert
[Professor, later Sir, Tannant William Edgeworth David, 1858-1934, born in Wales, was appointed professor of geology at the University of Sydney in 1891. In the early years of WW1 he took part in recruitment rallies and was instrumental in the decision to raise an Australian corps of miners and geologists to serve at the front. Despite his age, he enlisted in the AIF in October 1915 and was commissioned Major in the No 1 Mining Corps. He saw service in France, where he was mentioned in despatches three times and awarded the DSO. He returned to Australia in 1919 and was appointed KBE in 1920, becoming known as Sir Edgeworth David.]