The Archer Letters – Letter Thirty
July 2, 2024
Fr Julian Tenison Woods’ letter to William Archer on 3 January 1888 from his home in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, was probably not penned by himself. However, he did add his own signature.
The reason for not writing himself was a serious deterioration in his health, leaving him an invalid unable to use his hands and feet freely. His eyesight was also failing. Yet, despite all this, Fr Julian was continuing to work from his travel notes and prepare articles and scientific papers. His able assistant was Anne Bulger, to whom he had also dictated his Memoirs. (Anne was a member of the lay community of devoted women who cared for Julian in his final invalid years.)
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Nine
This letter is written from William Archer to Fr Julian Tenison Woods welcoming him back to Australia in 1886. It is Archer’s only letter in this collection.
Written from his home in Melbourne on the feast of Corpus Christi, 1886, William Archer’s words are warm and inviting – in anticipation of seeing his good friend once again. He is eager to hear all about Fr Julian’s research and to encourage him to speak and write about his experiences.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Eight
This letter was written from the mountains behind Osaka in Japan.
Fr Julian had retreated here to indulge his love of botany, geology and solitude. He seemed to be quite intrigued with Japan, its houses and people and was only too happy to be confined here longer than he expected due to a cholera epidemic “in the plains below”.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Seven
Wherever Fr Julian went he found people who had connections to Australia. In this letter he mentions that he was staying with Sir George Bowen, a former Governor of Victoria (1872-1879). It seems Fr Julian was not too charmed by Sir George because of the introduction he had given to his lecture on mines and minerals in the Malay Peninsula!
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Five
Fr Julian is now some months into his travels in Asia. It seems that his health had been good from August 1853 until the beginning of January 1884, despite the fact that he had endured uncomfortable boat trips and others around him succumbing to jungle fever. However, he did get fever in due course and suffered so considerably his doctor advised him not to stay in the country too much longer.
Fr Julian’s opinion of the country is not all that high! He shakes his head at the living conditions, the huge challenge of paganism and the tigers prowling at night.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Four
In his letter of 18 October 1883, we find that Fr Julian Tenison Woods is now in Singapore, having left Brisbane three months before. He relates wonderful new experiences, including witnessing volcanic activity and declares “I shall never forget my journey!” He was, of course, a guest of the Governor, Sir Frederick Weld, a friend from his years in Tasmania. He now looks forward to travelling with him to explore and geologize as long as there is anything to examine. There will be time along the way to say Mass at various Catholic missions.