A Surprising Literary Discovery
While Matthew Flinders is widely credited with being the first to use the name Australia in print in his Voyage to Terra Australis (1814), a much earlier—and far more peculiar—reference to the term exists in a 1693 English edition of a fictional voyage. This rare book, an imaginary travel narrative originally written in French by Gabriel de Foigny, contains the first recorded use of Australia and Australian in print—over a century before Flinders’ famous usage.
An Imaginary Land in Western Australia
The book tells the story of Jacques Sadeur, a European who journeys to the southern land and discovers an idealised utopia in Western Australia. This fictional society is described as being composed of large-bodied hermaphrodites who live in perfect harmony, untouched by the conflicts of European civilization.
Foigny’s speculation about the language of this utopian society is especially fascinating:
“They never speak but when it is necessary to make continuous Discourses, and to express a long Series of propositions: All their words are Monosyllables, and they have but one Conjugation…They express simple substances by one single Vowel…”
Could this be the earliest reference to a monosyllabic Australian chant—perhaps a distant literary ancestor to the famous “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi”? While speculative, it’s an amusing connection to draw from this 17th-century work of fiction.
A Rare and Controversial Book
Originally published in French in 1676, the book was banned by church authorities in Switzerland due to its unorthodox themes. However, it continued to circulate, and its first English edition in 1693 remains one of the rarest editions of early printed works referencing Australia.
Rewriting Australian History?
While Flinders’ role in solidifying the name Australia remains undisputed, this earlier fictional reference challenges traditional accounts of when the term first entered print. It also underscores the power of imagination in shaping geographical perceptions long before actual exploration confirmed the true nature of the continent.
For more details on rare historical books and early Australian references, visit www.FintaraGallery.com.
