Arabin; or, The Adventures of a Settler

{{Short description|1849 play by James McLachlin}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox play

| name = Arabin; or, The Adventures of a Settler

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| image = File:Arabin_or_Adventures.png

| alt =

| caption = Melbourne Daily News 9 March 1849

| writer = James McLachlin

| based_on = {{based on|novel Adventures of a colonist, or, Godfrey Arabin the settler|Thomas McCombie}}

| director =

| music =

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| premiere = 9 March 1849{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208561129 |title=Last Night of the Season |newspaper=The Lorgnette |volume=XLI |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 June 1886 |accessdate=5 May 2024 |page=2 (Edition 3) |via=National Library of Australia}}

| place = Queen Theatre Royal, Melbourne

| orig_lang = English

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}}

Arabin; or, The Adventures of a Settler is an 1849 Australian stage play by James McLachlin.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226473085 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Melbourne Daily News |volume=XII |issue=1,895 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=8 March 1849 |accessdate=5 May 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} {{cite book|pages=96–105|url=https://archive.org/details/australianplaysf0000unse/page/100/mode/1up?|first=Richard|last=Fotheringham|title= Australian plays for the colonial stage : 1834–1899|year=2006 }} It was arguably the first Australian play presented in Melbourne.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208561116 |title=Queen's Theatre Royal |newspaper=The Lorgnette |volume=XLI |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 June 1886 |accessdate=11 May 2024 |page=2 (Edition 1) |via=National Library of Australia}}

It was based on the 1845 book Adventures of a colonist, or, Godfrey Arabin the settler by Thoms McCombie. A full copy of the play survives. According to academic Richard Fotheringham, "except for the introduction of a predictable comic Irish servant and his sweetheart, the stage Arabin follows McCombie’s narrative closely; indeed several cryptic references in the play can only be understood by referring to the novel."Fotheringham p 98

The production featured songs.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223157129 |title=Domestic Gazette |newspaper=Port Phillip Gazette and Settler's Journal |volume=IX |issue=1881 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=7 March 1849 |accessdate=11 May 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

According to William Kerr in the Argus, who disliked McCombie, the play was written by McCombie and would be "interspersed with Songs written by" McCombie "to music no doubt composed by the same universal Genius. The author is also to deliver a Prologue of his own composition. In short, it is a perfect McCombie triumph, and we strongly recommend an attendance to such of our readers as relish a bit of fun."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4768319 |title=Domestic Intelligence. |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |volume=I |issue=56 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=9 March 1849 |accessdate=11 May 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

McCombie pointed out to Kerr that McLachlin wrote the play and songs, not him. "In a flattering notice which one of our contemporaries bestowed upon this piece, it is stated that the prologue was to be spoken by Mr. McCombie. We need not say that this is an error; the author of tho drams was advertised to speak it, and it would be unfair to him to deprive him of the honor."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223157146 |title=Domestic Gazette |newspaper=Port Phillip Gazette and Settler's Journal |volume=IX |issue=1882 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 March 1849 |accessdate=11 May 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

McLaughlin and McCombie later collaborated on another play Jackey Jackey the NSW Bushranger.