In the minds of many people living in England, before Australia was Au

is the last sentence starting from "an obscure" is an absolute phrase. and if yes then it shall modify the civilization. I find it non-sensical. Also, in a there are two modifiers.
May you please explain a bit in more details.

Thanks
Gaurav[/quote]


it was the antipodes, the opposite pole to civilization, an obscure and unimaginable place
Noun, Modifier 1, Modier 2
there is no absolute rule that modifier 2 must modify the noun in modier1, it can jump and can also modify Noun

E.g.
1. He has a car, white colour, branded one that was bought last year.--> clour is not branded but car is . Modifier2 modifies noun
2. he has a car, white colour, not a typical one. --> ambiguous : colour is not typical or car is not typical? --- incorrect
3. He has a car, white colour, a light shadow. --> car can not be light shadow, light shadow must refers to colour. Here modifier 2 modifies noun in modifer1

Verbal rules have lot of grey areas. Thats why decision making comes in picture.