d'un voyage fait par l'ordre du Roi dans l'Amerique Septentrionale." He himself describes it as "A history from which I have determined to omit nothing that could possibly edify my readers." Parkman characterizes the Jesuit as careless, but Dr. Shea says, "Access to State papers, and the archives of the religious order to which he belongs, experience and skill as a practiced writer, a clear head and an ability to analyze, arrange and describe, fitted him for his work." The history of Frontenac, de la Barre and de Dénonville's administrations are exhaustively treated. in these pages. In 1744, two editions of this history were published, one in three volumes, quarto, and the other in six volumes of small size, with the plates folded. In 1804, Heriot published an abridged translation of Charlevoix, but the English student owes much to the version and annotations of Dr. Shea, published in New York, 1866-72. The colonists brought from their native land many songs, ballads and legends. All the light-hearted vivacity of the French temperament appears in these joyous refrains, the Old World superstitions revive in the ancient tales. Amidst virgin forests and tractless wastes of snow, the strains to which the hearts of these strangers in a strange land clung tenaciously, acquired additional pathos. They formed the lullaby with which the mother hushed her little ones to sleep, they were shouted by the hardy voyageur, wandering in the savage immensity of the wilderness; they were sung when family groups collected around the hearth where the blazing log fire hurled defiance to the roar of the fierce tempest without. The first germs of poetry were planted. in tribulation and suffering, watered by tears, warmed by high-hearted enthusiasm. "Our old stories, our songs, proverbs and superstitions, all come to us from Normandy and Brittany," wrote a distinguished Canadian in 1835. "The tales of La Mer bleue,' 'Le merle blanc,' the songs 'Dans le prison de Nantes,' 'A St. Malo,' 'A Rouen,' 'C'est la belle Française,' the stories of wher wolves, the will-o'-the-wisp, the imp that drives the horses, all these tales are delightful. They are something that the English do not in the least understand, something quite distinct from any Scotch superstition." This rich material of folk lore and tradition, in appearance feeble, in reality copious, effective, and full of force, furnishes the real foundation for our national literature. With the conquest commenced a new era. Canada arising with renewed vitality above disaster and corruption, amidst the shadows of despair commenced a fresh existence, brilliant with hope. Order gradually succeeded chaos, subjection and dependence yielded place to an invigorating system of stable freedom. British rule brought material growth and educational advantages, thus affording a stimulus to mental activity, an incentive to liberty of thought. There was a great scarcity of books in the country. With a prolific modern press, in an age in which the making of books seems to have no end, it is rather difficult to realize a state of society in which books scarcely existed. Those who had literary tastes and inclinations had little opportunity for gratifying them. An educational report of 1824 informs us "that generally not above one-fourth of the entire population could read, and not above one tenth of them could write, even imperfectly." The first newspaper, La Gazette de Québec, printed in both French and English, appeared 21st June, 1764. The first issue was printed on four folio pages of twelve inches by twelve, each containing two columns of small type. It had 150 subscribers. This paper retailed gossip and chronicled passing events. Being conducted with a caution verging on timidity, it rarely mentioned the politics of the day. The first article was the prospectus in larger type, in which the promoters promised to pay particular attention "to the refined amusements of literature, and the pleasant veins of well appointed wit." The latest English news was dated from April 11th, the latest American from May 7th. Some copies of this paper are still in existence. At the birth of nations, as in the early youth of the individual, imagination plays an important part. The progress of poetry was timid and uncertain. Her first tentative efforts are merely expressions of the gay and jovial sentiments of our ancestors, epigrams, odes and satires; wholesome good sense clothed often in verse of very mediocre quality; songs, rough in form and finish, brightened by the sparkle of wit and vivacity. They consisted mostly of fugitive pieces, whose brief strains reflected the popular life of the period. They betray lack of cultivation and experience, need of that leisure and classical training which is indispensable to literary work of an enduring character. The best writing of this epoch is contributed by Quesnel, Mermet and Bibauld. Michel Bibauld is the author of a volume of poems entitled "Epitres et Satires." The verse (it can scarcely be dignified by the name of poetry) is harsh and imperfect, the sound is constantly sacrificed to the sense, the morality may be edifying, but it certainly cannot be termed entertaining. J. D. Mermet, captain and adjutant in the regiment of Wateville, came to Canada in 1813 with his regiment. While in the country he published quite a number of poems some of which exhibit considerable powers of imagination. His fancy appears to have been captivated by De Salaberry's heroism. He wrote "La Victoire de Chateauguay" and "Chambly," a really fine poem which ends with an eloquent and impassioned address to the Canadian hero. Among Mermet's shorter poems we may select "La Main," "L'Homme Dieu" and "L'Art Indéfinissable," as especially worthy of attention. Joseph Quesnel was born at St. Malo, 1749. The story of his life is full of incident and adventure. A sailor by profession, a wanderer from inclination, he gained his experience in many lands. He visited, at different times, Pondicherry, Madagascar, French Guinea, Brazil and the Antilles. In 1779, he was in command of a war-ship bound for New York, laden with provisions and ammunition, when he was made prisoner by an English frigate and taken to Halifax. Later he proceeded to Quebec, with letters of recommendation to General Haldimand, who had been acquainted with his family in France. After making a voyage to the Mississippi, the Frenchman became a naturalized British subject, and fixed his residence at Boucherville. In all his wanderings, Quesnel's inseparable companions were his violin and volumes of Molière and Boileau, authors whose inspiration can be very clearly traced in his work. This sailor was born a poet, making melody both of music and verse, as naturally and spontaneously as a bird sings, and often, it must be confessed, with as little regard for art. The cast of mind and inspiration of his poems are wholly Latin, his style is brilliant and original, and there is a jovial heartiness, a vigorous frankness about it, that one can fancy was imbibed from the strong salt flavor of the sea and the freedom of the tractless forest. Quesnel left four dramatic works which he set to music, "Lucas et Cécile," an opera; "Colin et Colinette," a charming little comedy, sparkling with spirit and vivacity; "l'Anglomanie," a comedy in verse, unpublished, and "Les Républicans Français," a prose comedy, published in Paris. Also a clever essay on the Dramatic Art, written in 1805 for a corapany of Canadian amateurs at Quebec. Among his shorter pieces may be noticed "Le Petit Bonhomme vit encore," "A Mon Esprit," "Le Ruisseau," "Sur l'Inconstance." Quesnel's musical compositions consist of several symphonies intended for a full orchestra, some duets and quartettes, a number of bright, pretty songs, several anthems, composed for the parish church of Montreal, which are still to be found there. A French poet, who spent some time in Canada, alludes to his brother poet as "Quesnel, le pére des amours Semblable à son petit bonhomme (To be Continued.) REMINISCENCES OF COL. CLAUS. By MR. ERNEST CRUIKSHANK. III. General Dearborn, the American commandant at Niagara, was in feeble health, and repeated disasters made him timid. For several weeks he did not venture to send even a patrol more than a mile beyond his entrenchments. After Bostler's defeat in the Beechwoods, the opinion was seriously propounded that his army should retire from Canada, but a council of war, summoned to consider this question, decided to remain, although boats were kept in readiness to provide for a retreat in a sudden emergency. Fort George was strengthened in every possible way, and the camp adjoining was surrounded by earthworks, palisades, and ditches. Yet Dearborn must have known that his force outnumbered that of his opponent in the proportion of at least two to one. A letter from his army dated on the last day of June, printed in the New York Evening Post of that year, thus describes the situation:--" Our army, numbering 2,000, is entrenched on the right of the fort. Fort Niagara is garrisoned by about 400 men. Our pickets and foraging parties are constantly harassed by the loyal militia and Indians. Every night there is a skirmish. They keep our troops under arms during the night, which exhausts and wears them away very fast. Our force has decreased very much. The enemy's fleet plague our troops very much. It has been making demonstrations off Niagara for near two weeks. The weather is very wet. It rains at least half the time." The next thing recorded in the letter-book is a General Order dated from Kingston, the 6th of July, 1813, thanking the Indians for their services, especially at the Beechwoods, and directing that a liberal donation should be made to them when they took their departure for their homes, and a double allowance given to the wounded and the families of the slain. A few days later, Gen. De Rottenburg |